《Qi Cultivation Starting from the Repair Panel》


 Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Servant

    A chill swept over him, and Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, feeling only the stiffness in his limbs and a burning sensation in his belly.


    After settling his mind and looking around, his expression gradually became strange.


    Instead of the familiar bedroom, he found himself in a dpidated blue brick tile house, where the windows rattled loudly. Without stepping outside, he could still feel the piercing coldness of the snow and wind.


    This...


    A flood of memories suddenly crashed into his mind, and after a moment, Chu Zheng gradually regained hisposure, his eyes flickering uncertainly.


    Without a doubt, he had traveled through time. His current location was in the Great Zhou Dynasty, Wuyang County, Luofeng City, at the Song Residence.


    His predecessor was also called Chu Zheng, a local from Luofeng City, orphaned, and sold into servitude at the Song Residence at the age of seven. He had been there for nine years, and because he had identally broken a jade cup beloved by Miss Xie the day before, he was punished with four days without food or water.


    However, to Chu Zheng, these were not the key points. What surprised him most was that in this world, immortals truly existed.


    They were not fortune-telling chatans but beings who consumed dew and dined on clouds, possessed longevity, and roamed from the North Sea to Cangwu in the evening¡ªa ss of powerful entities.


    Song Lingqing, the second young mistress of the Song Family, had been chosen by an immortal a few years ago and had gone to the Hidden Immortal Sect.


    Because of this, in recent years, the status of the Song Family had risen significantly, standing out above the rest throughout Wuyang County.


    As Chu Zheng pondered, a light screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Technique: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order/Iplete), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order)]


    [Repair Master: Zeroth Order (0/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for Today: 5]


    [Currently Repairable: Integrated Fist (0/10)]


    The Song Family, being a martial family, would teach some martial arts even to their servants, though always withholding something.


    Looking at the sudden emergence of the panel, a light flickered in Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    Repairing was an exceedingly difficult skill; mending the broken was akin to reversing time, seizing the creator''s prerogatives. Every bit of progress was an uphill struggle.


    Before traveling through time, he was a Cultural Relic Restorer, deeply interested in the past buried in the torrents of time.


    Upon crossing over, his first sensation was the excitement of facing an entire unknown world.


    This panel, capable of mending and perfecting cultivation techniques, would undoubtedly help him save a huge amount of energy and time in uncovering the secrets of this world.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Before Chu Zheng could recover from his tion, the door was suddenly pushed open.


    The cold wind, carrying snow, howled inside, causing Chu Zheng to shiver involuntarily.


    A figure stepped inside, dressed in the attire of a servant and wearing a small cap, looking rather ordinary and about twenty-something years old.


    Chu Zheng, somewhat struggling, sat up, leaned against the back wall, and sized up the neer. His mind quickly filled with fragmented memories.


    Song Yun, a born servant of the Song Family, possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts. He had grown up alongside Miss Xie and, despite being a servant, had an unusual status within the residence and was highly regarded.


    "A servant should know a servant''s ce,"


    Looking at the somewhat disheveled Chu Zheng, Song Yun''s lips curled slightly as he spoke nonchntly,


    "Miss values you and wants you by her side, yet you have declined repeatedly, exhausting her patience. Having good looks isn''t a capital you can act capriciously with."


    As he mentioned good looks, Song Yun''s voice paused, a flicker of hidden pain crossing his eyes¡ªhe had excelled in everything except for appearance.


    Chu Zheng leaned against the corner, his hair disheveled, his face etched with fatigue, yet he couldn''t hide the rugged handsomeness shining through.


    Seeing Chu Zheng after several days, Song Yun felt he had changed again, his gaze deeper, and his demeanor moreposed and resolute, drawing even more attention.


    Even as a man, Song Yun could not deny Chu Zheng''s striking appearance; in the outside world, no one would associate him with the word "servant."


    "Miss has spoken. After your fasting is over, you are to work in the Filth Room,"


    Song Yun shifted his gaze away from Chu Zheng, visibly irritated.


    The Filth Room was essentially a trash room, filled with the residence''s discarded items.


    Broken tables, shattered pots... and so forth.


    Located in the most secluded corner of the Song Residence, it was a ce no one typically went. Going there meant bing aplete outcast.


    For a servant, it was like being deprived of sunlight, aplete end to any future prospects.


    Song Yun had thought Chu Zheng would react to this news, but to his disappointment, Chu Zheng remained untroubled, simply saying lightly,


    "Miss Xie''s grace."


    With such calm demeanor, Song Yun felt as though he had punched cotton, and without realizing it, his palm tightened into a fist. He couldn''t help but step forward, whispering,


    "Celestials are different from mortals. The second young miss has been gone for over three years without a single letter home. Do you think she would remember you, a mere servant?"


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained utterly untroubled, merely sitting there as if lost in thought.


    Not receiving the reaction he had anticipated, Song Yun found it exceedingly dull:


    "Just rot here then, without any aspiration, wasting your good looks."


    Bang¡ª¡ª


    The door mmed shut heavily; the iron chain fell into the lock, clinking loudly.


    Chu Zheng hadn''t paid much attention to Song Yun''s words, as he was contemting his next move.


    Originally, his top priority was to buy his freedom.


    Having traversed into another world, Chu Zheng naturally was unwilling to sit idly in one ce, only to look up at a sliver of sky.


    Serving as a ve in the Song Residence severely limited his freedom and even his life was not his own, living each day as if it were hisst.


    But the information Song Yun had delivered made him reconsider.


    The Filth Room was quiet, unlikely to be disturbed, and in the short term, it might serve as a suitable refuge for him.


    ...


    ...


    As dusk fell, the sound of the wind and snow grew louder.


    tter¡ª¡ª


    A noise from the door woke Chu Zheng, who had curled up feigning sleep.


    "Chu Zheng... Chu Zheng?"


    The door was pushed ajar, and two soft calls came through.


    Chu Zheng didn''t stir. Having had neither food nor water for three days, he was utterly spent. If it weren''t for his good foundation in martial arts, he probably wouldn''t even have the strength to speak.


    He had ignored Song Yun just before because he truly found it difficult to respond.


    A small hand reached through the crack, clutching a steamed bun, "I kept it close to my body; it''s still warm. Eat it while it''s hot."


    "Xiao Cai?"


    Chu Zheng recognized the voice; it was the former personal maid of the second young miss, about the same age as his original self, and now serving the eldest young miss.


    "It''s me. The eldest miss has been watching too closely these past few days. Thankfully, she retired early today; otherwise, I wouldn''t have had the chance to see you."


    Relieved by Chu Zheng''s response, Xiao Cai outside exhaled, "You will be able to get out tomorrow, just endure a little longer."


    Chu Zheng furrowed his brow slightly, and after a brief contemtion, murmured softly,


    "Take this back with you. I have another favor to ask."


    Being the personal maid of the eldest young miss, Xiao Cai''s every move was watched by others.


    Since he would be free tomorrow, it was best not to eat the steamed bun, to avoidplications.


    "What is it? Speak quickly, I only have a short while."


    Xiao Cai didn''t ask further, retracting her hand with urgency.


    "Where are the fragments of the Jade Cup I broke the other day?"


    ...


    ...


    In the courtyard, the snow fell thickly.


    Two figures stood in a corner of the courtyard, quietly observing the woodshed, every move of Xiao Cai under their scrutiny.


    "Miss, let''s go back and rest." Song Yun stood holding an umbre, looking at the thin dress on the girl with some concern.


    "What did he say when you went this afternoon?"


    "He said he was thankful for your grace."


    "Grace? That makes him a good dog."


    The woman scoffed coldly, her hands tightening inside her sleeves as she turned and left.

 Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Filth Room

    "Although this world has immortals, the lifestyle of mortals is not much different from the feudal dynasties of the Iron Age, with low productivity."


    "Perhaps it is because there is nomunication between the celestial and mortal realms, strong individuals do not share amon concept of development, or perhaps, immortals do not see mortals as their kind."


    "One cannot rule out the existence of an ''Immortal Realm''-like inner world, where there may be a different structural framework."


    In the firewood room, Chu Zheng shrank his body to preserve as much body heat as possible, his mind habitually began to analyze the social background of the current era.


    Regrettably, limited by the original body''s scarce education, the information he could obtain was extremely limited.


    In the blink of an eye, it was almost midnight, and the moon was high in the sky.


    Chu Zheng didn''t waste the five repair opportunities given by the panel, using all of them on the Integrated Fist.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Technique: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order/Iplete), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order)]


    [Repair Master: Zeroth Order (5/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Integrated Fist (5/10)]


    Chu Zheng stared at the panel, continuing to wait for time to pass.


    Halfway through the midnight hour, the panel changed again, just as he expected, the count of repair opportunities reset, and he once again used them all on the Integrated Fist.


    [Integrated Fist (10/10) Repaired]


    [Quality: Zeroth Order]


    [A rather ordinary fist technique, its creator perhaps never intended it for injuring others. With long-term practice, it can strengthen the body and seems to have potential yet to be unearthed, but with your current abilities, it is temporarily unreachable.]


    A stream of information entered Chu Zheng''s mind, a set of breathing techniques.


    This fist technique epassed both the movements and breathing methods. The Song Family had only taught the movements and had not passed down the breathing techniques.


    In the mortal realm''s martial path, tempering the body andter condensing inner qi, cultivating qi into sharpness, marks a grandmaster.


    Without the breathing methods, even if practiced to the limit, it can only serve to toughen the physique, with no hope of cultivating qi in one''s lifetime.


    What surprised Chu Zheng most was the panel''s description of Integrated Fist.


    For someone who was once a cultural relic restorer, the ancient information contained in those artifacts represented their true value.


    This made him somewhat sigh in reflection; if he had had ess to the panel in his previous life, perhaps many buried histories could have been brought to light again.


    After carefully considering the breathing techniques within the Integrated Fist, Chu Zheng''s perception gradually changed.


    In his previous life, while restoring cultural relics, he inevitably came into contact with many ancient texts, some of which recorded the breathing and expelling techniques of Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators.


    He had devotedly studied this breathing technique for a time, even studying traditional medicine for several years to understand the theory of meridians and acupoints, but never grasped it, gaining nothing.


    But now,paring it with the breathing technique from the Integrated Fist, he seemed to have an epiphany, as if there were some simrities between the two.


    Chu Zheng immediately sat cross-legged, with his palms facing upward, trying to capture the energy of heaven and earth, refining inner qi.


    He had done this for several years in his previous life and was now quite adept at it.


    ording to ancient texts, those who consumed qi were godly and long-lived. Qi cultivators who seeded could live over three to five hundred years as if it were nothing.


    But inter generations, no one believed this im anymore.


    Because ording to various research data, no human skeletons older than one hundred thirty years have been found within any ancient ruins, rendering the im self-defeating.


    With closed eyes and a sunken heart, he sat quietly for two hours, and Chu Zheng helplessly opened his eyes and got up to move. His limbs had stiffened from the cold, and the chill of the night air made them tingle slightly.


    Whether it was the breathing method of Integrated Fist or the ancient Pre-Qin Qi Cultivator''s techniques, all had yielded nothing.


    His thoughts had been too simplistic; now, weakened and blood-deficient, trying to condense qi was indeed too difficult.


    Casually ncing at the panel, Chu Zheng suddenly focused his gaze.


    [Cultivation Technique: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete)]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline- Beginner Chapter (0/100)]


    The panel had changed, and his recent endeavors were not without meaning.


    ...¡­


    ...¡­


    The following day at dusk, snow had ceased and the sky cleared.


    Whoosh¡ª¡ª


    The door of the firewood room was once again pushed open. Chu Zheng instinctively raised his hand to shield his face from the dim yellow glow that flooded into the room, dazzling for a moment and preventing him from opening his eyes.


    Two figures entered slowly, leading was Song Yun, and with him was an elderly man nearing sixty, carrying a wooden box, his body permeated with a strong scent of herbs.


    The elder stepped ahead to Chu Zheng''s side, took his pulse, then slightly nodded his head,


    "The pulse is normal. The Essence Yuan is depleted and the blood is weak, the stomach Qi exhausted; he has not consumed even rice water for at least four days."


    This was a necessary step to prevent stealing food.


    If any abnormalities were detected, the punishment would be severe, as the Song Family upheld strict rules.


    Having spoken, the elder turned back, opened his medicine chest, took out a porcin bottle, poured out a round elixir, and stuffed it into Chu Zheng''s mouth,


    "Take this Qi Supplementing Pill, rest for two days, and all shall be well."


    The Song Family never mistreated their servants. Rewards and punishments were clear: once punished, there was no excessive me afterward.


    Authoritybined with benevolence was truly the way to manage subordinates.


    After the physician had left, Song Yun stepped forward slowly, casually dropping a porcin bottle,


    "Miss Xie specifically instructed this; you can go directly to the Filth Room. The bedding has already been sent there; stay out of the front courtyard if unnecessary, leave the residence through the side door, and remember to clean the Filth Room thoroughly. I wille to inspect it in a couple days."


    Chu Zheng opened the porcin bottle and nced inside, his gaze slightly sharpening.


    Inside the bottle were two elixirs the size of longan fruits, pitch-ck in color.


    [Essence Yuan Pill (Zeroth Order): Composed of ginseng, astragalus... licorice and dozens of other herbs, it strengthens the Qi, fortifies the blood and generates body fluids. Unfortunately, its potency waspromised during the preparation process, it is rmended to repair it before consumption.]


    This panel was far from just simple cultivation techniques; it even epassed the restoration of elixirs.


    "Extend my thanks to Miss Xie."


    The Qi Supplementing Pill gradually took effect, warming Chu Zheng''s stomach and restoring some strength to his body. He slowly stood up and left the firewood room.


    Casually grabbing a handful of melting snow from the eaves, he stuffed it into his mouth to quench his thirst, and headed straight towards the Filth Room from his memory.


    ...


    ...


    This old estate of the Song Family, handed down to this day, nearly three hundred years old, had undergone numerous renovations, yet it still retained traces of the years.


    As he walked, Chu Zheng was dazzled by all he saw.


    These buildings imbued with ancient charm, in his view, always filled with a soul-stirring beauty, marks left by the passage of time.


    The Filth Room was located in the northwest corner of the Song Residence, upying an area of about five to six square zhang.


    As he pushed open the door, dust flew up, and the interior was cluttered with lots of aged items.


    [Sinking Wood Tea Tray (Zeroth Order/Iplete): Once greatly cherished, it fell into neglect after the owner''s death,cking the nourishment of tea, and showing some cracks.]


    [Aged Diary (Zeroth Order/Iplete): A diary written by a Song surnamed martial artist, you can repair it to pass time.]


    [Tiger Head Shoes (Zeroth Order): Carrying memories that gradually faded over time as they were forgotten.]


    After circling around the Filth Room, Chu Zheng grew even more pleased. Its seclusion, free from disturbances, was undoubtedly a treasure trove for him.


    Upon departure, Chu Zheng took the tea tray and the iplete Aged Diary.


    "A house of gold lies within the book pages," was a truth Chu Zheng always believed in; reading more held no disadvantages.


    Before the advent of different information storage methods, books were crucial cultural ties for information heritage, and reading had be a habit ingrained in his bones.


    Especially something like a diary, which allowed Chu Zheng to see through time into an ancient person''s life situation¡ªtruly precious.


    On one side of the Filth Room was a small side room with a bed already made; less than a zhang in length and width, it appeared somewhat cramped but it was Chu Zheng''s new quarters.


    Chu Zheng didn''t mind. He sat directly on the bed with his legs crossed, quietly awaiting midnight.


    Dudu¡­ Dududu...


    Before the night had fully settled, someone had already knocked on Chu Zheng''s door.

 Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Song Lingqing

    Outside the door was Xiao Cai, who looked slightly panicked and kept looking around.


    Seeing Chu Zheng open the door, she quickly handed over the cloth bag:


    "All the fragments are in here. I collected them all that day, thinking about whether they could be repaired to ease Miss''s anger."


    Chu Zheng sighed in relief and reached out to take the bundle, "Thank you, I''ll repay this kindnesster."


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Cai''s expression hesitated, and she sighed:


    "The second young miss might note back, Miss Song... actually has a good disposition. Serving by her side, there are no difficulties. You should think about your own future."


    After advising, Xiao Cai looked around and, not daring to stay long, quickly left.


    The Song Residence, a centennial family, ces great emphasis on reputation. Maids and servants meetingte at night, if seen, would undoubtedly lead to some criticism.


    Chu Zheng closed the room door, opened the cloth bag, and revealed five intact fragments, perfectly fitting together.


    [Spirit Jade Lamp (Zeroth Order): Once a finely crafted jade vessel, its special material could, with years of nurturing, perhaps achieve spiritual awakening. You smashed it by hand, but luckily the fragments areplete, making it not difficult to repair for you.]


    Chu Zheng ignored the information flooding his mind; he had not nned to repair the jademp through the panel.


    The fragments of this jademp, who knows, one day Miss Song might remember, and tracing it back to him would be easy.


    This jademp was the most precious artifact he could ess given his current status; he wanted to use it to verify some of his spections.


    About the panel, he still had many unresolved questions and needed to conduct some experiments.


    ......


    ......


    In the front courtyard of the Song Residence, within a courtyard.


    The snow that had fallen the previous night had been cleared away, and the moist green stone bs, like a treasured mirror, reflected the starry sky.


    A figure in the courtyard practiced swordy, graceful as a roaming dragon. Under the moonlight, her resolute expression seemed painted.


    The green-edged sword emitted three inches of sword qi, sharp and clear, with its piercing whistling sound incessant. The sword movements were ever-changing, sometimes like a ferocious storm, majestic, and sometimes like a lotus in water, gentle and restrained.


    Song Yun stood to the side, holding the sword sheath, his admiration evident in his eyes.


    Whizz¡ª


    Suddenly, the woman''s long sword soared high, flying straight toward Song Yun.


    Zing¡ª


    In the blink of an eye, the long sword sheathed itself through the air, sparking a burst of bright sparks.


    "Miss''s inner strength has improved again."


    Song Yun expressed his admiration with a full face, "In no more than five years, you will surely step into the realm of Grandmaster. A Grandmaster in her early twenties, there are few such in all of Great Zhou. Our Song Family may well have a Great Grandmaster soon."


    A family with twin jades, an Immortal Seedling, a prodigy on the Martial Path, the Song Family''s fame was widely known throughout Great Zhou and even neighboring countries.


    "What of bing a Great Grandmaster if not entering the Immortal Sect? A centuryter, it is just a handful of dirt," Song Lingxue shook her head slightly, slowly finishing her practice, exhaling a breath of turbid qi. The warm mist that came out of her throat condensed into an arrow, flew nearly ten feet before it slowly faded away.


    Threads of warm mist rose from the top of her head, and her sweat-soaked clothes were quickly dried by the surging blood qi.


    Xiao Cai approached with a brocade box in hand.


    Song Lingxue opened the box lid, took out a steaming towel from inside, and wiped her hands. She nced at Song Yun and casually asked:


    "Was the Essence Yuan Pill sent?"


    "It was sent," Song Yun held the sword with both hands, bowing respectfully in acknowledgment.


    "What did he say?"


    "He said, ''Miss Xie.''"


    "Nothing else?"


    Seeing Song Yun nod again, Song Lingxue slightly furrowed her brows, "Did you say it was specifically instructed by me?"


    "I did," Song Yun lowered his head, concealing the slight dimness in his eyes.


    "Never mind."


    Song Lingxue tugged at the corner of her mouth: "But you are bing more and more understanding of courtesies, finally gaining some memory."


    Song Yun remained silent, sensing that Chu Zheng had indeed changed significantly¡ªthe restlessness that once characterized him had almost entirely vanished, reced by a calm and restrained demeanor.


    Even when he attempted to provoke Chu Zheng with the matter concerning the second youngdy, he did not receive the reaction he had expected.


    The punishment had perhaps truly led to his growth.


    "Song Yun, you''re not getting any younger. Have you thought about settling down?"


    Song Lingxue dropped the gradually cooling handkerchief in her hand and changed the subject, smiling as she spoke:


    "Xiao Cai has also grown up under my watch¡ªI know her through and through. If neither of you opposes the idea, I will make the decision for you: I will free her from servitude, and you can leave the residence to start a family."


    "The youngdy jests; how could a servant like me have such fortune?"


    Upon hearing this, Xiao Cai''s cheeks turned slightly red, and she retreated to one side in a somewhat flustered manner.


    Song Yun''s martial skills were extraordinary, and he had been well versed in poetry and literature from a young age. Among the servants of the Song Residence, he was in a league of his own. Even if his appearance was ordinary, he was still one in a thousand in terms of a suitable match.


    After all, one cannot subsist on looks alone. Just like Chu Zheng, who could not grasp his own status, his eventual fate was obvious.


    "The youngdy has yet to marry; how can I precede you?" Song Yun looked up with a smile, but his eyes were filled with bitterness.


    Having grown up together from a young age, Song Lingxue had never truly regarded him as a man. This was something Song Yun had long since realized.


    "Where does such a rulee from?"


    Song Lingxueughed and scolded him, then her mood turned slightly somber, followed by a soft sigh:


    "Father has only my sister Lingqing and me. Now that she has joined the Immortal Sect and severed her worldly ties, the responsibility solely falls on me to continue the family lineage. I will eventually have to marry into the family, but I cannot trust outsiders. How can I establish a family then?"


    Regarding her future husband, she had no special requirements; she simply hoped to find someone agreeable. Looking around at home, the only suitable candidate seemed to be Chu Zheng.


    However, after several attempts at testing the waters, her patience was starting to wear thin.


    Song Lingxue was not a shameless and despicable person; she had her limits. After three attempts, if Chu Zheng was unwilling, she would not press the matter too much.


    ......


    ......


    The following morning.


    At the break of dawn, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, unfolded his crossed legs, and rubbed his numb waist and back, feeling somewhat resigned.


    After trying for a long time, he still had not found the Qi Sensation. He had gone without sleep all night and was feeling somewhat out of sorts.


    He rubbed his temples, got up, and walked out of the room.


    The air outside,den with the moisture from the melted snow, cut through him to the core.


    Not far away, two meal boxes were ced on the ground, faintly steaming, having been delivered not long ago.


    Inside the meal boxes there was arge bowl of clear porridge, six buns, and six steamed buns.


    As a martial artist, he naturally had arge appetite, and the Song Family, being a Martial Arts Family, certainly did not skimp on food.


    He quickly finished his breakfast and performed a set of Integrated Fist exercises to circte his Blood Qi, warming his body, before he began cleaning the Filth Room.


    His current status was still that of a servant; some tasks, once assigned, had to be done to avoid trouble.


    By the time he had finished tidying up the Filth Room, it was midday.


    His lunch was even morevish: four pounds of boiled Essence Yuan meat sprinkled with salt, a bowl of big-bone soup garnished with green onions and covered in oil droplets, a few buns, and two small side dishes.


    Even by his pre-modern standards, the quality of the food was somewhat too generous.


    In this ancient dynasty with low productivity, it was extraordinary, even surpassing some middle-ss standards.


    After devouring his lunch, Chu Zheng left the residence from a side gate, intending to buy some materials needed for repairs.


    To Chu Zheng, repairing was a serious matter.


    In his previous life, every artifact restoration had to be handled with utmost care; a slight oversight could bury a piece of ancient history and cause many deviations.


    Due to differences in the world and historical contexts, finding the right materials was not easy, and it took until the sun was low in the sky for Chu Zheng to barely gather some of the materials needed to repair the Jade Cup.


    As night fell, Chu Zheng returned to the Song Residence.


    Before he reached the Filth Room, he heard some exhrating news from a passing servant.


    The Song Family''s second youngdy, Song Lingqing, who had not been heard from for several years, had returned to the residence.

 Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Superior Immortal

    In a past life, Chu Zheng had heard countless legends about the Immortal Gods and was naturally immensely curious about the "Immortals" in this world.


    Given his current situation, Chu Zheng had no means to make contact with the so-called "Immortals." Song Lingqing was the only possibility.


    Within the entirety of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Hidden Immortal Sect was an exceptionally unique existence; other than the asional Immortal descending to leave behind legends here and there, there was absolutely no information disclosed.


    Perhaps some people held the secrets of cultivation, but these were not secrets that Chu Zheng, a mere servant, could ess.


    Information istion existed no matter the era.


    Chu Zheng always believed that the most valuable thing in the world was information¡ªwhat seemed trivial to some could change the fate of an ordinary person if it fell into their hands.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng had already learned the whereabouts of Song Lingqing.


    He wasn''t the only one interested in this Second Miss; she was easy to find.


    ......


    ......


    The normally unlit corridors were now brightly illuminated, the ancient bronzemps burned vigorously, emitting a light smoke that was slightly irritating.


    The wind had picked up again at night, and light snow drifted down.


    It had turnedpletely dark before Chu Zheng hurried to the main hall in the front courtyard.


    The main doors were open, just in time for the serving of meals, a line of maids carrying wooden trays filed in.


    There were not many servants lingering at the door; many maids and servants passed by the hall, stealing a nce before hurrying off to satisfy their curiosity.


    There were so few novelties in the residence; even this glimpse was enough to fuel their gossip for a while.


    Chu Zheng stopped at a corner of the corridor, somewhat at a loss; in his excitement, he had forgotten his status.


    Without being summoned, he had no right to step foot inside the main hall.


    The consequences of barging in might be more than he could bear, but if he didn''t go inside now, there was no guarantee Song Lingqing wouldn''t leave by tomorrow.


    After weighing it for a long time, Chu Zheng decided against taking the risk and turned to head back to the Filth Room. Tomorrow was another day, and even if he missed this chance, he could still try other methods.


    He had only taken a few steps when he heard footsteps from three people approaching; a group turned the corner.


    Xiao Cai, holding antern, led the way, followed closely by a man and a woman, with Song Yun at the end.


    The woman was dressed in a light cyan long dress, her eyes hid a sharp brilliance like the morning glow, her appearance was pretty, her hair arranged in an Immortal''s bun, secured with a golden belt, her waist slender and demeanor captivating.


    Chu Zheng was stunned for a moment; he searched his memory and recognized the woman.


    Song Residence''s elder daughter, Song Lingxue.


    Today, she wore light makeup, evidently having taken great care in her appearance. Her features were softer, less sharp than the image Chu Zheng had of her in his mind, and more gentle.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze didn''t linger on Song Lingxue but quickly moved to the man walking at her side, and his heart suddenly sank.


    The man appeared to be just over twenty, dressed in deep blue brocade with silver patterns, his build was tall, his celestial dome full, his step light, as if walking on clouds, making no sound at all.


    The instant he made eye contact with this man, Chu Zheng felt a chill run down his spine, his muscles trembled uncontrobly, and he involuntarily lowered his head.


    This was an oppression emanating from the life force itself.


    Chu Zheng had felt this pressure once before in his past life, when he had visited a Heavenly Master of the Taoist School to seek advice on repairing an iplete magic artifact.


    On that asion, he realized the inherent differences between people.


    The Heavenly Master exined that a human body wasposed of the brain, blood, flesh, bones, marrow, channels, and meridians.


    The strength of theseponents determined the strength of a person''s life force, this strength brought about the most tangible feelings¡ªemotional changes.


    When one''s life force was suppressed, it would involuntarily lead to anxiety, panic, tension, fear, and other negative emotions.


    Chu Zheng lowered his gaze, his fingertips trembling slightly on their own; he knew well why this was happening¡ªhis adrenaline was spiking dramatically at the moment.


    The Heavenly Master he had met in his past life lived to be one hundred and eighteen, his mastery of Daoist teachings had reached the Transformation Realm, yet the man before him looked only to be about twenty!


    Moreover, the oppressive feeling emanating from that Heavenly Master back then was far less intense than what was being experienced at this moment.


    Without a doubt, this person must be from the Immortal Sect.


    "Chu Zheng?"


    Song Lingxue slightly furrowed her brow and nced at the hall not far away, her frown deepening.


    Walking at the back, Song Yun''s expression subtly changed, and he nced at Song Lingxue, wanting to speak but then hesitating.


    Upon seeing Chu Zheng, he intended to scold him but felt it was not appropriate to speak out at this moment; moreover, he was just a servant. In this situation, it wasn''t his ce to speak.


    "Miss, may peace be with you."


    Chu Zheng bowed deeply, stepped aside, and made way.


    "Enough."


    Song Lingxue observed Chu Zheng for a moment and sighed softly, her furrowed brow slowly rxing as she spoke calmly:


    "Ling Qing was just speaking of you. Come inside and let''s talk."


    With these words, she turned her head towards the man beside her and gave a slight, apologetic smile, "The household management is rathercking, Superior Immortal, you must be amused by this."


    The man shook his head slightly, remaining silent, simply standing there. Yet, his presence felt overwhelmingly strong.


    Song Lingxue said no more, nodding to Xiao Cai to continue leading the way.


    Chu Zheng hung his head low, his turbulent thoughts gradually calming. As the group walked past him, he silently followed behind Song Yun.


    During their brief eye contact just now, Chu Zheng could not discern any emotional fluctuation in that man''s eyes. It wasn''t exactly like looking at an inanimate object, but certainly, it did not feel like he was looking at a fellow being.


    Just as he had thought before, these cultivation people might not regard ordinary humans as their equals.


    ......


    ......


    Inside the hall, bright lights shone everywhere, leaving no dark corners. A round table was ced in the center,den with various delicacies, and the aroma was enticing.


    A young woman sat at the head of the table in a white garment adorned with cloud patterns, her long hair casually draped by her side. Her features were as exquisite as a painting and her skin as fair as snow. At first nce, she bore some resemnce to Song Lingxue, but her figure was even more graceful and carried an added trace of immortal aura.


    A middle-aged man sat by her side in a green robe, sporting a short beard¡ªit was Patriarch of the Song family, Song Tonghai.


    Only these two were at the table. Song Tonghai had lost his wife early and never remarried, only keeping two concubines in a separate courtyard. The vast Song Residence inevitably felt somewhat empty.


    "Immortal Qin!"


    Seeing the group enter, Song Tonghai''s face lit up with a smile, and he immediately rose to greet them:


    "Over the past few years, as per your instructions, I have collected many ancient relics; how are they? Are you satisfied?"


    The man nodded slightly and flipped his palm, a brocade box appearing in his hand. He then tossed it to Song Tonghai:


    "I am taking a few items, this is a token of my gratitude."


    His tone was cold, colder than the snowstorm outside.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be slightly moved; this was either teleportation or...


    "It was no trouble at all; there is no need for gratitude."


    Song Tonghai waved his hand, about to decline, but the man interrupted him:


    "I never owe favors."


    "Thank you, Superior Immortal, for your generous gift."


    Song Tonghai''s smile remained unchanged as he graciously epted the brocade box and handed it to the maid behind him.


    "Are you Chu Zheng?"


    The woman sitting at the head of the table slowly raised her head, looking towards the corner, a trace of confusion in her eyes.

 Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Hidden Dragon

    Song Lingqing''s eyes twinkled faintly, and for a moment, she hardly dared to recognize what she saw.


    She vaguely remembered that when she left the Song Residence, Chu Zheng was still a teenager; now he had fully grown up, and at first nce, he resembled a young master from some noble house.


    "This humble one pays his respects to the Second Miss."


    Chu Zheng bowed deeply, responding with respect.


    Song Lingqing was taken away by the Hidden Immortal Sect at the age of thirteen, having left home for over three years.


    For a young man, three years was enough time for transformative changes to ur.


    For Song Lingqing herself, the same was true.


    At least initially, Chu Zheng did not connect the woman with the aura of an immortal in front of him with the vivacious young girl from his memories.


    In Song Lingqing, Chu Zheng did not feel the oppressive aura brought by Elder Qin, but he did sense a slight difort.


    A person engaged in cultivation surely underwent a transcendent leap in the nature of their life.


    "I almost didn''t recognize you."


    Song Lingqing nodded, saying little else.


    Chu Zheng wisely stepped back, not pursuing further conversation.


    Song Lingqing walked slowly to her seat, while Elder Qin went to sit down at a guest spot not far from the round table.


    Upon seeing this, Song Tonghai gestured, and a maid promptly stepped forward to offer tea.


    "I heard Elder Qin has been fasting for a long time. Just the other day, I chanced upon some Dragon Blood Leaves in the Imperial Capital and thought they might make a fitting tea for you, I wonder if it suits your taste."


    "Much appreciated."


    Elder Qin nodded slightly but did not touch the teacup on the table.


    Seeing this, Song Tonghai smiled and bowed slightly, "Elder Qin has taken good care of my daughter these years. Should you ever have the need for the Song Family''s assistance, please do not hesitate to ask."


    Elder Qin did not reply, merely lifting the teacup from the table and taking a light sip.


    Song Tonghai''s smile deepened, and he turned to look at Song Lingqing, his tone not without reproach:


    "Have you been well these years, and what brings you back today? All this time, not a single letter home."


    "Sect rules forbid correspondence with the secr world, truly, there was no way. I hope Father will forgive me."


    Song Lingqing gave a helpless smile as she exined:


    "I must leave the Qian Domain to participate in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects. I''m merely passing by, so I asked Uncle Qin Feng to bring me back for a visit."


    "Very good, very good."


    Song Tonghai''s eyes crinkled with smiles, repeatedly expressing his approval. He did not understand what the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects entailed but felt pride in his daughter''s aplishments.


    "Are you the only one from your sect attending this tournament? When does it start? Would staying for a few more days cause a dy?"


    In a swift change of mood, Song Tonghai''s face grew worried: "When will you leave, then?"


    "The tournament is still quite some time away; it doesn''t start for nearly ten more years."


    Just as Song Tonghai''s face started to brighten with joy, Song Lingqing quickly added:


    "However, I truly cannot stay long; I must depart tomorrow."


    Song Lingqing sighed softly, "The region where the tournament is held is far too distant, and I must also allow time for my cultivation. Ten years is just barely enough."


    "Won''t this round trip take twenty years?!"


    Song Tonghai''s face changed dramatically, and he instinctively turned to look at Qin Feng beside him.


    Qin Feng remained silent with his eyes closed, evidently having no intent to exin.


    Song Tonghai lifted his cup, his hands trembling slightly, spilling wine that soaked his fingertips.


    In just a few exchanges, Song Lingxue, sitting quietly beside them, lowered her head a bit more, remaining silent.


    "I ask that Father keep my return today a secret, and let no outsiders know of it," Song Lingqing said softly, her eyes reflecting someplexity.


    Of the Hidden Dragons from the Ten Thousand Sects that venture into the sea, only those who arrive alive at the tournament are the True Dragons.


    This journey, how perilous it has been, the whereabouts of the true teachings of each sect, are absolutely secret, not to be revealed, even in the slightest.


    If she hadn''t been pleading continuously, Qin Feng simply would not have considered bringing her back to the residence, as it would be taking a tremendous risk.


    "Rest assured, I''ve issued a gag order. You are now a person of the Immortal Sect, no longer as before. You don''t need to worry about the family. Cultivate with peace of mind and bring glory to our sect!"


    Song Tonghai drank the wine in his cup, waved his hand with a smile, "I''m still robust, living another hundred or eighty years is not a problem, I''ll be waiting for your good news when you return."


    "Father, don''t worry. When I return, I will find a few Spirit Pills to ensure you live a hundred years longer."


    The worry in Song Lingqing''s eyes faded quite a bit. She raised her cup towards Song Lingxue:


    "I''m grateful to have sister looking after our home."


    Song Lingxue smiled, lifting her cup with slight restraint, and softly replied, "You''re too kind."


    Qin Feng, a man of few words, didn''t say another half-sentence, sitting until the meal was over before finally getting up and leaving.


    Only when the candles in the hall were extinguished, did Chu Zheng rub his legs, which had grown numb from standing, and slowly walked out of the hall towards the Filth Room.


    ......


    ......


    As the moon moved past the well, the Song Residence regained its former calm.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on the bed, his thoughts in turmoil, struggling to calm down.


    He hadn''t learned much this evening. Song Tonghai seemed to have certain taboos, not inquiring about Song Lingqing''s daily life within the Hidden Immortal Sect, and Song Lingqing didn''t mention it either.


    What was certain is that there were also struggles between the Hidden Immortal Sects, and they were quite vicious.


    The phrase "Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects" was enough to exin some things.


    From Song Lingqing''s admonitions, one could glean a hint that revealing her return to the residence was to be avoided, clearly, there were precautions involved.


    None of these servants of the Song Residence would have the opportunity to interact with people from the Immortal Sect, and even if the news leaked out, it would only circte among ordinary people.


    And what Song Lingqing was guarding against clearly wasn''t ordinary folk.


    This was enough to show that within this mundane world, there existed channels of information for different Immortal Sects or factions.


    From this, it was apparent that essing the Hidden Immortal Sect wasn''t as difficult as Chu Zheng had initially thought.


    What truly rmed Chu Zheng was just how vast the world beneath his feet was.


    People from the Immortal Sect, traveling from the North Sea to the Cangwu in the morning, chasing stars and moon, with such miraculous speed, still would need ten years just to go to thepetition...


    "Chu Zheng."


    Just as Chu Zheng was pondering, a call from outside came through.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng recognized Song Lingqing''s voice and immediately rolled out of bed, stepping out of the room.


    "I heard you were punished by sister a few days ago. Are you feeling better now?"


    In the courtyard, Song Lingqing''s smile held at the corners of her mouth, bathed in the moonlight, her Immortal Qi even more pronounced by three parts, with Qin Feng standing not far away, his shadow ever-present.


    "Thank you for your concern, Second Miss. I am unharmed."


    Chu Zheng made a bow, his heartbeat quickening a bit. He hadn''t expected that the opportunity he had just missed would once again present itself before him.


    "Sister treats you quite well indeed."


    Song Lingqing chuckled, "That Jade Cup was something I had asked Uncle Qin Feng from the sect for, not even the Imperial Pce might possess a few of such items."


    For Chu Zheng, still alive after being gifted by an Immortal, it was as if he had been graced by intense good fortune.


    "I''ll be leaving tomorrow, and next time Ie back¡­"


    At this point, Song Lingqing''s voice paused and she did not continue, instead, she changed the subject:


    "In recognition of your years of service to me, do you have any wishes? I''ll help you fulfill them today."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes gleamed as he instinctively wanted to ask for his freedom; but as the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back.


    Compared to the secrets of the Immortal Sect, his present predicaments were utterly insignificant.


    After weighing for a moment, Chu Zheng made his decision.

 Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Coming in Droves

    "The lowly one desires some Immortal Sect ancient texts."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s request, Song Lingqing slightly furrowed her brows and said slowly,


    "You don''t possess Immortal Bone in your body, and you are utterly incapable of sympathizing with nature and cannot attract spiritual energy into your body. You can''t even step into the Nourishing Power Realm, the first phase of cultivation. There''s simply no way for you to embark on the path of cultivation, I advise you to choose something else, such as..."


    Freedom, vast wealth, beautiful and lovely wives and concubines...


    These should be the things a servant desires the most.


    To aspire to reach for the Immortal Path is somewhat overreaching oneself.


    "I don''t seek the methods of cultivation."


    Chu Zheng nced at Qin Feng beside him and shook his head repeatedly, "Historical texts, autobiographies of Superior Immortals, tales of the strange, maps of mountains and rivers, anything rted to the Immortal Sect would suffice."


    At those words, Song Lingqing appeared somewhat surprised, her eyebrows knitting together even more tightly as she reminded,


    "Some things, once you know about them but are unable to touch them, might be a lifetime of suffering."


    To have the Immortal Sect within sight yetck the strength to open the door is a kind of indescribable torment for most people.


    If you never knew of them from the start, perhaps you could live a little morefortably.


    Song Lingqing''s reply eased Chu Zheng''s mind, suggesting these materials were not critical secrets and were at least things she could disclose to him.


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng spoke, "I just want to open my eyes to see this world, nothing more."


    "Very well."


    Song Lingqing nodded in agreement. Initially, she had thought about setting Chu Zheng free, but after weighing it for a moment, she abandoned the idea. In her view, the outside world was not as peaceful as within the Song Residence.


    With the protection of the Song Family, Chu Zheng could live longer.


    A windfall for an ordinary person is impossible to keep guard over and might easily bring great disasters; within the confines of the Song Residence, at least no one would harm or humiliate him.


    In the end, Song Lingqing left Chu Zheng with four ancient texts in a thick stack, made from a type of paper material that was very special, extremely pliable and something Chu Zheng had never seen before.


    The content of ancient texts such as "Initial Understanding of Immortal Path," "Chronicles of the Rainbow Sword Immortal," "Heavenly Stars and Phenomena," and "Chronicle of Shuoxue Tianjun" satisfied Chu Zheng immensely.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    After leaving the Filth Room, Song Lingqing felt somewhat dejected.


    She had embarked on the path of Immortals not long ago, and many things she had not yet experienced. This time returning home, many things had already changed.


    Her father''s politeness, her sister''s estrangement and restraint, as well as the attitudes of Xiao Cai and Chu Zheng.


    The changes in these people''s demeanors left her at a loss as to how toport herself.


    With nowhere to vent the irritation in her heart, Song Lingqing subconsciously looked back at Qin Feng, "Uncle Master Qin, have you encountered such a situation before?"


    "No."


    Qin Feng shook his head in denial, "I lost my father at a young age, my mother when I was older, and lived by begging before joining the sect. If I were not born with an extra piece of bonepared to ordinary people, my bones would have turned to dust by now."


    Song Lingqing''s life was better than ny-nine percent of the world, and for this reason, her character stillcked tempering.


    "Uncle Master, I took the liberty of giving those books to Chu Zheng. Will there be any trouble?"


    Only at this moment did Song Lingqing start to consider the consequences. The worlds of Celestials and Mortals don''t interconnect, and all information about the hidden Immortal Sects is sealed, not to be disclosed to mortals; this is an unspoken rule.


    "It''s fine. They are just a few misceneous books. The boy has a steady nature, knows when to advance or retreat, and has some aptitude in discerning words and observing expressions. Although he was talking to you, he secretly looked at me no less than ten times, always observing my reaction."


    Qin Feng shook his head and said, "When I was sixteen, my temperament was not as good as his. Even with just a lower quality Immortal Bone, this child could have achieved something. It''s a pity..."


    In this world, things are inherently unfair. Without an Immortal Bone, one is destined to have no connection with the Immortal Path.


    "Uncle Master, who is nearly three hundred years old, has such a firm Dao heart. Would he feel pity for a mere mortal?" Song Lingqing was somewhat surprised by Qin Feng''s assessment of Chu Zheng.


    "At three thousand years old, one is still human. The path to immortality is long and filled with obstacles. If I were to let go of everything, what would I be cultivating for?"


    ...


    ...


    After Song Lingqing left, Chu Zheng did not waste his opportunity for repairs today.


    After repairing the two Essence Yuan Pills, he used the remaining three opportunities on the Great Circtory Qi Guideline.


    From beginning to end, he had never thought of asking Song Lingqing for the methods of cultivation but rather pinned his hopes on the Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators.


    Since the people of the Immortal Sects in this world believe he cannot practice Immortal Laws, it must be impossible to do so, and it would be a waste of effort to research it further.


    The Immortal Sects'' heritage spanned for tens of thousands of years and surely had aplete set of methods to determine whether someone had the qualifications to cultivate.


    Chu Zheng did not believe he was a special existence capable of breaking the chains of rules formed by a world for tens or even hundreds of thousands of years with his own power. It would be better to save his energy.


    Among the notes of the Qi Practitioners from his former world, Chu Zheng did not see any description of ''Immortal Bone'' that seemed worth a try.


    Chu Zheng no longer spent time on the breathing techniques of Integrated Fist. After taking an Essence Yuan Pill, he began to read "Initial Understanding of Immortal Path" on his couch to understand the true secrets of cultivation in this world.


    In this world, regardless of which method one practices, an Immortal Bone is needed as a medium, which is further divided into four categories: lower, middle, high, and superior quality.


    A hundred years of hard cultivation with a lower quality Immortal Bone is no match for three months of seclusion with a superior quality Immortal Bone¡ªthe gap is like that between heaven and abyss.


    To enter the path of immortality, one must utilize an Immortal Bone to assimte nature''s spiritual energy, open the crown chakra at the top of the head, and nourish the body with it. This first realm is therefore called the Nourishing Power Realm.


    The Nourishing Power Realm has nine levels. At the ninth level of Nourishing Power, one''s every move is imbued with the Strength of Ten Thousand Pounds. Even without taking Life Extension Elixirs, one can live past one hundred and fifty years.


    When the body is nourished to its limit, a spring will naturally arise in the Dantian, producing mana capable of controlling magic artifacts and traveling through the air. This second realm is called the ''Spiritual Spring'', and its practitioners live past three hundred years.


    When the mana is sufficiently powerful, one can attempt to condense their Dao Foundation. This third realm is also called ''Entry Path''.


    Only when dawn broke and the roosters crowed did Chu Zheng rather reluctantly put down the book in his hands, his anticipation growing even stronger.


    He wanted to know if the Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators were the same.


    ...


    ...


    Less than two days after Song Lingqing left the Song Residence, a convoy arrived bearing the Zhao Royal g. The carriages were filled with gold, silver, jewels, and countless exotic precious medicines.


    ''Zhao'' is the surname of the Great Zhou Royal Family, and Wuyang County is King Guangyun''s fief. These goods were generous gifts from King Guangyun.


    There''s something abnormal when the unusual urs.


    In the past, the Song Family had no dealings with King Guangyun. Now that they had suddenly sent generous gifts, it was clear they had an ulterior motive.


    Following that came gift lists from various established families and many factions within Wuyang County.


    The news of Song Lingqing''s return home had inevitably leaked out.


    Regarding the Song Family''s ''Immortal Seedling'', many had previously been skeptical.


    Immortals were too mysterious, and very few had seen Song Lingqing being admitted into the Immortal Sect with their own eyes.


    But now the situation had changed dramatically. Song Lingqing had returned home, exuding the aura of an Immortal, witnessed by many with their own eyes.

 Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Doubt

    Crack¡ª


    The crisp sound of splitting echoed within the main hall, the tea cup shattered into four pieces.


    Song Tonghai''s eyes were slightly red, filled with bloodshot veins, his gaze piercing through the wide-open doors of the hall to the mountainous piles of gift boxes outside, his anger bing increasingly uncontroble.


    A visible inner strength condensed into mist, rising from the top of his head and generating an invisible gust around him, cutting like a de, sharp to the extreme.


    Gathering Qi into sharpness, this was the wonder seen in those who stepped into the realm of a Martial Arts Grandmaster.


    Song Lingxue stood not far away, her brows equally furrowed.


    With the news spreading this fast, there must be a traitor within the Song Residence, and perhaps not just one.


    Looking at the fury on Song Tonghai''s face, Song Lingxue picked up a tea cup from the side and slowly stepped forward:


    "Father, please calm your anger."


    Song Tonghai took the tea cup, drained it in one gulp, steadying the tumultuous breaths within him, then with a long shout:


    "Song Yun!"


    Song Yun stepped quickly into the hall, knelt, and paid respects: "Present."


    "Thorough investigation!"


    Song Tonghai took a deep breath, his eyes filled with terrifying killing intent: "I grant you the authority to make decisions on the spot. If the evidence is conclusive, there''s no need to report back. Just kill them and feed them to the dogs."


    He believed he had been fair to the people in the residence. Never did he imagine he''d raised such ungrateful beings. Now, he was truly enraged.


    "Understood."


    Song Yun replied respectfully, stood up, and left.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng paid no attention to these external disturbances, his main focus was on studying those several books and repairing the Jade Cup.


    These past few days, he slept very little, but his spirit had not been greatly affected.


    The enhanced effects of the Essence Yuan Pill, after the repair, were too evident; even if Chu Zheng stayed upte studying the books nightly, he would still be energetic the next day.


    After lunch, under the warm winter sun, Chu Zheng began repairing the tea tray that he had taken out from the Filth Room.


    Even the tea tray was an old piece, long deprived of moisture and inevitably cracked.


    The previous day, Chu Zheng had submerged it in a water trough to soak overnight; the small cracks had closed up almost entirely.


    Gently wiping the water stains off the tea tray, Chu Zheng took out a specially mixed newcquer and brushed it over the tray once more.


    Under the sunlight, the newcquer quickly solidified, and the whole tea tray looked as good as new.


    [You have expended some effort and have repaired an old tea tray, your skills have slightly improved.]


    A prompt surfaced in Chu Zheng''s mind. His eyes flickered, and he promptly pulled up the panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Technique: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete)]


    [Repair Master: Zeroth Order (32/1000)]


    [Remaining Repair Opportunities for Today: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline- Beginner Chapter (18/100)]


    Looking at the experience in the Repair Master category, a sh of understanding crossed Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    Repairing the tea tray by hand was a test by Chu Zheng of the panel.


    With only five repair opportunities per day, it was far too few for him; to increase the level of a repair master would take almost half a year.


    Therefore, he wanted to try to gain repair master experience on his own.


    The results were pleasing; fixing the tea tray did indeed add 2 points to his experience.


    These days, Chu Zheng used all the daily refreshed repair opportunities on the beginner chapter of the Great Circtory Qi Guideline. In over ten days, he would be able to start cultivating it.


    Shortly after noon, the usually deserted Filth Room weed a visitor.


    Song Yun came alone amid his busy schedule to inspect the tasks he had previously assigned to Chu Zheng.


    The Filth Room had been tidied up, with not a speck of dust on the floor¡ªamendable effort indeed.


    Even though Song Yun came with the intention of finding fault, he couldn''t find any issues at that moment.


    In the past, Chu Zheng wouldn''t have taken his words to heart, but this time he made such an effort, which was somewhat unustomed.


    "Not bad at all."


    After circling around, Song Yun stepped out of the Filth Room and praised it before saying, "Anythingcking in terms of food? If there is..."


    He didn''t finish his sentence when Chu Zheng smiled and said bluntly, "My appetite has been quite good these days; could you send some more meat for lunch?"


    Song Yun was momentarily speechless; hisment had been a subconscious courtesy.


    Thanks to Song Lingxue''s care, Chu Zheng''s meals were already the best among all the servants, yet here he was asking for an increase.


    "Understood."


    Ultimately, Song Yun did not refuse and agreed before turning to leave. The day before Song Lingqing''s return to the residence, Chu Zheng had behaved very appropriately, at least pleasing to Song Yun''s eye.


    Perhaps the young mistress might also change her view of him...


    Just as he left the side courtyard, Song Yun was slightly taken aback; suddenly turning back, he looked at Chu Zheng basking in the sun far away, with an unavoidable idea sprouting in his mind.


    In the residence, he had the authority to make on-the-spot decisions¡ªeven if he killed Chu Zheng now on the pretext of exteriormunications, at most, the young mistress would scold himter.


    Perhaps this was an opportunity given by the heavens, and he could use this chance to make Chu Zheng disappear forever...


    As the thought deepened, Song Yun suddenly raised his hand.


    p¡ª


    The crisp sound of a p echoed, Song Yun''s cheek immediately swelling with a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.


    Looking at his slightly reddened palm, Song Yun fell silent for a long while, then nced at a pair of tiger head shoes in the corner and chuckled softly,


    "Beast, is this how your parents taught you to behave?"


    ...


    ...


    With Song Tonghai''s consent, Song Yun acted without much restraint, turning the Song Residence upside down. Within just a few days, he had already apprehended six people.


    Fear and anxiety spread throughout the Song Residence, leaving everyone feeling insecure.


    Every servant''s room was searched, digging three feet into the ground, uncovering many secrets.


    Soon, they again searched the Filth Room where Chu Zheng was staying.


    Song Yun had intended it only as a formality, but he encountered an unexpected finding.


    With the limited space in the Filth Room, Chu Zheng had no ce to hide the few books, which were quickly found.


    On the day Song Lingqing visited alone, he was in a hurry and didn''t pay much attention to these trivial matters, naturally not making a special note to inform the family.


    Given Chu Zheng''s status, he should not have ess to these texts, which naturally raised suspicion.


    ...


    ...


    Not long after, Chu Zheng was once again confined in the woodshed.


    Compared to thest time, there were more instruments of torture, some with dark brown scabs of blood on them¡ªclearly, they had been used recently.


    Most of the torture equipment looked new, as if they had just been prepared.


    Though strict, the Song family rules did not condone the abuse of private punishments; these were obviously prepared on an ad hoc basis.


    Song Yun did not interrogate Chu Zheng himself; instead, he reported the matter to Song Lingxue, submitting all of Chu Zheng''s recent actions for review.


    After going over Chu Zheng''s recent activities, Song Lingxue''s brows knitted slightly, and thinking back to the day Song Lingqing returned to the residence to see Chu Zheng standing alone, her eyes inevitably darkened:


    "Why have you been running outside these days? Do you have acquaintances beyond our gates?"

 Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Mansions Treasury

    "This servant knows no acquaintances outside the mansion, and having idently smashed Miss''s Jade Cup the other day, I thought to make amends by finding some materials to repair it,"


    Chu Zheng didn''t hide a thing, and recounted the matter as it was.


    He had anticipated this situation when asking Xiao Cai for the fragments of the Jade Cup, so he wasn''t very nervous.


    Song Lingxue''s eyebrows twitched slightly, "Where is the Jade Cup now?"


    Chu Zheng took a cloth bag from within his clothes and presented it with both hands.


    The once-translucent Jade Cup had been restored to its original state, with the cracks covered by gold threads. From the outside, there were no longer any imperfections visible, and it even seemed more exquisite than before by threefold.


    However, the cracks inside were still faintly visible, resembling ice fractures; at best, it could only serve as a disy piece and was no longer suitable for holding wine or water.


    For ordinary repair methods, achieving this result was already quite difficult, and Chu Zheng was very satisfied with his work.


    He had only finished repairing the Jade Cupst night, which provided him with thirty points of experience.


    Over the past few days, he had also begun to uncover some information about the panel.


    Not all repair work yielded experience points, as he discovered when he intentionally smashed a porcin bowl and then mended it, which elicited no response from the panel.


    Simrly, repairing the broken tables and chairs in the Filth Room did not grant him any experience points either.


    Regarding the acquisition of experience points, the panel seemed to have its own set of judgment criteria.


    Flipping the Jade Cup between her slender fingers, after a moment, Song Lingxue caressed the gold threads on the wall of the cup and said softly, "Where did these gold threadse from?"


    Though these gold threads weren''t arge amount, it wasn''t something a servant could casually procure.


    "They were bought with the Moon Silver I had saved over time," replied Chu Zheng.


    As a household servant, his former self received a Monthly Silver, which wasn''t much, but over the years, it amounted to a considerable sum. He had intended to save it to buy his freedom, never imagining that it would end up being spent on repairing this Jade Cup.


    To gather the gold threads needed for the repair, Chu Zheng had to spend most of his savings.


    Song Lingxue pocketed the Jade Cup and asked casually, "When did you learn this craft?"


    Looking up, Chu Zheng stole a nce at the cuff of her sleeve and felt a twinge of pain in his heart, "From books."


    If not for this uproar, he had been thinking of waiting a while longer, until no one remembered, and then trading the Jade Cup for something else.


    "It seems you''ve been diligent in your studies," she said with a hint of praise, then Song Lingxue brought the conversation back to the pressing matter at hand, "Where did those Immortal Sect scripturese from?"


    This was the crux of the matter.


    "Miss Xie gave me the scriptures the night before she left the family," Chu Zheng answered truthfully.


    Strictly speaking, few of the contents of those scriptures held any substantial importance, so there was nothing much to hide.


    Song Lingxue''s brow furrowed slightly as she questioned, "Miss Xie came to see you before she left home?" Song Yun, standing by her side, suddenly straightened up, eyes wide with disbelief.


    Was someone with just a pretty face really so remarkable?


    It was one thing for the Eldest Miss since she had less contact with men on a daily basis, so a fleeting fancy was understandable.


    But who was the Second Miss? Born with an Immortal Bone, she was akin to a celestial being, mingling within the Immortal Sect among Superior Immortals. She had seen every shade of beauty, so how could she take special notice of Chu Zheng?


    Song Yun took two steps back, as if a great weight pressed upon her chest, her expression grave.


    "What did Miss Xie say to you? Why would she leave these things for you?" Song Lingxue asked, eager to know more details.


    "Miss Xie didn''t say much, merely inquired about my wishes and, remembering my years of service, wished to fulfill one of them for me," replied Chu Zheng meticulously, then added, "I knew I was of limited talent and couldn''t achieve greatness, so I asked for a few misceneous books to alleviate my boredom."


    "You''re only choosing these few books?"


    Song Lingxue''s expression showed a hint of surprise as she could not help but say, "Why don''t you take the opportunity to ask for a sum of silver to redeem yourself, or perhaps Spirit Pills to prolong life?"


    Going out to be an idle rich man, buyingnd and taking a wife, would be better in any case than serving as a ve in the mansion.


    "I have been an orphan since childhood; it was the Song Family that gave me a way to live. Once out of the mansion, I wouldn''t know what to do."


    Chu Zheng bowed his head with a light sigh, then looked up at Song Lingxue:


    "It was only after being enlightened by the second young miss that I realized the Jade Cup was an item of the Immortal n. I was guilty beyond redemption for breaking it by ident. Miss is kind to spare my life; I should be grateful and do my best to repay her in the future."


    In Chu Zheng''s view, his former self had been somewhat ungrateful.


    A man should be able to bend and stretch. How much is face worth? ying the sympathy card, in any era, is effective, especially against a girl not yet twenty years old.


    At the side, Song Yun regained hisposure and looked at the sincere-faced Chu Zheng, a sense of rm shing violently in his mind.


    Something''s wrong...


    This is not the Chu Zheng he knew.


    Within that familiar face, he vaguely discerned a hint of slyness.


    This is bad...


    Song Yun quickly turned his head to look at Song Lingxue, and as expected, although her expression did not change, her gaze had softened somewhat.


    For a moment, Song Yun broke out in a cold sweat. The old Chu Zheng had been a stubborn one, never having made him feel this threatened before.


    Whenever Miss bestowed favors in the past, Song Yun was always anxious, fearing that one day Chu Zheng might suddenly see the light.


    Now, the thing he feared most had happened. Chu Zheng had probably reallye to his senses and was about to ept the olive branch Miss had thrown out.


    This fasting had really taught him a lesson.


    "Enough, since things have been made clear, there is no need for you to stay here."


    Song Lingxue waved her hand: "Since these books were a gift from Ling Qing, you may keep them."


    "Miss sees clearly."


    Chu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave, only to be stopped by Song Lingxue calling out to him:


    "The gold thread for repairing the Jade Cup, just go to the ount room to fill in the form, and withdraw funds from the Mansion''s Treasury. im an extra twenty taels of silver, I''ll approve it, consider it a reward."


    Song Lingxue''s eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke indifferently, "I''ve already punished you for breaking the Jade Cup. I won''t hold a grudge. Having repaired the Jade Cup counts as your merit."


    "It was my duty; I dare not im credit."


    Chu Zheng bowed: "Thank you for the reward, Miss Xie."


    Seeing that he did not refuse the reward silver, Song Lingxue couldn''t help but smile slightly at the corners of her mouth, finding Chu Zheng a little more pleasing to the eye. She spoke again:


    "Your craftsmanship is too good to be wasted. You don''t have to stay in the Filth Room anymore. Go to the Mansion''s Treasury; they happen to need someone to repair some ancient artifacts. Your Monthly Silver will be doubled."


    "Thank you, Miss Xie!"


    Chu Zheng''s eyes lit up. He had been concerned that the Filth Room was somewhat useless and was wondering how to arrange his future. Now a pillow hade while he was dozing off.


    The job at the Mansion''s Treasury was vastly different from the Filth Room. Anyone assigned there was sure to be a core member of the mansion, most trusted.


    The majority of the Song Family''s treasures were all stored within. It was full of unknowns and far more alluring than thepletely transparent Filth Room.


    "Miss, this is still just his side of the story..."


    Song Yun took a deep breath. Before he could finish his sentence, Song Lingxue interrupted him with a shake of her head:


    "The city is full of people, and Chu Zheng''s whereabouts can easily be checked. Go verify it and report back to me once it''s clear."

 Chapter 9: Chapter 9: King of Guangyun

    "Yes."


    Song Yun bowed in response, feeling an inevitable sense of loss.


    The attitude of the elder Miss was clearly leaning toward Chu Zheng.


    While Song Lingxue naturally wouldn''tpletely trust Chu Zheng''s words, she also hadn''t found any discrepancies; it was most likely very close to the truth.


    The only thing that puzzled her was why Chu Zheng wanted only those few books.


    This was really beyondmon sense.


    Unless the contents of those books were, for Chu Zheng, far more important than wealth or freedom.


    What could that be...


    ......


    ......


    The next morning arrived.


    Chu Zheng got up early, had breakfast, picked a few items of interest from the Filth Room, and packed them along with those books.


    He did not head directly to the mansion''s treasury but first made his way to the ount room.


    The ount room was not far from the main gate of Song Residence,prising two side rooms where two ountants lived, one old and one young.


    The older ountant had joined the Song Residence at the age of twelve and had been there for fifty-three years, spending his entire life in the residence.


    The younger one, only fifteen this year, named Song Shui, was also born within the family, and had followed the older ountant for seven years.


    The elder had lost his wife in his middle years and had no children, so he treated Song Shui as his own.


    In the past few days, countless gift orders had been sent, keeping the ount room exceedingly busy, constantly sorting iing and outgoing items each day.


    Chu Zheng waited for a long time before he could finally fetch the ountant, got an ount note, wrote down the amount, and handed it back, "Record it."


    Upon seeing the amount on the ount note, the old ountant couldn''t help but express surprise, "Wow, Chu Zheng, did you strike it rich?"


    "Handled some matters, and the elder Miss rewarded me."


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much, casually threw out ament, and left.


    As he passed the main gate, suddenly thunderous noises filled his ears, the sound of horse hooves like thunder, and even the two-zhang-tall courtyard wall couldn''t conceal the dust rising from outside.


    After a moment''s reflection, Chu Zheng quickened his pace toward the mansion''s treasury.


    His curiosity was quite intense, but sometimes it needed to be reserved; unnecessary curiosity would only invite trouble. It was wiser to ask fewer questions in such situations.


    The treasury was deeply located in the back courtyard, and it took a while before Chu Zheng finally arrived at its main gate.


    The treasury was heavily guarded, day and night by martial artists who had cultivated inner qi; at this moment, the door was wide open, and an inventory was being carried out.


    The variety of gifts from various families was diverse and would require a long time to sort and organize.


    Song Lingxue must have given prior notice, for as soon as Chu Zheng arrived, someone led him to start working, helping the treasury with categorization.


    [Silver Bear Paw (Zeroth Order): Derived from a silver bear that lived for over twenty years, it is an excellent supplement, but the skill of extracting the bear paw wascking, causing many essences to be lost, advised to be repaired before consumption.]


    [Bone-Strengthening Pill (Zeroth Order): Made from arge quantity of herbs mixed with beast bone powder, strengthens muscles and bones when consumed; however, due to prolonged exposure, three-tenths of its medicinal strength has dissipated, rmended to be repaired before consumption.]


    [Green Feather Bow (Zeroth Order): Created from hundred-year-old ironwood and thirty-year-old cow tendon, soaked in tung oil, the bow is heavy and powerful, capable of piercing armor from a hundred steps, it has been some time since anyone has drawn it, showing its strong tension.]


    Listening to the continuous prompts in his mind, the gleam in Chu Zheng''s eyes grew increasingly bright; indeed, the treasury was the ce he truly needed to be.


    Having been busy for a long while, an unexpected piece of news suddenly came from the front courtyard.


    A fighting stage had been set up at the front, and Song Lingxue was about to have a martial arts duel.


    ......


    ```


    ......


    An hour earlier.


    While Chu Zheng was getting acquainted with the Mansion''s Treasury, amotion arose at the front gate of the Song Residence.


    Fwoosh¡ª


    Over a hundred iron-d riders stood silently in front of the gate, the unsettled dust irritating the war horses, their snorting sounds ceaseless.


    A ''Zhao'' royal g fluttered in the wind, rustling loudly.


    Leading them, two men, neither in armor. One about forty, with a short beard and an air of nobility, wearing jade and gold, d in a purple robe adorned with python patterns, his demeanor naturallymanding.


    The other, slightly younger, around twenty, handsome, with a jade pin in his hair and wearing a green robe, embroidered with the auspicious green fox, radiating an elegance beyond ordinary people.


    In Great Zhou, purple python robes are reserved for princes. In Wuyang County, such attire could belong to no other than King of Guangyun, Zhao Yunheng.


    Song Tonghai stood at the gate waiting, his eyes briefly passing over the ''Zhao'' royal g, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.


    Behind King of Guangyun stood the Great Zhou Dynasty, with its vast realms and myriad martial experts, even blessed with the service of the Immortal n. Throughout history, the royal family has produced several Immortal Seedlings.


    The reason the realm of Great Zhou belonged to the Zhao Family was not unconnected to this fact.


    Even without mentioning Great Zhou, Zhao Yunheng himself ruled over several counties and had a Great Grandmaster stationed within his mansion; the Song Family also could not afford to offend him.


    "Brother Song, my sudden visit must have disturbed you!"


    With a smile on his face, Zhao Yunheng strode forward, gesturing with his hand, then turned to the young man beside him, "This is my son, Jichang."


    "Jichang greets Uncle Song," said Zhao Jichang as he bowed.


    "Prince, you tter us. Your presence brings radiance to our humble home. How could it be a disturbance?"


    Song Tonghai greeted him with a smile, though it did not reach his eyes, "The Princely Heir is most admirable, please,e inside for a chat."


    The group filed into the hall, taking their seats in order of precedence, as the maids served tea.


    Zhao Yunheng, seated at the head of the table, lifted his teacup and took a sip. His eyes lit up, "Excellent tea!"


    "Through some fortune, I acquired some Dragon Blood Leaf recently. I''m d it suits the prince''s taste."


    After some pleasantries, Song Tonghai got straight to the point, "I wonder why the prince has graced us with his unexpected visit today? Please speak frankly and dispel my confusion."


    "This time, Ie to boldly ask for your daughter''s hand in marriage for my son. That Young Phoenix of yours, if she were to spread her wings, I fear even this minor royal might not catch your eye in the future," said Zhao Yunheng without beating around the bush, adding jokingly, "I must climb onto your high branches early."


    "You tter us, Prince. Marrying into the royal family is indeed soaring high for our family," replied Song Tonghai.


    Song Tonghai frowned slightly, "However¡­ Lingqing has now joined the Immortal Sect, and her marriage¡­"


    Hearing this, Zhao Yunheng waved his hands dismissively, "Brother Song, you''re too modest. My son''s fortune is shallow; he seeks not the Young Phoenix, but your esteemed eldest daughter, Lingxue."


    "Lingxue?" Song Tonghai blinked, slightly surprised, but then he understood.


    "Indeed, I would like Jichang to marry her as his principal wife. When he inherits the throne in the future, Lingxue will be the queen," Zhao Yunheng nodded.


    Now that Song Lingqing was a member of the Immortal Sect, Zhao Yunheng, no matter how confident, didn''t think his son matched an Immortal. But marrying Song Lingxue was indeed an appropriate match.


    Song Tonghai hesitated for a moment and then said, "Lingxue has grown into an adult. Why don''t I call her over to ask for her own opinion on this matter?"


    "That would be good," Zhao Yunheng nodded happily.


    A momentter, Song Lingxue stepped into the hall. She had just finished training, still in her martial attire, the sharp aura around her eyebrows not yet dissipated.


    After learning the full story, she nced at Zhao Jichang, her tone firm:


    "Defeat me first, then we can talk about marriage."


    ```

 Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Qi Cultivator (Two-in-One)

    As the words fell, it was as if golden beads tumbled upon a jade disk, and the hall fell silent.


    "Nonsense."


    Song Tonghai scolded softly, yet his face showed little anger. He looked towards Zhao Yunheng and smiled apologetically,


    "I have offended the princely heir. I ask Prince Zhao to forgive us; this child has been spoiled from a young age."


    "In the world of martial arts, it should be so."


    Zhao Yunheng turned his head and nced at Zhao Jichang beside him. Seeing his gaze avert and his ears turn red, he couldn''t help but smile, and immediately waved his hand, saying carelessly,


    "The Great Ancestor of Great Zhou also founded the country with martial force. I have long heard of the twin jewels of the Song Family. My son is quite diligent in his practice, and it would be good to exchange a few moves and learn something. Brother Song, would you be convenient?"


    "Since Prince Zhao and the princely heir are interested, why not?"


    Song Tonghai immediately rose to his feet and gestured with his hand:


    "Please, Prince, move to another site."


    A martial arts family like the Song Residence naturally had a training ground, located beside the mansion, separated by green stone walls. It was mostly the family''s servants who practiced there on a normal basis.


    Half an hourter, a stage half a zhang high and ten zhang square, constructed ofrge nks of ironwood, had been erected in the training ground.


    Once the stage was ready, Song Tonghai dismissed the servants from the vicinity, beginning to clear the area.


    Being nobles of high status, engaging inbat was not an exhibition for the public, as one would see with performers in the martial world. Regardless of the result of win or loss, it was not appropriate for too many spectators.


    Moreover, Zhao Jichang was still young; winning would be fine, but losing might embarrass him.


    Song Lingxue, holding a long sword, leaped onto the stage first. Her cyan martial outfit outlined her graceful figure, and her long, ck hair was tied up in a tall ponytail, making her look even more valiant and formidable.


    Zhao Jichang picked a long saber from the side of the training ground and jumped onto the stage. Hended silently, clearly mastering his qinggong to perfection.


    "Miss Song, after you."


    "Be careful, princely heir."


    Song Lingxue''s expression remained unchanged. She twirled her sword, looking like a tiger or leopard lunging out of its cage. She suddenly stepped forward, the three-feet de of her sword breathing visible sword qi, her figure creating an afterimage that went straight for Zhao Jichang''s throat.


    She did not hold back, attacking with a lethal move right off.


    Before the sword qi reached him, the fierce wind it stirred already messed up Zhao Jichang''s hair.


    The smile on Zhao Jichang''s face froze instantly, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and as he swung his saber to block, he also pulled back.


    ng!


    The sound of metal striking metal exploded, and Zhao Jichang retreated more than ten steps, his saber trembling violently in his hand, nearly slipping from his grip.


    Simultaneously, the embroidery on the front of his robe ripped open, revealing the silver inner armor underneath.


    In an instant, Song Lingxue thrust two swords, the second one held back slightly; otherwise, the inner armor would have been pierced through with one strike.


    In that moment, life and death were divided.


    "The princely heir shows mercy."


    Song Lingxue sheathed her sword and made a fist salute.


    "It is I who am less skilled, thank you, Miss, for holding back."


    Zhao Jichang, feeling somewhat ashamed, did not linger. After returning the salute, he jumped down from the stage.


    "A nest with two phoenixes, remarkable indeed..."


    From the side of the stage, Zhao Yunheng sighed long, "Your esteemed daughter''s mastery in martial arts is not far from the Grandmaster level."


    Song Lingxue was naturally talented in martial arts, which wasn''t a secret, but he had never thought she''d reach this level of proficiency.


    A martial arts grandmaster in her early twenties, there was no one of her generation in the present times who couldpare with Song Lingxue.


    "You tter her, Prince. She still needs much more practice." Song Tonghai shook his head slightly, though his eyes could not hide his satisfaction.


    Compared to Ling Qing who had joined the Immortal Sect, he valued his eldest daughter Lingxue more, having raised her since childhood with the standard of being the head of the family, and Song Lingxue had never disappointed him.


    Now that Ling Qing had joined the Immortal Sect, and he had only this daughter by his side, he had never thought of marrying her off.


    Zhao Yunheng''s suggestion, Song Tonghai had never considered.


    "To early celebrate our Great Zhou, soon we will have another Great Grandmaster, a new pir of the state."


    Zhao Yunheng''s face beamed with a smile, then suddenly his tone shifted, "However, I have recently heard some troubling rumors, Brother Song, you must be cautious."


    On hearing this, Song Tonghai''s expression grew solemn, and he bowed, "Please enlighten me, Prince."


    "It seems that your young phoenix has attracted quite some attention." Zhao Yunheng moved closer and whispered, "And I''m not just talking about us ordinary folk."


    Song Tonghai''s heart suddenly sank, and for a moment he was almost at a loss for words, "Please provide more specifics, Prince."


    The reason he had been so furious when the news leaked so quickly was precisely because he feared for Ling Qing.


    Now, his worst fears wereing to pass.


    "The news of Phantom Spirit Sect''s true heritage descending the mountain is already quietly spreading among the neighboring countries. That''s all I can say, Prince, and I''m unclear about more detailed information," Zhao Yunheng murmured softly.


    "While the young phoenix has protectors around her, the Song Residencecks an Immortal n anchor..."


    "This..."


    Song Tonghai looked panicked, as if shocked, and found himself at a loss for words.


    "I have other matters to attend to, so I will not stay long."


    Seeing Song Tonghai stammer, Zhao Yunheng smiled lightly, "If there is any trouble, you can send a letter to me. At least within the territory of Great Zhou, there''s no one bold enough to offend the Zhao royal family."


    With that, he immediately turned around and walked out of the training ground.


    Song Tonghai hastily arranged for someone to fetch a cloak, which he draped over Zhao Jichang, and he apanied Zhao Yunheng and his son to the main gate.


    "Farewell, Prince."


    As the sound of horse hooves thundered like rumbles, they soon faded into the distance.


    Song Tonghai stared at the dust rising in the sky, the panic on his face gradually subsided, his expression turned cold, and after a coldugh, he turned and headed back to the training ground.


    Song Lingxue was still there. Seeing Song Tonghai''s cold face, she was slightly puzzled, "Father, why are you angry?"


    "Come with me." Song Tonghai concealed his anger and led Song Lingxue back to the study.


    After dismissing the servants, Song Tonghai briefly exined the situation, his face colder than before:

 Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Qi Cultivator (Two-in-One)_2

    ```


    "This is coercion, intending to force me to marry you off to his son."


    Song Lingxue''s brows frowned slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, she spoke, "If it reallyes down to it, I will marry into the royal household. Either way, I have to get married."


    As for whom she married, Song Lingxue had never particrly cared. Since she was young, her father, Song Tonghai, had invested so much effort into nurturing her, and she was well aware of this.


    Now, she was also willing to make sacrifices for her family, even if it meant giving up her so-called happiness.


    Sometimes, in the face of a n''s rise and fall, individual happiness might not be that significant.


    "Do you think the royal household is such a fine ce?"


    Song Tonghai scoffed coldly, "If the Immortal Sect really intended to act against the Song Family, would Zhao Yunheng dare to even fart? If it''s not the Immortal Sect making a move, why should I be afraid?"


    "It''s my ipetence, bringing shame to father''s teachings."


    Song Lingxue''s gaze dimmed, "If only I were also qualified to enter the Immortal Sect, father wouldn''t have so many troubles now."


    Seeing the sorrow on Song Lingxue''s face, Song Tonghai''s heart softened, and he let out a long sigh:


    "If I trade my daughter for safety, then I''ve truly lived in vain, and after I die and descend to the Yellow Springs, how could I face your mother? The Song Family has never had descendants that kneel and beg for life."


    At this point, a flicker of murderous intent shone in Song Tonghai''s eyes: "If any monsters or demons trespass, we father and daughter will y each one whoes."


    ...


    ...


    Twenty or so li outside of Luofeng City, by ake, over a hundred iron cavalries took a short break to rest and regroup.


    "I am ipetent, making father lose face."


    Zhao Jichang bowed his head, bitterness on his face.


    "What''s the use of face? Can it be eaten as food?" Zhao Yunheng said, not overly concerned, "Why should a grown man worry about momentary stature?"


    "This bloodline of the Song Family might truly be different from ordinary people. In less than three hundred years, it has produced two Great Grandmasters, several Grandmasters, and one Immortal Seedling. Now, another Great Grandmaster is about to rise."


    Zhao Yunheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, "Be at ease, my son, this girl will be yours sooner orter."


    Such a bloodline, if it were integrated into the Zhao Family, would surely greatly increase the chances of giving birth to offspring with Immortal Bone in the future.


    This is a century-long n.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng had been busy in the Mansion''s Treasury until the sun set behind the mountains. By the time he made his way to the martial arts training ground, the dueling tform had already been dismantled.


    From what he heard from some of the onlooking attendants, he finally learned the result of the duel, and couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed.


    He had yet to witness a Martial Arts Expert of this era with his own eyes and was naturally curious about their capabilities. Now, he could only return home in low spirits.


    As the moon soared to its zenith,


    Chu Zheng used the refreshed number of repairs as usual on the Great Circtory Qi Guideline.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Integrated Fist (Zeroth Order), Chasing Wind Sword Technique (Zeroth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete)]


    [Repair Master: Zeroth Order (76/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for Today: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline- Beginner Chapter (38/100)]


    Seeing thepletion of the repair getting closer, Chu Zheng couldn''t help looking forward to it even more.


    It wasn''t until today that he had finally finished reading "Initial Understanding of Immortal Path."


    The path of cultivation is indeed miraculous. Plucking stars and embracing the moon is not an empty phrase, and changing the weather is just a matter of thought.


    To attain such wondrous power, for now, Chu Zheng could only ce his hopes on Qi Refining Technique.


    ...


    ...


    On the outskirts of Great Zhou.


    The scorching sun dangled high in the sky, between the dunes in the vast, empty desert, not a hint of greenness or any sign of life in sight, with only rolling sand billowing and waves of heat rising.


    Song Lingqing sat cross-legged in the middle of the desert, the surrounding sandstorm unable to approach within half a zhang of her, blocked by an invisible barrier.


    Streams of light yellow Qi circted in and out of her mouth and nose, radiating an indescribable fluctuation.


    ```


    ```


    Qin Feng sat not far away, his eyelids drooping as if he were dozing off.


    Suddenly, his eyelids twitched, and he flipped his hand to take out a jade book, slowly opening it.


    Under his gaze, the originally nk jade pages began to reveal two lines of text in a deep red hue.


    [Purple Blood Valley, Night Light Pavilion, the true teachings of Earth Dragon Sect have all descended the mountain. A Protector has been probing your whereabouts. Song Residence is in danger, someone intends to use this to coerce Song Lingqing to return.]


    Qin Feng''s eyes showed not the slightest ripple. The text that had appeared gradually vanished, leaving the jade page nk once more.


    He then took out a jade pen and slowly wrote a line of text.


    [Current whereabouts still concealed, proceed as usual to the Great Tournament. Song Lingqing has entered the Spiritual Spring.]


    The written text lingered only for a moment before slowly dissipating and the page reverted to its original state.


    Qin Feng watched the fading text on the jade book, put it away, and gently closed his eyelids again.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was of paramount importance; he would not reveal this news to Song Lingqing at this critical juncture.


    Before returning to the Song Residence, he had already warned Song Lingqing that such actions could bring danger to herself and her family, yet she still wanted to return.


    The oue was entirely within his expectations, which was why he had felt it was a pity at that time.


    In the final analysis, Song Lingqing had no significant backing. She was not the only true disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    With limited power and alone, the Sect naturally could not consider too much for her.


    Worldly kinship is actually an obstacle to the Immortal Path.


    At the same time, blood feuds are also a sort of motivation for a cultivator.


    Those who cultivate the Immortal Path do not need so many worldly entanglements. Helping Song Lingqing cut away her burdens with external forces is killing several birds with one stone for the Sect.


    Such is the way of the world: to gain something, one must lose something else. This was the path Song Lingqing chose for herself.


    When Song Lingqing returns to Great Zhou, it would be more than twenty yearster. By then, what Great Zhou will be like is anyone''s guess.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.


    In these days, the Song Residence carried on as usual, but Chu Zheng, who was in the Mansion''s Treasury, began to sense something unusual.


    During this time, carriages loaded with wooden boxes, moved from the treasury and quietly left the Song Residence through the back door, their destinations unknown.


    In just over ten days, almost half of the Mansion''s Treasury had been emptied¡ªa significant amount given it represented the umtion of three hundred years for the Song Family.


    Yet, the martial artists guarding the treasury seemed not to notice anything amiss, just as usual. Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue showed no signs of abnormality either.


    Although Chu Zheng found it strange, he did not dwell on it, as his mind was wholly focused on the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume.


    After more than ten days of waiting, the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Beginner Chapter was finally repaired.


    The moment it was repaired, a vast amount of information poured into Chu Zheng''s mind in an instant,


    [Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Beginner Chapter: A very essential method of Qi Refining to solidify the foundation. It could not be better. The subsequent parts arergely missing and still require some time to repair.]


    At the same time, the information on the interface changed.


    [Current repair capabilities: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000)]


    Chu Zheng could not bother to look at the number of repairs needed as his entire consciousness was immersed in the information in his mind.


    The Way cannot be transmitted lightly. In the Qi Refinement - Beginner Chapter, many rules are written.


    Those with an iplete mind, ill motives, perverse and violent dispositions, deep blood feuds, subjected to humiliation, repeatedly oppressed, should not be taught.


    The reasons why these individuals cannot be taught are also noted.


    Should such individuals prevail, they may create too much carnage, unable to control themselves, struggling to pass the threshold of life and death.


    Those who cultivate the Method of Qi Refining with the aforementioned traits will not have longevity; they will be bound by inner demons and perish amid their great cmities.


    If the technique is transmitted to them, the karmic burden will be too heavy, severely harming the Qi Cultivator''s own merit and virtue.


    To begin Qi Refinement, one must absorb the essence of the sun and drink the Moonlight for nine Major Circuits of Qi, practicing the Circuit of Qi eighteen times daily, then within a hundred days, Spirit Transformation will ur.


    Spirit Transformation is the first realm of Qi Refining, also the entrance level.


    Upon perfecting Spirit Transformation, one may live three yuan, with each yuan being two jiazi or sixty years, totaling three hundred and sixty years of lifespan.


    Just as Chu Zheng had spected, the Great Circtory Qi Guideline does not have the shackles of the Immortal Bone, allowing anyone to practice it.


    Even so, the speed of cultivation is indeed rted to the elusiveprehension.


    ```

 Chapter 12: Chapter 11: The Back Road

    As he digested the memories in his mind, Chu Zheng''s gaze couldn''t help but grow brighter.


    Great Circtory Qi Guideline- Beginner Chapter, apart from recording the Qi Cultivation Mnemonic, it also contained some information about the path of cultivating.


    No matter which method of cultivation one used, there were inevitable differences between individuals.


    There was no specific standard to measure insight, but the gap was often much more exaggerated than the "Immortal Bone."


    Sometimes insight just happened, sometimes it was even impossible to exin in words.


    Some Qi Cultivators might be stuck at a barrier for their entire lives, unable to advance even an inch.


    For those with extraordinary insight, this barrier may not exist at all, making cultivation a smooth journey.


    There are various methods in Qi Refining, notcking those of quick sess and deviant paths.


    The method outlined in the Great Circtory Qi Guideline adheres to the orthodox Qi Refining path. Itsbat power isn''t considered high, perhaps even mediocre, but its stability and methodical approach prevent many setbacks, and it''s sufficient to cultivate to the pinnacle of humanity, where bing an Immortal is within reach.


    Qi is fundamentally whatposes everything in the universe; the sun, the moon, the stars, birds, animals, mountains, stones, and nts are allposed of Qi.


    For the environmental conditions of heaven and earth, Qi Cultivators don''t depend much, focusing instead on bncing Yin and Yang and absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon.


    In the life of a Qi Cultivator, the pursuit is the Innate Realm; under this state, one''s cultivation speed can reach its true peak, with bing an Immortal in sight.


    A person''s life, from birth, can generally be divided into four stages: childhood, youth, middle age, and old age.


    As time away from the mother''s body lengthens, growth bes progressively slower, Yin and Yang be unbnced, and the body''s functions gradually start to decline.


    While in the mother''s womb, from a strand of essence Qi to form aplete human it only takes about two hundred days, this kind of growth rate can only happen inside the womb.


    In childhood, the Yin and Yang Qi inside the body is still bnced, but by the youth, the bnce of Yin and Yang begins to be lost, naturally leading to a longing for the opposite sex, stemming from the body''s craving for Qi.


    Deficient in Yin and abundant in Yang, or abundant in Yin and deficient in Yang, that is all there is to it.


    By middle age, Yin and Yangpletely lose bnce, leading to many changes; when Yin is at its extreme, Yang arises, and when Yang is at its extreme, Yin arises, most visibly seen in emotional changes.


    Women turn from softness to rigidity, gradually bing more vtile, while men turn from rigidity to softness, their temperaments gradually bing more reserved.


    From then on, the body begins its decline.


    The first step in Qi Cultivation is to adjust the Yin Yang Dual Qi within the body, a process that must continue for a full one hundred days.


    Even with terrific insight, one cannot skip this step.


    This is the Dao Foundation.


    Having thoroughly digested the content of the Beginner Chapter, Chu Zheng lifted his head and nced at the sky, which was deep in the night with the moon brightly shining.


    Suddenly he rose, walked into the courtyard, and sat cross-legged directly on the green stone, facing the sky with his heart, gradually altering his breathing rhythm and began to try absorbing the Moonlight.


    This time, his body quickly reacted, and within the time it takes to drink one cup of tea, Chu Zheng felt a cool and soft breeze entering his body from the crown of his head and slowly flowing towards his limbs and bones.


    An indescribable sensation offort rose from his tailbone, causing his body to tremble uncontrobly.


    The first time circting the Qi through the Circuit, Chu Zheng was still unfamiliar, and it took nearly half an hour toplete one Great Cirction.


    As his breathing rhythm continued, a misty Turbid Qi was exhaled from his nostrils and mouth, disappearing instantly.


    The second round took much less time, only three-quarters of an hour.


    By the ninth round, it took less than fifteen minutes for Chu Zheng toplete the Great Circtory Qi.


    When Chu Zheng opened his eyes again, the moon had set behind the mountains and the sky was turning white at the horizon.


    He suddenly stood up with a spring, and instantly his muscles and bones emitted a series of crackling explosive sounds, his figure stretching out in an instant.


    This time, Chu Zheng had sat for quite a while, yet his limbs no longer felt stiff or numb. He felt extremely vigorous, with saliva under his tongue and a great appetite, filled with inexhaustible strength all over his body.


    ording to the Beginner Chapter, on the first attempt at cultivation, topletely circte the Nine Major Circuits of Qi meant one''s aptitude was passable. Completing it within three hours indicated a gifted talent.


    And Chu Zheng, he only took two and a half hours.


    Luckily, he was still a sixteen-year-old youth, right at the age for proper cultivation.


    The pure early morning Yang Qi was most suitable for cultivation. Feeling the changes in his body, Chu Zheng couldn''t wait to sit down again and begin Qi Cirction, assimting the Yang Qi into his body.


    Two hourster, near noon, the remaining Nine Major Circuits of Qi were finally circtedpletely.


    Afterpleting the Eighteen Great Circtions, Chu Zheng''s body underwent a tremendous transformation; his strength more than doubled, and a clearly discernible true Qi flowed through the meridians in his body, ready to erupt with astonishing power at any moment.


    Once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, the world before Chu Zheng immediately transformed; the sunlight, the vegetation, and even the breeze brushing by his side¡ªeverything bore traces in his eyes, the flow of Qi visible to him.


    This was the true essence of the world.


    This was only the preliminary Qi Refining; only after a hundred days would he be a true Qi Cultivator.


    ncing at the sky outside, Chu Zheng muttered to himself that it was not good, and hurried towards the Mansion''s Treasury.


    The Mansion''s Treasury was still busy, and although Chu Zheng had inexplicably missed half a day''s work, no one spoke up to criticize his fault.


    The Song Residence was sorge, news spread extremely fast¡ªeveryone knew Chu Zheng was now backed by Song Lingxue, so naturally, no one dared to make things difficult for him.


    .....


    .....


    The sunset was like blood, and the remaining sunlight from the sun reflected off the courtyard walls, casting silhouettes that gradually disappeared.


    Behind the Song Residence, a carriage slowly departed.


    Song Lingxue watched the carriage disappear at the corner of the street and finally could not help but ask softly to Song Tonghai by her side,


    "Dad, you''ve emptied more than half of the Mansion''s Treasury. Where have those things gone?"


    "This is a way out that Dad is leaving for you," Song Tonghai replied with a light smile.


    "A way out?" Song Lingxue did not understand for a moment.


    "The supplies in the Mansion''s Treasury have all been sent to your uncle Song Tongxuan''s hands."


    "I have an uncle? You have a brother? Why have I never heard you mention him before?"


    Song Lingxue was somewhat shocked; she had never heard Song Tonghai mention this. In her memory, her father was an only child in the family.


    "You not knowing is normal; your uncle left home when I was just two years old. This is a family secret, known only to the Family Head."


    A trace of reminiscence flickered in Song Tonghai''s eyes: "Dividing the family has always been the rule from ancient times."


    With dynasties changing and Immortal Sects prevailing, the heritage of mortal families was far from simple.


    The world was too dangerous, and it was easy to invite the cmity of family extinction by being careless.


    "Heritage is crucially important, even in the event of a family being wiped out, they should not involve each other; now your father has already broken the rule."


    Song Tonghai sighed softly. For himself alone, it naturally did not matter, but Lingxue was not yet twenty years old, with plenty of time ahead of her.

 Chapter 13: Chapter 12: Inheritance

    "Where is my uncle now?"


    Song Lingxue fell silent for a moment, a worried frown appearing between her brows, "Am I going to be a burden to my uncle?"


    The worst-case scenario had once been the death of only her own family, but if that implicated her uncle''s family as well, she truly would die with lingering regrets.


    "There''s no need to worry too much, seeking refuge with your uncle is thest resort,"


    Song Tonghai shook his head, "Your uncle isn''t in Great Zhou, not even within the four surrounding countries, people here cannot reach that far."


    "If you travel thirty thousand miles to the southeast from the border of Great Zhou, there is a country called ''Giant Marsh,'' which isposed mostly of inds and is in a state of chaotic turmoil, an age of strife,"


    "Every three years, your uncle and I exchange messages. Three years ago, your uncle had already established connections with the local Immortal Sect ''Qionglou'' and was ready to make his mark and build a legacy. It seems they are in need of people."


    "It''s a really long journey from Great Zhou to Giant Marsh, the letter I wrote to him two months ago is probably still en route..."


    The more he spoke, the more forlorn Song Tonghai''s expression became.


    This would be a long migration. Just making it to Giant Marsh Country could take several years, essentially meaning aplete abandonment of what the Song Family currently possesses.


    And on this journey, who knows what kind of turmoil they might encounter.


    Song Lingxue listened in silence. Great Zhou itself covered a hundred thousand miles, a vast expanse without borders, and beyond its borders, yet another thirty thousand miles would have to be traveled to reach Giant Marsh.


    No matter how she heard it, it sounded like a fable. Whether they could even survive the journey there was an absolute uncertainty.


    "If it trulyes to an unavoidable situation, take Song Yun with you forpany. As for that Chu Zheng..."


    Mentioning Chu Zheng, Song Tonghai paused slightly, then shook his head:


    "If you like him you can take him with you, and I will also find several experienced martial masters to apany you, to handle misceneous matters. On the road, you should try to stay out of sight as much as possible."


    Immortal Sects are not all reclusive hermits; many evils lurk among them, and even within the territory of Great Zhou, there live cultivators of demonic paths.


    When outside home, even grandmasters need to be constantly cautious. Song Lingxue, being young and possessing a certain level of strength, can easily be a target if too conspicuous.


    Listening to Song Tonghai speak as if he were handing down his final arrangements, Song Lingxue''s lips tightened slightly, understanding some things didn''t need to be stated too explicitly.


    If the moment to abandon her home really came, naturally, someone would need to draw attention to allow her a chance to escape.


    She didn''t utter naive phrases like dying together; staying at home with her current level of strength would be like throwing a pebble against a rock¡ªa foolish act.


    There''s a long future ahead, and as long as she survives, there''s a chance to discuss revengeter.


    If she were to die alongside the others, when Ling Qing returned, there would be no enemies to find.


    Thinking of Ling Qing, her eyes suddenly brightened, "Father, can we ask Phantom Spirit Sect for help?"


    "Do you even know where Phantom Spirit Sect is? Do you think the people of Phantom Spirit Sect are unaware of our situation?"


    Song Tonghai shook his head, bitterness swimming in his eyes: "In the eyes of those superior immortals, our lives aren''t worth a dime. The only value might be to use us as leverage against Ling Qing."


    "If Phantom Spirit Sect intervenes now, what about the next time?"


    "If I were a member of Phantom Spirit Sect, I would rather the Song Family simply vanish now, once and for all, to spare Ling Qing some trouble."


    Immortal Bone Heavenly Grant, the Immortal Path is merciless.


    ...


    ...


    The Mansion''s Treasury had been cleaned up, and Chu Zheng returned to his rightful ce.


    In a small room to the side of the treasury, originally filled with some cabs and stools, space had been cleared after Song Lingqing was selected to join the Immortal Sect to collect various ancient artifacts.


    These relics from ancient times were only favored by some high officials and nobles for their amusement and, aside from their expensive prices, they weren''t of much practical use.


    Over the years, the Song Family had spent a significant amount of silver collecting these items.


    Chu Zheng found the items stored here extremely fascinating and would''ve liked to live inside the treasury if it weren''t against the rules, just to umte repair experience faster.


    To fix the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume a thousand times, ording to the current panel, it would take two hundred days, which was indeed a long time. Clearly, waiting idly the entire time was not an option.


    The introductory volume alone was enough for Chu Zheng to practice cultivation for a long time. He wasn''t in a rush to repair the subsequent cultivation techniques; instead, he wanted to advance his Repair Master rank first, to see if the panel would present some new changes.


    ...


    ...


    The setting sun was gradually swallowed by the mountains, and as thest streak of twilight vanished, Chu Zheng stepped into the moonlight, returning to his dwelling.


    It wasn''t even midnight yet, so it was still too early to circte qi through the Grand Cirction. For a moment, Chu Zheng found himself rather bored.


    In the past dozen days or so, he had nearly finished studying the several books left behind by Song Lingqing.


    Not to mention the Initial Understanding of Immortal Path, within the Chronicles of the Rainbow Sword Immortal, there were some peculiar tales.


    However, the Rainbow Sword Immortal only imed to be as such, with a cultivation not beyond the Fourth Realm of the Immortal Path, ''Soul Condensing,'' far from a True Immortal.


    Most of the chronicle was filled with self-aggrandizing stories, basically detailing on a specific year, month, and day, ying demons at certain ces, battling individuals with spells, engaging in fiercebat, and eventually triumphing.


    It also described various secret realms and wonders, but the expression in the text was too pale, and some unfamiliar bizarre vocabry made it impossible for Chu Zheng to imagine the details.


    Heavenly Stars and Phenomena was even more outrageous¡ªit was a veritable book of misceny, which recorded various cmities triggered by changes in the positions of stars and also recounted methods of divining fortune based on astral projections.


    In Chu Zheng''s view, most of it seemed far-fetched, and as for the term ''fate,'' he didn''t quite believe in it.


    From what he had seen in the ancient records, the development of all events had a trajectory to follow, and in the end, it all came down to the choices people made, rather than any predetermined paths.


    The Chronicle of Shuoxue Tianjun was the thinnest among these four books, but it was also the most exaggerated biography.


    Celestial Lord is the title given to a True Immortal. This Shuoxue Tianjun once controlled thousands of realms and nations, dominating the world and bearing the mandate of heaven for hundreds of thousands of years before vanishing without a trace.


    A True Immortal, one who could hold the sun and moon in his hands, flip the seas with his eyes, and sever the Milky Way with a thought.


    And in the chronicles of Shuoxue Tianjun, he had in no fewer than ten True Immortals. Reading throughout, the only words that came to mind were ''invincible.''


    Considering Chu Zheng''s impression of the scale of the stars, it was difficult to picture any being capable of such feats¡ªindeed, it was somewhat abstract.


    If such high-level life forms could focus their strength onmon development, how many ordinary people could they sustain?


    This was the first thought that crossed Chu Zheng''s mind after reading the Chronicle of Shuoxue Tianjun.


    But the idea of True Immortals farming was, of course, rather unrealistic.


    Flipping through the items he currently had on hand, Chu Zheng''s eyes suddenly sharpened, and his interest was piqued.


    [Aged Diary (Zeroth Order/Iplete): A journal written by a martial artist surnamed Song. After repairing it, you can use it to pass the time.]

 Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Diary

    When Chu Zheng initially got this iplete letter in his hands, he had wanted to glean more information about this era through it.


    However, the daily opportunity to restore it had been fully utilized by Chu Zheng on the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, and afterward, he had simply tossed it aside.


    [Aged Diary (Zeroth Order): A diary of Song Wenshu, the fourth generation Family Head of the Song Family branch, which records his life experiences. It was once severely damaged by a great fire but is now fully restored.]


    After its restoration, Chu Zheng leaned back on the couch and opened the yellowed title page.


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1549, the fourth day of the third month, as the spring thunder began to rumble, I was overjoyed to have a son. Suddenly took it upon myself to leave something for the descendants and thus began to record the years.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1550, the tenth day of the fifth month, after a long absence of news, my younger brother sent joyous tidings, saying there is an Immortal Seedling with outstanding potential in the family, likely to protect our n''s prosperity for a thousand years, feeling somewhat envious.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1551, the fourth day of the sixth month, my wife gave birth to another son. ording to n rules, we must send away the eldest son, feeling quite reluctant.


    Spent a considerable sum of gold and silver to acquire numerous treasures and heavenly rarities to take to the Phantom Spirit Sect, asking a Superior Immortal to discern the bones of the two sons, both were found to be of mortal birth, disappointed, returned home and had no choice but to send away the eldest son.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1562, the third day of the seventh month, numerous letters sent to my younger brother all vanished without a trace, as if sinking into the sea. It has been eight years since I received a letter from my brother, I fear the worst. Sank into a deep sorrow and drunkenness for days.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1565, the thirteenth day of the fourth month, an old hidden injury emerged, suffering unbearable chest pains, feeling my days were numbered, I set out towards my brother''s residence hoping to uncover the truth about those early years.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1567, the twenty-second day of the ninth month, upon finding out the news, my brother''s whole family had been exterminated; searched in vain for their remains. That Immortal Seedling, its whereabouts unknown, my ailing body can''t hold on much longer, after much consideration, I left people behind to continue the search and went back to my hometown first.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1568, the third day of the third month, after returning home fell ill and never recovered. My youngest son got married earlier this year, and my daughter-inw is now pregnant.]


    [Great Zhou Calendar 1569, the second day of the first month, suddenly received a pigeon-delivered letter, my brother''s remains had been collected and buried by that Immortal Seedling. Later the Seedling, failing to take revenge, was ambushed and killed, the assant unknown.]


    The records stopped abruptly at this point, and no more could be found after this.


    On this page, there was a strikingly conspicuous dark brown bloodstain. One could imagine the feelings of the owner of this diary at the time of writing this.


    Chu Zheng closed the diary, his brows tightly knit, vaguely specting something, yet unable to grasp the crux of the matter.


    It is now Great Zhou Calendar 1702, this diary from over a hundred and twenty years ago.


    Within the Immortal Sects, feuds and killings were to be expected, and he had anticipated this.


    But within the diary, after the emergence of the Immortal Seedling in that younger brother''s family, catastrophe struck, andter the Seedling itself was ambushed and killed. To say this was mere coincidence seems far-fetched.


    Or perhaps, the original target was that very Seedling of the Immortal which had suddenly appeared.


    Power struggles within the Immortal Sects often entangle mortal families, too mundane a matter. Even a nce thrown casually could cause a noble house, with a hundred years of heritage, to shatter to pieces.


    The news of Song Lingqing''s return to the Song Residence had already leaked. If there were people from other Immortal Sects who wanted to harm Song Lingqing, then the Song Family would be the best breakthrough point, an ideal bargaining chip.


    Thinking of the recent anomalies in the Song Residence, Chu Zheng became somewhat more alert, fearing that Song Tonghai and his daughter might have noticed something.


    Perhaps he needed to prepare early.


    As he rubbed the aged diary in his hands, a thought suddenly surfaced in Chu Zheng''s mind.


    Reborn in this life, should he leave behind some traces to prove his existence?


    In such a perilous world, he could not predict the day he might perish in turmoil, all to be void.


    Yet, if he could leave behind some traces, in the distant future, there might be those who would follow his footsteps and see his story.


    No matter the length of that story, whether filled with climaxes or utterly mundane, there will always be someone who sees it.


    Just like him in his previous life, he had spent his entire life delving into the silhouettes of the ancients.


    Now, he himself had be an ancient.


    After a brief contemtion, Chu Zheng got up, draped in moonlight, and took out a nk booklet before grinding some ink and setting pen to paper.


    "New Calendar, January 16th, embarked on the path of cultivation for the first time, many feelings stirred within, the gap between Celestials and Mortals as vast as the abyss before my eyes, treading in this world is like walking on thin ice."


    Chu Zheng did not use the Great Zhou Calendar, but instead marked the day he first arrived as the beginning of his diary.


    Watching the ink slowly dry, a flicker of satisfaction appeared in Chu Zheng''s eyes. He had studied calligraphy for many years and, although not a master, it was still passable.


    Perhaps a person from the future would by chance acquire the diary currently in his hands and read about the life he was about to live.


    Feeling a moment of self moved, Chu Zheng put the book away with satisfaction, looked up at the sky, and noted the moon had crossed the well, indicating that the next day had arrived.


    Carefully hiding the diary, Chu Zheng proceeded to the courtyard and once again started the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, drawing in the moonlight into his body.


    After nine Major Circuits of Qi, the sky had already started to brighten.


    The Mansion''s Treasury was busy enough without needing Chu Zheng''s help, leaving him with a lot of free time.


    Therefore, he did not cease his cultivation practice but continued the Circuit of Qi, absorbing the first ray of dawn''s Qi.


    With each breath, Chu Zheng could feel his body bing lighter and his sinews growing stronger, the power in his flesh consistently increasing.


    This gradual increase in strength gave Chu Zheng an unprecedented sense of exhration.


    With the experience from the day before, his cirction of Qi this time was even faster, and by the time he finished the Eighteen Great Circtions, it was still early before noon.


    The vast energy inside him spurred Chu Zheng to perform several sets of Integrated Fist, sweating profusely until his breathing became much smoother.


    After catching his breath for a moment, Chu Zheng suddenly realized someone was standing not far away.


    Dressed in a long green gown embroidered with richly blooming flowers and a jade belt around her waist, below which were a pair of long, straight legs that exuded an indescribable power.


    "I greet the young miss," said Chu Zheng, barely perceptibly furrowing his brow as he bowed in greeting.


    Song Lingxue stood not far away, her ck and white eyes filled with clear surprise.


    Regaining herposure, Song Lingxue lightly tossed her hair and lowered her gaze, covering her embarrassment, "Your Integrated Fist... has indeed been practiced to a high degree of proficiency."


    Having not seen Chu Zheng for a long time, Song Lingxue felt somewhat dazed on seeing him again.


    Thest time they met, the impression Chu Zheng left on her had already significantly changed.


    This time, the change was even greater. In her perception, Chu Zheng seemed to possess a kind and warm aura, very pure, akin to the rising sun, vibrant and full of life, which made one unconsciously want to get close.


    If Chu Zheng knew of Song Lingxue''s thoughts, he wouldn''t have found them strange.


    A Qi Cultivator refines the body with the Yin Yang Dual Qi, naturally purifying the aura, and the Qi within the body is the same.


    Those with profound cultivation need not make a move, as their aura alone can tame Auspicious Beasts and attract spirits of grass and trees.

 Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Confirmation

    ording to the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, ancient Qi Refining Masters, those who cultivated the Dao, always had an Auspicious Beast apany them during their journeys, and the clean Qi they exhaled could help nts and trees achieve spiritual awakening and transform into demons.


    To say that their methods reached the heavens and prated the earth would not be an exaggeration.


    After Song Lingxue made a remark, she kept silent. Chu Zheng, testing the waters, finally opened his mouth:


    "Miss, may I ask what brings you here?"


    "Hmm?"


    Song Lingxue suddenly came back to her senses, somewhat flustered she raised her hand again, and while pretending to tidy her hair at the temples, she subtly pinched her earlobe, then said seriously:


    "It has been several days since west met. I came to see how you are doing. Are you ustomed to the Mansion''s Treasury yet?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng felt a bit strange but still answered truthfully:


    "I was busy a few days earlier, but now it''s a lot better."


    As the Mansion''s Treasury was mentioned, Chu Zheng observed Song Lingxue''s expression carefully but could not discern any clues; she was as expressionless as ever.


    Song Lingxue opened her mouth, unsure of what to say for a moment. After struggling for quite some time, she nodded her head and said:


    "I noticed your form earlier; your Integrated Fist has already been greatly sessful, and you have cultivated some Inner Qi. It shouldn''t be long before you reach Condensation."


    Before she finished speaking, she pulled out two ancient-looking books from her sleeves and handed them to Chu Zheng:


    "These are two Cultivation Techniques, one for cultivating Inner Strength and the other for External Skills. You can cultivate both, each capable of condensing Inner Strength. You might practice them in your free time."


    The ancient books had no titles on their covers, just a nk space. Chu Zheng subconsciously took them, and suddenly a message red in his mind.


    [Heavenly Origin Heart Method (First Order): A secret cultivation technique passed down by the Song Family, cultivable up to the peak of the First Order, of little use to you.]


    [Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete): An iplete Body Refinement Technique, with only the introductory chapter remaining. After restoration, some of its content may be of reference value to you.]


    The secret cultivation techniques of the Song Family could be cultivated up to the realm of a Great Grandmaster, which, it seemed, corresponded to the First Order.


    Only at this moment did Chu Zheng begin to gain a rtively clear understanding of the Martial Path in this world.


    After digesting the information in his mind, Chu Zheng was momentarily astonished. It was not unusual for the Song Family, a Martial Arts Family, to have a First Order technique, but a Fourth Order technique, even if iplete, held apletely different significance.


    If divided ording to the strength levels of the Immortal Path, the Fourth Realm was already ''Soul Condensing,'' the same level as the author of the "Chronicles of the Rainbow Sword Immortal," which he had read before.


    For a mere mortal family, this was incredibly unbelievable.


    "Miss, I cannot ept unrewarded favors; this may not be appropriate..."


    Doubts surfaced in Chu Zheng''s mind. Previously, the breathing techniques of the Integrated Fist were kept secretive, but now suddenly their secret cultivation techniques wereid bare, inevitably raising concerns.


    "If you don''t understand something, you can always ask me, and I can teach you a bit,"


    Song Lingxue, however, did not consider Chu Zheng''s concerns and waved her hand dismissively before hurriedly departing on her own.


    Chu Zheng was bewildered. He looked around and noticed something else amiss.


    Usually inseparable and following closely behind Song Lingxue, Song Yun appeared to be absent today. Not just today, but for thest few days, he seemed to have vanished entirely.


    Song Lingxue vanished in an instant, and Chu Zheng, feeling helpless, took the two unnamed cultivation techniques and headed towards the Mansion''s Treasury.


    He naturally did not n to practice the techniques, but as for the Dragon-Tiger Body, Chu Zheng nned to restore and verify it. Since the panel mentioned it was of reference value, there should be some benefits.


    ......


    ......


    Upon entering the Mansion''s Treasury, Chu Zheng went directly to the area where the books were stored.


    After having seen that journal, he could hardly restrain himself and wanted to explore the history of Great Zhou to see if he could discern any clues.


    At least, he wanted to try and find some information about the Hidden Immortal Sect within the Great Zhou Territory from some ancient books.


    Fortunately, most of the books had not been touched previously when objects such as gold, silver, and various materials needed for cultivation were moved out of the treasury.


    The books weren''t abundant, and records of the history of Great Zhou were easy to find. After a short while, Chu Zheng began to peruse the historical documents since the establishment of the dynasty.


    Once he started, he read until sunset.


    Only when the twilight sky bled like blood did Chu Zheng finally leave the Mansion''s Treasury, his brow furrowed deeper with concerns.


    Having read a vast amount of historical records, he indeed made quite a few discoveries.


    The Great Ancestor of Great Zhou didn''t raise his army on a whim¡ªit was the result of years of preparation. The fall of the previous dynasty was peculiar; it was at its peak and then copsed within just over a decade.


    Earthquakes, fires from thunder, floods, and severe droughts were relentless. It was during these cmities that the Great Ancestor seized the opportunity to raise an army. Within just three years, he had conquered thends and established his rule.


    One could almost guess, without a doubt, that an Immortal Sect was behind it.


    More than a thousand years ago, within a hundred thousand miles, rulership must have changed hands, and how the Phantom Spirit Sect figured in all this remained uncertain.


    After leaving the Mansion''s Treasury, Chu Zheng found an excuse to leave the residence.


    He began looking for a way out.


    Being merely a servant, if he truly needed to flee, he would inevitably be among the first to be forsaken.


    Even though Song Lingxue treated him well and seemed to have some unclear intentions towards him, Chu Zheng was not about to gambol his life on someone else''s fleeting kindness.


    In a previous life, having read histories, he had witnessed countless tragedies¡ªmurders for power, fratricides, filial betrayals, and falling outs among kin were countless.


    Human nature is the least reliable thing.


    If people could act so barbarically for power, life itself was even less assured.


    Since his arrival in this realm, Chu Zheng continuously reminded himself never to let his guard down.


    Now, his vignce had intensified further.


    After all, if a diary hidden under the pillow was merely one page and then abruptly stopped, that would be far too absurd.


    ......


    ......


    The back courtyard of the Song Residence.


    In a secluded room, a rich, tangy aroma of blood mixed with the bitter scent of herbs filled the air.


    On the bed, Song Yuny bare-chested, his eyes closed tightly, his chest bound with a bandage, his lips cracked, hisplexion pale, and his breathing uneven.


    The wound was still bleeding, staining the recently changed bandage slightly red.


    Seeing this, the physician bent down again to stop the bleeding and change the gauze.


    Song Tonghai stood aside, his eyes cast down, his expression unreadable.


    "Father, what on earth happened?"


    Song Lingxue pushed open the door and entered, looking at Song Yun on the bed, her face grim: "Where did Song Yun get wounded?"


    "At the city gate, struck by a hidden arrow,"


    Song Tonghai rubbed his fingers, his voice grave:


    "The arrow came from a hundred paces away, piercing through the Inner Armor and passing through the chest, yet still embedding three inches into stone. Only a Grandmaster could wield such a Strong Bow."


    Hearing this, a hint of chill shed in Song Lingxue''s eyes: "This is a warning."


    The physician, over sixty years old, slowly raised his head, wiping the sweat from his forehead, with a light sigh:


    "The arrowhead was poisoned. Blood continues to flow; he''s barely clinging to life. He must absolutely avoid any martial exertion for a while."


    Before the words faded, Song Yun groaned on the bed, slowly opening his eyes.

 Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Counterattack

    "Family Head..."


    "No need to get up."


    Song Tonghai stepped forward, pressing down on Song Yun, who was trying to rise, and spoke in a deep voice:


    "How do you feel?"


    "My life is not in danger."


    Song Yun''s expression was dim: "I couldn''t see clearly who attacked me..."


    "That''s not important, you just focus on recuperating."


    Song Tonghai consoled him, then gave Song Lingxue a look, and the two of them turned to leave the room.


    "Father, I fear that Luofeng City might have already undergone changes, should we immediately call back the managers from around the city to prevent..."


    Song Lingxue''s eyes could not hide her worry, such tant acts of violence at the city gates, disregarding thew, evidently showed no respect for the Great Zhou Imperial Court.


    "Our Song Family does not yet merit direct action from the Immortal Sects. The person who attacked must have been instructed by someone, with the purpose of forcing us to seek aid from Ling Qing or the Phantom Spirit Sect."


    Song Tonghai''s expression remained calm, showing neither joy nor anger: "The Government Office has not sent any response; clearly, someone has been tampering with it."


    Thergest revenue for the Song Family came from the Escort Agency, but now, with the Escort Masters unable to leave the city, the idea of apanying and protecting merchants was sheer nonsense.


    "Lingxue, in your opinion, how should we respond now?"


    Suddenly, Song Tonghai spoke, asking for Song Lingxue''s opinion.


    "Song Yun''s injury is just the first step, there will surely be more oversteps toe."


    A murderous intent surged in Song Lingxue''s eyes, her tone slightly cold: "The strategy now should be to find the people who made the move, and kill a batch first."


    If there''s no response, those people will certainly be more and more excessive. It might be better to confront them in the open and flush out the mastermind behind the scenes.


    "Then let''s kill!"


    Song Tonghai seemed to agree, and immediately said:


    "Tonight, you will leave the residence with me."


    ...


    ...


    A big snow brings bitter cold.


    On the streets near dusk, there are few people to be seen. The winter cold, with a shortage of coal and firewood, keeps mostmoners huddled inside their homes if they can help it.


    The youngdies of affluent households wish they could admire the snow every day, unaware of how the aftermath of the snow adds to the frozen bones by the roadside.


    Chu Zheng did not linger on the street, but visited several grain, oil, and rice shops to stock up on dry goods, preparing for emergencies and to facilitate travel.


    He was still far from the Grain Avoidance Realm. Only when he reached the Spirit Transformation Realm, and the yin and yang energy formed a cycle within his body, could he abandon the faults of cereals.


    "The grain has been sold out."


    "I''m really sorry, but these have already been reserved by other customers."


    "We are not doing business today."


    After trying several shops in vain, Chu Zheng came away empty-handed. Even with silver in hand, he couldn''t buy any grain. The excuses were plentiful, but they simply wouldn''t sell.


    Chu Zheng quickly sensed something was wrong. The problem wasn''t with him, but with his attire as a servant of the Song Residence.


    Clearly, someone had started to target the Song Family.


    Chu Zheng rubbed his brow, a habit he fell into when encountering trouble; it helped clear his mind.


    The Song Family had been a significant force in Luofeng City for over three hundred years, deeply entrenched and powerful. It was possible that informants had already tipped off the Song Family to the incursion of external forces.


    So many shops receiving the same warning at once¡ªit was likely connected to the influence of the Government Office.


    In Luofeng City, the only power bigger than the Song Family was the Imperial Court.


    Great Zhou was at the height of its power, with the authority of the Imperial Court surpassing all else. If the Government Office spoke, naturally, no one would dare disobey.


    After a moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng turned into an alley, removed his servant''s cloak, and then entered a tailor shop to buy a ready-made overcoat and a thick headscarf,pletely altering his appearance.


    He turned back, and this time he did not encounter any difficulties, sessfully purchasing dried meat and tbread.


    "Why won''t you sell when you clearly have so much here?!"


    Tearing off the suffocating headscarf and getting ready to return to the residence, Chu Zheng''s ears caught a familiar voice.


    Following the voice, he saw Xiao Cai a short distance away on the street, hands on hips, her face full of anger:


    "Others can sell, so why can''t I? It''s not like I''ve shortchanged you of silver! What kind of business practice is this?"


    Chu Zheng looked up and saw a small charcoal shop, with a visiblyrge stack of dried firewood and charcoal within.


    The shopkeeper appeared to be over fifty, his hair graying, currently wearing an expression of distress.


    A nce was all Chu Zheng needed to guess the entire situation. After a moment''s thought, he strode over and directly pulled Xiao Cai to the side.


    He still owed Xiao Cai a favor and couldn''t just ignore what was happening.


    "Chu Zheng? What are you doing here?"


    Surprised to see Chu Zheng, Xiao Cai''s face quickly became angry again:


    "You''vee at just the right time. I..."


    She had not finished speaking when Chu Zheng interrupted her, "What have youe here to buy?"


    "Miss Lingxue''s room ran out of smokeless coal. I thought to buy some to replenish it, but after visiting several shops and seeing plenty of coal on their shelves, they still wouldn''t sell any to me."


    The more she spoke, the angrier she got, and Xiao Cai couldn''t help but curse softly, "These damn dogs, truly despicable."


    "Don''t be in a hurry, you go back first, and I''ll think of a way to get the coal."


    After calming Xiao Cai for a while, Chu Zheng gestured for her to return to the Song Residence first.


    After Xiao Cai left, Chu Zheng went back to the shopkeeper:


    "Shopkeeper, let''s have twenty catties of smokeless coal."


    "Are you from the Song Residence?"


    Looking at Xiao Cai leaving, the charcoal seller suddenly asked Chu Zheng a question.


    "No," Chu Zheng naturally shook his head.


    "That''s good."


    The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, worry in his eyes, "Twenty catties wouldn''tst long, would they? Why not buy more? I''ll give you a discount."


    "That would be good," agreed Chu Zheng, thoughtfully.


    It seemed there were those who wanted to help the Song Family but did not dare to do so openly.


    After returning to the Song Residence with the charcoal, Chu Zheng went back to his own ce and used all of today''s restoration attempts on Dragon-Tiger Body.


    [Current items that can be repaired: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Upper Volume (15/100)]


    Having briefly reviewed Dragon-Tiger Body - Beginner Volume, even if he practiced it to the top level, it wouldn''t beparable to a Grandmaster, and certainly not high enough to rate.


    But the subsequent Upper Volume, which required the same number of repair attempts as the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Beginner Chapter, seemed likely to have some differences.


    These five repair attempts were but a drop in the bucket for Chu Zheng.


    But all he could do now was repair as much as he could to raise his Repair Master level, hoping something might change.


    dinner was, as usual, very simple, only three steamed buns with a small dish of vegetables; Chu Zheng had to eat some of the dried meat he brought back to feel somewhat full.


    This was enough to indicate that the Song Family''s situation was rapidly worsening.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning.


    Afterpleting the Eighteen Great Circtions, Chu Zheng went to the mansion''s treasury as usual.


    Not long after arriving at the treasury, he heard some rather startling news.


    Overnight, the city walls of Luofeng City were adorned with human heads on every gpole, numbering dozens.


    Crucially, one of them belonged to a Grandmaster, a figure well-known in the martial world.

 Chapter 17: Chapter 16: Dragon-Tiger Body (Revised)

    Within the Great Zhou Territory, a Grandmaster was a notable figure, dominion over a city, his fame spread across several estates.


    In the martial world, it was even more so.


    The death of a Grandmaster, even in natural old age, was a significant event that would rm many.


    Such an unclear and mysterious death within the martial circles can indeed stir up a thousandyers of waves with a single stone.


    The first to be suspected was Song Tonghai.


    A Grandmaster had died in Luofeng City, and Song Tonghai, as the undisputed local powerhouse, was naturally the prime suspect.


    But no one dared to speak out, even the Government Office maintained its silence.


    Upon hearing this news, Chu Zheng''s first reaction was that Song Tonghai was killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.


    Only, this chicken was somewhatrger.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng inevitably harbored doubts, killing the chicken to scare the monkeys wasn''t a problem, but he feared that behind this chicken, there wasn''t a monkey, but a Dragon Whale. With a mere movement, the Song Family could be submerged under a devastating torrent.


    The impact of those dozens of heads, Chu Zheng soon felt it.


    His lunch returned to normal, and was even morevish than usual, with an addition of five pounds ofmb ribs and two pounds of beef.


    With Chu Zheng''s current appetite, it was somewhat overwhelming, and it took several sets of boxing to digest a good amount of it.


    After each cirction of the Circuit of Qi, Chu Zheng could feel his Qi strength expanding significantly; he had visited the martial arts training ground secretly and tested it¡ªnow, he could lift a four hundred-pound stone lock with one hand.


    Without Innate Divine Strength and before condensing Inner Strength, this feat would have been impossible.


    Even with the condensation of Inner Strength, it usually required several years of refinement to reach this stage.


    Chu Zheng had been refining Qi for only a few days, and if he continued for a hundred more days, stepping into the Spirit Transformation, the extent of his Qi strength was unimaginable.


    To kill a Great Grandmaster with one punch might not be a mere fantasy.


    This hearty midday meal somewhat eased the tension in Chu Zheng''s mind, at least the external pressure on the Song Family had rxed somewhat.


    However, in terms of his own improvement, Chu Zheng slightly elerated his pace.


    He would not waste this hard-earned time lightly. Before gaining enough power to protect himself, anything could happen at any moment.


    He had already started to practice the introductory chapter of the Dragon-Tiger Body, a type of horizontal training technique that indeed had its unique aspects.


    Even the introductory chapter could greatly strengthen one''s muscles and bones. To say the muscles were like those of a Flood Dragon may be a stretch, but to say the bones were like those of a fierce tiger is no exaggeration, more than enough to tear apart tigers and leopards.


    However, practicing such horizontal training methods inevitably required nourishing herbs, just like growing flowers; without nutrients, even the most beautiful flowers cannot grow.


    Approaching dinner time, Lingxue returned to the Mansion''s Treasury again.


    Like thest time, she did note empty-handed but brought a bottle of Essence Yuan Pill and two doses of bone-strengthening medicinal soup.


    This made Chu Zheng feel somewhat embarrassed; every time he met with Lingxue, he received many benefits.


    Compared to his role in the Song Family, he felt undeserving of such favor.


    ording to the current market in the Great Zhou, the items Lingxue provided could buy Chu Zheng''s life ten times over.


    Debts of gratitude were hard to repay, and Chu Zheng would rather Lingxue treated him poorly so that, when the time came to flee, he wouldn''t be burdened with more emotional debt.


    "How was it? Was your lunch satisfactory?"


    Compared to before, Lingxue''splexion was somewhat pale, her face full of smiles, but the fatigue between her brows could not be concealed: "I specifically instructed the kitchen, you are on the verge of condensing Inner Qi, and it is the exact time you need nourishment."


    "Thank you, Miss, for your kindness."


    After the Method of Qi Absorption, Chu Zheng''s senses were far superior to before, and he could easily detect the faint scent of blood on Lingxue, along with the strong smell of medicinal herbs.


    Lingxue was injured, and the fact that so many had died the night before, just as she had gotten injured.


    No one would believe there was no rtion between the two.


    The heads hanging on the city wall likely had a lot to do with her.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but admire the decisiveness of Song Tonghai and his daughter; without any rustling of leaves, they struck like thunder.


    After delivering the items, Song Lingxue did not leave right away. She hesitated for a moment before speaking,


    "Chu Zheng, there is a trip tomorrow to the borders. It''s a bit far. Would you like to join and see it? You could familiarize yourself with the escort procedure and gain some worldly experience."


    A trip to the border as an escort?


    Hearing Song Lingxue''s words, Chu Zheng almost immediately grasped the intention, his gazeplicating.


    Song Lingxue had always treated him generously, even passing down her family''s martial arts to him, but he hadn''t expected her to value him so much.


    With those dozens of heads serving as a deterrent, this was almost the perfect moment to leave Luofeng City. Song Lingxue was trying to save his life.


    Now, the choicey before Chu Zheng: to go or to stay.


    Chu Zheng rubbed his temple, sinking into thought.


    After a long while, he bowed deeply,


    "Miss has cared for me greatly. Chu Zheng is not an ungrateful person; I am profoundly thankful, but I cannot take on the escort duty just yet. I''d like to wait until after I''ve achieved Qi Condensation."


    Ultimately, Chu Zheng chose to stay. Firstly, he was unsure of the situation outside the city; there could be ambushes, likely leading to danger.


    Secondly, he did not wish to simply disappear. He believed in reciprocating kindness.


    Given these factors, he preferred to stay. At least now with Song Tonghai around, he could enjoy a few more days of peace.


    After refining his Qi for a hundred days and reaching Spirit Transformation, he would take things as they came.


    "So be it..."


    Song Lingxue, hesitant at first, finally nodded and advised him, "If you encounter any difficulty during your training, inform me anytime."


    Having said that, she appeared to have more to say but ultimately, she left without expressing more.


    ......


    ......


    As night deepened,


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on the couch,pletely sleepless. Since he began Qi Refining, he had not slept at all because his spirit was fully rejuvenated, leaving him without the slightest hint of weariness.


    Eventually, he simply treated Qi Cirction as a form of rest, appearing energetic during the day.


    Holding the Essence Yuan Pill again, Chu Zheng felt differently this time.


    He could clearly sense a flow of Qi within the Essence Yuan Pill, which he seemed able to directly integrate into his body.


    The same was true for those two medicinal bone-strengthening soups.


    Recorded in the Great Circtory Qi Guideline was a Method of Qi Absorption, consuming the Qi of the heavens and earth to enhance one''s own cultivation.


    Such an ability was possible in the Spirit Transformation Realm. In theter stages of cultivation, this method could further develop into a Divine Skill called "Swallowing Stars."


    Chu Zheng looked at the two medicinal brews and suddenly had an idea.


    The cultivation of a Dragon-Tiger Body essentially involved extracting nutrients from herbs to nourish the physical body.


    He might be able to directly extract the Qi from the herbs to achieve this effect, thus bypassing the cumbersome medicinal baths.


    Heating water in winter required much effort and was quite wasteful; even Song Lingxue couldn''t afford to bathe every day, as that would be too extravagant.


    With this in mind, Chu Zheng immediately began Qi cirction, revolving the Circuit of Qi, attempting to draw the flowing Qi from the herbs.

 Chapter 18: Chapter 17: Revenge (Revised)

    The Method of Qi Absorption could only be performed upon entering the Spirit Transformation Realm.


    Currently, Chu Zheng''s cultivation was far from sufficient. Although he had momentarily activated the Qi within the medicinal herbs, it quickly reverted to its original state.


    The soup medicine sent by Song Lingxue contained aplex mixture of ingredients: deer antler, licorice, sheep spine, tiger bone powder¡ªmost of which were materials for strengthening the muscles and bones.


    ording to the usual method, it needed to be simmered in water for half an hour, taken once in the morning and once at night.


    This was merelyying the foundation for the Dragon-Tiger Body and was not the formal practice of it.


    To begin the Dragon-Tiger Body, one needed to continuously consume the Bone-Strengthening Soup Medicine while also toughening the body and supplementing with medicinal baths. Even those with excellent Root Bone would need several months to be initiated.


    However, Chu Zheng''s situation waspletely different. Since starting Qi Refining, his body had been continually strengthened under the essence of the sun and moon, and its foundation had long surpassed that of ordinary people by several times.


    Even those who had entered the Dragon-Tiger Body could notpare to him in terms of physical strength.


    The introductory part of the Dragon-Tiger Body that Song Lingxue had brought, when cultivated to perfection, endowed one with the strength of a thousand jin, yet Chu Zheng''s current Qi Strength already exceeded a thousand jin.


    Seeing that the Method of Qi Absorption was ineffective, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but rub his brow, falling into deep thought.


    A momentter, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he began another attempt.


    At its simplest, the Method of Qi Absorption was no different from eating. If normal consumption was not possible, there surely were other methods.


    Chu Zheng opened all the soup medicine, slowly kneading and merging the various medicinal ingredients into a ball, where the Qi of each type began to mix and wildly collide.


    Then, he ced the medicine ball in front of his mouth and nose. The Qi within his body automatically circted, and he took a sharp inhale.


    Bits of medicinal powder entered his body, followed by a rich wave of the Essence of Herbs and Trees.


    The dust from the medicine temporarily bridged between the medicine and Chu Zheng''s body. Relying on the pure Yuan Qi within him, he sessfully activated the Essence of Herbs and Trees.


    The Yuan Qi from the two doses of medicine was not much and was soonpletely consumed by Chu Zheng.


    This was the first time Chu Zheng had absorbed Qi other than the essence of the sun and moon, and the experience was vastly different.


    The Essence of Herbs and Trees carried a uniquely moist and warm breath, much gentler than the essence of the sun and moon.


    After savoring it for a moment, Chu Zheng suddenly realized something was amiss. The Yuan Qi from these herbs was of a yang nature and extremely domineering.


    If it had been made into soup medicine, the milder properties of the water would have served as a buffer, ensuring safety. Such direct absorption of Essence Qi was too intense.


    Being a young man already vigorous with blood Qi, and with the rising yang Qi within, his blood surged inversely. Chu Zheng immediately flushed red, his vitality sinking, mighty as a pir.


    After awhile, the violently rising yang Qi finally began to stabilize and circted through his limbs and bones, stimting his flesh.


    An hourter, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, the medicine ball in his hand now a pile of ck dust.


    His clothes felt slightly tight. Chu Zheng subconsciously rubbed them and then got off the bed and stepped out of the room.


    Now dressed only in light clothing, he felt no chill from the winter night. Instead, he felt as though there were hot springs bubbling inside him. He couldn''t help but stretch his muscles and practice some boxing moves.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Between the roaring of the punches, Chu Zheng felt his breath grow smoother, wisps of hot mist rising from his head, the sound of blood rushing through his body clearly audible.


    After a while, just past midnight, Chu Zheng finally lowered his hands, his eyes sharp and fierce like a tiger''s.


    Such a method of consuming the soup medicine, the effect of two doses was stronger than that of ten. With two more doses, his Dragon-Tiger Body would be ready to begin.


    Whenbined, his Qi Strength would grow even further, and with every increase in strength, Chu Zheng''s sense of security grew as well.


    Clenching his fist, Chu Zheng''s eyes suddenly flickered. Although his muscles were strong like a tiger''s, it was unwise to meet swords and spears barehanded.


    With unclear circumstances, there was no telling when the Song Residence might be attacked. Before engaging with others, he needed to find a suitable weapon for self-defense to remain adaptable in any situation.


    With a n in mind, Chu Zheng looked up at the sky, then sat down on the spot and began circting the Grand Cirction, absorbing moonlight.


    ...


    ...


    The next day at noon, after a hearty lunch, Chu Zheng headed to the mansion''s treasury.


    As a Martial Arts Family, besides strong crossbows and heavy armor, the Song Family''s armory had all kinds of weapons avable.


    Stepping into the armory, a dazzling array of weapons greeted his eyes.


    On the wooden racks, there were swords, spears, axes, maces, heavy hammers, long staffs¡ªno fewer than a hundred pieces at a nce.


    To find a suitable weapon, this ce was more than perfect.


    Having studied ancient weaponry extensively, if the distance was great, the natural choice would be a bow or crossbow, no alternatives. But now, he had to consider closebat.


    Moreover, the proficiency with a bow couldn''t be attained in just a day or two.


    In this world, unlike the feudal dynasties of his previous life, there existed true martial arts experts and even those on the Immortal Path.


    Their power was iparable to ordinary people, necessitating extra caution in the selection of weapons.


    Swords were too fragile, and long weapons like spears and halberds also required years of practice to be effective.


    Chu Zheng browsed the treasury for a long while before finally picking out a weapon that was barely suitable.


    Two short clubs, each about three feet long and quite heavy, one weighing at least twenty pounds and rather unimpressive in appearance.


    Cold Iron Ruyi Clubs (Zeroth Order): Forged from thousand-refined cold iron, slightly wasteful of the material.


    Hum¡ª


    Chu Zheng tried swinging them a few times, listening to the whistling sound near his ears, and nodded in approval.

 Chapter 19: Chapter 17: Revenge (Revised)_2

    This iron mace was convenient to use, possessed great momentum and heavy force, especially since he was known for his immense strength, it held an absolute advantage over weapons like swords and knives.


    Most crucially, there was no need to learn any specific sword or knife techniques, one could simply counter moves as they appeared.


    The Song Family was extremely strict about weapons control, but Chu Zheng''s current identity was different from before. After the mansion''s treasury had been emptied, the security was no longer as tight, allowing him to smoothly bring back a pair of Cold Iron Maces to his residence.


    Over the following days, Chu Zheng''s life became quite routine: practicing Qi Refining in the morning, repairing artifacts in the mansion''s treasury during the day, and reading books from the treasury at night to pass the time.


    When the night was deep and quiet, he would take out the iron maces to practice for a while, familiarizing himself with them.


    Song Lingxue would asionallye to check on him, bringing some soup and medicine.


    Chu Zheng epted everything without refusal. Now was not the time to be pretentious. The more he could increase his strength, the easier it would be to respond to situations, thus providing him an opportunity to repay Song Lingxue''s favor.


    With the aid of the medicine soup, Chu Zheng''s Dragon-Tiger Body was transforming rapidly, almost daily. His muscles and bones stretched, making him grow taller, and his originally proportionate physique gradually assumed a broader upper body and narrower lower body, somewhat resembling the stance of a tiger and bear.


    ...


    ...


    Inside the mansion''s treasury.


    Chu Zheng leaned over a desk, carefully cradling a jade pendant in his hands, which bore faint cracks, having been broken into three pieces once.


    Momentster, a notification echoed in Chu Zheng''s mind.


    [You have spent some mental effort, repaired a shattered jade pendant, and your skill has slightly improved.]


    [Green Light Jade Pendant (Zeroth Order): Once served as a token of engagement. Later, after the man broke his oath, the woman shattered it by hand. Wrapped in a wisp of resentment, prolonged wearing may harm Qi and blood.]


    Chu Zheng''s brows slightly rxed as he summoned the panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)...]


    [Repair Master: Zeroth Order (298/1000)]


    [Remaining Repair Attempts Today: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Upper Volume (40/100)]


    The panel''s allotted repair attempts were all spent by Chu Zheng on Dragon-Tiger Body, and through his efforts, his experience as a repair master also increased significantly, though he was still a long way from the milestone of one thousand.


    However, little by little makes a mickle; given some more time, he would level up soon.


    "Meeting Miss."


    Just as Chu Zheng was preparing to start repairing the next artifact, a noise came from outside the room.


    Song Lingxue stepped slowly into the room. Seeing that Chu Zheng was still fixing things, she frowned:


    "Didn''t I tell you not toe to the treasury these days and to concentrate on practicing your martial skills? Advancing to Qi Condensation is what matters most right now."


    Chu Zheng naturally couldn''t divulge the real reason, so he simply bowed his head and responded:


    "Chu Zheng hasn''t forgotten Miss''s instructions; I have made initial progress in Dragon-Tiger Body."


    "You made initial progress?"


    Song Lingxue, taken aback, carefully looked him over, and a sh of admiration crossed her eyes:


    "It seems you have some unique talent in the field of External Skills."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s increasingly broad shoulders, Song Lingxue''s gaze flickered.


    In just a few days, he had made initial progress with Dragon-Tiger Body; such innate talent, given a few more years, might indeed bring him to the realm of a Grandmaster in External Skills.


    Regaining her senses, Song Lingxue remembered the purpose of her visit today and immediately said:


    "Don''t leave the mansion in theing days, just stay safe inside, and don''t go anywhere."


    Chu Zheng''s mind stirred but without further questions, he nodded and said: "Chu Zheng will keep this in mind."


    Song Lingxue wouldn''t havee to say this without reason; she must have received some secret news. Whether it was good or bad was still unknown.


    ...


    ...


    The emergency came much faster than Chu Zheng had anticipated, and it was much more urgent.


    The next day at midnight, just as Chu Zheng was preparing to start Qi Refining and circting Grand Cirction, suddenly, cries of fighting reached his ears.


    The dark horizon was lit by mes, with figures darting too and fro, too many to see clearly at a nce.


    Chu Zheng immediately turned around and went back to his room, drew out two iron maces, and grasped them tightly, considering his next steps.


    ...


    ...


    In the back courtyard of the Song Residence.


    Inside a secluded room, Song Yun abruptly opened his eyes, listening to the sounds of battle near his ears, his face turned pale, and he forcefully circted his Qi, leaping up from his bed.


    Squeak¡ª


    The door was pushed open, and Xiao Cai entered in a fluster, seeing Song Yun standing barefoot on the ground, her face changed:


    "You shouldn''t be moving around yet, go back to bed!"


    These past few days, she had been taking care of Song Yun''s daily needs, and no one knew better than her how severe his injuries were; one careless move could sever his heart vessels, a potentially fatal issue.


    "What is the situation now?" Song Yun''s expression remained calm, showing no signs of panic.


    "The central courtyard has been blocked by several escort masters with their men, there is no danger here for now, you can rest easy."


    After speaking, Xiao Cai quickly stepped forward, intending to help Song Yun back to the bed.


    "Where is the youngdy?" Song Yun pushed Xiao Cai away and began to dress.


    "The youngdy is also in the central courtyard."


    Xiao Cai, unable to persuade him to do otherwise, withdrew her hand: "The family head is by the youngdy''s side, and her martial arts skills are even stronger than yours. You needn''t worry too much."


    Song Yun pondered for a while, his gaze suddenly intensifying: "Has anyone gone to the mansion''s treasury?"


    "The treasury has already been emptied, losing it means nothing now, naturally no one will die defending it."


    Hearing Xiao Cai''s words, Song Yun thought of Chu Zheng. His expression suddenly changed, and he pushed open the room door, taking his sword and striding away.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng leaned against the courtyard wall, staring at the not-too-distant door of the mansion''s treasury, somewhat conflicted.


    Bang!


    A muffled sound came from behind, Chu Zheng turned his head to look, meeting Song Yun''s gaze.


    "Follow me, I''ll protect you out." Song Yun spoke in a deep voice, turning towards the mansion''s treasury door.


    "You came to rescue me?" Chu Zheng was puzzled.


    Song Yun''s face was pale as snow, his tone more urgent, "No time to talk, I''m forcibly circting my qi, I won''tst long, hurry!"


    If Chu Zheng were to die, the young miss would inevitably be distressed.


    Bang¡ª


    Before Song Yun could finish speaking, the mansion''s treasury door burst inwards, dust flying everywhere.


    A figure stepped slowly into the courtyard, d in night clothes, of medium build, with only his long, narrow eyes visible, holding a long sword, his eyes brimming with a fierce light.


    Above the sword''s edge, a visible grey sword glow flickered.


    Song Yun''splexion grew even paler, instinctively gripping his sword tighter.


    Qi visibly manifesting, this was a martial arts expert who had achieved Great Completion in Qi Condensing, one step further, and it would be the Qi Condensing Realm Perfection, where one might attempt to break through to the grandmaster realm.


    Even at his peak, he was merely on par with this man.


    Now, injured as he was, he struggled to save himself, let alone bring Chu Zheng along.


    "Go!"


    Song Yun suddenly turned around, bellowing in anger, but behind him was only the empty courtyard wall ¨C Chu Zheng had already vanished.


    For a moment, Song Yun looked bewildered, turning his head towards the mansion''s treasury door, catching sight of a familiar yet unfamiliar figure.


    The moment the door copsed, Chu Zheng had sprung out like a tiger from its cage, and within a breath, he stood in front of the man in ck clothes.


    By now his mastery of the Dragon-Tiger Body - Beginner Volume was nearlyplete, his back broad as a mountain, standing taller than the man, his presence overwhelming.


    "You..."


    The man in ck hesitated for a moment, unconsciously retreating half a step.


    Whoo¡ª


    In the next instant, a shriek like a sudden thunderp erupted beside his ear, an evil wind striking from the side.


    In a rush, he could only raise his sword to defend.


    ng!


    The Iron Mace struck the sword''s spine, the qi wrapped around the de instantly dissipated under the colossal force, and the sword bent at a ny-degree angle, continuing its momentum, heavily smacking into his body.


    Crack¡ª


    Apanied by the crisp sound of bone cracking, the man in ck was thrown high up, crashing into the courtyard wall, buried under a mound of dust, his fate unknown.


    Chu Zheng didn''t stop, he stepped forward, swinging the Iron Mace again, smashing it down head-on!


    Splosh!


    For a moment, it was like a rotten melon bursting open, mixed with bone splinters and bits of flesh and blood flying everywhere.


    Only after confirming the man before him could no longer stand, did Chu Zheng retract his Iron Mace.


    Although he had simted it many times in his mind, Chu Zheng still felt slightly nauseous.


    Fortunately, it wasn''t a big problem.


    While studying traditional medicine and researching circtory channels during that time, he had encountered many corpses, in various states, and had already developed some resistance.


    "Chu Zheng... you... this..."


    For a moment, Song Yun was bewildered, needing only a couple of strikes to kill a practitioner of Qi Condensing Great Completion. Even grandmasters probably couldn''t match such brute strength, and ordinary grandmasters certainly didn''t possess such fierce power.


    Moreover, when Chu Zheng struck, he hadn''t felt any fluctuations of inner qi at all, which was outright bewildering.


    "When did you be a grandmaster?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng wiped the blood off the Iron Mace, casually replying, "I have innate divine strength."

 Chapter 20: Chapter 18: Repairs

    "Innate Divine Strength..."


    Song Yun''s mouth opened to speak, but a sudden pain in his chest and a surge of darkness before his eyes caused him to copse weakly to the ground.


    His body was already critically injured, and since he had already been conserving Qi in secret, he was now close to hisst breath.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, still surrounded by the smell of blood around his nose, and felt a tremor in his fingertips. The excitement of having exerted his full strength had not yet faded.


    After calming himself for a moment, he hurried to Song Yun''s side to check his pulse.


    Feeling the pulse, Chu Zheng''s expression subtly changed. The chaotic pulse felt under his fingers was like rain leaking through a roof, winds blowing from all sides; the Qi was scattered, almost indistinguishable from that of a dead man''s.


    Before he could ponder further, a message suddenly surged on the panel in his mind.


    [Song Yun (Zeroth Order): Suffers from a fatal arrow wound to the chest, residual poison in the body not yet cleared, forceful use of Qi led to the brink of death, repairable (0/10)]


    This...


    The information that flooded his mind left Chu Zheng momentarily stunned. Could it be that he could even repair a person?


    Without further thought, Chu Zheng used two of the day''s restoration attempts tentatively.


    Whoosh¡ª


    The effects of the two repairs were immediate. Song Yun''s breathing, which had been as faint as a hanging thread, instantly became robust, and his pulse gradually stabilized. Although his body was still gravely injured, his life was no longer in danger.


    "You''re lucky to be alive."


    Chu Zheng murmured softly, lifted Song Yun, and dragged him into the house, hiding him carefully under the bed.


    He didn''t know the situation outside, so he couldn''t run around with Song Yun in tow.


    Chu Zheng saved the remaining three opportunities, thinking that caution is the better part of valor. There were eleven more hours until the next refresh, and it was always wise to have a margin for contingencies.


    Before leaving, Chu Zheng made sure the room was inplete disarray and then left without locking the door, allowing it to swing open as he strode away.


    ......


    ......


    The dark night illuminated by the mes, the ancient pavilions that had stood for centuries, now swallowed by the raging fire. Watching this, Chu Zheng''s heart twisted in agony.


    As a former Cultural Relic Restorer, such scenes were unbearable to him.


    The bodies of the dead were scattered on the ground, including Escort Masters, servants and maids of the Song Residence, and cloaked figures in night clothes, all stained with blood against the courtyard walls.


    "Kill!"


    After crossing two courtyards, Chu Zheng heard a burst of shouting and the faint sound of shing weapons growing louder.


    Clutching the Iron Mace firmly in his hand, Chu Zheng strode towards the noise. As he turned the corner, he came face-to-face with two men in ck.


    Both parties were startled. Chu Zheng, tall and wielding an Iron Mace, looked intimidating even at a nce. His blood-stained robe added a terrifying aura under the moonlight.


    The two men in ck, both burly, were each holding a long knife, their hands calloused and their eyes fierce. Clearly, they were not ones to be taken lightly.


    After sizing each other up for a few breaths, they rxed somewhat.


    Although Chu Zheng could not yet distinguish the strength of these practitioners of the Martial Path clearly, he was already on the threshold of Qi Refining and could perceive the Qi.


    The Qi density within these two men was even less than that of the martial master Chu Zheng had just killed by bursting his head.


    The two men in ck raised their long knives in unison, a vicious glint in their eyes. To them, Chu Zheng seemed heavy-footed and loud, clearlycking in martial skill:


    "Just a brat who hasn''t even begun Qi Condensation. Once we chop off his head, we''ll hang it on the city wall tomorrow!"


    "Hmph, looks decent enough. After I cut off your face, and make it into a mask, at least your face won''t be wasted!"


    Chu Zheng said nothing, but the adrenaline surging through his body forced him to react first.


    He lunged forward, swinging his Iron Mace with open tendons that cracked like whips, sounding off like a tiger''s roar or a dragon''s chant. Spiral wisps of steam burst from his pores, like lighting a torch on a cold winter night, sending rolling clouds of white smoke into the air!


    "External Skills Master!"


    The Iron Mace fell, apanied by a shriek as piercing as thunder, allowing the two assassins d in ck to react instantly, theirplexions dramatically changing, their bodies subconsciously wanting to withdraw.


    But it was already toote. In the time it takes to flick a finger, the two Iron Maces had already smashed down onto their heads.


    They reacted just as the assassin in the Song Residence''s Treasury had done before, raising their swords and attempting to parry with their shoulders bearing the back of the des, and their knees sunk into a horse stance.


    ng!


    However, the colossal strength within the Iron Mace far exceeded their expectations. The finely forged steel swords were instantly shattered, with broken des embedding deeply into their flesh and bones.


    Crack¡ª


    The lingering force pinned the two men down onto the green stone bs, shattering their upper bodies, leaving them incapable of rising again.


    Chu Zheng withdrew his Iron Mace, swinging it again without the slightest hesitation, shattering the heads of both men.


    In an instant, life and death were separated.


    "If you''re going to kill, why must you also set fires?"


    Chu Zheng murmured in a low voice, shaking his hand to fling off the blood from his Iron Mace, nearly grinding his teeth:


    "Such casual destruction, do you realize how much effort future generations will have to spend to restore it?"


    Truly deserving of death!


    So much history is left iplete because of such ruthless fires which have buried countless secrets beneath their fierce mes.


    This is a man-made disaster.


    Chu Zheng quickened his pace, soon arriving at the front yard of the residence.


    The front yard had be a sea of mes, with exmations of killing and the crackling sound of burning structures ringing in his ears.


    Chu Zheng dashed through the sea of mes, smashing any assant in night clothes that he saw with his mace, with not a single one proving to be his match.


    Soon, he reached the nearby martial training ground.


    In the midst of the training ground was a chaotic battlefield, with individuals engaged inbat everywhere; at a nce, there were no fewer than dozens.


    Among them, Song Tonghai was the most conspicuous. Surrounded by three opponents, his every move was filled with sharpness and vigor, his vital energy burning like a zing furnace, his breath roaring like thunder¡ª he was, without a doubt, a Grandmaster.


    Not far from him, Song Lingxue, d in green clothing, was also strikingly visible. She too was caught in a siege, surrounded by six men in ck.


    Song Tonghai, facing three adversaries, still showed no signs of defeat, but Song Lingxue nearby was in imminent danger.


    After the continuous battles, her hair, which was originally tied up, had be somewhat disheveled, fluttering in the wind, with her clothes stained in much blood, and from the torn fabric, a glimpse of the silver Inner Armor underneath was faintly visible.


    Suddenly, the state of the battle changed. Song Tonghai took a forceful palm strike from a Grandmaster and retaliated with a sword attack that sent out a wave of green Sword Qi.


    The Sword Qi roared, and from several meters away, it decapitated an assassin, his blood spouting several meters high, causing Chu Zheng to shiver at the sight.


    Grandmasters are indeed different from ordinary martial artists, possessing striking capabilities.


    This sword move¡ª Chu Zheng did not know if he himself could withstand it.


    Reduced by one, Song Lingxue''s pressure drastically reduced, gaining a brief respite, but Song Tonghai was gradually losing ground.


    Chu Zheng chose not to intervene rashly. The current battle was very dangerous, but it was still vaguely bnced. If he carelessly joined in, it might backfire.


    Chu Zheng looked around the training ground, quickly formting a n, and silently moved to a corner.


    Not far away, there were targets set up with Long Bows and Feathered Arrows, a small archery training area.


    Crack¡ª


    Chu Zheng grabbed a bucket of Feathered Arrows, snapping the arrowheads off one by one to make palm-length darts.


    He was not proficient in archery, but he was quite skilled with darts in his previous life, even having won prizes in professionalpetitions.

 Chapter 21: Chapter 19: Government Office

    Under the illumination of firelight, the training ground was stained with ayer of blood color, utterly chaotic, and no one noticed Chu Zheng''s presence.


    He moved stealthily in dark corners, clutching the arrowhead in his hand, quickly locking onto a target.


    Chu Zheng didn''t rush towards the center of the battlefield where Song Tonghai was located but first approached a person in ck located at the edge of the battlefield.


    He needed to get a feel for it first.


    Now, Chu Zheng''s eyesight was iparably stronger than in his previous life, not to mention his Qi Strength, which had a significant gap that needed adapting to.


    Soon, Chu Zheng approached the man a hundred paces away, held his breath, concentrated, his gaze sharp as an eagle. Without much hesitation, he raised his hand and threw an arrowhead with fifty percent force.


    Whoosh!


    A crisp sound of the arrow whistling rang out, and a hundred paces away, the person in ck fell in response.


    The arrowhead precisely pierced the man''s skull, bringing up a spray of blood.


    This trial made Chu Zheng feel unexpectedly good, even simpler than he had anticipated.


    After refining Qi, the essence of the sun and moon strengthened not only his Qi Strength but also his senses and even his reflexes; every aspect had undergone a leap.


    Having confirmed this, Chu Zheng had no further worries, his gaze directly locked onto several people beside Song Lingxue. He exerted full power, and within a breath, he had thrown five arrowheads.


    Grandmasters'' reaction speeds were something he had never experienced before. It was safest to start with these people.


    Whiz¡ª


    Sounds of piercing gold and splitting stones rang continuously, deafening. Those surrounding Song Lingxue had just heard the whistling. Before they could react, a fierce wind struck them, their vision darkened, and theypletely lost consciousness.


    "Watch out for the hidden weapons!"


    The Grandmasters, with their all-seeing eyes and all-hearing ears, had been keeping an eye on the nearbybat situation.


    The moment those attacking Song Lingxue were killed, the three Grandmasters reacted, they drew in their forces and retreated, their Inner Qi visibly surrounding their bodies, protecting their heads and vital points, their gazes vignt, searching all around.


    They soon noticed Chu Zheng on one side of the training ground.


    Facing the eyes of the three Martial Arts Grandmasters sweeping over him, Chu Zheng''s expression remained unfluctuated, his posture as erect as a pine. He stepped forward and picked up a blood-drenched spear from the ground.


    Then, his body leaned back, he raised his hand to hold the spear high, his muscles tensed, the engorged muscles of his body bursting through his clothes, all his power gathered in an instant.


    The next moment, the spear left his hands, like a millennia-old dormant volcano suddenly erupting!


    Hum¡ª


    The spear, like lightning cutting through the sky, emitted a low and intense sound of space shattering, heading straight for one of the Grandmasters.


    The terrifying killing intenting toward them caused the three Grandmasters to change color, and they almost simultaneously pulled back.


    Seizing the fleeting opportunity, Song Tonghai had already made his move. His Sword Qi like moonlight crossed the sky, vast like the sea, disrupting the retreating steps of the three.


    Chu Zheng''s attack was too sudden, without any sign. The spear, like a venomous snake''s strike, caught up with one of the Grandmasters in the blink of an eye.


    The immense power wrapped around it easily shattered the Grandmaster''s protective Inner Qi, pierced through his body, and with force still remaining, nailed him to the green stone wall.


    "Retreat!"


    The remaining two Grandmasters, terrified, shouted loudly and, without any hesitation, flicked their toes and soared like hawks, blending into the darkness in an instant.


    Of the three Grandmasters, one dead and two fled, the stagnant battlefield immediately copsed, the remaining people in ck began to flee in unison.


    Chu Zheng somewhat exhaustedly sat down on the ground. His entire body''s vitality, Qi, and spirit had almost entirely concentrated in that one spear; at this moment, his muscles trembled.


    If the two remaining Grandmasters had chosen to stay and continue the fight, the final oue would have been unpredictable.


    Chu Zheng had felt a slight threat from the body of the Martial Arts Grandmasters, therefore he had chosen to exert his full strength, first breaking one of their strengths.


    As it turned out, his choice had not been wrong.


    Song Tonghai took a long look at Chu Zheng, did not approach, and began to gather the remaining martial masters to extinguish the fire and clean up the corpses.


    Most of these martial masters had been entangled in fighting just now, and were not clear about what exactly had happened. Only Song Lingxue, Song Tonghai, and a few others had witnessed Chu Zheng''s action.


    Song Lingxue slowly walked up to Chu Zheng, pointed to the bodies with pierced skulls, her expression somewhat dazed, and asked softly, "Did you kill these people as well?"


    "I did them all, and there were about a dozen more."


    Chu Zheng did not hide anything, nodded in acknowledgment. His tone was different from usual, less respectful by three parts.


    Maintaining a controlled tone of voice was not a veryfortable thing.


    After this battle, Chu Zheng had a rough idea of where his own strength stood.


    In all of Great Zhou, Grandmasters were rare experts, and Great Grandmasters were even rarer, elusive as dragons.


    He had previously overestimated the abilities of these martial arts Grandmasters.


    Now, he had barelypleted one-fifth of his Hundred Days Qi Cultivation, yet he had already managed to kill a Grandmaster. Once he truly stepped into the Spirit Transformation Realm, his strength would undergo earth-shattering changes.


    By then, so-called Great Grandmasters, no matter how strong, would not be a match for him.


    Beyond that were the people of the Immortal Sect.


    Song Lingxue crouched down, hesitated slightly, then reached out and grabbed Chu Zheng''s wrist. After a long time, she let go, her expression even more dazed, "You really have no inner qi."


    For a moment, her heart was full of confusion and suspicion.


    "Then this qi strength of yours..."


    "After cultivating the Dragon-Tiger Body, I felt much stronger."


    For Song Lingxue, he obviously could not fob her off with jokes about innate divine strength anymore; Chu Zheng simply attributed everything to the Dragon-Tiger Body.


    She wasn''t likely to understand the intricacies anyway.


    To his knowledge, this world did not have the existence of Qi Cultivators; many anomalies naturally couldn''t be exined.


    "Is that so..."


    He had an ordinary talent for cultivating inner strength but was progressing daily in external skills. Was there really a person with such miraculous root bone?


    Moreover, Chu Zheng''s speed of progress was too fast; in just a short range of time, he had crossed distances that others could not reach in their entire lifetime.


    Intuition told Song Lingxue that there must be a problem, but at the moment, she could not pinpoint what was wrong.


    After a long pause, she came back to her senses, suddenly bowed, "Thanks to your actions today, we cleared the critical situation. Lingxue expresses her gratitude here."


    "Tomorrow, I will petition the Government Office to release you from your servitude status and restore your freedom. You may make other requests, and as long as the Song Family can fulfill them, there will be no objections."


    "Young Mistress, you take it too seriously. A drop of water shall be returned with a spring."


    Chu Zheng shook his head; he did not attach much importance to the so-called servitude status. From the perspective of the world, Great Zhou was just a corner, and the overt identity was not very important.


    His actions today were merely to return a favor to Song Lingxue. Regardless of other factors, at least the benefits she provided were concrete.


    As the two were conversing, the training ground was almost fully cleaned up, and therge fire burning inside the residence dwindled to a few sporadic mes.


    This time, the Song Residence suffered great losses, most of the escort masters died, Song Tonghai was severely injured, and Song Lingxue''s condition was not much better, covered in wounds.


    Barely moments after the fighting had ended, suddenly, the sound of horse hooves echoed outside the great gate of the Song Residence.


    Only at this moment did the Imperial Guards from within Luofeng City finally arrive, btedly.

 Chapter 22: Chapter 20: The Situation

    The moon was thick, and the air was heavy with the stench of blood mixed with the charred scent of burnt remains, intensely pungent.


    In front of the Song Residence''s main gate, there were less than fifty riders, each of whom hadn''t even bothered with armor, merely d in cloth official uniforms. Behind them followed two hundred foot soldiers, their formation extremelyx, hardly resembling a force meant to quell disturbances.


    "Patriarch Song, forgive us for ourte arrival. Where are those thieves?"


    The leader, a robust man in his forties with only mediocre martial skills, had yet to fully master Qi Condensation, but he spoke with little respect in front of Song Tonghai.


    "The thieves have already retreated. Thank you, General Luo, for yourte-night assistance. Your effort is appreciated."


    Song Tonghai maintained a usual expression, having changed into a new brocade robe that showed no signs of distress.


    "It''s good that there''s no trouble."


    General Luo surveyed Song Tonghai a few times, nodded, and said in a slow voice,


    "Please hand over the bodies of those thieves to me, Patriarch Song. I will have them burned together to prevent epidemics from spreading in the city."


    Upon hearing this, a few martial masters standing behind Song Tonghai all wore expressions of anger.


    This was clearly an attempt to steal valor.


    In the Great Zhou military, promotions heavily depended on military achievements, and the severed heads of those bodies counted as merits. If among those dressed in ck were some martial-world ouws wanted by the government, that would be considered a great feat.


    Their absence during the crisis and sudden appearance now to reap the rewards naturally displeased everyone from the Song Family.


    Moreover, from the corpses of these men in ck, it was possible to find out who was pulling the strings behind the scenes¡ªthis move by the government had the appearance of sheltering the culprits.


    Song Tonghai''s expression remained neutral, disying neither joy nor anger; he simply nodded,


    "Thank you for your efforts, General Luo."


    With the Family Head having spoken, the group of martial masters behind him naturally held their tongues, enduring in silence.


    A squad of Imperial Guards swaggered into the Song Residence, causing amotion for half an hour, and took away most of the bodies of the men in ck.


    About a dozen bodies were left behind; these were individuals who had died at the hands of Chu Zheng, with their skulls shattered beyond recognition. These corpses would not yield any military merit.


    Great Zhou enforced strict control over military merit to prevent wrongful ims and impersonation, leaving no room for deception.


    Seeing these dozen or so bodies, many of the Imperial Guards cursed under their breath, and displeasure was evident on General Luo''s face as well.


    Quickly, the Imperial Guards in front of the residence receded like the tide, and the long street once again returned to silence.


    Chu Zheng had watched everything from the start to the end, clear and distinct, and fell into deep reflection.


    Chu Zheng''s understanding of Great Zhou was limited to only fragments and phrases from books.


    However, he had never heard of a feudal dynasty thatsted for a thousand years. Even the most powerful dynasties would usually decay after a few hundred years due to the concentration ofnd or splintering of warlords.


    Yet Great Zhou had continued for over seventeen hundred years.


    A dynasty capable of ruling the world for so long could only be attributed to two reasons. One was the rationality of the dynasty''s governance system and resource distribution, enabling people from all echelons to survive.


    The other reason was that the dynasty''s power was so immense that it was impossible to overthrow, with any rebellion being quickly suppressed before it could cause significant trouble.


    Chu Zheng had seen the current state of Great Zhou for himself. In an era where productiongged, it was not possible for the lower-ss citizens to live in abundance or satisfaction, leaving only the second reason as a possibility.


    The attitude of General Luo exactly confirmed Chu Zheng''s recent suspicions¡ªthe Song Family''s predicament was exacerbated by maniption from the government authorities.


    There could be no conflict of interest between the government and the Song Family; if there had been any substantial disputes concerning interests, the Song Family would not have remained for three hundred years.


    The reason, then, could almost certainly be attributed to Song Lingqing.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng rubbed the center of his brow, feeling an overwhelming headache.


    Whenever Song Lingqing was involved, conflicts within the Immortal Sects inevitably followed, and given the Song Family''s current power, they would likely crumble if the Immortal Sects exerted even a hint of additional pressure.


    Chu Zheng was not familiar with the true strength of the Immortal Sects in this world, but from the few ssic texts from the sects, he had already begun to deduce some clues.


    A sessful cultivator could tten an entire realm as effortlessly as reaching into a bag to retrieve an item.


    This is literal ttening, far more terrifying than nuclear weapons.


    Facing such creatures beyond hisprehension, Chu Zheng felt an enormous pressure bearing down on him.


    Running away as quickly as possible seemed like the best option.


    ......


    ......


    City Lord''s Mansion.


    Within a side room, two shadows stood and sat.


    The one sitting was a dark-faced middle-aged man, about thirty years old, dressed in brocade robes, with a short beard, and, despite the deep winter, he still held a folding fan in his hand.


    General Luo stood with his head bowed and respectfully reported, "Song Tonghai seems to be uninjured. I haven''t seen Song Lingxue, but ording to what others have said, she is alright."


    "What did Song Tonghai say when you were there? Did he ask for help or for you to investigate this matter?" The middle-aged man frowned slightly, apparently somewhat disappointed.


    "Song Tonghai said nothing. After saying thanks, he let me take the bodies away."


    General Luo looked puzzled, not quite understanding¡ªSong Tonghai was as calm as if nothing had happened.


    "Oh? Is that all?"


    "That''s all."


    General Luo nodded, feeling uneasy. He couldn''t help but ask,


    "May I ask Lord Yuan, why do you target the Song Family like this? Is it because Prince came to Luofeng City one day and was offended?"


    The Government Office and the Song Family had been at peace for many years. Now, the sudden strike was obviously a decree from higher up.


    "Why all the questions? You need not ask what you should not, go on, leave."


    The City Lord waved his hand, showing a hint of impatience.


    "Forgive my prying, but Song Lingqing ultimately belongs to the Immortal Sect. If we go too far and he decides to pursue the matterter, I''m afraid neither you nor I could bear that responsibility."


    General Luo didn''t move, and said in a low voice, "If you have received any news, could you please share it? Just so I have something to go on."


    The term "Immortal Sect" was weighty, tightening the chests of those who heard it. Facing such beings as an enemy¡ªeven a Great Grandmaster wouldn''t have the courage.


    Even if he were no longer a general, he wouldn''t want to invite such trouble unless he had a shield strong enough to hold up the sky.


    City Lord was silent for a long while before beckoning, "Come closer."


    After General Luo leaned in, the City Lord whispered, "Prince has taken a fancy to Song Lingxue, intending her as a consort for the Princely Heir. Song Tonghai rejected him. This is to pressure him into submission. This matter is known to you and me alone and must not be leaked!"


    ......


    ......


    At the Song Residence''s back courtyard, inside the study.


    Song Tonghai was shedding his brocade robe to change into Night Clothes.


    Not understanding his actions, Song Lingxue asked,


    "Father, what are you doing¡­?"


    "I''m going to kill Luo Wang and Yuan Xingcai," Song Tonghai said lightly without turning his head.


    "Father!"


    Song Lingxue eximed, her voice losing control. To kill a Prefectural Governor and a General of the Imperial Guards¡ªa matter that could shake the entire Great Zhou.


    This was akin to piercing the heavens!

 Chapter 23: Chapter 21: Decision

    A city''s Prefectural Governor and a Deputy General were suddenly killed, it wasn''t a small matter, even the King of Guangyun couldn''t suppress it. It would shock the Imperial City, leading to a detailed investigation by the Secret Guards, and even a Great Grandmaster mighte here.


    "Father, why did it have toe to this?"


    Song Lingxue found it somewhat difficult to understand. The consequences of killing an official were too severe, this was a provocation of imperial power.


    "Yuan Xingcai has been in office for these years, I don''t know how many benefits I''ve given him, yet now he has kicked me while I''m down, he is seeking his own death."


    Song Tonghai''s hands didn''t stop moving,pletely ignoring the wounds on his body that were still bleeding, his gaze was cold:


    "One step back, and then stepping back again and again, in the end, there''s only the path to death. Might as well blow things up, and then deal with whateveres next."


    It was only three Grandmasters who came today, next time, it might be a Great Grandmaster who arrives.


    And after killing the City Lord, if the imperial envoy from the Imperial Capital really doese, then all the people in the Martial World willy low for a while.


    Nobody would daremit crimes against the wind, the consequences of challenging the power of the Great Zhou were not something any Grandmaster, let alone a Great Grandmaster, could bear.


    By doing this, before the matter could be investigated thoroughly, it could actually bring a brief moment to catch one''s breath and might provide a chance to make arrangements for what is toe.


    "There were clearly other options."


    Song Lingxue blocked the doorway, her expression slightly dim, "Perhaps the King of Guangyun..."


    "Shut up!"


    Song Tonghai shouted angrily, a rare loss of control in his emotions, his tone became even colder, "If you dare to make decisions on your own, I will strip you of the Song surname and expel you from our house, you will be cut off from our ancestral graves!"


    "Do you think those people today, who were they instructed by?! Open your eyes and see the people who died in our house today! How many were uncles who used to escort with me, is your statement fair to them?!"


    If it could be said that before tonight, there was still room for maneuver, from this moment on, it was a fight to the death.


    Grandmasters were notmon figures, three of them appeared all at once today, if Zhao Yunheng knew nothing at all, nobody would believe it.


    Song Lingxue bowed her head and remained silent. After a long while, she silently made way.


    Song Tonghai walked slowly to Song Lingxue, reached out to touch her head, and heaved a sigh:


    "Take out all the remaining gold and silver from the Mansion''s Treasury, let those who are willing to take the money and leave, go."


    Frankly speaking, in the present Song Family, only Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue were blood rtives, then there were Song Tonghai''s two concubines. Most of the Escort Masters were just doing their job for money, there was even less need to mention the servants and maids.


    A hereditary family that hadsted for more than three hundred years, after this battle, was ultimately about to copse.


    "I understand."


    Song Lingxue agreed, "I''ll wait for father toe back."


    Whoosh¡ª


    Before her words fell, the door swung wide open, and Song Tonghai''s figure was no longer in sight.


    Outside the house, the snow began to fall again, the wintry wind howled, permeating the biting coldness, piercing to the bone.


    ......


    ......


    The next morning.


    In front of the Mansion''s Treasury.


    Chu Zheng, who had just finished his Circuit of Qi, sat beside the table, munching on a steamed bun fresh out of the pot, gazing at the sun overhead, lost in thought.


    To go or to stay was a very difficult choice to make.


    "Are you full? Do you want to add a bit more? If there''s anything else you''d like to eat, let me go and tell the kitchen to make it for you."


    Song Lingxue sat beside him, supporting her chin with one hand, the corners of her eyes curved, a smile seemed to be spilling out from the bottom of her eyes.


    Chu Zheng swallowed the bun in his mouth and shook his head, a light sigh in his heart.


    With Song Lingxue''s attitude, how could he harden his heart and run away?


    Although Song Lingxue had said the night before that she would grant him his freedom, he owed her a favor and couldn''t just run away to save his own life, that wasn''t something Chu Zheng could do.


    The most basic moral concepts were constraining him, and when it came to life and death, he actually didn''t take it too seriously.


    People were bound to die, but whether death had any value, that was another matter altogether.


    Chu Zheng just didn''t want to die too soon, after all, the world he saw was far too small.


    To travel through a different world and then die without achieving anything felt like a major loss, no matter how he looked at it.


    Maybe...


    He could take Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue with him, running alone was still running, and having a few more people seemed inconsequential.


    The moment this thought surfaced, Chu Zheng shook his head, clearly realizing it was not viable.


    Currently, all the points of conflict were due to Song Lingqing, with Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue at the vortex''s center.


    To take these two with him would mean constant assassination attempts; events likest night would be endless.


    It was just a matter of time before something went wrong; the risk was too great and escape would be nearly impossible.


    Thinking aboutst night, Chu Zheng suddenly wondered if he had forgotten something.


    Song Lingxue brought over a bowl of soup, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to Chu Zheng''s lips, "This Deer Bone Soup has been stewed for nearly two hours, I specifically instructed them not to waste it. Finish it, it''s good for your health."


    Chu Zheng was still deep in thought about what exactly he had forgotten when suddenly, there was a noise in the room.


    Crack¡ª


    Watching the scene unfold before him, Song Yunyi felt a numbness in her heart as she stood by the door, hearing a crisp sound as if something had broken.


    Seeing Song Yun stumbling out of the room, Chu Zheng finally came to his senses, his face showing a sudden realization; he hadpletely forgotten about this matter.


    The shock of killing one after another was a bit too much, causing him to inadvertently push the existence of Song Yun to the back of his mind.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng felt somewhat guilty, as Song Yun, with his gravely injured body, hade to save him, yet he had nearly forgotten about him, leaving him to spend the night under the bed.


    Looking at Chu Zheng, Song Yun felt a moment of disorientation. The cruelty of this world made him confront once more the disparity between people.


    But when he nced over at Song Lingxue, he felt that none of that mattered anymore.


    "Miss..."


    Song Yun fell to his knees, covering his face and sobbing.


    At least the young miss was still alive, the sky hadn''t fallen yet.


    Waking up alone under the bed, he felt as though the sky was copsing. Now, with the dramatic turn of events, he could hardly suppress his emotions.


    "Song Yun?" Seeing Song Yun, Song Lingxue was startled, "Why are you here?"


    Last night, those people hadn''t even breached the middle courtyard, where Song Yun was located. It hadn''t been entered by outsiders and had remained sealed off.


    Seeing Song Yun now, she couldn''t help but be surprised.


    ......


    ......


    The prefectural governor of Luofeng City and the defending generals were dead; their heads hung in front of the City Lord''s Mansion.


    This news spread quickly throughout the city, causing immense panic. As the saying goes, when the wind sweeps the tower, everyone fears for their own safety.


    This was entirely different from the heads disyed on the city wall the day before.


    The Great Zhou was like the heavens, and the Imperial Family like gods shepherding the people. No matter how ferocious demons and heretics were, they would be captured and imprisoned by the government, a consensus previously held in everyone''s mind.


    But now, even the officials were dead.


    Suddenly, in Luofeng City, the credibility of the Great Zhou Official Government suffered an unparalleled blow, almost crumbling to pieces.


    Within less than a day of the news, residents began to flee with their families, scattering towards neighboring cities.


    The news spread like a gale, expanding rapidly, and within two days, it had crossed tens of thousands of miles, reaching the Capital of the Great Zhou.

 Chapter 24: Chapter 22: Reaction

    "Scoundrels!"


    Atop the Golden Throne Hall, the Son of Heaven hurled his cup, his imperial countenance filled with great fury.


    Murdering an official, and one who had died was a Prefectural Governor overseeing more than a hundred counties, towns, and viges, directly affecting millions ofmoners. In the annals of Great Zhou''s Imperial Dynasty that stretched over a thousand years, this could be counted as a major case.


    Such an incident had not urred for who knows how many years, and if not handled properly, it would not be long before viins followed suit, or even rose in rebellion, further shaking the foundation of Great Zhou. By then, countless lives would be lost.


    If it really came to that, he would have to issue an imperial edict admitting his faults, which would be nailed to the pir of shame of the royal family for future generations to witness.


    "Your Majesty, please quell your anger, and take good care of the dragon body."


    "Such great evil must be swiftly captured and the uprising suppressed to avoid involving moremon people."


    "This humble official suggests: Luofeng City should be put under lockdown from all sides, troops dispatched from the county city, funds allocated from the Mansion''s Treasury to guide the scattered popce back to their original ces, and provide partialpensation for constion.


    The priority should be to appease the people''s hearts in order to prevent the chaotic situation from expanding, and to prevent the culprits from seizing the opportunity to incite the refugees into causing trouble."


    Many ministers spoke out with their advice, orderly and without chaos, cing all methods before the Son of Heaven.


    The Son of Heaven soon regained hisposure, and after a moment of contemtion, gave his orders:


    "Send five hundred Vermilion Bird Guards to Luofeng City, with the Chief Commander leading the team. Within one month... no, within half a month, the whole affair must be rified, the ringleader arrested and brought to the Imperial Capital. Anyone who obstructs the investigation shall be punished as an aplice!"


    "Your Majesty is wise."


    After the Son of Heaven spoke, regardless of what suggestions the ministers had previously made, no one spoke further, and all praised the imperial decision as exceptional.


    "Additionally, summon the King of Guangyun to the capital,mand him toe quickly!"


    ......


    ......


    In Wuyang County, Guangyun Royal Mansion, the study.


    Within the room, only the father and son of the Guangyun King were present. Zhao Yunheng, wearing a python robe, sat behind the desk, his brow slightly furrowed, fingers tapping lightly on the table, muttering to himself:


    "Song Tonghai is no ordinary person; this king has indeed underestimated him."


    Hearing this, Zhao Jichang next to him couldn''t help but be somewhat surprised:


    "Father, do you mean... Yuan Xingcai and Luo Wang were killed by Song Tonghai?"


    On that day, the impression Song Tonghai gave him was extremely amiable, not at all like someone who would be bloodthirsty, let alonemit a high treason by murdering an official.


    "Not so."


    Zhao Yunheng waved his hand and said, "Without any evidence, such words must not be spoken recklessly."


    "I request Father to enlighten me," Zhao Jichang said, somewhat puzzled: "If there''s suspicion, why not arrest him directly? After the investigation, the truth will be clear."


    "The matter is not as simple as you think; it may even rm the Immortal Sect."


    Zhao Yunheng shook his head slightly, with a soft sigh: "Regardless of whether this was done by Song Tonghai or not, he hasnded himself in great trouble."


    At this point, it was no longer something he could suppress.


    Even a Great Grandmaster wouldn''t dare to kill an Imperial Court official; it''s an act of l¨¨se-majest¨¦.


    It doesn''t matter who died or how many died, the act of l¨¨se-majest¨¦ is something that the Imperial Court cannot tolerate.


    Just like ordinary people, when injured by a violent thug, most would choose to swallow their anger and avoid further trouble, but if bitten by an insect, they would often be enraged and without hesitation, crush the insect.


    Bullying the weak and unting power has always been thus since ancient times.


    ss hierarchy is the ironw of this world. To offend those above one''s station is the greatest intolerable crime; even upon entering the Immortal Sect, this ironw remains in effect.


    Seeing Zhao Jichang''s somewhat understanding yet not understanding look, Zhao Yunheng was about to exin further when suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the mansion:


    "Imperial edict has arrived."


    The voice was sharp, and the echo vibrated through ten miles of streets, evidence of profound inner strength.


    Zhao Yunheng''s eyes slightly narrowed, and he stood up, saying, "Get ready, and prepare to apany me to the Imperial Capital to face the Son of Heaven."


    ......


    ......


    Luofeng City, Song Residence.


    Yesterday, Song Lingxue had spent thest of the gold and silver in the mansion''s treasury, converting anything of value into cash.


    The surviving escort masters had mostly chosen to take the money and leave, with only a scant two or three remaining; the servants had scattered, with eight or nine out of ten gone.


    In just one night, the poption had dwindled, and the vast Song Residence was filled with broken walls and remnants, with hardly any living people to be seen.


    Now was the best time to leave.


    The impact of killing an official was significant, and with Luofeng City currently leaderless, countless people were leaving the city, and slipping out amidst these individuals posed no danger.


    In the face of such chaos, Chu Zheng felt a tranquility settling in his heart; he was no longer torn and went about his cultivation methodically, refining Qi and performing the Circuit of Qi daily, striving to reach the realm of Spirit Transformation as soon as possible.


    The local officials of this city were dead, although he did not know who was responsible, it had indeed bought the Song Residence a significant amount of time,


    He had made his ns, and presently nothing had happened yet; by the time the Imperial Court would have cleared up the case, a lot of time would have passed. He was now only seventy-three days away from the Hundred Days Qi Cultivation, just two and a half months.


    With some caution, he should be able to hold out over this period, and there should still be some opportunities.


    Once he reached Spirit Transformation, his abilities would undergo many changes, and he could attempt to master the true divine skills of a Qi Cultivator.


    The techniques within the Qi Refining Lineage were vast andplex, impossible to be exined in just a few words; there were more than a dozen divine skills rted to the five senses alone.


    Just speaking of the Heavenly Eye, there were techniques for observing Qi, discerning yin and yang, diagnosing pulse, telepathy, and beyond that, more profound skills like Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist.


    Although he yearned for these divine techniques, Chu Zheng could only proceed step by step for now.


    Song Lingxue followed him every day, never leaving his side, and taking care of his every need with great attention.


    Chu Zheng did not bring up leaving, and neither did Song Lingxue; it was as if they had reached an unspoken understanding.


    After learning that Chu Zheng had cultivated the Dragon-Tiger Body and thus underwent such a shocking transformation, Song Yun began to harbor some thoughts.


    As soon as his injuries had stabilized somewhat, he had begun to attempt to practice external skills, hoping to discover any unnoticed talents within himself and to astonish everyone at once.


    As could be expected, he was deeply disappointed; his talent for external skills was as unremarkable as his looks.


    ......


    ......


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    Chu Zheng''s stable state of mind did notst long.


    Once Song Tonghai had dealt with his injuries, he found his way to him.


    Inside the study, the two men sat facing each other, this being the first time they directlymunicated face to face.


    "Family Head..."


    After a long silence, Chu Zheng cleared his throat.


    "Chu Zheng, you extended your hand to save me from a dire situation, for which gratitude cannot be expressed in words. I do not wish to hide anything from you, so let us speak frankly."


    Before he could finish, Song Tonghai interrupted him with a raise of his hand:


    "The Song Family is in great trouble now, and I have already transferred most of our wealth in batches. Lingxue knows where it is¡ªall I ask is that you take care of her, and the two of you flee far away as soon as possible. I will stay behind to buy you some time."


    Chu Zheng waved his hand and spoke calmly, "Family Head, there''s no need to rush. Now that the Prefectural Governor of Luofeng City has been assassinated, that''s the real problem. Before the Imperial Court figures out what happened, we might have some time."


    Hearing this, Song Tonghai was silent for a moment, gazing at Chu Zheng:


    "Who do you think killed those two men?"


    Chu Zheng: "..."


    Looking at Song Tonghai''s calm face, Chu Zheng suddenly found it difficult to maintain hisposure; from the reaction of the man before him, the identity of the murderer was self-evident.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng raised his hand to massage his temple, feeling utterly overwhelmed.


    To kill an official... was this a rebellion?

 Chapter 25: Chapter 23: Great Grandmaster

    Killing an official, no matter the dynasty, was an unforgivable capital offense.


    Especially in a feudal dynasty, where the hierarchy was strict, subordinatesmitting crimes against superiors was a sin beyond redemption, punishable by dismemberment and even implicating one''s family.


    This was a provocation to the reign of any dynasty, something no emperor could tolerate.


    Havingmitted such a heinous crime, Song Tonghai''s previous thoughts naturally went down the drain.


    Once the imperial envoy arrived and uncovered the truth, the situation would be extremely perilous.


    Fleeing seemed to have once again be the best option.


    Chu Zheng fell into deep thought, but soon dismissed the idea of fleeing again.


    Leaving now would be fleeing from crime, and the imperial court would issue a direct order for his execution; it might even rm the Immortal Sect.


    With the mysterious methods of cultivation, there were certainly ways to track him over thousands of miles; being caught was only a matter of time.


    Facing a dilemma, Chu Zheng felt as if he was holding thorns in his hand, unbearably piercing.


    What should he do to preserve himself until he could achieve Spirit Transformation?


    Rubbing the space between his eyebrows, Chu Zheng suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked at Song Tonghai, tentatively asking, "May I ask the family head, how powerful is the Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    "It is a true Immortal Sect with countless Superior Immortals, naturally very powerful."


    "Compared to Great Zhou?"


    "Naturally, it is stronger than Great Zhou. After all, Great Zhou is merely a mortal realm; how can it bepared with those who are on the path of cultivation?"


    Song Tonghai was a bit puzzled, "Why do you ask these questions?"


    Chu Zheng''s brow rxed slightly, and he spoke in a calm voice, "Then I suggest that the family head should dy for a while. If it cannot be concealed, then make the drastic move of condemning your kin, reporting the second young miss for killing the official and fleeing."


    "Hmm?"


    Song Tonghai frowned immediately; after pondering for a moment, he shook his head:


    "By doing so, the government might temporarily detain us or even send us to the capital. That would be like entering a dragon''s den, with no hope of escape."


    Song Tonghai understood Chu Zheng''s idea, which was to use Song Lingqing to pressure Great Zhou; as long as Song Lingqing was alive, the government would certainly be wary.


    Even if they knew Song Tonghai was lying, it would most likely preserve their safety temporarily. This was a temporary measure that could also be eptable on the face of the imperial court.


    "Our only option now is to take it one step at a time, the most crucial being the attitude of the imperial court."


    Chu Zheng sighed lightly; in this predicament, the only solution he could think of was to dy, to dy until his Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, and then make further ns.


    After careful consideration, Chu Zheng spoke again, "Does the family head know what the rtionship is between the Immortal Sect behind Great Zhou and Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    "There is no Immortal Sect behind Great Zhou." Song Tonghai shook his head slightly.


    "No?" Chu Zheng was somewhat surprised.


    He had thought that Great Zhou was manipted in the shadows by an Immortal Sect, but now it seemed not to be the case.


    "The Zhao n has ancestors within all the major Immortal Sects, including the Phantom Spirit Sect. This was what I heard from a Superior Immortal when Ling Qing entered the Immortal Sect."


    "I see." Chu Zheng realized, somewhat reassured. If that was the case, then the attitude of Great Zhou would be more likely to be neutral.


    Thereafter, Chu Zheng and Song Tonghai discussed some details before finally dispersing from the meeting.


    During the discussion, both Chu Zheng and Song Tonghai tacitly avoided one issue.


    What would happen if there was a problem on Song Lingqing''s side.


    ......


    ......


    Less than seven days after the death of the Prefectural Governor, a troop bearing the Great Zhou Imperial g, the Red Armored Iron Cavalry, entered Luofeng City in a grand manner, heading straight for the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Among the Emperor''s Four Guards, the Vermilion Bird Divine Guards, made up of individuals who had condensed Inner Qi, had the privilege of selection, and its Chief Commander was among the Pirs of the State, each a Martial Path Grandmaster of the current era.


    That noon, all martial arts practitioners in the city, including those from the Song family, were forcibly taken by the Vermilion Bird Divine Guards.


    In the main hall, the members of the Song family were all present, and a man in armor sat behind the desk, his gaze sharp as an eagle''s, scanning the crowd.


    The man appeared to be nearly fifty, with a square face and jet-ck hair, without a single silver strand, emanating robust vitality throughout his being.


    Vermilion Bird Divine Guards Commandant, Li Mingzhou.


    Chu Zheng stood behind, his eyes shimmering with intelligence as he secretly observed for a moment, unable to suppress his emotions.


    He had somewhat underestimated the strength of the Martial Path Grandmaster.


    The life tier of the Grandmaster had transformed, capable of living beyond one hundred and fifty years. The Qi within was powerful to a terrifying extent, far surpassing that of a Grandmaster.


    The Grandmaster before him, judging from the Qi within, was at least ny years old, but appeared to be under fifty, still full of vigor and strength.


    "Song Tonghai!"


    Seated behind the desk, Li Mingzhou suddenly shouted loudly, his voice like a great bell, jolting people''s spirits into a daze.


    "I am here," Song Tonghai stepped forward slowly.


    "Where were you when Yuan Xingcai and Luo Wang met their deaths?"


    "That night, just after my home was raided, I had sustained injuries and was likely tending to my wounds," Song Tonghai answered truthfully.


    Li Mingzhou sized him up and spoke in a deep voice, "Undress."


    Obeying themand, Song Tonghai removed his top, revealing his muscr upper body, which was covered with scars, including several fresh wounds.


    "You may step down."


    After a brief nce, Li Mingzhou slightly nodded and waved his hand.


    He didn''t inquire much about the other people from the Song Residence and soon released them.


    Did it pass so easily?


    No, that''s not it.


    Chu Zheng, blending into the crowd, had his gaze slightly focused, and for a moment he was at a loss for thoughts.


    The day Luo Wang visited, he had directly taken the corpses of those men in ck. Song Tonghai harbored a grudge, hence he could havemitted murder over it; both motive and opportunity were present, along with sufficient strength, which should make him the prime suspect.


    Could the Grandmaster really believe it was not him? Why?


    "You, stay behind."


    While Chu Zheng was still deep in thought, suddenly a call came from behind him.


    ......


    ......


    Capital of the Great Zhou.


    As the sun set in the west, the red afterglow painted the pce walls, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.


    Within a side hall, the Son of Heaven received Zhao Yunheng while Zhao Jichang was left waiting outside.


    The light inside the hall was somewhat dim, with only the Son of Heaven and Zhao Yunheng present.


    Suddenly, the Son of Heaven raised his hand sharply and fiercely pped Zhao Yunheng across the face.


    Smack¡ª


    The crisp sound echoed within the hall, lingering for a long time.


    "You were too hasty."


    The Son of Heaven''s expression cooled as he spoke chillingly, "Having an interest in the Song Family''s bloodline and nning for your descendants is not meworthy, but you must act within your limits."


    "Song Lingqing is no ordinary person. With her High-Quality Immortal Bone, she has the potential to step into the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant, a true Immortal Seedling. If she finds the right opportunity, it might lead to a change of dynasties in the Great Zhou."


    "If she survives the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, entering the Immortal Path is just a matter of days, and Soul Condensing is within reach. If you stir up too much trouble now, how will you handle the aftermath?"


    "Brother, I did not take any action."


    Zhao Yunheng shook his head, somewhat helplessly, "I only advised the Prefectural Governor of Luofeng City to stay out of it and not to meddle unnecessarily, that''s all."


    "Jichang is my own flesh and blood; I wouldn''t harm him, nor would I let him marry a woman burdened with deep-seated vendettas."


    "Is that true?"


    "If there is even half a lie, may I not enter the ancestral mausoleum after I die."

 Chapter 26: Chapter 24: Bloodline (Two-in-One)

    Zhao Yunheng''s words naturally contained not even a hint of falsehood; all he wanted was for Song Tonghai to bow his head.


    As long as Song Tonghai spoke up, he would have means to ensure the Song Family''s peace; at worst, he could send them to the Imperial Capital and still preserve their lives.


    Seeing his expression did not seem feigned, the Son of Heaven nodded slightly, "That''s good, put away those thoughts, and do not interfere with the Song Family''s affairs anymore. There are many hidden nuances in this matter, do not bring trouble upon yourself."


    "Imperial Brother, could you enlighten me?" Zhao Yunheng became somewhat curious.


    "Five years ago, I received a message from the Fourteenth Imperial Great Uncle, stating that the Song Family''s bloodline might be unusual,manding me to investigate all Song surnamed noble families within the neighboring countries," the Son of Heaven said.


    Slowing his breath, the Son of Heaven spoke gravely, "Three thousand years ago, there was a Song surnamed Celestial Lord who crossed the True Immortal gate, his ancestral home was less than a million li away from our Great Zhou."


    "I have examined many records; kingdoms nearby all have Song surnamed noble families, some havested for a thousand years, some stand for less than a hundred years, but they share one astonishingmonality: in their families, there has almost always been an Immortal Seedling."


    "The Song Family, could they be descendants of the Celestial Lord?" Zhao Yunheng''s face changed dramatically.


    If the Song Family truly descended from the Celestial Lord, that would be too astonishing.


    The Immortal Sect is but a group of Cultivation practitioners, whereas a Celestial Lord is a true Immortal!


    Bathed in the baptism of heaven and earth, their bodies filled with Immortal Bone; a breath could turn to clouds, bringing rain, and a snap of the fingers could create an unsurpassable Cave Heaven Blessed Land. Contrasted with them, the so-called Immortal Sect is hardly worth mentioning.


    "Not a descendant of the Celestial Lord, it may well be from the same origin. This matter is top-secret, not to be disclosed," the Son of Heaven shook his head slightly.


    "You need not think too much about it. Even if they are descendants of the Celestial Lord, that Celestial Lord has long since left the mortal realm. The Fourteenth Imperial Great Uncle is tracing their lineage for other ns. You should not get involved," the Son of Heaven said dismissively.


    "The fact that Song Lingqing is of High Quality Immortal Bone has already spread to the neighboring states, and those who are after her are far more than just one or two. Her situation is even more perilous, and it remains uncertain whether she can live to participate in the grandpetition. All we can do is quietly observe how things unfold."


    "I understand, thank you for the reminder, Imperial Brother."


    Zhao Yunheng''s forehead was faintly beaded with cold sweat. He had vaguely sensed that the Song Family''s lineage was somewhat divine but had never imagined it could be to this extent.


    "Go now. I have already sent Mingzhou to deal with the matters in Luofeng City. You can return to your fief in a few days." The Son of Heaven waved his hand and strode into the shadows inside the hall, vanishing in an instant.


    Zhao Yunheng was stunned for a moment, rubbed his face, and walked slowly out of the side hall, deep in thought.


    "Father, you..."


    Seeing the red handprint on Zhao Yunheng''s face, Zhao Jichang, who was waiting outside, panicked for a moment.


    "It''s nothing. Enjoy your time in the Imperial Capital for a few days. After a while, your father will take you back to our fief."


    Zhao Yunheng came back to his senses and said soothingly, "You can forget about Song Lingxue. Your father will find you another match."


    "Match or no match, it''s not something I particrly care about," Zhao Jichang shook his head, trying to mask his concern, "Is your face really okay? Do you want to see a physician?"


    In that short span, Zhao Yunheng''s face had swollen like a steamed bun, with five clear finger marks visible, red and swollen with streaks of blood.


    The Imperial Uncle''s strength was formidable...


    "No love lost," Zhao Yunheng muttered indifferently.


    With hands sped behind him, Zhao Yunheng walked toward the pce exit, his mind starting to calcte once again.


    After hearing about the Celestial Lord Song, his eagerness to arrange a marriage for Zhao Jichang intensified.


    There was more than one Song surnamed noble family in Great Zhou besides Song Tonghai. He remembered several prominent households with the surname Song right within the Imperial Capital. A step-by-step visit should, after all, lead to a suitable match.


    Being of the same surname as a Celestial Lord, even marrying someone with the surname Song might allow for some of the Immortal Qi to rub off on them. If necessary, he might marry a few more.


    As for whether it would work out, that was a matter forter.


    ...


    ...


    Luofeng City, City Lord''s Mansion.


    The sun was setting to the west, and the coldness surged, with the bone-chilling wind starting to howl again.


    Inside the main hall,


    Chu Zheng sat at the table, pouring himself a cup of tea, a silent sigh in his heart.


    "Boy, go out and ask around about me, Li Mingzhou, what kind of person I am. Even the Son of Heaven showed me respect in his youth. If you miss this opportunity, it will nevere again," Li Mingzhou said.


    Wrapped in red armor, Li Mingzhou stood not far away, his countenance solemn, his voice deep as he spoke:


    "I haven''t witnessed what kind of person Li Mingzhou is, but seeing that you have exceptional Root Bone and Innate Divine Strength, I couldn''t bear to let your talents go to waste in the countryside, so I''m giving you this chance."


    After speaking and seeing Chu Zheng still silent, Li Mingzhou grew somewhat impatient:


    "Do you really not wish to be my disciple? Let me tell you, I have no sons. If you be my disciple, all I have will be yours in the future, including the position of Commandant of the Vermilion Bird Divine Guards I can help you vie for it with the Son of Heaven."


    At these words, Chu Zheng still did not speak, his heart filled with helplessness.


    Li Mingzhou''s response, all due to the phenomenon surrounding this Dragon-Tiger Body, his physique gradually bing unlike ordinary people, with a waist like a dragon and a back like a tiger, muscles taut like a Strong Bow, bones hard as steel. Li Mingzhou had keen eyesight and caught sight of this.


    After feeling his bones and noticing that there were no traces of Inner Strength within Chu Zheng''s body, Li Mingzhou was even more overjoyed and insisted on taking him as a disciple.


    Of course, Chu Zheng could not agree. Taking a master was not a trifling matter. The saying, "One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father," was not empty talk.


    Li Mingzhou may be capable, but he was far from qualified to be his master.


    In the path of Cultivation, the qualified are the teachers, regardless of age.


    With Qi-refining Technique at hand, Chu Zheng was confident enough that with just one more month''s time, he could overpower Li Mingzhou without even using his hands.


    In terms of strength, Li Mingzhou was not enough; in terms of vision and knowledge, Li Mingzhou probably wasn''t much stronger than him either.


    Given all these disparities, how could Li Mingzhou qualify as his master?


    Seeing Chu Zheng quietly drinking tea, Li Mingzhou finally lost his patience, trying to smile it off lightly:

 Chapter 27: Chapter 24: Bloodline (Two-in-One)_2

    "Heh heh, I''ve seen many young people like you who think that just because they have some talent, they can surely make a name for themselves. Navigating the martial world is not that simple. I actually didn''t really want to take you as my disciple; I just felt it was a bit of a pity."


    Before he could finish speaking, he couldn''t help but add another sentence, "Do you truly not wish to take me as your master?"


    "To each their own, Commandant, please do not me me." Chu Zheng slowly shook his head, gradually piecing together some information in his mind.


    Li Mingzhou is an envoy from the Imperial Court, representing the Emperor''s attitude to some extent.


    If he hade to kill, Li Mingzhou would not have assumed such an attitude.


    Although the Vermilion Bird Divine Guards arrived with great fanfare, it seemed more like a superficial show for the world to see.


    Perhaps the Imperial Court did not wish to get involved in the matter, but they had toe because the eyes of the world were watching.


    There were secrets here that he did not know.


    As Chu Zheng was momentarily distracted, Li Mingzhou suddenly raised his hand next to him, flipped his palm over, and pressed it toward the void outside the hall.


    This simple press, seen by Chu Zheng, had a mysterious trajectory that instantly mesmerized him.


    Boom!


    A palm struck down, and a three-inch-thick green stone wall, more than ten feet away, suddenly copsed, dust flying everywhere, revealing the door that it had been concealing.


    "This is a scattering hand technique I chanced upon from a stone wall many years ago. I suppose I''m the only one in the world who knows it."


    Li Mingzhou slowly retracted his hand, suppressing his slightly hurried breathing:


    "How about it? Take me as your master, and I will teach it to you."


    At that moment, Chu Zheng was too preupied to listen to what he was saying, as his mind was entirely upied by the panel prompt.


    [Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order/Iplete): From the hand of a deity, a masterpiece of the martial path that splits into nine forms,cking verification, extremely difficult to repair for you.]


    [Current repairable: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (0/30000)]


    Fifth Order!


    What does Fifth Order mean? It is a whole level stronger than theplete Dragon-Tiger Body and only one level lower than the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, and this is just one of the forms!


    Chu Zheng brought up the panel, and after inspecting it, his expression changed again,


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Technique: Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)...]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order/Iplete)]


    [Repair Master: Zeroth Order (357/1000)]


    [Remaining daily repairs: 0]


    [Currently repairable: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (0/30000), Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Upper Volume (75/100)]


    On the original panel, there was an additional entry; the Xuan Tian Seal was not a cultivation technique but a divine skill that could enhancebat power.


    Chu Zheng regained hisposure and asked somewhat nervously, "May I ask, Commandant, where is this stone wall?"


    Being just one of the forms already at Fifth Order, if he could obtain that piece of the stone wall, he might acquire theplete Xuan Tian Seal.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s expression finally change, Li Mingzhou felt somewhat smug and casually said, "That stone wall only had one corner left, which I took rubbings from before throwing it into the sea."


    Crack¡ª


    Hearing this, a vein throbbed on Chu Zheng''s forehead as he clenched his fists involuntarily, his knuckles cracking.


    Momentster, he weakly opened his hand,menting how the people of this world had no reverence for the ancients, and naturally, there was even less to say about preserving the legacies left behind by them.


    From Li Mingzhou''s perspective, his actions were justifiable; destroying the stone wall was the best option to prevent it from being seen by others.


    "The sky is getting dark. If there''s nothing else, please allow me to take my leave, Commandant."


    With a soft sigh, Chu Zheng bid farewell, no longer mentioning the Xuan Tian Seal.


    Li Mingzhou still had rubbings of the fragmented stone wall, and if Chu Zheng had asked, Li Mingzhou likely would not have refused.


    But since he could not give Li Mingzhou what he wanted, it was better to act as if this matter had never happened.


    Obtaining the Xuan Tian Seal Third Form was already worthwhile. One must not be too greedy, for it can backfire; contentment brings happiness.


    Li Mingzhou''s eyes wereplex, he said no more, turned his back, and waved his hand, signaling Chu Zheng to leave.


    "Thank you for your guidance today, Commandant."


    Chu Zheng expressed his gratitude and slowly left the City Lord''s mansion.


    As they reached the entrance, Song Tonghai, Song Lingxue, and Song Yun were all waiting at the steps. Seeing hime out safely, they all let out a sigh of relief.


    ...


    ...


    Snowkes began to fall from the sky, dancing lightly like fine fluff against the silvery-gray, dull and lightless sky.


    The group treaded on the snowy ground, walking slowly towards the Song Residence.


    Following beside Song Lingxue, Song Yun opened the oil-paper umbre he was holding and raised it above Song Lingxue''s head.


    Song Lingxue took it willingly, and held it over Chu Zheng''s head, asking softly, "What happened in there just now? Why was there such amotion?"


    Chu Zheng responded sinctly, "Li Mingzhou intended to take me as his disciple, but I politely refused. He then deliberately used his skills to subdue me."


    "I see," Song Lingxue nodded in realization, raised her feet slightly, and held the umbre a bit higher, "Did he mention Yuan Xingcai?"


    "No."


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly and directly shared his spection, "This move by the Imperial Court, I''m afraid, is not really about catching the culprits but more about saving face."


    "Really?" Song Lingxue was slightly astonished, "How did you know?"


    "Read more books, and you too will understand," Chu Zheng admitted.


    Chu Zheng remembered the stone wall and breathed another light sigh, "The experiences we''re going through now have surely been encountered by our predecessors. Lessons from the past can guide those toe."


    Song Yun followed beside Song Lingxue, his expression nk, as the falling snow gradually wet his shoulders and whitened his head.


    ...


    ...


    After Chu Zheng left, Li Mingzhou''s expression gradually regained its calm, though a hint of destion lingered in his brow.


    Heroes face twilight years, and the weight of time is too heavy, weighing one down. Though he appeared full of vigor, in his prime, he was nearly a hundred years old.


    Finding a suitable sessor whose eye one could catch was exceedingly difficult.


    Everybody knows the difficulty of pursuing the path, that every step is hard, yet finding a disciple is as tough as reaching the heavens.


    Chu Zheng, being overly young and with an overwhelming root bone, would definitely achieve greater heights than him, and might even explore that legendary path of the Martial Immortal.


    Who wouldn''t want to enter the Immortal Sect and cultivate if they could? Practising martial arts was merely something done out of necessity, butcking that certain ''bone'' doomed one to be forever apart from bing an Immortal.


    Entering the Immortal Sect through the martial path was after all just a legend.


    A Vermilion Bird Divine Guard paced briskly into the main hall, cing a detailed inventory in front of Li Mingzhou:


    "Commandant, this is the ount book found in a secret chamber in Yuan Xingcai''s house. Besides this, there are seventy-three thousand two hundred and sixteen taels of gold, five hundred and ny-six thousand three hundred and twenty-seven taels of silver, various jewels, a five-hundred-year-old medicine herb, and thirty-four hundred-year-old medicine herbs..."


    The list went on long enough for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, listing countless rare and wondrous treasures.


    "Richer than me, damn it," Li Mingzhou muttered under his breath after ncing at the inventory, while the expression of the Vermilion Bird Divine Guard beside him remained unchanged, clearly used to such urrences.


    "Are there any records of Song Tonghai''s bribes in the ount book?"


    "Yes, about a dozen entries, totaling more than twenty thousand taels of silver."


    A cold light shed in Li Mingzhou''s eyes. He poured a cup of tea, drank it all, then said slowly:


    "Prepare a memorial to report to the emperor. After checking, it has been found that Yuan Xingcai, before his death, engaged in countless acts of corruption and solicitation of bribes, arousing public anger. Now we have confiscated: seventy thousand taels of gold, five hundred thousand taels of silver, various jewels... the rest need not be written. Divide it among the brothers."


    "Understood."


    ...


    ...


    Late at night, just past midnight.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged, preparing to cultivate, while his mind was still reflecting on the events of the past two days.


    Suddenly, a sh of light streaked through his mind, and Chu Zheng''s eyes snapped open, his pupils dting.


    The attitude of the Imperial Court was sufficient to reveal that the people who attacked the Song Residence that night had no connection with the court.


    That being the case, only the Hidden Immortal Sect was left.


    Rustle rustle¡ª


    As he was deep in thought, a light sound suddenly arose within the room; Chu Zheng looked up, pulled the Iron Mace from under the bed, narrowed his eyes slightly, and watched as dust trickled down from the cracks in the rooftop tiles.


    There was someone on the roof, and not just one person...

 Chapter 28: Chapter 25: Assassination

    Chu Zheng gripped the iron mace in his hand, stealthily got out of bed, lowered his breathing, and his ears twitched lightly as he meticulously captured every trace of sound.


    As his attention gradually focused, the Qi flowing around him began to leave traces in his eyes.


    More than ten fluctuations of Qi and blood appeared within his perception.


    The courtyard around him was already surrounded by people.


    Four people on the roof, three on each side of the house, among them, the Qi and blood fluctuations of five people were particrly prominent, having reached the realm of Grandmaster.


    A thought flickered in Chu Zheng''s mind, and he quickly figured out that these people were well-prepared, specifically targeting him.


    A scorched scent surged into Chu Zheng''s nostrils, and in the blink of an eye, red mes were reflected outside the window.


    Chu Zheng''s jaws suddenly tightened, his eyes cold and icy as ice.


    Fire again?!


    The fire spread extremely quickly due to the dry winter, and the scorching hot Qi moved around in the air.


    If Chu Zheng were in the Spirit Transformation Realm, he could have used his hand to harness the fierce fire for himself, unfortunately, he was far from it.


    After a brief contemtion, Chu Zheng suddenly looked up, stamped heavily on the ground, leaped up, and swung the iron mace in his hand, hitting the horizontal beam in the house.


    Crack¡ª


    The nearly four-inch-thick wooden beam broke under the force, the entire roof frame copsed instantly, ancient ash sttered everywhere, rising several meters high, hiding him from the sweeping gazes around.


    The people who had been on the roof instinctively jumped up, and in the blink of an eye, all they saw was dirt and dust, unable to make out any clear situation.


    Chu Zheng closed his eyes and, relying solely on his senses, instantly caught the movement of a Martial Arts Grandmaster.


    Qi Condensing Great Completion was no match for him at all, only Grandmasters posed some threat to him.


    Since thest battle, seven days had passed, and his strength had increased by nearly a thousand pounds, a transformation for ordinary people.


    The Grandmaster, struggling to search for Chu Zheng in the dust, suddenly heard a piercing whistle by his ear, and just as the sound of space shattering arrived, the iron mace had already heavily fallen on his head.


    Spurt!


    The iron mace, carrying thousands of pounds of terrifying colossal strength, smashed down,pletely overpowering the flesh and blood, turning the Grandmaster''s head along with his upper body into a pool of bloodied mud.


    Flesh and bone fragments sttered everywhere, forming blooms of blood.


    In the next instant, Chu Zheng exerted all his strength and threw the iron mace in his hand, forcefully smashing towards two figures in the air not too far away.


    With nowhere to leverage in the air, the two people couldn''t dodge and were thrown over ten yards by the iron mace,nding already breathing out with no breathing in.


    In the blink of an eye, three out of four people on the roof were dead.


    Before Chu Zheng could catch his breath, an invisible fierce wind whipped up by his side, shing and cleaving like knives and axes against his body, instantly shredding his clothes to reveal bloody trails.


    A series of fierce winds swept over, instantly blowing away the dust and smoke. The Grandmaster had gathered Qi into an edge, each movement was like wielding a ded weapon, his inner strength profound, beyondparison with ordinary martial artists.


    The instant the house copsed, several Grandmasters had already struck simultaneously, only to be a step toote.


    Chu Zheng withdrew and stepped back, the flesh around his wounds wriggled and soon stopped the bleeding.


    He was nearing greatpletion in his Tiger Body Entry technique, and his physique was already unlike an ordinary person''s; although he had many wounds, none were fatal.


    Although four Grandmasters remained, he might not be undefeatable.


    "It''s a Horizontal Training Grandmaster, use hidden weapons!"


    One of them suddenly spoke up, actively increasing the distance from Chu Zheng, with over ten others following suit.


    Whoosh whoosh¡ª


    In the next instant, countless hidden weapons shot towards Chu Zheng like raindrops, invisible in the night despite the glow of the fire.


    Chu Zheng didn''t need to think to guess that these hidden weapons were poisoned; he immediately raised his toes, kicked up several door panels, and swept up countless debris stained with sparks, shielding himself in front of him.


    And then, without hesitation, he charged towards the nearby Mansion''s Treasury, crashing through a blue tiled wall and stepping into the armory where weapons were stored.


    In the next moment, several spears shot out from the darkness with uncanny uracy under the night sky, without a hint of error, each spear taking a life. In the blink of an eye, five more were dead.


    Soon there wasmotion all around, and both Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue rushed over upon hearing the noise, their expressions turning sour as they observed the chaos.


    No one could have imagined that, even with the Imperial Secret Guards stationed there, someone from the martial world would dare to make a move.


    Both were injured and almost instantly found themselves at a disadvantage. Had it not been for the Grandmasters'' focus remaining on Chu Zheng, defeat would have urred in a sh.


    Those who had achieved Qi Condensing Great Completion were swiftly murdered one by one by Chu Zheng, leaving only four Grandmasters.


    Chu Zheng hid inside the armory, looking for an opportunity to strike, finding this situation quite tricky.


    Grandmasters were indeed formidable, and with their defenses up, the spears thrown by Chu Zheng could hardly pose a threat.


    And with their outwardly projected protective Inner Qi, Chu Zheng could not get close, ultimately because his Qi Refining time was still short.


    Just as the standoff continued, two crimson streaks of light cut across the night sky, striking like thunder, and in the blink of an eye, they hit two of the Grandmasters.


    Pu!


    In a snap, both Grandmasters exploded into a mist of blood, leaving no trace of their bodies.


    A tall figure d in crimson armor slowly approached¡ªit was Li Mingzhou.


    Facing a Great Grandmaster, the Grandmasters had no chance to resist; in just a few breaths, the remaining two were effortlessly captured alive.


    ......


    ......


    "Thank you, Commandant, for your assistance,"


    Song Tonghai bowed deeply, his words filled with gratitude.


    Li Mingzhou did not respond, his expression cold and detached, as he stepped forward and ripped off the two Grandmasters'' masks.


    Both men were simr in age, around their fifties, one with dark skin and ordinary features, the other with well-shaped brows and eyes, radiating a hero''s aura at a nce.


    "Yin Ping? What are you doing here?"


    Upon seeing the man''s face, Song Tonghai frowned deeply.


    In his early years as a bodyguard, he had traveled far and wide. He had interacted with almost every famous martial artist in the martial world.


    Yin Ping, from Beiyang Prefecture, had been well-known for making friends with heroes all over the Great Zhou, especially in the Northern Region.


    The issue was, Beiyang Prefecture was located at the northernmost part of Great Zhou, nearly 80,000 miles from Wuyang County, making the two almost unrted.


    Song Tonghai took a deep breath and said solemnly, "We have no grudges. Who instructed you to do this? Can you reveal anything?"


    Yin Ping remained indifferent, his head lowered, not saying a word.


    "We are merely following orders. If you want to kill us, just do it; there''s no need for so many words. You will just live a bit longer than us."


    Suddenly, the other Grandmaster spoke fiercely, his eyes full of malice.


    Li Mingzhou stepped forward abruptly, grabbed the Grandmaster by the jaw with one hand and thrust two fingers into his mouth, pulling out his tongue. Then, with a flick of his fingertips, he cut the tongue off at the root.


    "Wu wu¡­"


    The intense pain caused his body to convulse, blood spilling from his mouth.


    "It just so happens I need to report back to His Majesty. I will take this man with me,"


    Li Mingzhou said indifferently, ncing at Yin Ping and continued:


    "His Majesty will proim to all under heaven, to exterminate this man''s entire family, to slice him a thousand times. If you speak, you can die quickly and prevent harm to your family after your death."

 Chapter 29: Chapter 26: Martial Wall Remnant Map

    "Brother Yin, although our meeting was fleeting, we did have an encounter. I hope you can resolve my confusion," Song Tonghai said gravely, his voice tinged with a trace of entreaty.


    "Commoners like us, knowing what we do, what could we possibly do about it? The Immortal Sect is not the Government Office; whom can you expect to seek justice for you?" Yin Ping sneered and said indifferently, "The message from the Night Light Pavilionmanded me toe here, with the intention of forcing you to send a message to the Phantom Spirit Sect."


    "The Night Light Pavilion? Where is that?" Song Tonghai''s expression tensed slightly, while Li Mingzhou beside him squinted his eyes slightly but did not speak.


    "A Northern Country Immortal Sect, not within Great Zhou, so naturally you wouldn''t know. My ancestors have lived in the Northernnds for generations, so it''s hard to avoid some involvement," Yin Ping said, the corners of his mouth lightly twitching. "I suggest you write a letter and then release a multitude of carrier pigeons, sending word to the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    By doing so, the Night Light Pavilion will naturally be aware, and your Song Family should be able to ensure a few months of safety, but that''s all."


    The Night Light Pavilion''s purpose was no more than to force the Song Family to seek help from the Phantom Spirit Sect, or rather from Song Lingqing, as a way to test the attitude of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    As long as the Song Family was asking for help, that would be enough.


    Once the message was out, whether true or false, the Night Light Pavilion would wait for a while before initiating the next step.


    "After several months, if the Phantom Spirit Sect has not responded, whates will not be mere flesh and bone mortals like us," Yin Ping said in a low voice, then looked up at Li Mingzhou, "May I ask, Lord, do your words carry weight?"


    Li Mingzhou did not speak but nodded slightly.


    "Many thanks for the mercy."


    Yin Ping kowtowed in thanks, his head never rising again, as he severed his heart meridian.


    In Chu Zheng''s eyes, the Yuan Qi around him was slowly dissipating, gradually blending into the world.


    "Governor Li, about today''s incident..." Song Tonghai looked to Li Mingzhou who was nearby, inquiring about his next move.


    "Mying here tonight was only to capture an imperial criminal. I am utterly unaware of what exactly urred and have no involvement whatsoever with the Imperial Court," Li Mingzhou said softly.


    "If this gets out, it''s your fault."


    Before his voice had faded, he had already picked up the unconscious Grandmaster beside him, sealed off his meridians, and turned to leave.


    ...


    ...


    Song Tonghai eventually followed Yin Ping''s advice, writing a letter for help, and the very next morning, he released dozens of carrier pigeons.


    These pigeons were for the outsiders to see.


    He knew the real method of contacting the Phantom Spirit Sect and quietly sent out a genuine plea for assistance.


    At this point, any method that offered a glimmer of hope had to be tried.


    If there was no response from the Phantom Spirit Sect, then preparations for the worst were in order.


    In just one night, the wounds on Chu Zheng''s body had already scabbed over, revealing a healing speed extraordinary for a human.


    The essence of the sun and the moon was superior to healing herbs.


    At noon, a member of the Vermilion Bird Divine Guards came to give a verbal message from Li Mingzhou to Chu Zheng.


    ...


    ...


    On the long street.


    Chu Zheng stopped in front of a restaurant.


    Tasting Moon Pavilion.


    This ce was one of Luofeng City''s finest restaurants, usually packed with people. Nowadays, with many people fleeing, it seemed a bit quieter.


    The message passed to Chu Zheng from Li Mingzhou was an invitation for a meal.


    Chu Zheng stepped into the restaurant, where there were only a few tables of patrons, mostly lone customers. He immediately saw Li Mingzhou, seated unobtrusively in a corner.


    Unarmored and in in clothes, he sat alone in the corner, unremarkable.


    Chu Zheng approached the table, bowed with hands sped, then sat down opposite Li Mingzhou.


    "I''ve never invited anyone for a meal before; you''re the first," Li Mingzhou said with a lightugh, calling over the server.


    "What would the gentlemen like to eat? Just yesterday, our establishment received a three-year-old stag; perhaps give it a try?" the server suggested.


    Before Chu Zheng had a chance to speak, Li Mingzhou had already raised two fingers:


    "Two bowls of vegetarian noodles."


    "Alright, sirs, please wait a moment."


    The server acknowledged with a nod, his smile fading a bit as he casually asked, "Would you like to order anything else?"


    "No need, you may go." Li Mingzhou waved his hand, then seemed to remember something and quickly called the server back,


    "How much is a bowl of your in noodles?"


    "Four coins." The server answered and then left without looking back.


    Li Mingzhou turned back around, satisfied, and let out a light sigh, "At my age, I usually skip meals after noon, today is an exception."


    Chu Zheng, "..."


    He was not a greenhorn, and he found the frugality of such a great grandmaster to be rather excessive.


    Chu Zheng was silent for a moment, then tentatively offered, "How about I treat you today, Governor Li? It would let me show you some hospitality."


    "I said I would treat, can''t I afford this meal?"


    Li Mingzhou huffed softly and then said slowly, "I''ll be returning to the capital tomorrow."


    Upon this news, Chu Zheng couldn''t help feeling surprised, "So soon?"


    "The Emperor only gave me half a month, and just the journey there and back takes fourteen days. This trip, I actually came here to kill someone."


    As he spoke, Li Mingzhou took a brocade handkerchief out of his sleeve and then a book wrapped in silk from his chest, pushing both items across the table to Chu Zheng.


    "Governor Li, what is this?" Chu Zheng''s expression changed as he unconsciously epted them.


    "It''s some of my personal insights into the martial path, as well as a fragmented map I copied from a stone wall."


    [Martial Path Initial Understanding (Second Order/Iplete): The lifetime insights of a First Order martial artist, vaguely containing methods to advance to Second Order, but still iplete.]


    [Martial Wall Remnant Map (Third Order): A fragment copied from the Martial Barrier, containing a trace of the true essence of the martial path, greatly helpful in repairing the Third Form of the Xuan Tian Seal.]


    Two notification sounds rang in session, and Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened as he nced at his panel and suddenly caught his breath.


    [Currently repairable: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (0/300), Martial Path Initial Understanding (0/80)]


    That brocade handkerchief reduced the difficulty of repairing the Xuan Tian Seal by more than a hundredfold.


    The two bowls of in noodles arrived quickly, white noodles in a clear soup, garnished with two pieces of vegetable.


    "Last night, I arrived a bit earlier than Yin Ping and the others."


    Li Mingzhou lifted a chopstick full of noodles, offhandedly saying, "I was watching you the entire time."


    "Thank you for taking actionst night, Governor Li."


    Chu Zheng expressed his thanks, withdrew his hand, and started eating his noodles.


    He didn''t ask what Li Mingzhou hade to dost night; it had been made clear already¡ªto capture the criminals wanted by the Imperial Court.


    If Yin Ping and hispany hadn''test night, whom Li Mingzhou would have chosen to capture, only heaven knew.


    "Follow me tomorrow, and I can ensure your safety."


    Li Mingzhou ate his bowl of in noodles very slowly, chewing thoroughly and swallowing slowly, then he spoke in a deep voice,


    "The Song Family''s waters run deep, and even the Imperial Court is reluctant to intervene. This is a struggle within the Immortal Sects. You''re still young, with great potential in the martial path; dying would be such a pity."


    Chu Zheng didn''t respond and quickly finished his noodles in two or three bites. After drinking up the soup until nothing was left, he thanked Li Mingzhou again,


    "Thank you, Governor Li."


    Li Mingzhou ate his noodles even more slowly, waving his hand to indicate that Chu Zheng should leave, "Take the items with you."


    Chu Zheng stood up, hesitated for a moment, and then took the brocade handkerchief and the book of Martial Path Initial Understanding into his chest, bowed deeply, and then left at a leisurely pace.


    ......


    ......


    The next morning at dawn, the sun was just rising.


    The sun of advancing spring already held a hint of warmth.


    At the city gate, five hundred Vermilion Bird Divine Guards were fully assembled.


    In a prison cart, the Tongue-cutting Grandmaster was held captive, limp all over, without stirring.


    Some citizens lined the roads to see them off, all beaming with joy, their faith in the Great Zhou Official Government somewhat restored.


    As they reached the outskirts of the city, Li Mingzhou suddenly turned, looked towards Song Tonghai in the crowd, his smile fading away, his eyes turning ice cold, and spoke softly without making a sound,


    "If there is a next time, I will surely kill you."


    "Safe travels, Commandant."


    Song Tonghai''s expression didn''t change as he bowed deeply,


    "Thank you, Lord Li."

 Chapter 30: Chapter 27: Escorting the Convoy

    With the departure of the Imperial Secret Guards, Luofeng City quickly regained peace, and the fleeing popce gradually returned home, adding more liveliness to the streets and alleys.


    Li Mingzhou''s visit had clearly demonstrated the Imperial Court''s stance, maintaining neutrality and helping neither side.


    For the Song Family, this was rare good news.


    In the current situation, the reaction of the Phantom Spirit Sect became particrly important.


    Regarding this, Song Tonghai had no hopes.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect must be aware of the Song Family''s predicament by now, and theirck of response had already proven something.


    To survive, the only n now was self-help.


    The day after the Vermilion Bird Divine Guards left, Song Tonghai sought out Chu Zheng to discuss ns for escorting.


    "Escort missions?"


    Hearing Song Tonghai''s n, Chu Zheng couldn''t hide his confusion, "Now?"


    Although no one had attacked the Song Residence again, the surroundings of Luofeng City were certainly still under blockade, and those hidden in the shadows would not allow them to leave freely.


    "This is just an attempt."


    Song Tonghai''s expression was stern, clearly having made up his mind:


    "You, Lingxue, and I will each take a group, summon three to five escort masters, and take about a dozenborers; we''ll split into three groups and leave the city. If we sessfully escape, we''ll meet at the southeastern border of Great Zhou."


    "Of course, if you don''t want to take the risk, I won''t force you; it''s entirely up to you."


    Song Tonghai left the choice to Chu Zheng, allowing him to make the decision.


    Leaving the city now would certainly pose a great risk; Chu Zheng pondered for a moment and finally nodded.


    "Then I will follow the Family Head''s orders."


    This trip would be a good test to see how much power was still hidden around Luofeng City. Sitting and waiting for death was not a wise strategy; it was better to probe the situation early and be mentally prepared.


    From what Yin Ping said that night, Chu Zheng could infer that those currently acting did not include members from the Immortal Sect; without Immortal Sect members, the risks for Chu Zheng now were not too great.


    "Then prepare yourself; we should not dy. We leave tomorrow."


    Seeing Chu Zheng agree, Song Tonghai''s expression rxed significantly.


    ......


    ......


    Chu Zheng didn''t bring much luggage, other than the Martial Path Initial Understanding gifted by Li Mingzhou and the Martial Wall Remnant Map; he only took his own diary.


    Up to today, he had only written one entry; he had been too busy to find time for journaling.


    He had some time tonight, but he did not n to catch up on his writing; it was meant to be only asional notes.


    The several Immortal Sect scriptures previously given by Song Lingqing had all been read by him. Carrying them around was too inconvenient, so Chu Zheng dug a hole under the bed and buried them there.


    He would dig them upter when he had time, if there was a chance.


    Knock knock... <span style="disy:none;">


    After packing his belongings, Chu Zheng walked out of his room, sat down in the courtyard, closed his eyes, and began circting his Circuit of Qi.


    Rustle¡ª


    Footsteps approached from outside the courtyard, forcing Chu Zheng to interrupt his Circuit of Qi; he slowly opened his eyes, his brow slightly furrowed.


    Qi Cultivators did not like to be disturbed while circting their Circuit of Qi, as the feeling was extremely ufortable, feeling stuck midway, unable to move forward or back, caught in a dilemma.


    Song Lingxue, apanied by Song Yun, stepped into the courtyard. Her injuries had not yet healed, and her face was somewhat pale, showing a gentleness unlike her usual self, like a frail willow bracing against the wind.


    "I fear tomorrow morning''s rush will leave no time for instructions, Chu Zheng, so I''ll need you to set out with Song Yun as well."


    "Song Yun is going with me?"


    Chu Zheng was a bit surprised by this and asked, "Don''t you need him by your side for support?"


    "Song Yun, severely injured as he is, won''t be of much help to me. My strength is mediocre, and while I might manage to escape trouble on my own, it would be difficult with him in tow."


    Song Lingxue shook her head, a hint of apology in her tone, "I''m truly sorry to trouble you. If you are unwilling..."


    Song Yun hung his head silently. At this moment, he indeed felt like a burden. Given the indifferent rtionship between the two before, it was only natural Chu Zheng might be reluctant to bring him along.


    "It''s just a small effort, no trouble at all."


    Chu Zheng did not think too much and agreed immediately.


    Song Yun had risked his life to save him the day before yesterday. Regardless of the reason, such sentiment was enough for Chu Zheng, not to mention it was merely taking him along for the journey; it wasn''t a big deal.


    "Thank you,"


    Song Lingxue breathed a sigh of relief and was about to leave when Chu Zheng called out to her.


    "Miss, wait a moment. The journey tomorrow is treacherous and, with your injuries, I learned a technique from a medical book for manipting Qi and blood, which should help ease your condition."


    Considering the perilous escort mission tomorrow and Song Lingxue''s injuries, Chu Zheng decided to lend a hand once more.


    "Manipting Qi and blood?"


    While Song Lingxue was still doubtful, Chu Zheng had already turned and walked into the house.


    Seeing this, Song Lingxue instinctively followed him in.


    Lagging two steps behind, Song Yun hesitated at the doorway but ultimately did not follow inside, slowly reaching out to close the door.


    He then turned around, looked up at the sky, and felt the arrow wound in his chest seemingly re up, giving him a dull pain.


    ......


    ......


    "Please lie down on the bed, face down,"


    Chu Zheng rolled up his sleeves, speaking casually.


    "This..."


    Song Lingxue turned to nce at the tightly shut door and after a slight hesitation, she slowly sat on the edge of the bed. Her usually supple body now appeared somewhat stiff, and she finallyy down slowly at the edge, her breathing subdued.


    On the bed, there was an air that felt as warm as sunlight, causing Song Lingxue to involuntarily rx.


    Just as she rxed, a pair of warm palms touched the sides of her shoulders. Her previously calmed nerves tensed up again. She couldn''t help but clench her toes, her heart bing increasingly frantic.


    Although people in the martialmunity don''t regard gender segregation as seriously as ordinary aristocratic families do, such close physical contact was still too unusual for Song Lingxue.


    However, Chu Zheng wasn''t just randomly pressing. He had some knowledge of traditional therapeutic massage, and his skills were quite decent. At least, in his former life, the old professors he had massaged all praised him.


    With a beauty before him, a normal man might have some thoughts, but at that moment, Chu Zheng wasn''t in the mood.


    He had just consumed a substantial amount of Moonlight and hadn''t had time to absorb it yet. It was umting within him, causing a blockage of rising Yang energy and suppression, leaving him with little interest in romantic thoughts or time to appreciate the beauty before him.


    [Song Lingxue (Zeroth Order): Suffers from several ded weapon wounds, minor damage to the meridian channels. With two months of calm recuperation and breathing regtion, her injuries will pose no serious issue, can be repaired (0/3)]


    While Song Lingxue''s injuries weren''t critical, whenpared to Song Yun''s near-fatal injuries, which needed only ten repairs, these injuries couldn''t be considered light either.


    The secret of the panel was something Chu Zheng had yet to share with others. It was his means of standing in the world. He bore no ill will towards others, but a prudent heart was essential.


    After briefly massaging Song Lingxue''s back, Chu Zheng tentatively used a repair.


    Instantly, a warm current surged into Song Lingxue''s body.

 Chapter 31: Chapter 28: A Way Out

    Song Lingxue''s eyes instantly widened, and her breathing became even more smooth. She could feel that, in that brief moment, her internal injury had been greatly alleviated.


    For a time, the strange thoughts that had just arisen in her heart dissipated into nothingness, and she couldn''t help but ask:


    "What a miraculous method, where did you learn this from in your medical books?"


    "''Pediatric Massage Mental Method''," Chu Zheng replied offhandedly.


    He hadn''t indeed used much strength just now, only the normal amount to stretch a child''s bones, which was too gentle to be of much use to an adult.


    ''Pediatric Massage Mental Method''...


    Song Lingxue quietly noted this somewhat strange name, nning to have someone pay attention to itter.


    This was the first time she had seen a massage that also had an effect on internal injuries. In the past, when she had suffered internal injuries, she could only endure them on her own, and the experience was truly indescribable.


    To avoid proceeding too quickly, Chu Zheng slowed down his pace.


    After thrice administering the massage, nearly half an hour had passed, and Song Lingxue feltpletely revitalized, with even the wounds on her body no longer aching.


    "Alright, Miss, please get down from the bed and try walking a few steps," Chu Zheng said as he withdrew his hands and turned to open the door.


    Song Yun was sitting on the threshold outside the door, his head drooping, shrouded in a thick air of twilight.


    Chu Zheng nced at the panel which disyed two remaining chances for repair and waved to Song Yun:


    "Song Yun,e in."


    ......


    ......


    The next morning, in front of Song Residence.


    Three teams were checking the horses and carriages, preparing to set off.


    Even though the Song Family showed signs of decline, with Song Tonghai''s years of connections, it was easy to gather three teams.


    During the preparations, Song Lingxue brought a bundle to Chu Zheng.


    Herplexion visibly improved, she was dressed in a robust outfit, striding with the wind, her expression once again exuding her usual confidence.


    "What''s this?"


    Chu Zheng looked puzzled as he felt the significant weight of the package in his hands.


    "These are some dry rations I''ve prepared for you, along with travel expenses. Take care of them, don''t lose them, you''ll need them on the road," Song Lingxue said, not borating much but giving him a couple of reminders before she hurried away.


    After using the repair function two more times, Song Yun''s injuries hadrgely healed, and he was no longer affected in his work. This wasn''t his first time escorting a convoy, he was well acquainted with the task, handling everything in an orderly manner, without requiring any of Chu Zheng''s attention.


    Half an hourter.


    The three teams left the Song Residence in batches, slowly departing in three different directions.


    When they left the city gate, Chu Zheng noticed that Song Yun''s breathing paused momentarily beside him, clearly still tense in spirit.


    The previous encounter outside the city had obviously left him with some psychological shadow.


    However, this time, all was calm.


    After leaving Luofeng City, Chu Zheng and Song Yun headed south, not stopping at all, traveling day and night. Only after two days did they finally slow down.


    At this moment, they were hundreds of miles away from Luofeng City, even leaving the boundaries of Wuyang County.


    Chu Zheng slowed down their pace and stopped to rest for a while.


    He opened the bundle Song Lingxue had given him. There were many things inside, not only dry rations but also a stack of silver notes, close to a hundred Golden Leaves, some broken silver, and a map.


    The silver notes were not issued by the Great Zhou Bank, but could be cashed in the surrounding countries. The map covered the approximate locations of Great Zhou and over ten surrounding nations.


    Besides these items, there was also a letter from Song Lingxue.


    Chu Zheng opened the letter and after reading it back and forth twice, he sighed deeply.


    The content of the letter was simple: Song Lingxue predicted that on this convoy journey, it was highly likely that only Chu Zheng''s party would escape unscathed.


    After all, within his group, there were no blood rtives of Song Lingqing, naturally, they were not among those hindered.


    Song Lingxue had considered an escape route for Chu Zheng, marking out the route to Giant Marsh Country, indicating that he should head there.


    That ce was and of chaos, for someone with Chu Zheng''s strength, there perhaps would be even greater room for development.


    Even including Song Yun, Song Lingxue had made arrangements; if Chu Zheng did not wish to take him along, once they reached Giant Marsh, he could go on by himself to find her elder uncle, Song Tongxuan.


    Chu Zheng carelessly threw the letter to Song Yun, raised his hand to rub his brow, he hadn''t been in this world for long, but the difficult choices were far too many.


    Now, two pathsy before Chu Zheng, to return or to follow the original route to Giant Marsh Country.


    Luofeng City had be a dragon''s den, and if he escaped the situation there, it would be like a dragon returning to the sea, once his cultivation was achieved, he could take the world for his own.


    The Qi Refining Lineage spoke of devotion to the Dao, demanding tranquility and a pure heart, one''s cultivation would flourish, Chu Zheng may not have a pure heart, but he was clear about debts of gratitude and enmity.


    From his own perspective, not going back would be to seek advantage and avoid harm, nobody could fault him for that, and in the future, once his cultivation wasplete, he could avenge Song Lingxue.


    But... after this, his heart, it would be very difficult to calm.


    After a long deliberation, Chu Zheng took out his diary, flipped out a pen and ink, and wrote swiftly:


    "New Calendar, February eleventh, escaped from Luofeng City, although temporarily out of the quagmire, knowing the truth behind the escort task, my mind is unsettled, after much contemtion... I''ve decided to turn back."


    "To hesitate and look back is not what a great man does, arriving here alone, leaving without taking anything with me, at worst, I die."


    Looking at thatst character for "death," Chu Zheng crossed it out with his pen, going back didn''t necessarily mean a dead end.


    "Chu Zheng, I..."


    Song Yun''s eyes were slightly red, clutching the letter tightly, before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Chu Zheng:


    "You stay, continue towards Giant Marsh, I alone will go back."


    Having said this, without waiting for Song Yun to speak, he continued:


    "You going would be useless, it would just mean another person dead, there must always be someone left to deliver the message, when Second Misses back, at least it won''t be just bones, dead people can''t talk."


    "Chu Zheng."


    Song Yun took a deep breath, said no more, and knelt to kowtow:


    "I beg you to bring back the young miss safely, if there is a chance in the future, I will repay your great kindness with utmost gratitude."


    "Then you strive to live a bit longer."


    Chu Zheng thought for a moment and took out the book of Martial Path Initial Understanding from his bosom and handed it to Song Yun:


    "If by chance, return this for me to Li Mingzhou."


    Having spoken, he mounted his horse and headed straight towards Luofeng City.


    ......


    ......


    Luofeng City, Song Residence.


    Within the back courtyard, Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue sat opposite each other, burning incense and brewing tea, the expression on their faces, father and daughter alike, one of silent stillness.


    Their experience was different from that of Chu Zheng; they had not traveled more than thirty li from the city when they were stopped. Those who stopped them did not strike, only forcing them back to the city.


    This was no different from what Song Tonghai had originally guessed, they did not resist much and returned to the Song Residence as told.


    As days passed and there was still no sign of Chu Zheng, they gradually let go of their worries.


    Clearly, Chu Zheng had most likely made his escape.


    All that remained was to quietly wait for the situation to change.


    Suddenly, a maid rushed in, delivering the message:


    "The master is informed, someone has arrived outside the residence seeking you," she said.


    "Which personage?" Song Tonghai asked with some confusion.


    "This servant cannot tell, but he ims to be from the Phantom Spirit Sect."

 Chapter 32: Chapter 29: Aid from the Immortal Sect

    "Phantom Spirit Sect?!"


    Song Tonghai leaped to his feet, his expression full of disbelief, and Song Lingxue''s face also brimmed with shock.


    In their minds, they had never considered the possibility that the Phantom Spirit Sect would really reach out to assist them.


    "Wee them into the main hall, serve the good tea!"


    Song Tonghai issued the order but quickly changed his tune, "I''ll go to wee them."


    Before his words could finish, he summoned his Inner Qi, leapt onto the rooftop, and with a couple of bounds, arrived at the front gate.


    Song Lingxue was a step slower; in the blink of an eye, she too arrived before the Song Residence''s grand entrance.


    Standing solo on the steps in front of the door was a figure d in green; the material of his clothing was indiscernible, seemingly both silk and brocade. Under the brilliance of the sun, a faint sheen of flowing light flickered.


    He appeared to be in histe twenties with well-bnced features. Though not particrly tall, his broad shoulders and sturdy physique were evident at a nce¡ªno ordinary man.


    "May I ask if you''re a Superior Immortal from the Phantom Spirit Sect?" Song Tonghai inquired tentatively, somewhat uncertain.


    At his words, the man on the stairs slowly raised his hand, his fingertip ignited with Spiritual Light, tracing a string of crimson patterns in the void. The next instant, a ball of fire appeared in midair, radiating intense heat.


    "Phantom Spirit Sect''s Outer Sect Disciple, Fu Quanliang, at the Sect''s behest, hase to lend the Song Family a helping hand."


    "Superior Immortal, please,e inside!"


    Witnessing this disy, Song Tonghai''s eyes reddened slightly, nearly losing hisposure, he stepped forward eagerly, weing Fu Quanliang into the residence, as if grasping at a lifesaver.


    With the arrival of someone from the Phantom Spirit Sect, their stance was clear, demonstrating a willingness to provide protection. This alone was sufficient.


    With an Immortal Sect''s protection, the Song Family would surely sleep without worries.


    Song Lingxue took a deep breath, a weight lifted from her shoulders. She leaned against the door, feeling somewhat weak for a moment.


    The emotional pressure she''d endured recently was indescribable, but now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief, if only for a while.


    After pausing for a moment, she was about to turn back into the residence when a rush at the end of the long street caught her attention. A rider emerged abruptly, stopping in front of the residence.


    "Huh¡ª¡ª"


    Chu Zheng reined in his horse, his face carrying traces of travel.


    "Chu Zheng?!"


    Song Lingxue stood rooted to the spot, momentarily dazed, "Howe you... returned?"


    As she spoke, she instinctively nced behind Chu Zheng.


    "Don''t bother looking."


    Chu Zheng dismounted and strode into the residence, casually saying, "It''s just me. The others have gone to Giant Marsh."


    "Why have youe back alone?"


    Song Lingxue followed his steps subconsciously, her tone slightly anxious:


    "The affairs here are none of your concern. Even if you didn''t wish to go to Giant Marsh, with your current strength, you''re free to travel the world. Why insist on returning to this troubled water?"


    "I''ll leave when I wish to; no need for you to send me off," answered Chu Zheng casually, "I''m now a free man. Where I go is my own choice; there''s no need for so many reasons."


    On his way back, he felt the Qi within him flow more smoothly.


    First, cultivate the heart in your practice. He was far from reaching the realm of being as immovable as a mountain,pletely undisturbed by external factors.


    For now, not forcing himself to do what he doesn''t wish to, is the mostfortable state Chu Zheng could find for himself.


    "Coming back now... it''s actually not too bad."


    Recalling the person who had just arrived, Song Lingxue''s step lightened considerably, and a smile formed on her face:


    "Just now, a Superior Immortal from the Phantom Spirit Sect arrived; from now on, there shouldn''t be any more chaos,"


    "Someone from the Phantom Spirit Sect came?" Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be surprised, followed by confusion.


    The Song Family''s current predicament was not new; one could tell from the reactions of those people before that the Immortal Sect must have its own channels of information in the mortal world.


    They neither came early norte, but only after the Song Family had sent out a wide call for assistance. No matter how you looked at it, this resembled the actions of Li Mingzhou: it seemed like a show for certain individuals.


    "Mm,"


    Song Lingxue nodded, lowering her voice, "His name is Fu Quanliang, and he ims to be an Outer Sect Disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect. He''s currently in the main hall."


    As they spoke, the two of them arrived at the main hall.


    Upon entering the hall, Chu Zheng moved to one side without saying a word, silently observing Fu Quanliang from a distance, the perplexity in his eyes deepening.


    In his perception, this Fu Quanliang''s Yuan Qi within his body wasn''t even as strong as Li Mingzhou''s.


    Although the Yuan Qi in a living being''s body was not sufficient topletely judge their abilities, it was indicative of their general strength. This person''s power, at best, was only on par with Li Mingzhou''s.


    Even as one of the Immortal Sect''s people, he barely qualified as a novice on the path of cultivation, his achievements severely limited ¡ª a letdown for Chu Zheng.


    Not to mention the Immortal Sect''s people; even if two Great Grandmasters had appeared, this Fu Quanliang might not be able to withstand them.


    Was the Phantom Spirit Sect only sending such a person to rely on the deterrent power of their name?


    While doubts were growing in Chu Zheng''s mind, Song Tonghai nervously rubbed his hands and looked towards Fu Quanliang, asking,


    "May I ask, Superior Immortal, has the Phantom Spirit Sect received my plea for help?"


    The matter concerned the life and death of the Song Family; at this moment, he didn''t even have the inclination to ask when Chu Zheng had returned.


    "A plea for help?"


    Fu Quanliang paused briefly, responding somewhat hesitantly, "I have not heard of that. I am here on the orders of an Elder, to provide assistance to the Song Family for a while."


    "I see, so the Phantom Spirit Sect still has the Song Family in their thoughts," Song Tonghai nodded repeatedly, feeling somewhat ashamed.


    He had previously doubted whether the Phantom Spirit Sect intended to let his family fend for themselves; now, it seemed he had been overthinking it.


    The people of cultivation were not all unfeeling, and they ought to care somewhat for the rtives of their disciples.


    "Of course, Sister Song has a high-quality Immortal Bone; her future is boundless, surely she will be another Supreme Elder of the Phantom Spirit Sect."


    Fu Quanliang waved his hand, his demeanor quite amiable:


    "I''ve heard your Song Family has recently encountered some troubles; tell me about them. If I can resolve them sooner, I can return to the Sect Gate earlier."


    Having said that, he sipped his tea lightly, his expression calm, exuding an air of nonchnce, his whole being radiating a powerful confidence ¡ª as if the troubles of the Song Family could be wiped out in a flick of his fingers.


    "I''m not very clear on that,"


    Song Tonghai said with some difficulty, slightly frowning,


    "The other party is a Hidden Immortal Sect; we only happened to learn a name by chance and don''t know the details."


    "Immortal Sect?"


    Upon hearing Song Tonghai''s words, Fu Quanliang''s movement froze, his hand holding the teacup suspended in mid-air.


    After a moment of silence, he set down the teacup, his face no longer calm, his brow furrowed in concern, "What''s the name?"


    "It seems to be called ''Night Light Pavilion,'' an existence in the Northern Country; surely you must have heard of them,"


    Song Tonghai recollected for a moment, then nodded in confirmation, "Indeed, it is the Night Light Pavilion."


    At those words, Fu Quanliang''splexion changed drastically, and he stood up abruptly, eximing,


    "Are you certain it''s the Night Light Pavilion, no mistake?!"

 Chapter 33: Chapter 30: Collapse

    "It''s the absolute truth. The person said it himself, and both my daughter and I heard it; we won''t remember it wrong," he replied.


    Song Tonghai was momentarily stunned by such an out-of-character response and, after thinking carefully, he turned to look at Song Lingxue as if to ask for confirmation.


    "Indeed, it''s the Night Light Pavilion. The person confessed with his dying breath¡ªthere should be no mistake," Song Lingxue nodded immediately.


    Fu Quanliang''splexion visibly changed, growing increasingly unsightly.


    Seeing the strange expression on his face, Song Tonghai couldn''t help but feel a surge of nervousness, "Superior Immortal, is there any difficulty?"


    His first reaction was that the Night Light Pavilion had an astonishing background and even those within the Immortal Path would not want to offend them.


    "Nothing. I need a Quiet Room for a short retreat of a few days."


    Fu Quanliangposed himself and said expressionlessly, "If there are no issues, do not disturb my seclusion."


    "Very well, I''ll go make the arrangements."


    With a troubled heart, Song Tonghai hurried away.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, and Fu Quanliang''s reaction gave some confirmation to his previous suspicions.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect was aware of the existence of the Night Light Pavilion, yet Fu Quanliang, who was appointed by them to stand guard at the Song Residence, had no idea what kind of situation he was about to face.


    Only now did Chu Zheng realize that he had fallen into a misjudgment; he might have overestimated the Phantom Spirit Sect''s strength.


    If there were discrepancies in national power within the mortal kingdoms, then the gaps between the Immortal Sects would only berger. In this world, there are undoubtedly many Sects stronger than the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    ......


    ......


    Inside the secret chamber.


    Fu Quanliang, disheveled, held his head in his hands, his fingers digging deep into his scalp as he paced back and forth. His gaze flickered uncertainly, his teeth were clenched tightly, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he murmured incessantly:


    "Night Light Pavilion... Night Light Pavilion... Night Light..."


    The task he had epted only mentioned that the Song Family was currently under attack by some mortal warriors and needed someone to stand guard¡ªthat was all.


    Coming to guard the Song Family, he had no knowledge that he would be facing the Night Light Pavilion.


    With his qualifications among those with Lower Quality Immortal Bones, he was at the bottom rank. After ten years in the Sect, he was still only in the Nourishing Power Realm and knew some simple Immortal Techniques.


    He might be able to bluff mortals, but he was no match for a true being of the Immortal Path.


    His presence here made no difference at all¡ªthe more he thought about it, the paler Fu Quanliang''s face became.


    Furthermore, the Night Light Pavilion and the Phantom Spirit Sect were like fire and water, not at all on the same path. Their encounters were bound to end inbat.


    However... if the Night Light Pavilion wanted to act against the Song Family, they would have done so already. Why continue the standoff, even going to the lengths of using mortal warriors to harass them?


    In terms of strength, the Night Light Pavilion was even above the Phantom Spirit Sect; within their ranks was a Divine Infant Second Transformation Supreme Elder. They wouldn''t fear the Phantom Spirit Sect''s presence at all.


    Unless the intention was not on the obvious...


    At this thought, Fu Quanliang suddenly broke out in a cold sweat on his back.


    The Night Light Pavilion''s encirclement without killing, forcing the Song Family to seek help from the Phantom Spirit Sect, was almost a plot with three birds with one stone.


    If the Phantom Spirit Sect didn''t send anyone, Song Lingqing would lose faith once she found out. Sending people was akin to throwing them into a trap, wasting the Sect''s strength for nothing.


    As for waging a full-scale war, the Phantom Spirit Sect couldn''t afford that either.


    Without knowing Song Lingqing''s status, the Night Light Pavilion can also leave some leeway in their actions to avoid forging a deadly feud with Song Lingqing, keeping options open for both advance and retreat.


    After realizing the Night Light Pavilion''s approach, Fu Quanliang''s expression grew even more bitter.


    This mission was still not easy for him to snatch, aiming ultimately to curry favor with Song Lingqing.


    Song Lingqing was no ordinary person; just after joining the sect, she already ranked as a true disciple and took a Supreme Elder as a master. Her future prospects were immeasurable.


    Befriending Song Lingqing could be described as immensely profitable.


    In Fu Quanliang''s original view, this mission was simply too easy; mere mortal warriors could all be dispatched with just a little effort from him.


    Now, going to the Song Residence to stand guard was equivalent to helping Song Lingqing rid herself of future worries. When she returned sessfully from the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, she surely wouldn''t be stingy with the rewards.


    Fu Quanliang had even fantasized about advancing to an Inner Sect Disciple with Song Lingqing''s help.


    But now, all those hopes had turned to mere wishful thinking.


    This mission was like a bottomless abyss; stepping into it meant certain destruction.


    As for abandoning the mission and leaving directly, that was even more impossible.


    If he abandoned the mission now, and the Song Family was destroyed as a result, all the me would fall upon him. In order to ount for Song Lingqing, the sect might even personally take action to clean house.


    A mere Outer Sect Disciple versus a vaunted true disciple, the choice was obvious even to a fool.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect didn''t want to start a war with the Night Light Pavilion, but with the urgent requests for assistance from the Song Family, they had to send someone. Outer Sect Disciples almost became the default choice.


    Within the sect, it was impossible not to know the current situation of the Song Family. The issuing of the mission was nothing but a search for a scapegoat.


    Even now, the Phantom Spirit Sect might be hoping that the Night Light Pavilion would quickly make a move and bury him along with the entire Song Family, providing an exnation for Song Lingqing.


    The sect sacrificed a disciple in order to protect your family; this act of grace, Song Lingqing must remember no matter what.


    "Heh..."


    Fu Quanliang slumped to the ground, leaning weakly against the walls of the secret room, and let out a bitterugh:


    "Truly diabolical..."


    The moment he set foot in the Song Residence, no matter what decision he made, he was already a dead man.


    ......


    ......


    In the back courtyard of the Song Residence.


    Chu Zheng moved into a spacious side room, and even though Song Lingxue wanted to assign servants and maids to him, he refused.


    He had many secrets, and with strangers by his side, there would be many inconveniences; he would feel much more at ease alone.


    Having returned to his quarters, Chu Zheng immediately began preparations for cultivation. Over the past few days, the upper chapter of the Dragon-Tiger Body had been fully restored, and he was ready to start practicing it.


    The upper chapter of the Dragon-Tiger Body had undergone many changespared to the introductory chapter, requiring not only many aged spiritual medicines but also the stimtion of spiritual energy to invigorate the flesh, thereby acquiring the true power of the dragon and tiger.


    Chu Zheng was extremely eager, needing to quickly be stronger to develop a certain ability to withstand risks.


    Fu Quanliang''s reactions had already given Chu Zheng quite a few ominous premonitions.


    The Song Family''s previous widespread pleas for help might have prompted the Phantom Spirit Sect to arrange for assistance.


    But with someone like thating, and considering his reactions, what the Phantom Spirit Sect was plotting was anyone''s guess.


    In the end, the only one he could rely on was still himself.


    But the thoughts of Song Tonghai and even Song Lingxue werepletely different from Chu Zheng''s.


    Although Fu Quanliang''s reactions were a bit strange, he didn''t leave immediately, which meant the situation wasn''t very serious and was still within controble limits.


    Having been on edge for a long time, they were somewhat unable to hold up, and would always hope for the best.

 Chapter 34: Chapter 31: Lowly

    Escape is human nature.


    Given a lifeline, anyone would attempt to grab it.


    In the throes of the situation, even if Fu Quanliang''s actions were unusual, Song Tonghai was unwilling to think too much about it at this moment.


    Fu Quanliang didn''t stay in seclusion for long, emerging the next day with various demands for Song Tonghai.


    He wanted delicacies fromnd and sea, century-old wines, and beautiful concubines and dancing girls.


    All of these Song Tonghai promptly arranged, but suchvish expenses were bing unbearable for the Song Family.


    Most of the Song Residence''s savings had already been sent away in installments, and thest substantial sum, which had previously been given to Chu Zheng by Song Lingxue, was now in Song Yun''s hands, leaving very little surplus.


    Left with no choice, Song Tonghai had to mortgage the ancestral home of the Song Family, using it to secure a sum of silver, and from thergest brothel in Luofeng City, he hired more than a dozen songstresses and former oirans to indulge Fu Quanliang''s pleasures.


    At the same time, Song Tonghai also hired the city''s best chef and gathered various ingredients, all for the sole service of Fu Quanliang.


    With such indulgence, money inevitably flowed out like water, the daily expenses at least a thousand taels of silver.


    Fu Quanliang''s quarters had nearly turned into a paradise on earth, filled with the constant pleasing sounds of music, endless nights of singing, wanton and unrestrained.


    ......


    ......


    Chu Zheng observed every action and word of Fu Quanliang, graduallying to understand the full picture behind the events.


    As the hundred-day deadline approached, Chu Zheng found himself hoping that Fu Quanliang would manage to buy some more time.


    At noon, Song Lingxue entered Chu Zheng''s courtyard with a bundle in her arms.


    "The old medicines in the Mansion''s Treasury are almost gone; only these elixirs are left. I''ve asked around, if there are hundred-year-old medicines avable, I''ll try my best to reserve them for you."


    Chu Zheng took the bundle that Song Lingxue handed over, ncing at its contents, which mostly consisted of Essence Yuan Pills, Bone-Strengthening Powder, and some ordinary medicinal materials¡ªbetter than nothing.


    To cultivate the Dragon-Tiger Body - Upper Volume, he required spiritual medicine, but in this mortal world, such medicine was exceedingly rare. If asionally acquired bymon folk, it would quickly be seized by major forces, who would then present it as tribute to a Hidden Immortal Sect.


    Having no other choice, Chu Zheng had to use these ordinary medicinal materials as a substitute. Although there was a disparity in the potency of the medicinal properties he absorbed from nt and wood Qi, they were still enough to advance the cultivation of his Dragon-Tiger Body, albeit at a much slower pace.


    As for stimting the physical body with spiritual energy, the Essence of the Great Sun couldpletely take its ce.


    Having delivered the medicines, Song Lingxue didn''t leave. Instead, she sat down in the courtyard.


    Chu Zheng didn''t avoid her presence; he poured several Essence Yuan Pills into his mouth, took off his upper clothing, and began absorbing the Essence of the Great Sun.


    Under the sunlight, his well-built muscles visibly undted rhythmically, as though breathing, and soon he was covered in a thinyer of sweat.


    At first, Song Lingxue felt somewhat embarrassed, but after watching for a while, she gradually became ustomed to it.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and spat out the remaining residue of the pills.


    Song Lingxue approached him with a towel, and not far away, there was a bucket of well-drawn water.


    Chu Zheng took the towel, wiped his body with the well water, and casually asked, "Is Fu Quanliang still the same today?"


    "Yes, this morning he had a suckling pig, at noon he ate half amb and three bear''s paws; his appetite seems to be getting better," Song Lingxue replied, frowning slightly and sighing, "like a starving ghost reborn, as if he doesn''t have many days left to live."


    Chu Zheng remained silent. After so many days, even Song Lingxue had noticed something was off.


    "Why did you decide toe back that day?" Song Lingxue asked, her eyes slightly dim. "Helping the Song Family, for you, is like pulling chestnuts out of the fire, there''s no benefit for you."


    "I''ll try my best. When it proves impossible, I''ll escape and won''t take you with me," Chu Zheng was forthright about his thoughts.


    Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue were his prime targets; with them, Chu Zheng couldn''t escape.


    When push came to shove, Chu Zheng would naturally choose to abandon them.


    The fact that he could leave Luofeng City safely this time was proof enough that he was not the main target. With the Qi Observation Technique, he could instantly gauge his own strength; if it indeed wasn''t a match, he would just leave.


    He would not do something as foolish as throwing his life away for nothing.


    But his situation was not yet so desperate; there was still room to struggle, and it wouldn''t hurt to try.


    "That''s good then."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s overly frank words, Song Lingxue felt as if a huge stone had been lifted from her heart, lightening her load considerably. A smile also appeared on her face:


    "I always feel... it would be a pity if you just died like that."


    "What''s there to pity? Everyone must die eventually, whether their death is as heavy as Mount Tai or as light as a feather."


    Chu Zheng spoke softly, "As of now, the death of either of us would be no more than a feather in this world."


    "Is that also from a book?" Song Lingxue couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow.


    "Yes."


    Chu Zheng put on his clothes and walked into the room, "The things I asked you to find, how much have you gathered?"


    He needed to increase his rank as a Repair Master, which was impossible without some valuable, iplete ancient artifacts. The older and more unique they were, the more experience he would gain after repairing them.


    The Song Family had nothing left for him to fix; Chu Zheng had already repaired everything. He even intentionally broke a few items after fixing them and repaired them again, but he didn''t gain any experience from that.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to look outside the mansion and had Song Lingxue search and gather some from other ces.


    "I put them all in the Mansion''s Treasury for you. They are mostly old items that have been lying around for years, irreparable, discarded by various households. They didn''t cost much silver."


    Song Lingxue followed Chu Zheng into the room and naturally sat down on the edge of the bed.


    "Do you have something else?" Chu Zheng frowned.


    "I... have been practicing more diligentlytely, and my muscles and bones feel a bit ufortable."


    Song Lingxue''s gaze shifted as she lowered her head, "Could you use that pediatric massage technique to give me another massage?"


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng quickly came over and ced a hand on Song Lingxue''s shoulder, but the interface gave no prompt.


    "It''s nothing serious, no need to..."


    Before Chu Zheng could finish, Song Lingxue suddenly lifted her hand, pressing down on his hand that was about to withdraw, still keeping her head down:


    "I still feel somewhat ufortable."


    After a long silence, Chu Zheng withdrew his hand:


    "There''s no need."


    No sooner had he spoken than Song Lingxue suddenly stood up and quickly walked toward the door.


    Just before leaving, she stopped, turned around sharply, and asked, "Chu Zheng, what kind of person do you think I am?"


    Chu Zheng was a bit stunned and, after pondering for a moment, he gave an ambiguous assessment, "A smart person."


    In his view, Song Lingxue was someone who knew both what she wanted and what to give up.


    Understandingpromise is sometimes the greatest wisdom.


    However, in the current situation, the ability to weigh pros and cons was of little use; fate is fickle, and there were not that many choices to make.


    "I actually think... sometimes I''m quite wicked."


    Song Lingxue pulled at the corner of her mouth, opened the door, and strode out, walking briskly.


    Not until she had left Chu Zheng''s courtyard did Song Lingxue slow down her pace. Suddenly, she felt her legs go weak. Supporting herself against a wall, she leaned on the roadside.


    After a while, she bent down, covered her face with her hands, and from between her fingers came a low whisper:


    "Despicable."

 Chapter 35: Chapter 32: Advancement, Showdown

    Chu Zheng sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wide-open door, silent for a long time.


    A momentter, he stood up, walked to the courtyard, drew two buckets of well water, and took a cold shower to calm his nearly boiling blood and Qi.


    He had just absorbed the Essence of the Great Sun, and his body was filled with steaming Yang energy, naturally causing his blood and Qi to be restless.


    He had understood the hint from Song Lingxue, but ultimately he did not dare to cross that red line.


    Once that line was crossed, everything would change.


    The rtionship he had with Song Lingxue would never be just as it was now, and to extricate himself would not be so trivial.


    The dangers of the Song Family, he might not be able to withstand.


    If he could not withstand it, it would mean death.


    After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Chu Zheng changed his clothes and went to the mansion''s treasury, burying his head in repairing the odds and ends that Song Lingxue had collected from various ces.


    ......


    ......


    Time flew like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.


    As early spring warmed, overnight, buds had already sprouted on the branches.


    Fu Quanliang''s life became increasinglyvish, squandering his days away, growing bored of the dancing girls and oiran within days, demanding from Song Tonghai a new batch.


    Helplessly, Song Tonghai could only send people to nearby cities to find recements, the costs of which were unimaginable.


    Sitting on dwindling resources, even a wealthy foundation could not cover such reckless extravagance, and the money borrowed against the ancestral home was running out quickly.


    With the financial strain mounting, Song Tonghai could only bow his head and borrow from the masters of therge trading houses.


    The news of a Superior Immortal visiting the Song Family had spread throughout Luofeng City, and as Song Tonghai sought loans, every trading house''s master readily agreed, lending him a substantial amount of silver for liquidity.


    Thus, Song Tonghai managed to keep going, though the pressure increased daily.


    At sunset, the reddish twilight nted across the gate of the Song Residence, adding a sense of twilight to this ancient mansion that had weathered more than three hundred years.


    With a slightly bent back, Song Tonghai walked slowly toward the gate bathed in the setting sun from around the corner.


    A Grandmaster, borrowing money everywhere to fund others'' pleasures, was indeed shaming his ancestors.


    Song Lingxue stood at the door, her eyes filled with pity, "Father, this is a bottomless pit, it can never be filled."


    "How could I not know."


    Song Tonghai sighed deeply, sitting down directly on the steps in front of the door, the silver strands of his hair barely visible, his voice growing softer:


    "But what can be done about that..."


    At least with Fu Quanliang here, they had indeed not suffered any attacks.


    ......


    ......


    [You have spent a lot of effort and painstakingly studied, finally making a breakthrough in your repair skills, and now you are a First Order Repair Master.]


    [First Order Repair Master: Ordinary objects hold no secrets for you, you can repair them effortlessly; only objects of Entry Stage can barely pique your interest.]


    [During the repairs, you gained insight and derived a Low Grade Divine Skill: Transmute Stone to Gold]


    Inside the mansion''s treasury.


    Chu Zheng suddenly raised his head, his eyes overflowing with brilliance, and pulled up the panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)...]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order/Iplete), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order)]


    [Repair Master: First Order (0/1000)]


    [Remaining repairs for the day: 5]


    [Current repairables: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (0/300), Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500)]


    Chu Zheng casually picked up a chipped jade bowl, and with a thought, in the blink of an eye, the bowl in his hand was as smooth and wless as new.


    The number on the panel had not changed, it was still 5.


    The advancement of a Repair Master was far greater than what Chu Zheng had imagined.


    Although the number of daily refreshes had not changed, after being promoted to a First Order Repair Master, he could now repair all Zeroth Order items through the panel without having to use any of the daily refreshes.


    But simrly, repairing these items could no longer bring him any experience growth.


    Chu Zheng hung his head low, staring at the jade bowl in his hands. Under his gaze, a slight spiritual light emanated from the bowl, and after a few moments, it turned into a golden hue.


    The jade bowl turned into gold, and immediately the weight in his hands increased significantly.


    Chu Zheng checked his body, and other than some consumption of his Yuan Qi, there were not any significant effects.


    To transmute decay into miracle, such is the power of Divine Skills...


    Chu Zheng casually tossed the golden bowl aside and stood up to leave the Mansion''s Treasury.


    He had not walked far when he bumped into Song Lingxue face to face.


    "You''re just in time, follow me."


    Chu Zheng spoke offhandedly and went directly toward the courtyard where Fu Quanliang was located.


    Song Lingxue followed him for a while, and soon realized where Chu Zheng was heading, and couldn''t help but ask, "What are you going to do?"


    "Just watch."


    Now, with less than ten days left until his Hundred Days Qi Cultivation and the boost from the Dragon-Tiger Body, a mere lift of his hand could wield the Strength of Ten Thousand Pounds, and his power had vastly improved from a month ago.


    Even in front of Li Mingzhou, Chu Zheng now had enough confidence that he couldpletely overwhelm him with a single strike.


    In his eyes, Fu Quanliang no longer posed any threat at all.


    What Chu Zheng needed now was sufficient information to discern just what state the Song Family was currently in.


    Among this, the extent of the Night Light Pavilion''s power was of utmost importance.


    As he stepped within ten strides of the courtyard, he could hear the soft sounds of music andughtering from inside.


    Song Lingxue hesitated for a moment, not really wanting to enter for fear of sullying her eyes.


    But seeing that Chu Zheng did not hesitate at all and crossed the threshold directly, she could only steel herself and follow.


    The room was a mess, with clothes, shoes, socks, wine jars, and cups scattered everywhere.


    "Miss Song has arrived."


    Fu Quanliang, leaning in the arms of a beautiful maiden, bare-chested and rosy-faced with drunkenness, raised his ss in a dissolute manner andughed aloud, beckoning with his hand:


    "Come,e, sit down and drink with me, under the moonlight."


    Song Lingxue pursed her lips, nced back at the blood-red sunset outside the window, and did not respond.


    With an expressionless face, Chu Zheng stepped forward, nced at a few dancing girls draped in sheer veils, and spoke softly:


    "You all go out first."


    The dancers hesitated, looking at Song Lingxue until she nodded, then they all got up and walked out the door.


    They were just being paid for their services, so naturally they followed the orders of the master of the house.


    Fu Quanliang shook his head, somewhat dizzy, and looked at Chu Zheng, his brow suddenly furrowed:


    "How dare you! Who are you to disrupt my pleasure?!"


    Boom!


    Chu Zheng kicked the table flying, stretched out his hand like a w, and firmly gripped Fu Quanliang''s neck, lifting him up.


    "Do you want to live, or do you want to die?"


    Feeling the hand around his neck gradually tightening, Fu Quanliang sobered up quite a bit, his expression changing dramatically, he struggled to speak:


    "To live!"


    "I ask, you answer."


    Chu Zheng released his hand and sat down on the floor in front of Fu Quanliang, speaking in a deep voice:


    "If any word you say is untrue, I will send you to your death immediately."

 Chapter 36: Chapter 33: Night Light Pavilion, The Secret of the Immortal Bone

    Freed from his bindings, Fu Quanliang''s fingertips sparked with spiritual light, and he instinctively thought to counterattack.


    However, after detecting the powerful surge of energy within Chu Zheng, he lost his spirit for a moment, dispelled the alcoholic fumes around him, rubbed his neck, and said softly,


    "You ask."


    Cultivators are acutely aware of the disparity in strength between each other; a simple encounter was enough for understanding to dawn on them.


    He had not dodged Chu Zheng''s grab before, and he would not be able to dodge it a second time.


    "Why did the Phantom Spirit Sect send you here? what is the real purpose?" Chu Zheng cut directly to the heart of the matter.


    "To protect the Song Family from being harassed."


    Fu Quanliang tugged at the corner of his mouth, chuckling lightly, "At least, that''s what the mission states."


    "Why have only youe alone, and with your strength so weak, how could you possibly protect the Song Family?"


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and pressed on sternly, "Phantom Spirit Sect, do you really intend to protect the Song Family?"


    Fu Quanliang watched Chu Zheng for a while before saying, word by word,


    "The mission I know of never mentioned that the other party was also from the Immortal Sect."


    That was all he said, no need to mention more.


    Chu Zheng had his answer and nodded, "What is the power of the Night Light Pavilion like?"


    "With a heritage spanning ten thousand years, over a hundred Soul Condensing elders, and more than a handful of Divine Infant Realm masters. There''s also a Supreme Elder who has stepped into the Second Transformation of Divine Infant, governing forty-seven nations of North Cave," Fu Quanliang recited as if listing treasures from his own home.


    Chu Zheng was not unfamiliar with the realms of Immortal Path cultivation, having already learned the basics from the "Initial Understanding of Immortal Path."


    In the training of Immortal Path, the First Realm is Nourishing Power, the Second Realm is Spiritual Spring, the Third Realm is Entry Path, the Fourth Realm is Soul Condensing, the Fifth Realm is Divine Infant, and this Second Transformation of Divine Infant is already the Sixth Realm, ''Deification Nine Transformations''.


    The Nine Transformations Tongxuan, understanding the secret of creation, is already half immortal in the world.


    The power of Night Light Pavilion was far more terrifying than Chu Zheng had anticipated. The Divine Infant Realm alone had the power to move mountains and seas; erasing a great nation could be done overnight.


    And the Deification Nine Transformations were even more exaggerated.


    After absorbing the information, Chu Zheng spoke again, "How does Phantom Spirit Sectpare to the Night Light Pavilion?"


    "Not considering the depth of the sect''s foundation, the Night Light Pavilion is at least twice as strong."


    "Currently, in the sect, only a few Supreme Elders and the sect leader, a total of seven people, have stepped into the Divine Infant Realm. There''s also a Supreme Elder in the First Transformation of Divine Infant who has been in closed-door cultivation for a thousand years and hasn''t appeared in the world."


    At this point, Fu Quanliang couldn''t help but sneer, "It''s unknown whether he''s still alive; he might as well be dead."


    Resentment flickered in his eyes; had the sect not intentionally concealed this, sending someone here as a scapegoat, he would not have ended up in this situation.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze deepened, the disparity in strength was indeed ratherrge.


    "How many nations does the Phantom Spirit Sect govern?"


    "Fifteen countries..."


    Fu Quanliang thought for a moment, then shook his head, "It should be fourteen countries. A few years ago, Qionglou took one away, iming that a Lower Quality Spirit Mine had appeared, and Qionglou exchanged it for a High Quality Divine Weapon."


    Chu Zheng remembered what Li Mingzhou had told him and confirmed, "Which Immortal Sect does the territory of Great Zhou belong to?"


    "The Zhao Family of Great Zhou is quite special. They once had a genius with a High Quality Immortal Bone and a Fire Spirit Body named Zhao Tingxian. He stepped into the Divine Infant Realm within just two hundred years and was the Saint Heir of the Tai Xu Holy Land for some time before he suddenly disappeared."


    As the topic unfolded, Fu Quanliang rxed considerably, reclining on the ground disdainfully,


    "Without confirmed news of his death, no one among the nearby Immortal Sects dares to make a move rashly; they are all afraid of death. Moreover, thanks to Zhao Tingxian''s influence, the Zhao family still has connections within several Immortal Sects."


    "Why do you know this so clearly?"


    Seeing Fu Quanliang''s fluid responses, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel suspicious.


    "My talents are mediocre, and my cultivation progresses as slow as a turtle. If I don''t study these things, I really have nothing else to do," Fu Quanliang said with self-mockery. "Just studying these things is utterly useless."


    "Then in your opinion, why doesn''t the Night Light Pavilion directly take action against the Song Family?"


    This was the biggest question in Chu Zheng''s mind so far, since their strength was not inferior, why hesitate and drag things out?


    "I think it''s either because of Zhao Tingxian''s example, they are wary and dare not act too rashly, or they are trying to force the Supreme Elder of Phantom Spirit Sect out of the sect gate, intending to make him voluntarily walk into the trap," replied Fu Quanliang.


    "After all, Song Lingqing is the Supreme Elder''s disciple. With his blood rtions being constantly threatened, it makes no sense for the Grandmaster not to act."


    Fu Quanliang had thought over this matter countless times these days, and he had already thought of all the possibilities he could envisage.


    He had even considered whether the Night Light Pavilion was trying to deliberately provoke a war between the Immortal Sects, aiming to annex the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    After hesitating for a moment, Fu Quanliang spoke up and revealed one of his spections:


    "The Night Light Pavilion has been hesitating to take action, perhaps waiting for the right opportunity. As for what that opportunity is, I''m notpletely sure, it''s just a spection."


    "If the Night Light Pavilion is fishing for a big fish, then I, as a small shrimp, obviously won''t satisfy their appetite. There will surely be further actions."


    Listening to Fu Quanliang''s analysis, Chu Zheng nodded. If he were one of the Night Light Pavilion people, he would probably choose to kill Fu Quanliang, entering the previous cycle again, and waiting for the Phantom Spirit Sect to walk into the.


    This is a tant scheme, coercing the Phantom Spirit Sect into making a decision.


    Having rified his thoughts, Chu Zheng looked at Fu Quanliang. He now clearly understood the predicament of the man before him.


    This man was truly stuck between a rock and a hard ce, trapped with death on both sides, which exined why he had been so indulgenttely, clearly knowing his days were numbered.


    On this trip, Chu Zheng had obtained some of the information he wanted. Now that Fu Quanliang was taking the brunt of it, all he had to do was to prepare calmly to enter the Spirit Transformation and face the first move of the Night Light Pavilion.


    If the person whoes to kill Fu Quanliang is too powerful, he might just start preparing for the next step.


    ......


    ......


    "Take off your clothes."


    Chu Zheng suddenly stood up, gazing down at Fu Quanliang.


    "What are you going to do?!"


    Fu Quanliang gulped, instinctively shuffling backwards.


    "Just take them off."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes slightly narrowed, his breathing somewhat heavy:


    "Let me see your Immortal Bone."


    "Hmm?"


    Fu Quanliang stagnated for a moment, then suddenly exhaled in relief, quickly turned his back, and pointed to the back of his head, "No need to undress, it''s right here."


    Chu Zheng reached out and felt it, his eyes immediately brightened.


    He was extremely knowledgeable about human bones. In Fu Quanliang''s ipital, there was a gap which should have fused during the growth process, yet on his body, it was still separated.


    This extra piece of bone, which acted as a breach between the human body and nature''s spiritual energy, thereby allowed the entry of nature''s spiritual energy into the body.


    Due to the different degrees of bone healing, this gap naturally varied, perhaps, which is what distinguished the so-called Immortal Bone.


    This kind of gap was not man-made but innate; simply breaking the bone and forcibly intervening had no effect.


    With this, Chu Zheng''s puzzle was finally somewhat solved, as he came to understand the basic principles of cultivation on the Immortal Path.

 Chapter 37: Chapter 34: Did only you come?

    Actually, the moment Chu Zheng learned about the existence of the Immortal Bone, he had wanted to do this.


    However, he couldn''t possibly ask Song Lingqing to strip down at that time, so this moment was a fulfillment of his wishes.


    [Fu Quanliang (Zeroth Order): Heart has a hidden disease, will not live past fifty years old, indulged excessively recently, Qi is deficient and body is weak, can be repaired.]


    The instant he made contact with Fu Quanliang, Chu Zheng knew his health condition. With his current level as a First Order Repair Master, he could instantly heal himpletely without even using up a repair attempt.


    What surprised him was that the first state of Immortal Path, Nourishing Power, was also considered Zeroth Order in the panel''s judgment.


    By that reasoning, First Order corresponded to the Second Realm of the Immortal Path, Spirit Spring.


    The cultivation technique passed down within the Song Family that Song Lingxue had previously brought to him could actually reach up to the Second Realm of the Immortal Path, which was quite inconceivable.


    Chu Zheng asked some probing questions and learned a bit about the internal affairs of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Fu Quanliang came from poverty, with rtives still at home waiting for him to bring honor to the family, yet even after entering the Immortal Path, he remained at the lower levels.


    To stay in the sect, he had to expend great effort on missions, exhausting himself to death, and the contributions he umted were barely enough.


    The living conditions within the Immortal Sect were equally harsh, and due to differences in Immortal Bone and cultivation, the hierarchy became more pronounced and utterly insurmountable.


    Having a Lower Quality Immortal Bone meant being considered lower than others.


    The luxuries Fu Quanliang enjoyed at the Song Residence were something he didn''t dare dream about within the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    From beginning to end, Song Lingxue had been silently watching, not interjecting.


    The moment Chu Zheng asked Fu Quanliang to take off his clothes, she had initially wanted to leave, but upon hearing the words "Immortal Bone," her feet seemed rooted to the ground, her gaze unable to move away.


    The result was quite disappointing for Song Lingxue; at least she couldn''t make out anything.


    After finishing his inquiries, Chu Zheng turned and left. As for whether Fu Quanliang would flee, he wasn''t the least bit worried.


    If he were going to run, Fu Quanliang would have fled long ago.


    This was a man who could clearly see the situation; waiting for death was almost his best choice.


    "What''s your name?"


    A voice inquired from behind.


    "Chu Zheng."


    Chu Zheng didn''t stop walking and casually gave his name.


    "Get the Dancing Girl back for me."


    Fu Quanliang once again filled his ss to the brim, drank it all in one gulp, and said slightly tipsy:


    "Please."


    ......


    ......


    "Why?"


    Seeing that Chu Zheng really did get the Dancing Girl back for Fu Quanliang, Song Lingxue was puzzled for a moment.


    From Chu Zheng''s behavior just now, he didn''t seem to like Fu Quanliang much, so why tolerate him?


    "To live another day is another day, let him be."


    Chu Zheng shook his head. He had already gained a preliminary understanding of the situation around him, and on Fu Quanliang, he had another strategic move to make, which was quite crucial.


    "Chu Zheng, it''s not external skills talent, is it?"


    Song Lingxue whispered, "Even if your external skills were stronger, you could not possibly be a match for someone from the Immortal Sect. Do you also have an Immortal Bone? Did Ling Qing teach you Immortal Techniques before she left?"


    There were so many anomalies about Chu Zheng that she found it impossible to ignore.


    "I''m just a mortal."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, casually broke off a branch from a roadside tree, and under the setting sun, the faint yellow glow on the branch deepened, eventually reflecting a dazzling golden light.


    Casually tossing the Golden Branch to Song Lingxue, Chu Zheng spoke slowly:


    "There won''t be any shortage of gold and silver in the future; give Fu Quanliang whatever he wants."


    Feeling the heavy weight in her hands, Song Lingxue''s face suddenly changed:


    "Is this Immortal Technique, or is it a Blinding Method?"


    "It''s Divine Skills."


    ......


    ......


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    The moon hung high in the sky, the gentle moonlight seeped through the clouds, covering the green stone bs, and the stars in the night sky shone like a sea.


    A surging Moonlight descended from the Ninth Heaven,nding beside Chu Zheng, the invisible radiance vaguely forming ayer of precious gauze, draping over his shoulders.


    This marked the first hundred days of Chu Zheng''s Qi Refining, also the beginning of being a Qi Cultivator.


    After tonight, he would be truly called a Qi Cultivator.


    The Moonlight entered his body, immediately causing a transformation unlike any other day; Chu Zheng''s chest heaved, his breathing grew even deeper, the Qi inside his body violently stirred, gradually altering his physique.


    Qi Refining was essentially refining one''s body, continually improving one''s harmony with the universe, thus increasing the speed of one''s cultivation.


    Natural born Spiritual Awakeners could even achieve the Immortal Path in a single day, transform into immortals, and this is the Method of Qi Refining.


    The Spirit Transformation Realm is the first stage of Qi Refining. At this stage, a qualitative transformation urs in the human body; the Spirit Soul and all bodily responses are greatly enhanced.


    The greatest change is the nurturing of tangible Qi within the Dantian.


    Although there was Qi in Chu Zheng''s body in the past, it was intangible and could not be summoned, only passively used to strengthen the body. This tangible Qi, however, was entirely different.


    Chu Zheng could use it as a medium to exhibit various Divine Skills, control objects from a distance, expel breath to kill, traverse the heavens and earth, transform into the invisible, and even achieve immortality ¡­


    In the Spirit Transformation Realm, one lives for three Yuan, each Yuansting two cycles of sixty years, totaling three hundred and sixty years.


    In the blink of an eye, the moon set in the west, and the great sun rose from the east, a burst of vibrant Yang Essence spilled into the universe.


    Chu Zheng exhaled a long breath of Turbid Qi and then suddenly inhaled, with his chest and lungs expanding, swallowing this first thread of the Essence of the Great Sun.


    In an instant, Yin and Yang harmonized, and a miraculous transformation urred inside Chu Zheng''s body; a pale white Qi slowly emerged from within his Dantian.


    At the same time, Chu Zheng''s bones crackled crisply, and as he breathed, a visible gray mist emanated from his pores.


    His physical body underwent another transformation, his hair crazily grew, passing his waist in a blink of an eye ¡ª a sign of the burgeoning Yang Essence.


    By noon, Chu Zheng had finallypleted his thorough transformation, sessfully stepping onto the path of Qi Refining.


    ......


    ......


    Two dayster, at noon.


    A streak of light fell from the sky, stopping in the backyard of the Song Family Residence.


    Fu Quanliang inside the house instantly had a premonition, his face instantly turned pale, and he stepped into the courtyard in one stride.


    There was now an additional middle-aged man in the courtyard, nearly forty years old, dressed in a ck robe, armed with a long sword, expressionless.


    A Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator!


    Fu Quanliang became unsettled as he sensed the oppressive aura emanating from the man.


    As his breathing grew hurried, a familiar transmitted message suddenly rang in his ears:


    "Ask him if he is the only one who came."


    The intense crisis of life and death made Fu Quanliang appear somewhat frantic; he disregarded everything else, strode forward boldly, and demanded fiercely:


    "Are you alone?"


    "I have already given you a great honor by dealing with you myself. Why would I need a second person?"


    The man spoke indifferently, his long sword behind him nging, ready to be drawn, the sound sharp and piercing: "Kneel and ept death; I''ll make it swift."


    The smile on Fu Quanliang''s face gradually broadened, even looking a bit ferocious:


    "Just you alone, and still making such a big show, as if fearing others won''t know, are all in the Night Light Pavilion as foolish as you?"

 Chapter 38: Chapter 35: Your Killer, Fu Quanliang

    Whoosh¡ª


    Before Fu Quanliang''s voice had died away, a piercing sword cry exploded from the void.


    The long sword carried on the back of the man in ck instantly unsheathed, his emotionless features now donned with killing intent.


    The long sword was lifted by an invisible force, darting across over ten yards in the blink of an eye, piercing through Fu Quanliang''s left shoulder, then flicked upward, nailing him to the horizontal beam in front of the house.


    The dancers inside the house had never witnessed such a scene and were scared out of their wits, screaming continuously.


    "You''re at the seventhyer of the Nourishing Power Realm yet spout such grand words,"


    the man in ck sneered coldly. "You insulted my Immortal Sect, and today I will make sure you regret what you have said!"


    "Just don''t let me die too quickly,"


    Fu Quanliang gritted his teeth, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his gaze shifting around, trying to spot Chu Zheng''s figure.


    However, all he saw was emptiness, not a single person in sight.


    "Heh..."


    Fu Quanliang let out a bitterugh. If he were Chu Zheng, he wouldn''t choose to risk taking action either.


    A cultivator at the Spirit Spring Realm has mana at theirmand within their body, can wield magic artifacts, travel through the skies, and theirbat power is worlds apart from that of the Nourishing Power Realm. In the eyes of mortals, they are true Superior Immortals.


    Chu Zheng could best him, but not necessarily the man before him.


    The man in ck slowly approached Fu Quanliang, saying solemnly,


    "Remember, the one who kills you today is Jiang Cunhu from the Night Light Pavilion."


    Before his words had ended, a figure suddenly squeezed out from a corner of the courtyard, silently leaping up, flicking his fingers, unleashing countless sharp darts and flying des, pouring down like a torrential rain, aiming straight for the man''s back.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    A series of dull, thunderous explosions erupted one after another, shattering the green stone bs in the courtyard. Clumps of earth and broken stones instantly filled the entire courtyard, kicking up dust and dirt.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze turned icy, he took a deep breath, then exhaled forcefully. Under the enhancement of Qi, the breath instantly turned into a raging wind, roof tiles were liftedyer byyer, and the dust and smoke cleared in an instant.


    Jiang Cunhu was squatting amidst a chaotic courtyard, surrounded by a shimmering barrier.


    The barrier was pitted and had numerous cracks. Jiang Cunhu''s ck garments were nearly in tatters, barely covering his body, and he was covered in blood.


    Scattered beside him were countless dart needles, which under the sunlight''s reflection, glinted with a pale blue light, clearly coated with deadly poison.


    In the instant he attacked, Chu Zheng had imbued these hidden weapons with Qi, making them incredibly sharp, aiming for a one-hit kill. Now it appeared to be effective.


    Jiang Cunhu fixed his stare on Chu Zheng, stuffed an elixir into his mouth without saying a word, not moving at all. The wounds on his body writhed, expelling streams of ck blood, and his breathing became smoother and smoother.


    The poison that could ordinarily kill a Great Grandmaster upon contact with blood seemed minor to him; after being struck so many times, he was almost unharmed within moments. Chu Zheng frowned at such tenacious life force.


    "You little thief..."


    Jiang Cunhu''s eyes were cold as ice, but before he could finish speaking, the area above his head suddenly darkened, and an iron mace descended as if a mountain was crashing down, hammering toward his spiritual center.


    Chu Zheng had no intention of wasting words with him. He operated his Qi Cirction, absorbing the Essence of the Great Sun, his body''s Yang energy surged, visibly erging his body, almost revealing a dragon and tiger''s silhouette. The iron mace in his hand was as heavy as a thousand pounds, its swing bringing winds roaring like thunder, utterly terrifying.


    Crack¡ª


    With one strike of the mace, Jiang Cunhu''s protective shield shattered, and he turned pale with shock. He raised his hand to call back his flying sword, but it did not return.


    ncing sideways, he saw Fu Quanliang''s fierce expression, with both hands gripping the sword hilt, forcing the flying sword into his own body. Despite being wounded by the sword light, flesh parting from bone, he refused to let go, rendering the flying sword unable to break free.


    "Damn it! You..."


    Boom!


    Jiang Cunhu''s angry roar was hammered back into his chest by Chu Zheng''s mace, his body fluttering like a piece of torn cloth, soaring through the air, smashing through two thick walls before finally crashing heavily onto the ground.


    Chu Zheng took a few steps to catch up and reached out toward Jiang Cunhu.


    [Jiang Cunhu (First Order): Body still carries poison, heart muscle pierced by broken bones in chest, nearly killed on the spot by you, can be restored (0/30).]


    This state, even more dreadful than Song Yun''s before, was as if he were halfway through the Ghost Gate Pass.


    Chu Zheng used one repair attempt to hang onto Jiang Cunhu''s life, then turned to look at Fu Quanliang.


    The Flying Sword embedded in his shoulder had already stopped struggling.


    Chu Zheng got up and rushed to Fu Quanliang''s side, pulled out the Flying Sword, and immediately stopped the bleeding through the panel. Then he stuffed an Essence Yuan Pill into Fu Quanliang''s mouth as a cover-up, and casually healed some of his wounds.


    "You do it."


    With one foot on the slightly trembling Flying Sword, Chu Zheng tossed the Iron Mace to Fu Quanliang, signaling him to finish off Jiang Cunhu''s life.


    Killing these people from the Immortal Sect still required caution, as the great grandmasters there might have some secret technique for tracking people. Having Fu Quanliang take over was more than suitable.


    After all, the Iron Mace was a mundane weapon and could not bear excessively strong forces. The blow Chu Zheng dealt to shatter the light shield had already caused the Iron Mace to bend and deform.


    Fu Quanliang silently took the bent Iron Mace, his face expressionless. He slowly stood up and walked to Jiang Cunhu''s side.


    Smack¡ª


    He pped Jiang Cunhu hard across the face.


    "Wake up!"


    Smack¡ª


    "Wake up!"


    After receiving several ps in quick session, Jiang Cunhu, who was on the brink of death, gradually regained a trace of consciousness and slowly opened his eyes.


    The first thing he saw was a face stained red with blood.


    Fu Quanliang cracked a smile and slowly raised the Iron Mace, the grin on his face looking somewhat ferocious:


    "Remember, the one who kills you today is Fu Quanliang."


    Thump!


    The Iron Mace came crashing down heavily, then was raised again, and fell once more.


    Not until Jiang Cunhu''s upper body was smashed into a bloody mess did Fu Quanliang barely stop.


    All the pressure umted in his heart over these days was vented out. For a moment, he felt somewhat drained, and couldn''t help but copse to the ground, sitting there dazed.


    Watching this scene and sensing that the Flying Sword under his foot had be still, Chu Zheng finally picked it up.


    [Wind-riding Sword (First Order): Among first-order weapons, it belongs to the high quality. Despite decades of ughter, its master''s careful nourishment left it without a single w, capable of amplifying a first-order being''s mana by thirty percent.]


    After pondering for a short moment, Chu Zheng had some calctions in mind.


    Qi Cultivators also possessed the Art of Object Control. He could use the Flying Sword, but didn''t feel very secure using it.


    Not far away, Fu Quanliang came back to his senses, his voice tinged with surprise and doubt, "What did you use just now to conceal your traces?"


    Concealing one''s form directly, he had only heard that some secret treasures could do it, and had never seen it before.


    "Invisibility Technique, do you want to learn it?" Chu Zheng casually replied.


    "Yes."


    A glimmer of hope shed in Fu Quanliang''s eyes, "Will you teach me?"


    "Of course not."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, "But I have something else to give you."


    "What is it?" Fu Quanliang was taken aback.


    "Life-link Seal."


    Chu Zheng spread his palm open, Yuan Qi manifesting visibly, forming a talismatic pattern, and remotely pped it into Fu Quanliang''s brow:


    "From this moment on, if I live, you live, if I die, you die."


    "What if I die first?" Fu Quanliang''s face turned pale.


    "I''ll burn more paper money for you, so you can still have a good life down there."

 Chapter 39: Chapter 36: Bad News

    After stepping into the Spirit Transformation Realm, Chu Zheng had little time and only cultivated two divine skills, one being the Invisibility Technique, the other was this Life-link Seal.


    The Invisibility Technique was for self-preservation, while the Life-link Seal was cultivated specifically for Fu Quanliang alone.


    The restrictions of the Life-link Seal were considerable; it could only be applied to one target at a time, and until the Life-link Seal was lifted or the creature bearing it died, it could not be used on another living being.


    In ancient times, Qi Refining Masters typically used this to subdue powerful Mythical Beasts, making them long-termpanions on the path of cultivation; the ability to have such a reliable entity was the reason for the birth of this divine skill.


    In fact, the effects of the Life-link Seal were far more than this; after the seal was ced, Chu Zheng could vaguely sense changes in Fu Quanliang''s emotions.


    "Ah?"


    Fu Quanliang was momentarily startled and then suddenly stood up, looking at Chu Zheng''s slightly cold expression; his face turned a mix of pale and flushed, he struggled internally for a moment, then helplessly sat back down and muttered:


    "You ced such a restriction on me, what are you trying to do? How could I possibly help you?"


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, then casually tossed the Wind-riding Sword in front of Fu Quanliang, and said softly, "We''ll talk about that once you survive."


    "What do you mean by this?"


    Fu Quanliang looked at the Flying Sword with some confusion.


    "You killed the man, naturally, this Flying Sword should be in your hands."


    Chu Zheng walked over to the corpse of Jiang Cunhu, squatted down beside it, and began searching. He quickly pulled out a palm-sized small pouch from behind Jiang Cunhu''s waist.


    The opening was tied shut tightly, impossible to open by brute force.


    "What is this?"


    Chu Zheng did not hide his ignorance and handed it to Fu Quanliang.


    "A Storage Bag, it needs mana to open, I can''t use it," Fu Quanliang shook his head: "Jiang Cunhu''s belongings should all be inside."


    Something stirred in Chu Zheng''s heart; Yuan Qi flowed gently within him as he reached into the Storage Bag in his hand.


    A space half a zhang in size appeared in his mind, haphazardly filled with various items.


    Chu Zheng did a quick inventory and had a rough idea of its contents, then flipped out a jade stone the length of a finger.


    Without waiting for Chu Zheng to ask, Fu Quanliang took the initiative to exin: "Spirit Stones, they can speed up the pace of cultivation, considered to be the gold and silver of the Cultivation World."


    "How much could such a piece trade for? Can it be exchanged for worldly gold and silver?" Chu Zheng wanted to understand the purchasing power of Spirit Stones.


    If they could be exchanged for worldly gold and silver...


    "In the mortal world, this piece could buy the entire Song Family, but no one would trade it for gold and silver."


    Fu Quanliang replied and then shook his head:


    "It depends on the region; Holy Lands of cultivation aren''t short of Spirit Stones, Lower Quality Spirit Stones aren''t highly valued, using them as gifts is even embarrassing. In some broken small sects without a Spirit Vein, they may asionally be exchanged for something good, but they are usually used for cultivation."


    Chu Zheng felt somewhat disappointed, then took out several unidentifiable items from the bag, one after another, and had Fu Quanliang rify his doubts.


    After a while, he was satisfied and stored the Storage Bag away, slowly refining it with his own Yuan Qi.


    Killing Jiang Cunhu hadn''t yielded a great harvest; the most valuable was the Wind-riding Sword, but it did open a corner of the Cultivation World to Chu Zheng, revealing a glimpse of its splendor.


    This was enough.


    Not until dusk did Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue step into the courtyard, beginning to arrange for the cleanup.


    The moment Jiang Cunhu arrived, they had heard Chu Zheng''s transmitted message and had been hiding until now before they came out.


    The dancers inside the house werepletely flustered, huddling together and cowering in a corner, shaking uncontrobly, not understanding what had happened outside.


    After sending them away, Song Lingxue, at Chu Zheng''s request, moved Fu Quanliang''s amodation to the edge of the Song Residence, far from Chu Zheng.


    With Jiang Cunhu dead, the next reaction of the Night Light Pavilion was crucial.


    Whether Fu Quanliang could stand firm as a shield remained to be seen.


    ......


    ......


    Time, like sand slipping through one''s fingers, quickly half a month had passed.


    Over the past fortnight, the Song Residence had been calm and undisturbed, with not the slightest anomaly urring. Such tranquility was slightly eerie, causing Chu Zheng to feel somewhat uneasy.


    At dawn, the first light crept across the sky.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged in the courtyard, circting his Qi in the Circuit of Qi, swallowing the essence of the sun and moon to enhance his abilities.


    Unlike during the Hundred Days Qi Cultivation, his strength was now improving at a much slower rate. The Yin Yang Dual Qi in his surroundings had gradually be sparse for him.


    Although he could still cultivate, this speed was undoubtedly greatly restricted.


    A series of footsteps approached from outside the courtyard. Chu Zheng slowly ended his cultivation and looked towards Fu Quanliang, who was rapidly approaching, feeling a sense of foreboding:


    "What has happened?"


    Fu Quanliang had been instructed by him not toe over without urgent matters.


    "I have just received a message from the sectmanding me to return immediately. They said there''s no need to bother about the Song Family anymore."


    As he spoke, Fu Quanliang''s expression grew increasingly odd:


    "A junior brother from within the sect also sent me a secret letter, stating that Sister Song had been ambushed, Protector Elder Qin was severely injured and on the brink of death, and barely escaped back to the sect."


    "Is Song Lingqing dead?" Chu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly and asked for confirmation.


    "The letter from the junior brother did not mention her life or death, I fear..."


    Fu Quanliang hadn''t finished speaking, but Chu Zheng already had an idea.


    If even Qin Feng was gravely injured, let alone Song Lingqing, and considering the Phantom Spirit Sect had recalled Fu Quanliang and instructed him to no longer concern himself with the Song Family, it was highly probable that she was already dead.


    Crack¡ª


    A crisp sound came from the gate of the courtyard. Song Lingxue stood outside, her expression stunned, with a scattered food box at her feet.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his mouth curved up. Soon, he let out a low chuckle that he could not suppress.


    This deadlock was finallying undone.


    Amid hisughter, Song Lingxue snapped back to reality, her eyes slightly red as she spoke in a hoarse voice, "What are youughing at?"


    Chu Zheng paid no attention to her reaction. His smile grew broader as he shook his head and said:


    "Now that Song Lingqing is dead, you no longer hold any value in the eyes of those from the Immortal Sect."


    It was true for the Phantom Spirit Sect, and equally so for the Night Light Pavilion.


    The death of Jiang Cunhu would naturally be attributed to the Phantom Spirit Sect. No one would associate this incident with the Song Family.


    Even if there would be wrath to bear, the Song Family now had the means to flee, no longer at risk of being pursued and killed by the Immortal Sect.


    At the very least, there was hope for survival.


    Song Lingxue didn''t listen any further. She turned around and ran to find Song Tonghai.


    Chu Zheng gradually reined in his smile, looking towards Fu Quanliang with a somber tone:


    "I have a task for you."


    "What is it?" Fu Quanliang tensed up.


    "Previously, it was the Phantom Spirit Sect that forced you into a life-or-death predicament. Don''t you want revenge?"


    "Revenge?"


    Fu Quanliang felt a sense of absurdity: "How so?"


    The thought of retaliation had never even crossed his mind. How could someone with Lower Quality Immortal Bone get back at one of the Great Immortal Sects?


    "In life, one must always have some aspirations."


    Chu Zheng slowly stood up, gazing into the distance, and gradually raised his hand in an empty grip, as if clutching the sun within his palm:


    "In this life, I havee to achieve great things."


    "With the matters of the Song Family concluded, you lead me into the Phantom Spirit Sect, and I will help you destroy it."


    "What you cannot do, I shall aplish."

 Chapter 40: Chapter 37: The Destruction of the Song Residence (Parts One and Two Combined)

    In Chu Zheng''s eyes, the Phantom Spirit Sect, the Night Light Pavilion¡ªthey were all the same.


    The Immortal Sects viewmoners as ants, and he was a person, amoner, not an Immortal.


    The death of Song Lingqing, as well as the response of the Phantom Spirit Sect, made Chu Zheng instantly understand a lot of things.


    The Night Light Pavilion had never made a move, scheming around the Song Family, probably because their real intention was not the wine but to y the Song Lingqing, the Hidden Dragon.


    Now that the Hidden Dragon had not yet emerged from the abyss but had already drowned in the deep sea, there was naturally no need to spend any more effort on the Song Family.


    As for Jiang Cunhu and Fu Quanliang, it didn''t matter who lived or died at this moment; it was all meaningless.


    While Chu Zheng was deep in thought, Fu Quanliang beside him had already be lost in a daze.


    To destroy the Phantom Spirit Sect...


    These few words seemed to ignite the blood in his bones for a moment.


    Why must he die?! Is his life worthless?!


    Fu Quanliang''s breathing grew heavy; what he could not do, did not mean Chu Zheng couldn''t either.


    Someday, perhaps he would also have the chance, just like today, to personally shatter the dog heads of those taskmasters!


    "Fu Quanliang... Fu Quanliang!"


    Chu Zheng called out twice, but seeing no response, he extended his hand and patted Fu Quanliang''s face:


    "Hey, wake up."


    "Hm?"


    Fu Quanliang snapped out of the illusions in his mind, nced at Chu Zheng, and gradually calmed down.


    Chu Zheng now, to kill a cultivator in the Spirit Spring Realm, had to rely on a sneak attack. With what could he overthrow the Phantom Spirit Sect? It might just mean dragging him to death as well.


    Fu Quanliang hade to realize that Chu Zheng''s thought process was somewhat different from ordinary people.


    Either way, he was not a normal person.


    "Is there a way for me to enter the Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    This was the most pressing issue for Chu Zheng right now.


    "When you attacked, I didn''t feel any fluctuations of mana. Do you possess an Immortal Bone?"


    Fu Quanliang hesitated a bit; he really couldn''t figure out Chu Zheng''s angle.


    Chu Zheng immediately shook his head. If he had an Immortal Bone, he naturally would try to take a different path.


    "Without an Immortal Bone, you definitely can''t be an inner disciple."


    After pondering for a moment, Fu Quanliang nodded and said:


    "If you can hide your power well and avoid the pre-entry inspection, and then disy thebat power of a Great Grandmaster from themon world, you could indeed join the Phantom Spirit Sect as an odd-jobber."


    The Nourishing Power Realm, frankly, is on par with a Great Grandmaster, if not slightly inferior.


    A Great Grandmaster of themon world, such odd-jobbers are usually very wee by the Sects; after all, they do not consume cultivation resources. A few ordinary elixirs and daily meals are enough to keep them going.


    Some Great Grandmasters who cultivate their bodies with external skills can even aplish things that disciples in the Nourishing Power Realm cannot, making it a greatly profitable arrangement.


    However, an odd-jobber is, after all, just an odd-jobber, not a disciple. Their status is worlds apart from the Outer Sect Disciples; without someone looking out for them, they are inevitably given all sorts of dirty and tiring tasks.


    Great Grandmasters, revered in themon world as Pirs of the State, enjoy limitless glory and freedom.


    Very few Great Grandmasters would be willing to lead such a life in an Immortal Sect, so this type of odd-jobber is notmon, fewer even than the Outer Sect Disciples.


    As for nurturing Great Grandmasters, the Immortal Sect would not do such a thing, as it would be a waste of effort. Firstly, martial arts also require talent, and secondly, it could easily lead to chaos.


    The strength of most young Outer Sect Disciples ranges from the Nourishing Power Realm to the Spirit Spring Realm, with the majority in the Nourishing Power Realm; in a real fight, they may not be a match for a Great Grandmaster.


    When Great Grandmasters be numerous, and the powers are equivalent, with such a huge gap in status, shes are inevitable.


    Immortal Seedlings are hard to find, and once arge-scale blood conflict urs, it represents a loss for the Immortal Sect.


    Even a Lower Quality Immortal Bone is worth much more than ten Great Grandmasters; it''s not worth taking such a risk.


    "What exactly does this entrance examination check for?"


    Hiding power was not difficult for Chu Zheng; temporarily moving the Yuan Qi in his dantian into his body was easy for him.


    The only thing to be cautious about was this pre-entry inspection.


    "Immortal Bone, cultivation level, just these two things. The Sect previously had a Spirit Formation; you can''t bring anything in with you. You enter bare and are given the clothes of an odd-jobber after passing through the Spirit Formation."


    "Every time you go in and out of the Sect Gate, is it like this?" Chu Zheng asked, finding it a bit too stringent.


    Fu Quanliang shook his head: "Of course not, this is only for odd-jobbers. For the disciples going out, there''s another, moreplicated process."


    The Immortal Path has many wondrous methods. Every entry and exit by a disciple is a potential risk. Upon returning, an Elder personally identifies them to prevent body-snatching, shape-shifting, or evil heretics hiding inside secret treasures and returning with the disciples to the Sect.


    Over the ages, countless Immortal Sects have been destroyed by internal strife.


    Long-standing Immortal Sects will have methods left by ancestors as their foundation, but while many of these foundations can defend against external enemies, they do not stop traitors within.


    Upon thinking this, Fu Quanliang couldn''t help but feel a bit excited. If he could truly bring Chu Zheng into the Phantom Spirit Sect, it would be the equivalent of nting a time bomb, and perhaps one day it could really blow the Phantom Spirit Sect sky high.


    After weighing his options for a moment, Chu Zheng made a decision, "Then we set off tomorrow."


    Since he had received the news, it was naturally better to set off as soon as possible.


    The Night Light Pavilion may not care about a Jiang Cunhu, but it was possible that some well-connected fellows mighte looking for him.


    ...


    ...


    Suddenly it was midday.


    After receiving news from the Phantom Spirit Sect, Song Tonghai had not shown himself.


    Knowing that Chu Zheng nned to leave the next day, Song Lingxue came forward and dispersed everyone in the Song Residence.


    In a blink, the entire Song Residence was left with but a few people, eerily empty.


    In the afternoon, Chu Zheng took a trip outside, circling around Luofeng City.

 Chapter 41: Chapter 37: The Fall of the Song Residence (Combined Part 2)_2

    There were still many martial artists lurking in the area, and their information channels were not as fast as Fu Quanliang''s. They werepletely unaware that the situation had already changed.


    Chu Zheng tried tomunicate with them, but the process was not very pleasant. In the end, Chu Zheng brought back many mutted corpses, both men and women.


    ...


    ...


    Night fell.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on the couch, packing his gear. He dug up several books from the Immortal Sect that he had originally buried underground and stored them in his storage bag.


    The storage bag could not be taken into the Phantom Spirit Sect. He would need to think of a way...


    Whoosh¡ª


    The door was suddenly pushed open, and Song Lingxue stepped slowly into the room, her expression calm.


    "We set off tomorrow. Where are you going?"


    "Phantom Spirit Sect." Chu Zheng did not hide it and told her truthfully.


    Having killed Jiang Cunhu, he had settled his ounts with the Song Family. Naturally, the next step was to do what he had wanted to do all along.


    Moreover, the Song Family''s situation was no longer as difficult as before.


    Upon learning Chu Zheng''s destination, Song Lingxue appeared somewhat surprised, "Why do you want to go to the Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    "To take revenge."


    As soon as the words were out, to avoid misunderstanding, Chu Zheng thought for a moment and then added another sentence:


    "This has nothing to do with the Song Family. I have already cleared all the checkpoints near Luofeng City. Tomorrow, you can leave directly."


    Helping Fu Quanliang take revenge was just something he did along the way.


    The reason he chose the Phantom Spirit Sect was simply that it seemed much weakerpared to the Night Light Pavilion. Among the several nearby Immortal Sects, it looked like the easiest target.


    The olddy knows to pick the soft persimmons to squeeze just as well as she knows that with Fu Quanliang helping from the inside, the Phantom Spirit Sect was almost the best choice.


    Of Chu Zheng''s words, Song Lingxue believed only the part about taking revenge.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect had no particr grudge against Chu Zheng. She preferred to believe that his talk of revenge was for Song Lingqing''s sake.


    Thinking this, she slowly stepped forward, came to the side of the bed, and pushed Chu Zheng down onto the couch.


    Chu Zheng: "?"


    Before he could speak, Song Lingxue had already climbed onto the couch, straddling him at his waist.


    She looked down at Chu Zheng, casually pulled apart her hair tie, her ck hair cascading down like a waterfall, and said sinctly:


    "Take it off."


    Chu Zheng nced at the moonlight outside the window and pondered, "How about we wait until tomorrow? I prefer the daytime."


    At night, absorbing moonlight, the yin qi inside his body rose somewhat, affecting hisbat power.


    Song Lingxue said no more, but instead bit down on Chu Zheng''s neck.


    ...


    ...


    Dawn had not yet broken.


    A carriage slowly departed from the back courtyard of the Song Residence. Song Lingxue, dressed in a fitted outfit of blue and green, wearing a battle hat, urged the horse forward.


    Inside the carriage, Song Tonghai hung his head low, his hair white, his once bright eyes now dull and clouded, mumbling to himself:


    "Lingqing... my Lingqing..."


    In his arms, he held several ques, one of which was brand new, pristine.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning.


    When Chu Zheng awoke, there was no one next to him on the pillow.


    The Song Residence was deserted, not a soul in sight.


    There was a letter on the table in the main hall, left by Song Lingxue.


    The content of the letter was simple, hoping that Chu Zheng would give up going to the Phantom Spirit Sect, find somewhere else to live well, as he and the Song Family were now quit of each other, and there was no need to waste time on meaningless matters.


    Chu Zheng showed no expression, a faint light ignited in his hand, and the letter instantly turned to ash.


    Quit of each other?


    She thought too simply; his yang essence was exceedingly precious, and Song Lingxue owed him much more.


    Remembering the previous night, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but sigh. After all, he was only sixteen or seventeen, full of vigor, his self-control not strong.


    Having expended his yang essence so early, maintaining the bnce of yin and yang inside his body in the future would take extra effort.


    As for regrets, that was out of the question.


    Fu Quanliang, carrying a long sword, stepped into the main hall and inquired, "Shall we go now?"


    "Let''s go."


    Chu Zheng turned and walked towards the front door of the Song Residence, raising his hand towards the sky. Yuan Qi surged from his palm, shooting straight into the heavens. In an instant, it turned into a zing inferno.


    The moment the two men stepped out the door, the fireball in the sky suddenly exploded, turning into a rain of fire that covered the entire Song Residence in the blink of an eye.


    In the Spirit Transformation Realm, understanding the flow and change of qi was just a minor spell, easily executed.


    To avoid leaving too many traces and prevent tracking, burning everything cleanly was the safest method.


    The bodies brought back yesterday also found their use now, at least they could create the false appearance of a massacre.


    mes surged a dozen feet high, gradually devouring the gold-ted que at the entrance.


    Watching the century-old mansion gradually disappear in the ze, Chu Zheng''s brow slightly furrowed, his fingertips trembling gently.


    He had never thought that one day he would personally destroy such an ancient heritage to conceal what had happened here.


    As a Cultural Relic Restorer, he had buried a piece of history with his own hands.


    Although, to the whole world, this piece of history was insignificant.


    "Let''s go."


    Chu Zheng turned around and casually asked, "How far is it from Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    "Not far, there''s a branch sect twenty thousand li away, once there, we can take a flying boat back to the main sect."


    "How long did it take you to get here?"


    "A senior sister brought me herest time, it took less than two days, but for the two of us...walking, it would take half a month to reach there."


    "Was your senior sister beautiful?"


    "Of course, beautiful..."


    Under the reflection of the soaring mes, two figures gradually vanished into the streets, leaving no trace.


    ...


    ...


    The fire burned for a full day and night, and thus Wuyang County lost yet another century-old prominent family.


    A few dayster, a hundred iron riders galloped and halted before the ruins.


    "We are still one step toote! What a pity."


    Gazing at the rubble before him, Zhao Yunheng, draped in a python robe, sighed deeply upon learning of Song Lingqing''s ambush, having rushed back from the capital, hoping to fulfill his previous desires.


    Despite rushing, he was still a step behind.


    "Missing out might not be such a bad thing."


    By his side, Zhao Jichang shook his head, "The Song Family seems unable to withstand such overwhelming fate; it''s better not to get involved."


    "Indeed."


    Zhao Yunhengughed scoldingly, "You managed to marry four nobledies from the capital, enjoying a newlywed night every night, naturally you wouldn''t long for Song Lingxue."


    "Is this ce the Song Residence?"


    Before Zhao Yunheng could finish speaking, a voice suddenly inquired from the side.


    Out of nowhere, a figure had appeared among the ruins, dressed in a green robe, looking around twenty, his skin radiant, with a dot of blood-red cinnabar at the center of his brow, adding a demonic charm to his otherwise fair face.


    "Who might you be?" Zhao Yunheng frowned slightly.


    "Answer me, is this the Song Residence?" The man slightly furrowed his brow, repeating his earlier question, seemingly impatient.


    "How dare you!"


    The sound of swords being drawn exploded all around as such disrespectful behavior instantly infuriated the hundred iron riders behind Zhao Yunheng.


    Thump¡ª


    A muffled sound echoed, and in an instant, all the iron riders who had drawn their swords, along with their horses, were torn apart, turning into pools of blood and mud.


    In a blink, only Zhao Yunheng and his son remained.


    Zhao Jichang trembled, his face turning pale suddenly, momentarily at a loss for words.


    "This indeed is the Song Residence, please forgive my subordinates for their ignorance, Superior Immortal," Zhao Yunheng said with a solemn face, dismounted protecting Zhao Jichang behind him, and bowed in apology.


    "Superior Immortal, I hope you can spare our lives, considering we are descendants of the Zhao Family."


    Hearing this, the man slowly narrowed his eyes, "You threaten me with a dead man?"


    "Where is Court Immortal Zhao now?"


    "Court Immortal Zhao? Court Immortal Zhao? Court Immortal Zhao!"


    His tone became increasingly emphatic, echoing through the void, creating ripples in the air.


    Boom¡ª


    Before the echo had faded, suddenly thick thunderclouds formed above the sky, transforming into an emotionless pair of Thundering Giant Eyes.


    Deep within the eyes, a scene of Chaos surfaced with Yin Yang Dual Qi swirling around.


    The instant the thunderclouds appeared, the man in the green robe''s face turned pale, his expression dramatically altered.


    Before he could speak, a Thundering Giant Sword descended from the sky, like a divine punishment, shing down towards his head.


    Hum¡ª


    Not far away, Zhao Yunheng only felt a breeze brush past his face, and when he opened his eyes again, the remnants of the Song Family were no more; only a bottomless abyss remained.


    ...


    ...


    The news of the Song Family''s annihtion spread rapidly and within a few days had spread throughout Great Zhou, bing the talk of the town among the rivers andkes.


    But the disturbances in the nearby countries'' cultivation realms were far more dramatic than in the mundane world.


    Just the fact that Fu Quanliang had crossed borders to kill Jiang Cunhu alone had stirred some reactions among the junior disciples of the nearby sects.

 Chapter 42: Chapter 38: Illusory Spirit City

    Nourishing Spirit-destroying Spring, it is something only a very rare few anomalies could achieve.


    Fu Quanliang, this obscure Outer Sect disciple, undoubtedly created a miracle.


    What shocked the surrounding Immortal Sects even more was that Zhao Tingxian was still alive, his cultivation had already reached Tongxuan, and calling his real name could alert him, even striking an Elder from Night Light Pavilion in the Soul Condensing Realm from afar.


    Some powerful individuals even suspected that Zhao Tingxian had already crossed into the Immortal Sect, undergoing transformation to ascend to immortality.


    Compared to Zhao Tingxian, the existence of Fu Quanliang was no longer so noticeable.


    This news was only circted among a small group of high-level members of the sects, and for a time, everyone within the Great Zhou Territory restrained themselves significantly, with some sects even canceling their established sub-sect locations within the Great Zhou Territory and withdrew their stationed disciples.


    ......


    ......


    Tianxuan Country, Phantom Spirit Mountain Range.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect had thrived here for ten thousand years, and within hundreds of thousands of miles, only two or three couldpete with it.


    The Phantom Spirit Mountain Range stretched over thirteen thousand miles, suppressing a High Quality Spirit Vein below, which nourished the cultivation of tens of thousands of cultivators in the sect, with spiritual energy as vast as the sea and auspicious radiance filling the skies above.


    At the foot of the mountain rangey a giant city spanning nearly a hundred miles, Illusory Spirit City, which served as both the entrance to the mountain range and a pathway connecting the Celestial and Mortal realms.


    Even those naturally with Immortal Bone do not necessarily inherit their parents'' talents, and there are still many with ordinary flesh and bones.


    These individuals, while different in status from ordinary people by having the blood of cultivators flowing within them, naturally do not return to the mundane world but alsock the qualifications to tread the Immortal Path, so they live within this city.


    Compared to ordinary people, their descendants have a much higher chance of producing Immortal Seedlings, and over time, they naturally became a fixed source of new blood for the Immortal Sects.


    Within this city, it is a mix of all sorts, cultivators, mortals, and arge number of martial artists.


    Not all cultivators are disciples of the Phantom Spirit Sect; many from smaller sects also conduct business here, exchanging resources that are hard to obtain in the outside world.


    Most of these martial artists came hoping to try their luck, some even hoping to identally enter the realm of a Great Grandmaster.


    Of course, within this city, Great Grandmasters are not called Grandmasters but are simply referred to as martial masters, indicating a master on the Martial Path.


    Below the martial master, all are known as martial artists.


    Though Illusory Spirit City is vast, it is divided in an orderly manner. The city''s east links to the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range and holds a Spirit Gathering Array, where the spiritual energy is most abundant. This is also where most cultivators and martial masters are active.


    Most of those dwelling in the south of the city are family members or dependents of people from the Phantom Spirit Sect. Thend here is as precious as gold and has subtly evolved into several major ns that can be regarded as an extension of the power within the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The north of the city hosts numerous taverns, gambling houses, brothels, and Drunken Immortal Pavilion, which is the most free-spirited and uninhibited area in Illusory Spirit City, even featuring services specifically for cultivators.


    The west of the city is more akin to the mundane mortal world, a jumble of all walks of life, and is no stranger to petty thieves and underground activities.


    The four areas are clearly divided, with each junction guarded by disciples from the Phantom Spirit Sect, who maintain strict surveince.


    Entry and exit require prior reporting and obtaining a token. Those caught crossing boundaries without permission are sent directly to the mines, sentenced to ten years ofbor.


    The mines, hidden from sunlight, with some passages filled with umted poisonous smoke, if one is merely an ordinary flesh and bones individual, whether they can leave alive remains a question mark.


    North of the city.


    In the noisy corner of a long street, in front of a shop, a long line had formed, varying in ages from teenagers around sixteen or seventeen to the elderly, all men, most wearing masks covering the better part of their faces.


    In front of the shop, a few green gs fluttered, bearing lines of conspicuous bold characters.


    [Millennium family medical skills, bring the dead back to life.]


    [Upholding men''s dignity!]


    [Men shouldn''t be soft persimmons, if you''re going to do it, be a real tough guy!]


    [The most valuable quality in men¡ªfirmness and strength.]


    [Be the strong backbone of the family, the firmest support, be a man who stands tall!]


    The shop was divided into two sections by a curtain, the outer section was crowded with people, all staring at the curtain with eager eyes.


    A few momentster, a middle-aged man in a long robe walked out slowly, with his head held high and a majestic step, moving like a tiger surveying his surroundings, radiating strong confidence all around him.


    "Next."


    A faint call came from inside.


    Upon hearing this, the robust man at the front quickly lifted the curtain and squeezed in.


    "Doctor Chu, please work your magic again."


    The robust man smiled broadly, "Your needles are the most divine I have ever seen; my body is getting stronger day by day."


    Chu Zheng put down his teacup and casually asked, "How many times have you been here?"


    "The third time now."


    "Hmm, this should be about right, lie down." Chu Zheng nonchntly pointed to the soft couch beside him, twirling a silver needle between his fingers.


    [Lu Sheng (Zeroth Order): Internal yang is weak, blood qi slightly deficient, can be repaired.]


    Chu Zheng casually inserted needles into several insignificant acupoints and waited for a moment before opening the repair panel, flicked his fingers lightly, and gradually withdrew the needles:


    "All right, two Lower Quality Spirit Stones."


    "Thank you, Doctor Chu."


    The robust man got off the couch, stretched his limbs, his joy intensifying, repeatedly thanking as he immediately took out the spirit stones and presented them with both hands.


    Chu Zheng took them, casually weighing them in his hand, each of these stones representing two Song Families.


    Themon gold and silver could not circte in Illusory Spirit City; the city used Spiritual Currency issued by the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    A hundred Spiritual Currency could be exchanged for one Lower Quality Spirit Stone at an exchange office set up by the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Chu Zheng did not ept Spiritual Currency, only spirit stones.


    A normal martial master, working themselves to exhaustion in the city for a month, would earn merely twenty to thirty Spiritual Currency, and by saving up without eating or drinking, could umte only two or three spirit stones a year.


    The day he arrived in Illusory Spirit City, Chu Zheng did not rush to enter the Phantom Spirit Sect but told Fu Quanliang to enter the sect first while he waited outside for news.


    A month had already passed, and during this long period, not receiving any unusual signals from the Life-link Seal already proved that Fu Quanliang had safely entered the sect without any incidents.


    Opening this medical clinic was also inspired by Fu Quanliang.


    Previously at Song Family, Fu Quanliang had indulged excessively, and after receiving Chu Zheng''s treatment, the depleted Yuan Qi in his body had also been replenished.


    Once in Illusory Spirit City and after some initial understanding, Chu Zheng set up this medical clinic, hanging out a sign simr to those of male clinics from his previous life, soon making the business booming.


    Surrounded by brothels, those who frequented this ce were mostly of some status, and not short of Spiritual Currency; those with deficiencies in their bodies were even more so.


    Earning spirit stones through the panel was extremely profitable, almost at no cost.


    Chu Zheng was careful not to fully heal these people in one go, generally dividing it into two to three sessions.


    Those who looked particrly wealthy were even divided into seven or eight sessions, gradually.


    Little by little, in just a month, Chu Zheng had already umted a considerable amount of wealth, enough to make any cultivator envious.


    "Next."


    A figure lifted the curtain and walked straight in.


    "Long time no see, Doctor Chu."

 Chapter 43: Chapter 39: Ancient Battlefield

    "Gentlemen, please leave; we are closed for today. Come early if you wish to visit tomorrow."


    Chu Zheng nced at the neers, lifted the curtain, and stepped out, beginning to usher the people away.


    Those waiting outside sighed, resigned to their fate, and left. Those who came here did so in disguise, each with their own unspeakable secrets. No one would cause trouble, for if a mishap were to leak out, it would meanplete ruin.


    In the blink of an eye, the space in front of the medical hall was empty and deste.


    "Why has it taken you so long toe and see me?"


    The door was barely closed when Chu Zheng, not waiting for Fu Quanliang to speak, asked first, "Well? What about the Song Family''s matter? What was said?"


    "Do you think you can just leave the sect whenever you want? As soon as you exit the sect gate, you must have an elder''s permission slip. This time, I barely managed to secure a mission, which is how I was able to leave."


    Fu Quanliang exined somewhat helplessly, then continued:


    "After verifying my identity, the elder simply asked how I had managed it. I told them I''d found several martial masters to help in secret, first seriously injuring them with a spirit talisman, then joining forces to finish the job."


    "That''s it?"


    Seeing Fu Quanliang had nothing more to say, Chu Zheng could not hide his surprise, "And they believed that?"


    "They did."


    Fu Quanliang responded with a sense of speechlessness, "What else did you expect?"


    For an Outer Sect Disciple like him, it was already an exceptional case to have an Inner Sect Elder personally inquire about the matter.


    Although this achievement had earned him a greater degree of respect from many Outer Sect Disciples, fundamentally, nothing had changed.


    Still possessing a Lower Quality Immortal Bone, he was destined not to make waves in the sect; he still had to undertake missions to support himself.


    Snap back to reality, Chu Zheng casually asked another question, "Have they found out the cause of Song Lingqing''s death?"


    "Dead?"


    Fu Quanliang was startled for a moment, then shook his head emphatically,


    "No, no, no, she''s not dead. I heard that Elder Qin Feng is the one who''s not far from death."


    "Not dead?" Chu Zheng couldn''t hide his astonishment.


    "Yes, but she might as well be. I''ve heard that when Uncle-Master Qin Feng carried her back, her meridians werepletely destroyed, and her Immortal Bone shattered, leaving her with only a breath of Yuan Qi which Elder Qin Feng barely managed to sustain."


    Fu Quanliang shook his head, expressing pity, "The sect expended great effort to save her, even resorting to the sect''s secret treasure pills, supplemented by the Ten Thousand Years Spirit Spring, but they only managed to preserve her life, not the Immortal Bone."


    "Now, her position in the sect is quite awkward. She is listed as a True Disciple, but she''s essentially disabled. There are, if not a hundred, at least seventy to eighty disciples vying to rece her and be True Disciples of the Inner Sect."


    True Disciples, prestigious beings, protected by Inner Sect Elders and disciples of the Supreme, enjoying endless resources, able to turn the tide at will, are the backbone of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s future.


    Song Lingqing, now unfit for her status, was merely upying the position without contributing, and it was only a matter of time before she was pushed out.


    One could foresee that her fall from the status of True Disciple was imminent. Even her identity as an Inner Sect Disciple was uncertain and she might plummet to the very bottom.


    "No wonder."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly, understanding that such a fate was no different from death itself¡ªthat must be why the Night Light Pavilion had slowed its actions against the Song Family.


    He had technically only met Song Lingqing once when she had helped him open the first door to this world.


    What a pity, how unpredictable life can be.


    Chu Zheng gathered his thoughts, then asked offhandedly, "What about my joining the sect? Any news on that front?"


    At first, he had not known about the existence of Illusory Spirit City outside the Phantom Spirit Sect, and now his eagerness to join the sect wasn''t as strong as before.


    In Illusory Spirit City, one could still ess the Immortal Path.


    "The sect ns to recruit a group of Odd-jobbers from Illusory Spirit City soon."


    Fu Quanliang nodded, then suddenly changed the subject:


    "However, I suggest you wait a bit longer."


    "Why?" Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled.


    "This batch of odd-jobbers is requested by the Han Family, specifically for mining work. It''s in an ancient mine shaft with many skeletons buried within, at least tens of thousands of years old, from an ancient battlefield. It''s extremely dangerous,"


    After speaking, Fu Quanliang couldn''t help feeling somewhat pleased with himself.


    This was insider information, and ordinary Outer Sect Disciples couldn''t possibly know about it unless they were as well-informed as he was.


    "You said how many years ago?" Chu Zheng zeroed in on the critical point, his eyes almost brimming with light.


    "An ancient battlefield from tens of thousands of years ago."


    ......


    ......


    East of Illusory Spirit City.


    The sun was setting in the west, nearing dusk, with the colors of the sky growing increasingly magnificent.


    Formation patterns flowed through the void, barely perceptible, drawing in spiritual energy from all around.


    The eastern city bordered the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range, and the area was markedly different from the other three city districts. Merely staying here required the payment of one Lower Quality Spirit Stone per day.


    "You want me to pay for all of this?!"


    Fu Quanliang couldn''t believe what he was hearing from Chu Zheng, unable to grasp how someone could be so stingy.


    Although he was rolling in spiritual currency, he couldn''t even bear to part with a single Lower Quality Spirit Stone.


    As an Outer Sect Disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect, Fu Quanliang naturally didn''t need to pay Spirit Stones to enter the eastern city, but he couldn''t bring guests without paying their share. That was the rule, and Chu Zheng''s portion still had to be paid.


    "Save where you should, spend where you must. We''ll need a lot more Spirit Stones in the future,"


    Chu Zheng was unfazed, gesturing for Fu Quanliang to hand over the Spirit Stone.


    One Spirit Stone was enough for an entire Song Family. Fu Quanliang always remembered the analogy he had made, as this was no small sum.


    Speechless, Fu Quanliang reluctantly handed over two Lower Quality Spirit Stones to his fellow sect member.


    They would be staying here for two days.


    Once inside the eastern city, Chu Zheng immediately sensed the difference. The spiritual energy between heaven and earth surged, invigorating the Yuan Qi within his body.


    After a brief cirction of qi through the Grand Cirction, Chu Zheng marveled at the discovery that his cultivation speed here was at least twice as fast as in the outside world.


    This was just the area outside the Phantom Spirit Sect. If he were inside the sect, the spiritual energy would undoubtedly be even richer.


    ncing at the sky, and seeing there was still time, Chu Zheng casually set up a stall on a bustling street, cing a small g: "Buying old Magic Artifacts at low prices, family heirlooms need not apply."


    The profit from Magic Artifacts was far greater than running a medicine hall. Broken artifacts, mostly useless due to their engraved arrays, were just scrap metal, worth only a few to several dozen Spirit Stones at most.


    Only down-and-out Martial Masters lingering in the area would spend Spiritual Currency on such junk. Even in their ruined state, these artifacts were still regarded as divine weapons in ordinary mortals'' eyes.


    Aplete Low Grade Magic Artifact, no matter how poor the quality, would still cost at least five hundred to eight hundred Spirit Stones.


    Restoring thempletely through his repair panel, the resale value could yield profits hundredfold.


    Fu Quanliang hade down from the mountains on a mission and had tasks of his own toplete. After spending an hour or two with Chu Zheng on the street corner, he got up and left.


    Seeing little business around, Chu Zheng multitasked, pulling up the repair panel and dedicating all of today''s repair attempts to the Xuan Tian Seal.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: First Order, Initial Stage]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)...]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order/Iplete), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)]


    [Repair Master: First Order (230/1000)]


    [Remaining Daily Repair Attempts: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (200/300), Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500)]


    At this pace, in twenty more days, the Xuan Tian Seal, this divine skill, could finally be fully restored.

 Chapter 44: Chapter 40: Heavenly Aura Sword Array

    ```


    The Xuan Tian Seal is a Martial Dao Divine Ability, and Chu Zheng had always been quite interested in it.


    The information contained within this Divine Ability was quite critical; at the very least, the existence of the Xuan Tian Seal proved that in this world, cultivation was not the only path to follow.


    Martial Dao was not merely confined to the secr world, much like his Qi-refining Technique ¨C there must have been a path of martial practice in the past that could lead one to the pinnacle of humanity.


    Why the Martial Dao had declined was certainly a big secret.


    If Li Mingzhou hadn''t thrown that fragment of the Martial Wall into the sea, he might have had the chance to unveil this secret earlier.


    Every time he thought of this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel sincere heartache.


    Broken magic artifacts, most people would choose to melt them down with true fire, erase all traces and then either discard them or stow them away in the bottom of a chest.


    Artifacts would more or less retain the traces and aura of the person who used them, which could potentially be cursed or used for tracking from afar by some cultivators with strange and surreptitious methods.


    Chu Zheng crouched on the street corner, waiting for nearly two hours and only did two deals, both with the same person.


    [Green Spirit Robe (First Order/Iplete): Carrying the fragrance of recently unearthed earth, you have a discerning eye and can tell at a nce that it was stripped from the dead, recently buried. Can be repaired (0/30)]


    [Chasing Cloud Boots (First Order/Iplete): These boots have traversed countlessndscapes, enough tost you a millennium, having gone through five previous owners, the soles are worn through. Can be repaired (0/50)]


    If it weren''t for the panel indicator, Chu Zheng wouldn''t have noticed anything wrong with the Green Spirit Robe.


    The robe was washed clean, only arge tear at the chest and the spirit formation stitched above were in tatters.


    This disappointed Chu Zheng somewhat; it was too clean, which instead destroyed the traces of the robe''s past, losing some of its essence.


    The Chasing Cloud Boots were in even worse shape, with only half of the sole remaining, weathered and aged, they were quite to Chu Zheng''s liking.


    In the eyes of ordinary people, these two items were ridiculously dpidated, Chu Zheng spent forty spiritual currency on each, totaling less than a single Lower Quality Spirit Stone.


    He could bring these two items with him; the mine he was heading to was not within the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range and wasn''t checked as strictly. A Storage Bag was definitely not allowable, but two broken magic artifacts would not attract anyone''s attention.


    Just as Chu Zheng was about to pack up, a voice suddenly came from above:


    "Do you take this?"


    Chu Zheng looked up at the sound, nced briefly and couldn''t help but be somewhat startled.


    A teenager stood in front of him, no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, not far off from Chu Zheng''s actual age, seemingly not yet fully grown, rather thin, wearing a washed-out pale blue robe, emitting a rich schrly aura.


    This was the first person since arriving in this world that Chu Zheng could tell at first nce was a schr.


    Moreover, this young man was a mortal, one who had never practiced any martial arts.


    For such a person to appear in the eastern part of the city was quite strange.


    In this area, aside from cultivators, the rest were mainly martial masters, and mortals were nowhere to be seen.


    In the boy''s hands was a case over two feet in length, his expression hesitant, seemingly somewhat ambivalent.


    "Let me take a look."


    Chu Zheng always had a certain fondness for schrs and readily reached out to take the case from the young man and opened it.


    Inside the casey a wooden sword, with only a portion remaining; the tip along with half of the de was gone, the break covered in scorched lines.


    [Heavenly Aura Sword (Sixth Order/Iplete): Originating from aplete set of the Heavenly Aura Sword Array, one of three hundred and sixty assistant swords, made from Phoenix Blood Wood, with your current abilities, you can onlyplete preliminary repairs. (Preliminary repairs 0/100)]


    Sixth Order!


    Chu Zheng involuntarily took a sharp breath, on the same level as the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, and this sword was merely one of the assistant swords. If he could restore theplete Heavenly Aura Sword Array, its power was simply unimaginable.


    ```


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s expression change, the young man became a bit flustered and quickly exined:


    "This was left by my dad, he said it''s a rare magic artifact. Despite being made of wood, it''s resistant to axes and knives, impervious to water and fire, quite sturdy."


    Chu Zheng snapped back to his senses, closed the case lid, and spoke in a deep voice:


    "How many spirit stones do you n to sell it for?"


    "Spirit stones?"


    The young man paused for a moment, his gaze flickered, and he tentatively stretched out five fingers: "Five lower quality spirit stones."


    "Deal."


    Chu Zheng had no intention of haggling over the price and nodded in agreement. He took out six lower quality spirit stones and handed them over.


    "What does this mean?" The young man looked at the extra spirit stone with some confusion.


    "I have some questions I''d like to ask, consider it a payment for information."


    Chu Zheng spoke with a hint of urgency, "May I ask where your esteemed father acquired this broken sword from?"


    The value of the Great Circtory Qi Guideline was only sixth order, the worth of this broken sword was self-evident.


    "I''m not sure about that," the young man shook his head, his expression a bit dejected:


    "My dad left home three years ago, and he still hasn''t returned. Nearly everything he left behind was taken by the Phantom Spirit Sect, only this magic artifact remained, it''s been in our house for several years now."


    "I said five pieces, so it''s five. I''m not taking advantage of you."


    As he spoke, the young man returned the extra spirit stone.


    Chu Zheng raised his eyebrows slightly as he epted the spirit stone, "How may I address you?"


    "My name is Bai Nian."


    "If there are anymore such magic artifacts in the future, you can keep them for me, I''ll buy them all at the same price."


    "Sure," Bai Nian replied, his face showing an unmistakable joy as he turned to leave.


    Chu Zheng watched the young man walk away, lost in thought.


    From the brief exchange with Bai Nian, he had roughly understood the boy''s predicament.


    The fact that the Phantom Spirit Sect took away the family''s possessions suggested that his father must be a cultivator, perhaps even a disciple of the sect.


    From the actions of the Phantom Spirit Sect, it was clear that the father''s chances of survival were probably slim.


    Without an Immortal Bone and no one to look after him, evencking martial skills, striving to survive in the Illusory Spirit City was exceedingly difficult.


    Chu Zheng nced at the sky, packed up his stall, found a secluded corner at the street corner, and sped four spirit stones in each hand, immersing himself in cultivation.


    The spiritual energy within the spirit stones was more pure, the only w being that the Five Elements Qi was somewhat heavy, requiring Chu Zheng to spend some energy on bncing it.


    The locations where spirit stone veins appeared had no fixed pattern, whether submerged under a Magma Sea, lying silently at the bottom of the Myriad Years Cold Pond, buried deep in the core of the earth alongside Immortal Gold and Divine Iron, or hidden in the vault of the heavens, falling together with meteorites.


    Over the years, these spirit stones inevitably became tainted with attribute-bearing Qi, returning them to their initial state of clear yin and yang required some time.


    However, even so, cultivating with the help of spirit stones was still much faster than drawing in nature''s spiritual energy.


    During cultivation, one hardly noticed the passing of time, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the next day''s afternoon.


    Fu Quanliang, with the evening glow underfoot, returned to Chu Zheng''s side, his face covered in dust, his hair in disarray, appearing a bit disheveled.

 Chapter 45: Chapter 41: Arrival

    Chu Zheng slowly ended his cultivation practice, opened his eyes, and stood up, saying, "Is the mission aplished?"


    "Pretty much."


    Fu Quanliang nodded slightly, without borating much on the mission, and turned around, saying, "Follow me, the registration for odd-jobbers has already started."


    This time, the Phantom Spirit Sect''s recruitment of odd-jobbers had caused quite a stir in Illusory Spirit City; it had been a long time since such arge-scale recruitment took ce.


    When the two arrived at the registration site, the sky had already darkenedpletely. The square was brilliantly lit, not allowing a speck of night to seep through. The noise of the crowd buzzed in their ears, creating a chaotic din.


    This time, although it was nominally the Phantom Spirit Sect recruiting odd-jobbers, it was actually the Han Family behind it.


    The Han Family held considerable influence within the Phantom Spirit Sect. Their ancestor, a Supreme elder of the sect, was in thete Divine Soul Realm, with potential for further advancement, forming the foundation for the family for generations toe.


    As for the purpose of this recruitment to gather odd-jobbers, the Han Family did not hide it and openly stated it was for mining, but they concealed the existence of that ancient battlefield, presumably to avoid rming these martial masters.


    In itself, mining was a riskier jobpared to others. If it were apanied by strange urrences, it would be even more dangerous and would scare away many people.


    The selection of odd-jobbers was straightforward and clear-cut, without anyplicated procedures. There were three bronze cauldrons set up in the square, respectively weighing five thousand, eight thousand, and ten thousand catties.


    Those who could lift the five-thousand-catty cauldron would get two hundred spiritual currency a month and five Qi Boosting Elixirs.


    Those who could lift the seven-thousand-catty cauldron would get four hundred spiritual currency and ten Qi Boosting Elixirs.


    Those who could lift the ten-thousand-catty cauldron would get one thousand spiritual currency and thirty Qi Boosting Elixirs.


    These were just the basics, and the one who contributed the most in mining each month would also get twenty lower-quality spirit stones as a reward.


    For most martial masters who toiled for a year to barely earn two to three hundred spiritual currency, this job was an attractive opportunity.


    The Qi Boosting Elixir was specially formted by an alchemist of the Phantom Spirit Sect for these martial masters.


    One Qi Boosting Elixir could save these martial masters nearly a year of arduous effort.


    However, therees a time when human strength reaches its limits, and when inner strength bes sufficiently thick, it naturally stagnates.


    For those martial masters who had reached the realm of Perfection, the effect of the Qi Boosting Elixir was only to help them maintain their strength or recover their depleted inner strength more quickly.


    In other words, they could work more within a shorter span of time.


    Chu Zheng observed for a moment on the side and noticed that not many could lift the ten-thousand-catty cauldron, one in a hundred at most. Most martial masters chose either the five-thousand or the seven-thousand-catty cauldron.


    Those who could lift the ten-thousand-catty cauldron were mostly middle-aged martial masters, in their prime years.


    Before long, it was Chu Zheng''s turn.


    Even if the ten-thousand-catty cauldron were ten times heavier, it would be trivial for the current Chu Zheng, but obviously, he couldn''t appear too conspicuous now.


    He walked into the square, weighing his options briefly, and chose to lift the seven-thousand-catty cauldron. When lifting, he circted his qi throughout his body, his face slightly reddened, it was apparent at a nce that he still had some strength to spare.


    Not until the sun rose did the recruitment finally conclude, resulting in four hundred fifty-nine selected individuals. Only seven could lift the ten-thousand-catty cauldron. After the results were announced, people began to form alliances, clustering around these seven individuals.


    Most martial masters, except for Chu Zheng, were nning to stay long term for the mining endeavor and naturally needed to form alliances early to avoid being weak and marginalized.


    After all, it''s always better for others to suffer than oneself.


    Not many could lift the seven-thousand-catty cauldron, and being young as well, Chu Zheng naturally received many invitations.


    In such an environment, he did not y any solo wolf tricks. Using the Qi Observation Technique, he joined a group that seemed the most capable.


    A strong group would save him a lot of trouble, and historical experience taught him that staying outside the group never ended well.


    After recruitment concluded, Phantom Spirit Sect gave everyone a day to pack their bags and handle their affairs before departing on the Flying Boat.


    Fu Quanliang had disappeared unexpectedly, and Chu Zheng turned back to search for a while but could not find any trace of him and eventually had to give up.


    He had little to pack, only returning to the Medicine Clinic to bury the Storage Bag underground, then opened the clinic for a day of business, informing his patients of his extended leave.


    This naturally brought about a round of sighs.


    When the time was almost up, he took a few clothing items and three damaged Magic Artifacts and rushed to the square where the Flying Boat was stationed.


    ......


    ......


    The inspection before boarding the Flying Boat was unexpectedly thorough, supervised by over ten cultivators at least above the Spirit Spring Realm.


    One of them gave him a terrifying feeling, no less formidable than Qin Feng he had previously met at the Song Residence.


    This person looked to be about thirty, with a handsome and elegant demeanor, dressed in a blue robe, with a jade belt around his waist and a Golden Crown in his hair, exuding an aura of innate authority. At a nce, he seemed not so much a member of the Immortal Sect, but rather like a lord of a region, radiating an air of nobility.


    The items Chu Zheng carried were nothing out of the ordinary, and he passed the inspection smoothly.


    Once on board the Flying Boat, he scanned the surroundings and quickly spotted Fu Quanliang sitting in a corner.


    His expression concealed surprise as he moved towards him quietly, establishing contact through the Life-link Seal, and transmitted a message in secret:


    "Why are you here too? Are you also going?"


    "I''m afraid you might die inside."


    Fu Quanliang, with a head full of ck lines, clenched his teeth and transmitted back, "The thing tied on your belt right now is my head, I hope you take your safety more seriously."


    Allowing Chu Zheng to go mining and exploring alone was something Fu Quanliang could never be at ease with; he wished he could follow him wherever he went.


    "You mentioned earlier that this mission is rted to the Han Family; do you have connections with people from the Han Family?"


    Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled as Fu Quanliang should not have ended up in such a state if he had such connections.


    "Yes, thanks to you, from yesterday forward, I am a man of the Han Family."


    Fu Quanliang, who had just rxed his clenched teeth, clenched them again, "I''ve been in the sect for ten years, walking on thin ice, fearing getting involved in the family disputes and not daring to take sides; thanks for helping me make up my mind."


    "You and I, not brothers by blood, are just like brothers, you don''t need to be so polite."


    Chu Zheng waved his hand dismissively and shifted his attention, sweeping his gaze across the cabin.


    At this moment, all the odd-jobbers had boarded the Flying Boat; the surroundings were somewhat noisy. The door leading to the cabin had been sealed off by an Array, clearly, the cultivators did not wish to be disturbed by the outside world.


    Half an hourter, the Flying Boat slowly started and sailed into the clouds.


    A wave of exmations arose on the Flying Boat, endless sounds of admiration and surprise filled the air,


    Having experienced the Flying Boat whening to Illusory Spirit City, Chu Zheng faced no great disturbance; the martial masters, many experiencing flight for the first time, could hardly contain themselves.


    After about half a day''s journey, the Flying Boat graduallynded between a range of mountains, startling countless creatures.


    Birds swept through the sky, eagles spread their wings, and from the distant woods, the mingled howls of wolves and tigers could be faintly heard, seeming both near and distant.


    "Once you disembark from the Flying Boat,e straight to me; I will do my best to arrange for you to be under mymand,"


    Fu Quanliang transmitted a message and then rose to step off the Flying Boat first.

 Chapter 46: Chapter 42: Evil Spirits

    Having disembarked from the flying boat, what came into view was a vast camp that stretched for miles.


    The moment he entered the camp, yin qi surged upward, and Chu Zheng''s entire energy abruptly tensed. His eyes shone with spiritual light as he immediately employed the Qi Observation Technique.


    All around him, the world in his eyes transformed instantly, with the soil beneath his feet visibly thick with yin qi, almost liquefying.


    Chu Zheng''s expression became somewhat grave. With such dense yin qi, thend must have been the deathbed of millions.


    Where yin qi umtes, there must be arge tomb. In this ce, the yin qi was so thick that it could no longer be called a tomb, but a mass burial pit.


    This ce was unbearable for women to linger in long. Men, relying on the yang qi within their bodies, could resist for some time, yet prolonged exposure would still affect one''s yang life span.


    However, for Qi Cultivators, this ce could be considered a rare blessing. If one possessed a Supreme Yang Treasure to bnce the yin qi, cultivating in this ce would be as effective as in a Cave Heaven Blessed Land.


    Chu Zheng didn''t possess any Supreme Yang Treasures, but he happened to have a magic artifact that belonged to yang.


    The blood of Phoenix was the essence of extreme firmness and yang. The spirit wood that had grown from it had absorbed the Essence of the Great Sun, further promoting yang qi, making its nature extremely yang.


    However, before this sword was fully repaired, Chu Zheng still needed to bask in the sun more, to avoid an imbnce of yin and yang.


    More than the environment, what made Chu Zheng worried was that in such a ce where yin qi converged, if there were piles of bones, it would likely breed countless evil spirits.


    Chu Zheng looked around for a while, then followed the crowd toward Fu Quanliang''s location.


    There were only just over four hundred people, and assignments were quicklypleted. Chu Zheng too smoothly joined Fu Quanliang''s group.


    Fu Quanliang''s cultivation wasn''t particrly strong, and not many people were assigned under him, totaling less than twenty.


    Just as the various odd-jobbers were almost settled, several more people descended from the flying boat.


    The middle-aged man he had seen before was among them, and following behind him were several young men and women dressed uniformly in blue and white, with three green lotuses side by side embroidered on their chests.


    Chu Zheng stood beside Fu Quanliang and asked him telepathically, "Who is the strongest amongst them?"


    "An Inner Sect Elder, Han Yuliang. Middle Quality Immortal Bone, at the Peak of the Soul Condensing Realm, not far from the Divine Infant. It''s highly likely he will be the next spokesperson for the Han Family. He has an excellent reputation within the sect," Fu Quanliang nced over and rattled off as if reciting well-known facts:


    "Those with him are the core of the Han Family''s younger generation. Especially the youngest one, Han Mingdan¡ªfifteen years old, at the initial stage of the Spirit Spring Realm, Middle Quality Immortal Bone, and also possesses a special spiritual body. He has limitless potential. She likes wearing blue dresses, eating Huangyuan fruit, and bamboo shoot cakes¡­"


    "Enough."


    Chu Zheng cut him off, "If you had devoted this much attention to your cultivation, you would be at a higher level by now."


    Chu Zheng wasn''t particrly interested in Han Mingdan. If the conversation turned to her ancestor who had died thousands of years ago, what color of clothes they were buried in, and what kind of burial objects they had, he might have been more interested.


    "Relying solely on myself to cultivate step by step, it''s unlikely I''ll achieve Soul Condensing in this lifetime," Fu Quanliang wasn''t the least bit upset by Chu Zheng''s remark and held to his own beliefs: "There are countless paths to cultivation, and shortcuts are the quickest."


    At this point, Fu Quanliang suddenly changed the subject and whispered, "By the way, Han Mingdan used to have a good rtionship with Song Lingqing. But¡­ since I''ve been back to the sect, I haven''t heard of them having any contact."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng lowered his gaze and fell silent. Within the Immortal Sect, human warmth and coldness were not umon.


    ......


    ......


    Not far away, Han Mingdan, who had just disembarked from the flying boat, seemed to sense something and frowned slightly:


    "Uncle, why do I feel something is strange about this ce? I''ve felt ufortable ever since we arrived."


    Han Yuliang offhandedly exined, "The malevolent energy here is too strong; staying long is not beneficial to your cultivation. With your Psychic Mysterious Body, you are extremely sensitive to changes in nature''s spiritual energy, so it''s inevitable that you would feel difort."


    "What did you bring us here for?" Han Mingdan asked, slightly puzzled.


    "Our purpose in bringing you here is to see if we can draw out an ancient spiritual weapon."


    With a somewhat grave expression, Han Yuliang said, "Judging from the traces of ughter, a being more powerful than the Divine Infant has fallen here. There is a very high chance that a spiritual treasure remains."


    "A spiritual treasure without a master will usually choose to dull its edge and lie dormant, waiting for someone destined. If any of you can seize this opportunity andpel the spiritual treasure to choose a master, your path forward will be somewhat easier."


    Spiritual treasure...


    Upon hearing these words, excitement spilled over the faces of Han Mingdan and the others.


    A spiritual treasure has its own spiritual intelligence and is almost considered an exotic creature. Even when damaged, it can absorb nature''s spiritual energy to slowly repair itself, and its preciousness exceeds even that of the finest divine weapons.


    In the entire Phantom Spirit Sect, there are but a mere few spiritual treasures, which are normally part of the sect''s foundation and cannot be utilized. They had never even seen one.


    "Don''t get too excited too soon. This ce is ominous; we shouldn''t delve too deeply. A brief attempt will suffice."


    Seeing their excited expressions, Han Yuliang doused their enthusiasm with a cold ssh:


    "It''s indeed fortunate if a spiritual treasure chooses a master, but you mustn''t be overly insistent. The path of cultivation relies on oneself. Spiritual treasures are but external objects."


    "Understood, Uncle Four. Hurry and let us take a look," Han Mingdan was already itching to try.


    Without saying more, Han Yuliang led the way toward the mining tunnel, with the Han family and others following closely behind.


    ......


    ......


    "Here you go." Fu Quanliang tossed a pickaxe.


    "Do you really think I came here to mine?" Chu Zheng transmitted his voice secretly, lifting his eyes without reaching out to catch it.


    Fu Quanliang felt somewhat speechless: "How would I know what you''re here for? You''re asking for trouble."


    He had grown ustomed to Chu Zheng''s entric behavior and couldn''t be bothered to guess the purpose behind Chu Zheng''s actions.


    Guessing would be futile; he preferred Chu Zheng to be less troublesome and cause less mischief.


    Chu Zheng nced at Han Yuliang and the others not far away, and in an instant, his eyes flickered: "They''re heading to that ancient battlefield."


    Fu Quanliang quickly noticed the movements of this group as well, surprise unmistakable in his eyes: "Could there really be some unspeakable secret in this ce?"


    Such ancient battlefields are generally cleaned up by those who came before. If anything were left behind, the spiritual energy should have mostly dissipated over the long years, leaving at most some scraps of metal and junk.


    Chu Zheng bent down to pick up the pickaxe and asked through voice transmission, "When can we enter the mine shaft?"


    "Wait a moment."


    Fu Quanliang, too, was stricken with curiosity and turned to seek out more information.


    Wu¡ª


    A momentter, before Fu Quanliang could return, a piercing shriek suddenly erupted from the distant mining tunnel - cold, violent, and chilling to the bone.


    "Evil specter!"


    Following the shriek, a furious shout came, and then the ground shook violently.


    After the violent shaking subsided, a surge of ck fog billowed out from the mining tunnel, spreading like thick ink across thend. In the strong midday sun, a sudden gust of yin wind rose, darkening the sky and earth, and sending a bone-chilling cold through the air.

 Chapter 47: Chapter 43: Entering the Mine

    In Chu Zheng''s perception, the Yin Qi around him suddenly surged, even overpowering the Yang Qi in the surroundings during noon.


    His gaze firmly fixed on the entrance of the mine, a ck cloud suddenly burst forth, enveloping a silhouette faintly visible within¡ªit was Han Mingdan, whom he had seen not long ago.


    A dazzling divine light followed from the entrance of the mine, and Han Yuliang, holding a pagoda in his palm, took a few steps to catch up with the ck fog ahead. The pagoda soared and cast down Immortal Light, suppressing the ck fog under the base of the pagoda.


    Under the Immortal Light, the ck fog enveloping Han Mingdan desperately rushed into her seven orifices. The next instant, Han Mingdan''s tightly shut eyes suddenly snapped open, pitch ck as ink, her pupils no longer visible.


    Immediately after, she pinched finger seals, her Blood Qi surged wildly, and she slightly opened her teeth, spitting out a Blood Sword that instantly tore through the descending Immortal Light from the pagoda and began to flee again.


    Chu Zheng, watching from the side, quickly understood the situation.


    Han Mingdan was inherently a woman with a special constitution, heavier in Yin Qi, therefore, when the Evil Spirit entered her body, the bnce of Yin and Yang within was instantly disrupted, leading to a loss of mental control and her body being overtaken by the Evil Spirit.


    In such a case, expelling the Evil Spirit was not very troublesome. One simply needed to inject arge amount of Yang Qi to reawaken Han Mingdan''s consciousness, but first, they had to catch her.


    As Chu Zheng was pondering, Han Yuliang, who stood in the sky above, wore a cold expression, his brow shimmering brightly as he sent forth a vague silhouette.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed, just as he tried to get a good look, in the next instant, the vague silhouette had traversed hundreds of feet and entered directly into Han Mingdan''s body.


    Han Mingdan''s body stiffened, falling from mid-air, and after a few breaths, a thick ck fog burst from her mouth, which was then immediately drawn up by the pagoda above.


    Only when the ck fog hadpletely dispersed did the vague silhouette walk out from within Han Mingdan''s body and return into Han Yuliang''s forehead.


    He raised his hand to collect the pagoda,nding beside Han Mingdan, feeding her a Spirit Pill, and after a brief examination, he sighed in relief.


    After a moment, Han Mingdan slowly opened her eyes, her expression confused, struggling to grasp the situation, "Uncle Si... what happened to me just now?"


    She only felt weak in her limbs as if she had been through a severe illness, unable to muster any strength at all.


    Han Yuliang helped her up and spoke soothingly, "An Evil Spirit entered your body. It''s nothing serious. Go back and rest for a while. This time was my oversight."


    That Blood Sword had nearly concentrated all of Han Mingdan''s essence and Qi. After it was cast, her Blood Qi suffered a great loss; she definitely needed time to recuperate.


    "Soul Condensing... This is Soul Condensing."


    From afar, Chu Zheng watched with barely concealed admiration. To strengthen the Divine Soul, even visually manifesting it, was nothing short of miraculous; this was still the first time he had seen such a high-level cultivator in action.


    Inparison to the Immortal Path, Qi Cultivators ce more emphasis on the physical body. After undergoing a Spirit Transformation, they use the Yin and Yang Qi to refine the body, nurturing Jade Bones and Golden Muscles, and then casting the Dao Embryo.


    Dao Embryo is the preparation for the Golden Core. Once the Golden Core is consolidated, Qi Cultivators'' Divine Skills greatly enhance, finally achieving the power close to moving mountains and seas. As for mind bing divine, that is an even higher realm.


    This disturbance had many martial masters watching, causing some unrest as they stared into the dark mineshaft, slightly intimidated.


    Having lingered in Illusory Spirit City for a long time, they knew too much, and thus were more fearful. They were mere mortals; even if strong in Qi Strength, theycked methods to defend against such sinister and ghostly matters.


    "Rest assured, in theing days, I will be stationed here. All the evil spirits within have been cleared by me and will no longer pose any threat."


    However, this assurance by Han Yuliang did little to ease their worries, sounding too ethereal to be credible.


    These martial masters were well aware of their own worth; their lives were far less valuable than Han Mingdan''s, and Han Yuliang might not necessarily be willing to exert effort to save them.


    Sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, Han Yuliang immediately dered, "Thepensation for everyone will be doubled, as previously stated. Those still unwilling to stay may return with the Flying Boat." <span style="disy:none;">


    This statement finally elicited some response, with most martial masters visibly rxing and their expressions much soothed; this attitude alone was enough to reassure them.


    This handling by Han Yuliang somewhat surprised Chu Zheng, as he had initially thought that Han Yuliang would not care about these people''s lives and deaths.


    Fu Quanliang moved to Chu Zheng''s side and, seeing the surprise on his face, knew what he was thinking and immediately transmitted:


    "After all, we need to save some face, many of these people here are connected to the Phantom Spirit Sect."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng realized that the martial masters within Illusory Spirit City were indeed different from ordinary mortals. Tracing back eight generations, there might even be contemporaries of Han Yuliang. It was necessary not to embarrass them too much.


    It was the same old story: within the Immortal Sect, rtionships wereplex, and people were inevitably social creatures, with unavoidable social needs.


    Chu Zheng retracted his wandering thoughts and transmitted, "How is it, have you found out anything yet? When can we enter the mine?"


    "You still want to go in? Aren''t you afraid of dying?" Fu Quanliang widened his eyes slightly, thinking that this unexpected situation would change Chu Zheng''s mind.


    Chu Zheng shook his head. This unexpected situation had, in fact, reassured him quite a bit. Such evil spirits were not considered dangerous to him.


    He had previously worried about evil spirits that transformed from corpses in extremely Yin ces into zombies; those were the real trouble.


    But themotion caused by Han Yuliang going in and only these kinds of spirits being disturbed was enough to prove the safety of the ce, allowing for much reassurance.


    Seeing that Chu Zheng had made up his mind, Fu Quanliang sighed softly, "You can go down to the mine tomorrow."


    "I won''t be able to go in then, I can only wait for you outside. Be very careful. If anything goes wrong, immediately transmit to me, and I will try to get Han Yuliang to rescue you."


    The aura inside the mine was mixed, detrimental to cultivation; a normal cultivator would be reluctant to descend.


    Fu Quanliang had only recently joined the power of the Han Family, and if he acted too unusually, it might lead to unnecessary spections.


    If a problem arose, all he could do was try his best to assist Chu Zheng in escaping.


    "Thank you," Chu Zheng nodded, "get me a map of the mine."


    "I''ve already prepared that."


    Fu Quanliang leaned over and stealthily slipped a folded map into Chu Zheng''s hand:


    "Be careful in everything, I''ll wait for your return."


    ......


    ......


    The next morning.


    Before the mine, over three hundred martial masters each held an iron pickaxe, ready to descend.


    Even with Han Yuliang''s assurance, over sixty individuals still chose to return with the Flying Boat.


    A disciple from the Phantom Spirit Sect stood at the entrance of the mine, distributing a Poison Warding Pill and a headband embedded with Luminous Pearls to each martial master.


    The mine extended deep underground, inevitably filled with some Turbid Qi which might not affect cultivators, but could still significantly harm the bodies of ordinary people.


    Inhaling too much Turbid Qi could lead to numbness in the limbs, weakened body, and most importantly, affect the mining.


    Chu Zheng followed the crowd, walking slowly into the deep mine.


    Fu Quanliang watched him enter, and in the blink of an eye, all that was left in his field of view were the faint star-like lights of the Luminous Pearls.

 Chapter 48: Chapter 44: Immortal Bone

    The mining tunnel was very dim, and the Luminous Pearl could only illuminate a small area; the traces of the mine''s passage were quite new, clearly indicating that it had been recently opened.


    After just over a hundred yards, Chu Zheng felt a surge of rich Earth Qi rising up, along with faint traces of poison and a whiff of deathly Yin Qi nurtured from corpse bones.


    This was Turbid Qi, which for ordinary martial masters, would gradually erode the body like a Death Sentence. Even if they took a Poison Warding Pill, they couldn''t stay in the mining tunnel for long.


    Such Turbid Qi had no effect on Chu Zheng. He didn''t even take a Poison Warding Pill and switched directly to internal breathing, drawing on the Yuan Qi between heaven and earth for sustenance.


    After entering the mining tunnel, the group of just over three hundred people quickly split into several small teams, each choosing a direction to explore.


    Here, the mineral vein produced a type of mineral material called Earth Yin Stone, usually used to forge the power furnace of Flying Boats and the Heat Instion tform for cing Alchemy Furnaces. It was asionally used in the making of Magic Artifacts.


    To receive so many Spiritual Currency and Qi Boosting Elixirs every month was naturally not without strings attached; there were mandatory quotas to meet every day.


    The stronger one''s Qi Strength, the more abundant the resources received; thus, the quotas were naturally higher.


    For someone at Chu Zheng''s level, the daily mining quota was over a hundred pounds, with a monthly submission of three thousand pounds required to meet the minimum standards and receive the full amount of Spiritual Currency and Qi Boosting Elixirs.


    For every pound short, ten percent of the resources were deducted; a hundred pounds short resulted in a thirty percent deduction, three hundred pounds short in a fifty percent deduction, and a shortage of over a thousand pounds meant a ny percent deduction.


    This deduction would continue unabated. If less than a thousand pounds were submitted in a month, one might even end up owing the Phantom Spirit Sect Spiritual Currency.


    Chu Zheng didn''t pay much attention to these matters. He could see the flow of Qi and knew instantly where the Earth Yin Stones were without having to search hard; a hundred pounds of ore was something he could deal with in the time it takes to have a cup of tea.


    He deliberatelygged behind the group, recalling the map Fu Quanliang had given him and waiting for the right moment. He then quietly separated from the team and headed for the ancient battlefield.


    The mining tunnel leading to the ancient battlefield was deliberately isted from the mining areas where the martial masters could explore, which were limited to the surface of the mine.


    Chu Zheng followed the map, bypassing several remote tunnels, all the way down.


    After a while, the mining tunnel began to change, filled with dust and cobwebs. Along the way, one could see scattered fragments of Battle Armor and Iplete bones.


    Chu Zheng bent down, his fingertip drawing aside the dust, gently touching the traces left behind thousands of years ago. A stream of information shed before his eyes, seemingly sketching out a grand ancient history.


    [Red Crow Armor (Third Order): A standard-issue Battle Armor with ordinary craftsmanship, nearly one piece per person in the Red Crow Army, made of fairly decent materials, shattered by Colossal Strength, and virtually beyond repair, repairable (0/3000)]


    ...


    [Heavenly King Halberd (Fifth Order): A weapon of a martial master, once bathed in the blood of a Fifth Order creature,ter acquired by an Immortal Path Cultivator. Shattered into seven pieces, should all parts be gathered, the repair might be a bit easier, repairable (0/5000)]


    ...


    [Nameless Corpse Bone (Fourth Order): Belonged to the Red Crow Army in life, served as a nkmander, bone age one hundred and twenty-seven, High Quality Immortal Bone, Primordial Spirit dispersed, unrepairable.]


    ...


    [Damaged Immortal Bone (Seventh Order): A remnant of a True Immortal''s bone, once forcefully integrated into the body by an Immortal Path Cultivator. With your current abilities, you simply cannot repair it.]


    Chu Zheng''s fingertips paused slightly; this was his first time encountering something unrepairable.


    With a light flick of his palm, he brushed the dust away and from the clustered debris, he prised out a piece of Remnant Bone, giving it a few cursory looks before having a clear idea in his mind. It was half of a palm bone.


    Dust scattered, and the skeleton immediately lit up with a faint light, like a transparent crystal lighting up Chu Zheng''s face with intermittent brightness in the pitch-ck tunnel.


    Countless years had passed, yet this Immortal Bone still felt warm and smooth. In a trance, Chu Zheng sensed a surge of life energy, Yuan Qi, brewing within the bone.


    There was still vitality within this bone, like a dormant seed that could continue to grow once integrated into flesh.


    Seventh Order.


    The level of being this bone had once belonged to hadpletely transcended Chu Zheng''s imagination. Just a piece of remnant bone, and after tens of thousands of years, it still retained vitality¡ªan incredibly vigorous and terrifying life force.


    It was difficult for him to imagine how such a powerful creature, at its peak, could have been so battered and left dead without a whole corpse.


    If this Immortal Bone waspletely repaired, did that mean he could resurrect a True Immortal?


    Bringing the dead back to life, was that still merely a repair?


    From the remnants of those weapons, it was evident that the Martial Path must have once flourished, certainly not as withered as it was today.


    There might have once been conflicts, even wars, between the Immortal Path and the Martial Path.


    Chu Zheng''s thoughts continued to diverge, giving rise to one question after another, but there were no answers.


    These answers were buried in the ancient past, and some secrets might only be glimpsed from the Immortal Sects, which had carried on for ten thousand years, or even from the even more ancient Holy Lands.


    To Chu Zheng, these secrets were more enticing than anything else in the world.


    If he could unveil these secrets, it would be as if he had seen through the corridors of time. In a way, it meant he had conquered the nearly invincible force of time.


    Chu Zheng subconsciously ced the half-piece of Immortal Bone into his bosom, but after thinking for a moment, he put it down again and buried it.


    It was difficult for him to take things from this battlefield now, but in the future, once his rank as a Repair Master increased, this ce would be a treasure trove.


    He continued into the depths of the mine. As he progressed deeper, there were more and more remains and fragments of battle armor, and the mine tunnel expanded. Eventually, it could no longer be called a pit but an expansive underground world with no borders in sight.


    Broken chariots, shattered banners, the bones of behemoths stretching over a thousand zhang, and even more massive humanoid skeletons with raised scaps and immense bone wings on their backs.


    Chu Zheng''s fingertips traced over the remains of these beings, gradually piecing together parts of history.


    Thousands of years ago, this ce must have been a in, where a group of Immortal Path Cultivators forming the Red Crow Army ambushed a tribe of alien creatures.


    The oue was uncertain; even if they had won, it was probably a pyrrhic victory, as there were far more remains of Immortal Path Cultivators than the alien species.


    Why this battle was fought was still unknown.


    Chu Zheng had hoped to find some remaining Space Artifacts, but the battlefield had clearly been cleaned by someone, leaving nothing but bones and weapon fragments¡ªnot even a Storage Bag.


    After circling the battlefield, Chu Zheng reluctantlyposed himself, preparing to start his journey back when his fingertip suddenly touched a small segment of Remnant Jade.


    [Condensing Space Bracelet (Sixth Order): A Spatial Spiritual Treasure that was broken into four pieces during a great battle, connected to an Alien Realm''s space. Once repaired, it can reestablish that connection. Collecting all the pieces will make the repair work much easier. Repairable (0/6000)]

 Chapter 49: Chapter 45: Prudent

    Spatial Spiritual Treasure.


    Chu Zheng''s spirit was lifted as he took the Remnant Jade into his palm and gently wiped the dust off it.


    This piece of Remnant Jade was roughly as thick as a pinky finger, entirely emerald green, and carved withplex patterns. After observing it closely for a while, Chu Zheng reached a conclusion.


    This Condensing Space Bracelet... was an ankle bracelet.


    With his many years of experience, he could not be mistaken. It was unlikely for men to wear ankle bracelets. Hence, the owner of this Condensing Space Bracelet was most likely a woman before she died.


    Of course, this was obviously a pointless conclusion.


    Chu Zheng sighed softly and began to search around the battlefield again. This Sixth-Order Spatial Spiritual Treasure surely contained astonishing treasures. If he could find all four fragments, this mining expedition would truly be worthwhile.


    After searching for most of the day, Chu Zheng finally had some gains. In the skull of a corpse, he found another piece of the Condensing Space Bracelet.


    Clearly, the woman in question had be instantly furious when her ankle bracelet shattered, flinging all the fragments, one of which shattered this person''s skull.


    This person was an Immortal Path Cultivator, also from the Red Crow Army, indicating that the woman was a different species on the opposing side and was not human.


    This fragment significantly reduced the number of repairs needed for the Condensing Space Bracelet from six thousand to four thousand, with immediate effect.


    After searching again for a while to no avail, Chu Zheng realized that the battlefield was too vast to search in its entirety without spending a considerable amount of time.


    Seeing that it was about time, although somewhat reluctant, Chu Zheng decided it was best to leave to avoid arousing suspicion.


    On his way back, he casually mined a hundred catties of raw Earth Yin Stone and slowly headed toward the mine entrance.


    He had stayed inside for too long; most of the martial masters had already left the mine, only a few remained.


    "Chu Zheng, wait up."


    When still some distance from the mine entrance, a few people stopped Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng looked them over and recognized their affiliation, belonging to the same group as him. One of them, who had lifted a ten-thousand-catty cauldron during the recruitment of odd-jobbers and was called Ji Feng, seemed to be the leader.


    This Ji Feng, who had lifted the cauldron effortlessly without a change of expression, clearly had mastered high-quality External Skills in addition to his Inner Strength, possessing Qi Strength far surpassing ordinary people, and even stronger than most of the disciples in the Nourishing Power Realm of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    "What''s the matter?" Chu Zheng frowned slightly, sensing some trouble.


    "How much ore did you mine today?"


    One of them walked straight up to Chu Zheng, peering at the raw Earth Yin Stone he was carrying.


    "Exactly a hundred catties."


    "Hand over forty catties to help Brother Ji out. At the end of the month, when we get the reward, I''ll share a Spirit Stone with you."


    "It''s not just you; everyone has to contribute. The more you give, the more you''ll get back."


    As this was said, another person stepped closer, squeezing Chu Zheng in the middle, the threat in their stance clear.


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng immediately realized that Ji Feng was using this method topete for those twenty lower-quality Spirit Stones.


    One person mining alone could notpare to the effort of dozensbined. Focusing the group''s strength was evidently his strategy to secure the reward.


    However, forty catties of Earth Yin ore, if Chu Zheng truly only had the strength of seven to eight thousand catties, would require almost half a day''s work for him.


    If he mined less than a hundred catties a day, the resources he could obtain at the end of the month would be significantly less, certainly not something a single Spirit Stone couldpensate for.


    These Spiritual Currency resources, while trivial to Chu Zheng, had to involve some principle. Just because he could easily give away these tens of catties of Earth Yin ore did not mean he would.


    These were his rightful belongings.


    If he gave forty today and fifty tomorrow, would he continue to give the day after? And what about the day after that?


    Giving in would only lead to further demands.


    Chu Zheng remained silent.


    Ji Feng had been standing by the side, watching without initiating a conversation with Chu Zheng. His demeanor reminded Chu Zheng of the first time he met Qin Feng.


    Back then, the way Qin Feng looked at him was the same as Ji Feng''s now, indifferent, without a trace of emotion, utterly cold, almost as if he wasn''t looking at another of his kind.


    Chu Zheng could understand such a gazeing from Qin Feng, but what gave Ji Feng the confidence to look at him that way? After all, they were both merely mortals.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng spoke softly, "Today, I discovered an exposed vein and harvested two hundred pounds. I left another hundred pounds in the mine; follow me to retrieve it."


    Having said that, he turned around and headed deep into the mine.


    An exposed vein was a mineral deposit directly visible on the surface, which could be easily mined with a bit of effort.


    Upon hearing this, Ji Feng also showed a slight change in expression, and followed Chu Zheng further inside.


    Just as they turned the corner, Ji Feng only felt a cold wind strike his face, and in the next instant, the joints of his limbs and the major acupoints all over his body were obstructed, uncontrobly copsing to the ground.


    The others at his side fell simrly, scattered here and there.


    "Chu Zheng!"


    Ji Feng''s eyes suddenly sharpened, and he quickly tried to appease Chu Zheng, "Don''t be rash, everything is negotiable."


    "Indeed."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly, then sat down directly on the ground, "Then let''s negotiate."


    "You''re stronger than me; you can fight. But in Illusory Spirit City, just being able to fight is useless. Can you fight against a Superior Immortal? Can you defeat a Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator?"


    Ji Feng was paralyzed on the ground, his limbs powerless, yet his face remained calm, "To survive in Illusory Spirit City, it''s all about power. Let me go now, and I can act as if this never happened."


    "Brother Ji''s great-grandfather is an Elder of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s Outer Sect; weigh your options," someone beside him spoke sharply, although lying on the ground, they seemed somewhat less imposing.


    "So, there is a background."


    Chu Zheng''s face showed realization, and he pulled out a notebook from his bosom, "What''s his name?"


    "Ji Fanglong!"


    Chu Zheng wrote it down.


    "What are you writing?" Ji Feng struggled to lift his head, trying to see Chu Zheng''s actions clearly.


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng flipped the notebook and pressed it against his face:


    "Do you recognize it? Simplified characters, no worries if you don''t recognize them, you might have a chance to know them in your next life."


    In this world, it was highly unlikely that anyone could recognize what he wrote in this diary.


    In this world, the characters of various countries differed slightly, but were mostly simr.


    Logically, it shouldn''t be so, but after consideration, Chu Zheng believed that since these nations were all ruled by the Immortal Sect, that resulted in amonality.


    Since there had to bemunication between the Immortal Sects, naturally, there came to be a standardized script.


    "ording to you, I can''t afford to offend any of you."


    Chu Zheng put away his notebook, his brow furrowed in thought. After a long while, he sighed softly, "Since that''s the case, there''s no helping it; I can only ask you to leave your lives."


    "When I get some time, I''ll send your great-grandfather to meet you."


    Chu Zheng raised his hand, gathering a mass of noxious air, and spoke calmly:


    "Come, take a deep breath."

 Chapter 50: Chapter 46: Behind

    Looking at the miasma thriving in Chu Zheng''s hand, the people lying on the ground turned pale.


    "Chu Zheng..."


    Ji Feng was about to speak when a blob of nearly liquefied miasma smeared across his face.


    He instinctively tried to hold his breath, but his body was already out of control, his breathing bing more rapid.


    The effect of the Poison Warding Pill could onlyst for a day. At this hour, the medicinal power had nearly dissipated, its effect minimal.


    As the miasma entered their bodies, theplexions of the few turned green and purple in the blink of an eye, with veins popping on their foreheads, their breathing morebored.


    Ji Feng''s body quivered, and he was the first to fall silent.


    Chu Zheng did not stop his actions and continued to forcefully inject the miasma into Ji Feng''s body.


    In his eyes, Ji Feng''s body still harbored a vigorous Life Origin, clearly in a state of suspended animation, pretending to be dead.


    However, unfortunately, such tricks were meaningless in front of Chu Zheng. In front of a Qi Cultivator, distinguishing life and death was the easiest.


    As time dripped away, the vitality of the people on the ground grew weaker and weaker until it withered.


    The moment they died, a surge of ck mist suddenly burst out of the mine shaft and flew directly toward the still warm bodies on the ground.


    There were still evil spirits lingering.


    Chu Zheng narrowed his eyes and swallowed a mouthful of miasma, dispersing the Yuan Qi in his Dantian, andy down on the ground, contacting Fu Quanliang through the Life-link Seal.


    "Come quickly!"


    The approaching ck mist circuNovelFireented the vigorously Blood Qi-filled Chu Zheng and entered the corpses. Within a few breaths, the recently deceased were shakily standing up.


    ......


    ......


    Outside the mine.


    "Come quickly!"


    Fu Quanliang, who had been unsettled by Chu Zheng''s prolonged absence, was shocked by the sudden voice in his mind.


    Without any hesitation, he turned and ran straight for Elder Han''s tent.


    "Elder Han."


    Arriving outside the tent, Fu Quanliangposed himself, bowed respectfully, and said steadily:


    "It''s well past the time to stop work, and a few have not yete out. I fear there may have been an ident. Shall we go in to look for them? Please instruct, Elder."


    Rousing people also requires tact. In such moments, showing too much haste could backfire, so it was better to give the initiative to Han Yuliang.


    As soon as he finished speaking, a divine light burst from the tent, heading straight for the mine.


    Shortly after, Han Yuliang walked briskly out of the mine, dragging several figures behind him with Mana, his expression slightly unpleasant.


    Having made assurances just the day before, and now several had died¡ªundeniably, it was a p in his face.


    Fu Quanliang cautiously nced over, saw Chu Zheng, and temporarily let go of his worries. Seeing the others, however, he could not help but frown.


    Their skin was green and purple, and it was almost impossible to discern their original features. Their eyelids were wide open, pupils dted, clearly dead beyond doubt.


    Han Yuliang stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping over the bodies and settling on Chu Zheng for a moment.


    He quickly approached, checked him over, and then let out a sigh of relief, took out a Detoxification Pill, and ced it in Chu Zheng''s mouth.


    Shortly after, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, his expression somewhat bewildered, his gaze vacant, as if he had not yet regained his senses.


    Han Yuliang stood up, nced at Fu Quanliang, "What is your name?"


    "In reply to Elder Han, the disciple''s surname is Fu, first name Quanliang," Fu Quanliang bowed and said.


    "You were alert this time. I''ll record a merit for you."


    Han Yuliang nodded slightly, flipped his palm and took out a jade bottle, tossed it to Fu Quanliang, then continued:


    "Take this man down, take good care of him, find out the details of what happened, and report back to me."


    "Thank you, Elder Han."


    Fu Quanliang did not say much, instead, he bowed and then helped Chu Zheng up as they walked slowly toward the nearbyrge tent.


    "These people, were they killed by you?" Fu Quanliang transmitted his voice secretly.


    "Yes."


    Chu Zheng nodded and activated his Yuan Qi to dissipate the residual poisonous vapors in his body.


    "Why?"


    "Killed is killed, there aren''t so many reasons."


    "I still need to give Han Yuliang an exnation," said Fu Quanliang, feeling helpless.


    After pondering briefly, Chu Zheng summarized curtly, "Those men tried to snatch my raw ore, likely for that monthly reward of twenty spirit stones. It dragged on for a while. That''s about it, see if you can handle it."


    Upon hearing this, Fu Quanliang stopped walking, his expression slightly odd: "Among those, was there one named Ji Feng?"


    "Yes, do you know him?"


    "I don''t know him, but I know the reason behind this, those twenty spirit stones are just an excuse."


    Fu Quanliang shook his head, "Cutting off the ore, Ji Feng is just a pawn. Behind him are those cultivators from the Han Family who guard the mines."


    "What do you mean?" Chu Zheng was puzzled, it was only twenty spirit stones, why would these cultivators be tempted?


    "Those twenty spirit stones are nothing, the real bulk is in the resources given to the odd-jobbers. By taking the raw ore from them and then delivering it in full to the sects at the end of the month, the profit is hundreds of spirit stones."


    "The sries of these odd-jobbers are managed by the sects."


    Hearing Fu Quanliang''s words, Chu Zheng quickly understood, falling silent for a moment, realizing he had thought too simply.


    One person holding back one stone, ten people would mean ten stones; with over three hundred people, that''s at least three hundred more spirit stones a month ¡ª and the actual amount is much more than this number.


    Moreover, this operation had no cost at all, an immense profit!


    In two to three months, it could equate to one magic artifact!


    For a cultivator in the Spirit Spring Realm, this was also a considerable amount.


    "Are you also involved in this?" Chu Zheng''s gaze slightly hardened.


    "Thank you for thinking so highly of me," Fu Quanliang said, somewhat speechlessly, "I''ve only been here a few days, do you think they would share the spirit stones with me? Do I qualify?"


    "Talking to Han Yuliang about the ore cutting will be useless, they are all from the Han Family. They will at most get a scolding, and you could end up in trouble. Leave it to me, I''ll handle it."


    Suddenly, Fu Quanliang had a n in mind and brought Chu Zheng to his designated tent. He did not stay long and soon left.


    ......


    ......


    Early the next morning.


    As Chu Zheng just stepped out of his tent, he found the area already crowded with martial masters, no fewer than thirty to fifty people.


    Fu Quanliang stood to one side and spoke loudly, "From today onward, once you''re in the mine, you will follow Chu Zheng''s orders."


    Next to him stood a Spirit Spring Realm cultivator, about twenty-five to twenty-six years old, dressed in the garments of a Phantom Spirit Sect disciple, with a blue lotus embroidered on his chest and a calm expression.


    "I told them, you''ll rece Ji Feng..."


    Before Fu Quanliang could finish speaking, Chu Zheng interrupted him:


    "I won''t do it."


    Fu Quanliang''s expression slightly tightened, his brow slowly furrowed as he transmitted, "I remember you saying you were here to do something big, and those who aim to achieve big things should not fuss over the small details."


    This was the best solution he could think of, one that wouldn''t cause trouble for Chu Zheng.


    "This is not a small detail," Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, "this goes against my conscience."


    Before Fu Quanliang could speak again, he transmitted once more:


    "Just because I can''t help these people now doesn''t mean I should exploit them. I know it''s difficult for you, give me three more days."


    "Once I find what I''m looking for, we''ll leave this ce and return to Illusory Spirit City."

 Chapter 51: Chapter 47: The Plan

    Chu Zheng''s purpose foring here was to glimpse this ancient battlefield.


    Now, he had achieved his goal.


    Finding the remaining two fragments of the Condensing Space Bracelet, this ce had little to offer him in the short term, so naturally, there was no need to stay any longer.


    Fu Quanliang stared at Chu Zheng for a moment, then turned to look at the miners and ordered, "Descend into the mine!"


    The cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm did not look at Chu Zheng, as if his presence was merely a formality, then turned and left.


    Before long, there was no one in front of the tents.


    Fu Quanliang was silent for a moment, then transmitted his voice, "I didn''t see iting; you are a saint after all, with such a kind heart. Why didn''t you think of these yesterday when you killed Ji Feng?"


    His tone was not without sarcasm, but Chu Zheng remained unmoved and shook his head, "This is not kindness, just a different stance."


    "I don''t think those Han Family disciples did anything wrong. They see themselves as immortals, born with Immortal Bones, and do not regard these mortals as their kin; even to suck marrow and blood can be understandable."


    "But I am just a mortal, not an immortal, there are some things they can do, but I cannot."


    "As for Ji Feng... it was he who did not consider himself human."


    Fu Quanliang seemed to be touched, stared at Chu Zheng for a long time, and asked in a deep voice, "Then in your view, which category do I fall into?"


    "You are my best partner," Chu Zheng responded without hesitation.


    This response sounded a bit strange, and after pondering for a while, Fu Quanliang seemed to understand.


    "Enough, just three days. I will cover for you temporarily. After three days, you leave here, back to Illusory Spirit City."


    Fu Quanliang took a deep breath and reminded again, "Don''t forget what you came here to do."


    Chu Zheng''s actions were too bizarre and iprehensible, which sometimes made Fu Quanliang reflect on why he had believed Chu Zheng''s words initially.


    As an odd-jobber, Chu Zheng wanting to leave wouldn''t be retained by anyone. For Fu Quanliang himself to leave required more effort as he had just picked sides, the time to show loyalty.


    Any issues at this time would lead to internal and external conflicts, and might even attract targeted hostility from the Han Family.


    "I said I would help you destroy the Phantom Spirit Sect, and I will make it happen," Chu Zheng affirmed.


    Chu Zheng''s lips curved slightly as he picked up an iron pickaxe and walked slowly towards the mine tunnel.


    The significant matters he intended to undertake were not just limited to the present Phantom Spirit Sect; he aimed to overturn the entire Immortal Path.


    Whether it be the Martial Path or Qi-refining Technique, both could grant mortals the ability to break their shackles.


    Regardless of the elusive nature of the Martial Path, Chu Zheng currently held a shocking trump card in his hands, the Great Circtory Qi Guideline.


    This method of cultivation had no restrictions like the Immortal Bone, any person could cultivate it, and once it spread to the world, it would bring a tremendous revolution.


    The Qi-refining Technique couldpletely overturn the current world and rewrite heaven and earth anew.


    If that day ever came, the name Chu Zheng, along with the Qi-refining Technique, would be eternally etched into history.


    But until he had enough power to protect himself, this technique must not be revealed.


    For this world, the Qi-refining Technique was far more fearsome than his ability to repair things.


    ...


    ...


    The deaths of Ji Feng and several others did not cause any ripples, the news was suppressed immediately.


    Even though his great-grandfather was a so-called Outer Sect Elder, his death was still deemed insignificant, garnering no attention whatsoever.


    In the days that followed, a new batch of odd-jobbers arrived, and the people in the mines already numbered over a thousand, split into severalrge groups; every day, they extracted heaps of ore.


    Chu Zheng roamed the ancient battlefield all day long, searching for fragments of the Condensing Space Bracelet. He tried to use the Qi Observation Technique as an aid to find Qi simr to that of the Condensing Space Bracelet, but he ultimately failed.


    The ancient battlefield was filled with chaotic Five Elements Qi, too disordered to organize. However, unexpectedly, through Qi Observation, Chu Zheng did find an extremely valuable treasure.


    [Five Elements Shaping Pill (Fourth Order): Harvested from the Five Elements Qi, supplemented with White Tiger ws, Azure Dragon Scales, ck Tortoise Armor, Vermilion Bird Feathers, and Qilin Blood of the Five Sacred Elements, refined over three years to form a pill, can shape the Five Elements Primordial Body; its efficacy is nearly exhausted due to age. Repairable (0/500)]


    This treasure pill was discovered in the dantian of a corpse, evidently consumed but undigested in time, so it was ced within the dantian and thus preserved through the great battle.


    Luckily, the pill was still intact, though its potency had almostpletely dissipated; however, the number of repairs it needed was not too many.


    If this Shaping Yuan Pill could be restored to perfect condition, Chu Zheng could replicate what the corpse did, cing the treasure pill in his dantian to aid his cultivation. On one hand, he would use the Five Elements Primordial Qi to transform yin and yang; on the other, he would prepare for the formation of a Golden Core as a False Pill.


    Spirit Transformation, Jade Bone, Dao Embryo, Golden Core.


    In terms of cultivation levels, Qi Refining Golden Core could match the power of an Immortal Path Divine Infant Great Ability, possessing divine skills to move mountains and fill seas.


    "This trip was not in vain."


    Chu Zheng exhaled a breath of relief, his mood greatly uplifted.


    This Five Elements Shaping Pill was truly beneficial for his cultivation.


    Chu Zheng arrived at the center of the battlefield, tapping on a skeleton and listening to the echoes passed down from ancient times.


    The closer he got to the center of the battlefield, the stronger the pre-death cultivation of the skeletons, Fifth Order beingmon, with the asional Sixth Order skeleton.


    [Nameless Corpse Bone (Sixth Order): Belonged to the Netherwolf Tribe in life, cultivation had reached the Transformation Realm, died from a stab to the back of the heart without any precautions, killed by a surprise attack, the Primordial Spirit has dispersed, irreparable.]


    Chu Zheng halted his step. This appeared to be a humanoid skeleton, but it belonged to the Netherwolf Tribe, likely a Great Demon that had transformed.


    Clothless, either stripped or never worn, only bare white bones remained; judging from the skeleton, it seemed to have been a woman.


    Chu Zheng nced a few times, then his gaze suddenly sharpened, stepping forward to gently pry open the tightly clenched hand of the corpse. A few silvery-white phnges clutched tightly onto arge fragment of Remnant Jade.


    After struggling for a long time, Chu Zheng, drenched in sweat, finally retrieved the piece of Remnant Jade.


    He took out two fragments from his chest, and the three pieces, fitting snugly together, formed arge semicircle, missing a piece about the size of a thumb.


    [Condensing Space Bracelet (Sixth Order): A Spatial Spiritual Treasure, broken into four pieces during the great battle, linked to a realm in an Alien Realm. Once repaired, it can re-establish connection. Gathering all parts makes the repair much easier, repairable (0/1000)]


    Another fragment.


    Chu Zheng did not know whether this Condensing Space Bracelet belonged to the woman from the Netherwolf Tribe, but he thought that even if it did not, it must have been extremely important to someone close to her.


    Chu Zheng stood up, walked a few steps, then suddenly turned and walked back, quickly removing his outer robe and covering the skeleton.


    "I will not take your bracelet for nothing."


    Chu Zheng muttered softly, stuffing the fragments of Remnant Jade into his chest, striding towards the cave entrance.


    Fu Quanliang had taken care of everything for him, the Flying Boat would arrive today.


    They could not leave at the same time, Fu Quanliang had to stay a while longer before he could find an opportunity to return to the Illusory Spirit City.

 Chapter 52: Chapter 48: Accident

    It wasn''t just Chu Zheng who couldn''t handle the rigors of mining; over ten martial masters also couldn''t stand the daily remittance and chose to leave as well.


    In fact, the conditions in the mine were considered extremely generous, and even by keeping only half, they earned much more than they would outside.


    It was just a bit more arduous.


    It was precisely for this reason that the majority of martial masters chose to stay.


    Most of them were well into middle age or even in their sixties or seventies. They had given up theirfortable secr lives for the sake of struggle in this bordend between the Celestial and Mortal realms, not for themselves.


    They had descendants. Even if they could not enter the Immortal Sect themselves, if any of their progeny had the natural Immortal Bone, the resources they had umted could be put to good use.


    By settling down in Illusory Spirit City and intermarrying with the descendants of Immortals, there was a possibility of stepping onto the celestial path.


    The reason Ji Feng could be the leader was partly due to his sufficient strength, but more importantly, because of his great-grandfather.


    Ordinary disciples, without the support of a noble family, would start on the same footing upon entering a sect, but with the care of an Outer Sect Elder, it was apletely different story.


    Having such connections was what made Ji Feng almost unanimously followed among these martial masters.


    When all is said and done, it''s all for the sake of future generations.


    The trip to the mine had already changed Chu Zheng''s original ns; he now had far more options.


    The barrier between the secr world and the Immortal Sect was not just a simple gap in strength; the deepest separation was that of information.


    The secrets known to the Immortal Sect far exceeded mortal imagination; at least in Chu Zheng''s view, no matter howcking the Phantom Spirit Sect might be, they should at least know the true extent of the current world.


    The reason Chu Zheng had gone to great lengths to enter the sect was for the Scripture Pavilion within the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The texts stored there were far moreprehensive than the few Immortal Sect books Song Lingqing had given him before.


    If Chu Zheng wanted to find his path forward, this step was essential.


    Without even a clear view of the world, how could one talk about treading a path?


    Chu Zheng''s heart was full of unresolved doubts; setting the distant ones aside, what was the purpose of this so-called Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects?


    ording to normal logic, wouldn''t the sects cherish someone with a rare High Quality Immortal Bone, rather than letting them take risks?


    How many years has Song Lingqing been in the Immortal Sect?


    Even if she were to participate in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, shouldn''t there be more than just Qin Feng apanying her? Are those Supreme Elders in the Divine Infant Realm really too busy for this?


    Was Song Lingqing''s fall unforeseen by the people of the Phantom Spirit Sect? That seems impossible.


    With a single leaf obstructing sight, living a hundred years without ambition is empty; if one knows nothing and lives in confusion, even living a thousand years is meaningless.


    Sixth Order is only the limit for Great Circtory Qi Guideline, not the limit for Qi Cultivators.


    In ancient times, Qi Cultivators, seeking even a sliver of breakthrough, would even willingly face Life and Death Tribtions. Without experiences, their attainment in the Dao couldn''t grow at all.


    Even the Celestial Emperor, to attain the supreme position, must endure myriad tribtions; living contentedly in one ce and closing oneself off in meditation has no meaning whatsoever.


    The rare things in the world are difficult toe by; without difficulty, how can they be treasured?


    However, for the short term, Chu Zheng needn''t consider these things. The Condensing Space Bracelet is a Spatial Spiritual Treasure of Sixth Order quality, surely containing a vast amount of cultivation resources, enough for him to assimte for a long time.


    Moreover, within it may lie the information he seeks.


    The pressing matter for Chu Zheng now is to quickly repair the Condensing Space Bracelet, inventory the gains, enhance his cultivation, and then contemte his path forward.


    Having just entered Spirit Transformation, he might be able to kill cultivators in the Early Spirit Spring Realm with some tricks, but those above, in the Entry Dao Realm or even the Soul Condensing Realm, were simply beyond his ability to contend with.


    With the Condensing Space Bracelet in hand, he could consider other ways to proceed, as long as he could achieve the Golden Core and cultivate several Divine Skills for protection, he would have the capital to sit down and negotiate with these Immortal Sects.


    If he took it a step further, he could even dismantle the Phantom Spirit Sect and take a look at the Scripture Pavilion of the sect.


    ......


    ......


    Upon boarding the Flying Boat, Chu Zheng found a corner to shrink into and closed his eyes to feign sleep.


    When the Flying Boat returned to Illusory Spirit City, the sky had already turned to night.


    Contrary to his expectations, the Flying Boat did not stop in Illusory Spirit City but directly crossed over the sect''s grand formation to enter the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range.


    Chu Zheng was slightly startled but quickly understood.


    His identity had changed; he was now an odd-jobber belonging to the Phantom Spirit Sect, though due to special circumstances, he had not yet passed through the Sect Gate.


    The entrance check had already beenpleted when they recruited miners.


    Even if they were to return to Illusory Spirit City, their destination should be the Outer Sect of the Phantom Spirit Sect, not Illusory Spirit City itself.


    The martial masters on the Flying Boat sensed nothing amiss.


    They hade for the purpose of joining the Phantom Spirit Sect, so it made no difference to them where they went.


    Chu Zheng stood up, pressed against the light barrier formed by the array, his eyes circting with Spiritual Light, and his expression gradually changing.


    An endless mountain range came into view, powerful Life Yuan Qi fluctuations ebbed and flowed, like a series of zing fires, stretching upward and illuminating the entire sky.


    Inside the Phantom Spirit Sect, there must be experts skilled in the Qi Observation Technique, with the distribution of these Yuan Qi fluctuations meticulously arranged, perfectly covering the entire mountain range. The circting Yuan Qi endowed the range with vitality.


    All the Yuan Qi between heaven and earth were orderly, not the least bit chaotic, as ifbed by an invisible hand, circting around the entire mountain range like tides.


    Just as living beings breathed in Spiritual Energy for cultivation, the entire mountain range was also inhaling the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth, nourishing itself.


    In this way, as long as the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth did not cease, this Spirit Land would forever remain at its peak, and might even progress further, undergoing transformation.


    This was an invincible foundation that couldst for eternities.


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but inwardly sigh; he never imagined that he would enter the Phantom Spirit Sect in such a manner.


    If he could bring the Condensing Space Bracelet inside, it meant others could also bring things in through the same method.


    No matter how stringent the rules, they are still implemented by people; seemingly tight defenses will always have loopholes to exploit.


    Now that he had alreadye in, all he could do was to quietly observe the changes and wait for the opportunity when Fu Quanliang would call him back, and then make ns for the next step.


    As Chu Zheng pondered, the Flying Boat slowlynded on a za.


    Though it was deep into the night, the area was still brightly lit; stout stone pirs scattered about, cast a hazy glow, lighting up the ce like it was daylight.


    Chu Zheng followed the dozen or so martial masters off the Flying Boat. Next to the Flying Boat stood an Outer Sect Disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect and three martial masters dressed distinctly differently.


    The Outer Sect Disciple appeared to be over thirty years old, and judging by his Yuan Qi fluctuations, his cultivation should be in the initial stage of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    The three martial masters were easily identifiable as odd-jobbers.


    After disembarking from the Flying Boat, the dozen or so martial masters stood in a row. Chu Zheng, appearing to be in his twenties and with his remarkable looks, was quite conspicuous among these middle-aged martial masters.


    The eyes of the Outer Sect Disciplended on Chu Zheng first:


    "You..."

 Chapter 53: Chapter 49: Reunion

    "Follow him to the Spirit Beast Garden."


    A martial master dressed in the clothing of an odd-jobber approached Chu Zheng, shing a smile:


    "Come with me."


    Chu Zheng understood; this was clearly the assignment of positions.


    The distribution of tasks to other odd-jobbers was also swiftlypleted, and apanying Chu Zheng to the Spirit Beast Garden were two other martial masters.


    "My name is Tong Jinshan, just call me Old Tong. What are your names?"


    "Chu Zheng."


    "Dong Chong."


    "Liu Yuanzhen."


    As they talked, they had already reached the outeryer of the square, where they were greeted by arge expanse of low sheds.


    Tethered inside was a type of horse Chu Zheng had never seen before, nearly ten feet at the shoulder, entirely ck, with fine mane and bulging muscture.


    At a nce, there were no fewer than a hundred.


    Tong Jinshan led two horses out, speaking in a gentle voice, "Mount up. Chu Zheng, you''ll ride with me."


    Seeing the trio all looking puzzled, Tong Jinshan mounted his horse and exined:


    "The Spirit Beast Garden is nearly two thousand miles from here. We need to hurry, or we won''t make it in time for tomorrow morning''s breakfast."


    "Two thousand miles?!" The three of them were astonished.


    What surprised Chu Zheng was the pace of the horse; if he were not using Yuan Qi to boost his strength, his current physical speed would be approximately the same.


    "Let''s talk on the way; mount up first."


    Tong Jinshan urged him again.


    Chu Zheng leapt onto the horse''s back, and in the next moment, a fierce gust of wind swept around them, with the trees and grasses on the edge of his vision rapidly receding.


    The ck horse beneath him, as it galloped, seemed to ride the wind like a being of Qi, making the mountains and rivers feel like level ground beneath its hooves, albeit with some jostling.


    "It''s all new to you now, but after a while, you''ll get used to it," came Tong Jinshan''s voice, carried on Inner Qi to Chu Zheng''s ear, exining:


    "Those Immortal Sect disciples don''t have much time to concern themselves with the likes of us; we hardly ever see them on a normal day. If you were thinking ofing here to curry favor, I''d advise leaving that thought aside."


    After offering that advice, Tong Jinshan began introducing Chu Zheng to some details about the Phantom Spirit Sect gates.


    The Phantom Spirit Mountain Range stretched for ten thousand miles, and the location of the Spirit Beast Garden was nearly two thousand miles from here.


    Even for a cultivator in the Spirit Spring Realm, it would take about two hours to cover that distance, and they would need to recover the mana spent, essentially wasting nearly an entire day, so naturally, no one would send them.


    For travelling around the Sect gates, odd-jobbers could only rely on these Cloud-Treading Steeds.


    The Immortal Sect disciples rarely appeared before them on a normal day; they barely had enough time to cultivate, let alone spend time interacting with odd-jobbers.


    The time of odd-jobbers was not considered valuable, and most of them, after joining the Sect, were familiarized with the environment under the guidance of older odd-jobbers.


    It was precisely because they needed to spend most of their time cultivating that arge number of misceneous tasks piled up, needing people to take care of them.


    Including but not limited to maintaining herb fields, feeding Spirit Beasts, transporting ores, and running errands to procure items for Outer Sect Disciples who had not yet reached the Spiritual Spring stage.


    This is why the odd-jobbers existed.


    Every year, there were at least a hundred new disciples entering the Phantom Spirit Sect, a considerable part of whom was selected from more than ten mortal realms.


    Those with Lower Quality Immortal Bones had no right to choose their own masters and had to flow with the masses, being taught collectively by the Elder of the Outer Sect.


    These people had different identities and different statuses; some disciples came from prestigious families and were used to ordering people around.


    Upon joining the Sect and finding themselves without attendants, they often felt ufortable. Some tasks they should do but did not want to would eventually fall on the shoulders of the odd-jobbers.


    After talking incessantly for a long time, Tong Jinshan finally mentioned the Spirit Beast Garden they were heading towards.


    "The work in the Spirit Beast Garden isn''t heavy, but it is varied. In


    ```


    "We need to monitor the condition of some low grade spirit beasts, whether they are injured or have overexerted themselves, and adjust their feeding amounts ordingly to ensure a swift recovery."


    "Right, there''s a rule I must inform you of in advance, one that is absolutely invible."


    "If this crime ismitted, not only you but also all those rted to you will face severe punishment."


    Tong Jinshan spoke with a grave tone, causing the three of them to tense up and listen intently.


    "Sexual misconduct with spirit beasts is strictly forbidden, offenders will have their entire ns held responsible."


    This statement left Chu Zheng momentarily bewildered, and he even doubted whether he had heard it correctly at first.


    Once he had recovered from his initial shock, his face couldn''t help but show aplex expression.


    As for this rule, Chu Zheng didn''t consider its reasonableness. Behind every seemingly outrageous rule, there was often an even more outrageous story.


    Things he would not do, others might, since humanity''s desires were free.


    The only thing he found puzzling was how an odd-jobber martial master could possibly take advantage of those powerful spirit beasts.


    ......


    ......


    At dawn, the two Cloud-Treading Steeds finally arrived at the location of the Spirit Beast Garden.


    It was a chasm crossing over a hundred miles, several miles wide.


    As soon as he approached the area, Chu Zheng felt an extremely strong fluctuation of Yuan Qi, far surpassing anything he had seen from the likes of Qin Feng and Han Yuliang.


    Tong Jinshan first took the three of them for breakfast, which was merely a bowl of Spirit Spring Water and a Fasting Pill.


    The Spirit Beast Garden had only this one meal a day, and that single Fasting Pill was enough to sustain a Martial Path Grandmaster for an entire day''s activities.


    For the average person, after ingesting this pill, they wouldn''t need to eat for ten days or half a month without any adverse effects.


    Only after entering the Spirit Beast Garden did Chu Zheng understand his earlier confusion.


    To prevent injuries, or worse, among the odd-jobbers and the Outer Sect Disciples, all the spirit beasts here wore Spirit Binding Rings, which limited their mana. Against some martial masters with a bit of strength, these beasts indeed had little capability to resist.


    However, for Chu Zheng, that particr area was still too far-fetched, and he did not even want to contemte it.


    ......


    ......


    Life in the Spirit Beast Garden turned out to be much more peaceful than Chu Zheng had imagined.


    His daily routine was quite fixed: feeding spirit beasts, preparing the next day''s food, then returning to cultivate.


    Thanks to the presence of powerful spirit beasts, the influx of nature''s spiritual energy here exceeded other areas by a considerable amount.


    This was extremely beneficial to Chu Zheng''s cultivation; a day''s worth of training here was equivalent to half a month in the secr world.


    As long as hepleted the task of feeding the spirit beasts on time, no one would bother him.


    The daily refreshed number of repairs was prioritized for the Xuan Tian Seal, which was just one step away from being fully restored.


    In the blink of an eye, several days passed.


    One day at noon, Tong Jinshan came hurriedly, with a woman following behind him.


    "Song Zhenchuan, these are all the entry stage spirit beasts."


    "I appreciate it."


    Hearing themotion, Chu Zheng stepped out from his abode and furrowed his brows slowly the moment he saw who had arrived.


    Song Lingqing.


    Before he could react, Tong Jinshan had already beckoned to him:


    "Chu Zheng,e here!"


    Song Lingqing''s gaze swept over, and upon seeing Chu Zheng, her expression changed subtly, her eyes conveying a mix of emotions.


    But after a moment of silence, she just stood there without saying a word, not attempting to converse with Chu Zheng.


    ```

 Chapter 54: Chapter 50: Suspicions

    At first sight of Song Lingqing, Chu Zheng had a sinking feeling.


    ording to his original n, even if he were to interact with Song Lingqing, it would be a gradual probing and at least give Song Lingqing some time to adjust.


    Such a hasty meeting could easily lead to someone catching a hint of something off and thereby bring trouble.


    To Chu Zheng''s surprise, Song Lingqing did not initiate a conversation with him, but merely nced at him before shifting her gaze away.


    Thest time the two met was only a few months ago; it was obviously impossible for them to have forgotten about each other.


    This could only mean that Song Lingqing was doing it on purpose, and clearly, she had her reservations.


    This reaction, for Chu Zheng, was a good sign. He nced at Tong Jinshan thoughtfully.


    A distinguished sessor visiting the Spirit Beast Garden is being shown around by a mere odd-jobber, such a slight.


    From this detail, it was clear that Song Lingqing''s status was shaky or perhaps already dead in name.


    Normally, a typical sessor visiting would not have even Outer Sect Disciples qualified to meet them, let alone someone less than an Elder to receive them.


    And furthermore...


    Chu Zheng looked around his own supervised area. The strongest spirit beast here was only around the mid Spirit Spring Realm, not at all suitable for a sessor toe here to pick spirit beasts.


    In the meantime, Tong Jinshan waved his hand, "Chu Zheng, find a Cloud Wing Tiger."


    Chu Zheng responded and was just about to leave when he suddenly heard Song Lingqing''s voice from behind:


    "I''ll go with him to save time, wait here for a moment."


    "Song Zhenchuan..."


    Tong Jinshan, showing some hesitation, did not dare to contradict Song Lingqing''s words. After hesitating for a while, he carefully said:


    "He hasn''t been here long and still doesn''t understand the protocols. If there is any offense, I hope you can forgive it..."


    The identity of a true disciple is exceedingly noble. Even now, when Song Lingqing is unlike her past self, stepping on an odd-jobber would matter to no one.


    "It''s alright."


    Song Lingqing slightly shook her head and followed Chu Zheng''s steps.


    The two, one after the other, quickly went deeper into the Spirit Beast Garden.


    "There''s been trouble at home."


    Song Lingqing''s voice transmission reached Chu Zheng''s ears, not a question, as she had already received some news.


    "Hmm."


    Chu Zheng responded, stopping his steps. In a cave not far away, stood a ck Tiger over twenty meters long, its neck tightly bound with a Spirit Binding Ring.


    Song Lingqing stepped forward, stroked the ck Tiger''s head through the iron bars, and continued tomunicate via voice transmission, "Is it because of me? How are father and sister... Are they alive or dead?"


    On hearing this, Chu Zheng felt a bit surprised, instinctively turned his head, and nced at Song Lingqing.


    Only now did he take the time to carefully observe this woman he had only met once before.


    Compared to theirst meeting, Song Lingqing looked somewhat pale as if she had lost blood, visibly thinner, with a hint of exhaustion in her brow.


    Song Lingqing and Song Lingxue looked somewhat simr, but the feeling they gave waspletely different.


    Especially now, Song Lingqing''s tone was unusually calm. Her white clothes set her apart from the world, even making Chu Zheng feel a strange chill.


    "They''re still alive."


    Chu Zheng estimated for a moment and transmitted back, "They should have left Great Zhou by now, heading in the direction of Giant Marsh."


    Before he could finish, he added, "They all think you''re dead, including me."


    "It''s good that they''re still alive."


    Song Lingqing nodded and responded with an indiscernible expression in her eyes, "Since the Sect was unwilling to intervene, I assume that period must have been very tough for you."


    "Actually, Phantom Spirit Sect did send someone."


    Chu Zheng raised his hand to open the iron gate, releasing the ck Tiger, "An Outer Sect Disciple, at the Seventh Layer of Nourishing Power Realm."


    "I heard, Fu Quanliang."


    Song Lingqing''s expression paused slightly, and she remained silent for a long while.


    It was only after some time that her voice reached Chu Zheng''s ears again:


    "My injuries have not yet fully healed, so I came to fetch a Spirit Beast as a mount. What brings you here? To confirm whether I am dead?"


    "Entering the Sect as an odd-jobber, you must be at least amon Grandmaster, or even a Great Grandmaster. How did you acquire such power in such a short period?"


    Phantom Spirit Sect has a set standard for selecting odd-jobbers, one cannot simply show up if they wish.


    For Song Lingqing, who had met Chu Zheng not long ago, no one understood better than her how terrifying the speed of Chu Zheng''s advancement was.


    "I cultivated a few techniques."


    The perfunctory nature of Chu Zheng''s words was too obvious, causing Song Lingqing''s brow to furrow slightly before she spoke again:


    "I''ve met Fu Quanliang before, a man of mediocre talents, merely a mortal,cking the valor to kill enemies across realms. Jiang Cunhu... Did you make a move?"


    Song Lingqing waited a long time but never heard an answer from Chu Zheng. After a moment of silence, she spoke once more:


    "Thank you."


    "No need, there''s no karma between you and me. I should thank you for the books you gave me initially."


    As far as debts and grudges were concerned, Chu Zheng always had a clear distinction; Song Lingqing owed him nothing, and there was no need for thanks.


    "My father and sister could leave Great Zhou alive; you must have exerted a lot of effort. I am aware of this in my heart; I will repay this kindness if the opportunity arises," she said.


    Song Lingqing''s tone was devoid of much fluctuation, like a pool of stagnant water, "Your joining the Sect wasn''t for me. What are you nning to do? If there''s anything I can help with, I''ll do my best."


    "What are your ns moving forward?"


    Chu Zheng''s eyes shifted subtly, dodging the question. Instead, he changed the subject, "I heard your Immortal Bone was shattered, this position of Zhenchuan..."


    "Zhenchuan is but a false reputation, and so what if the Immortal Bone is shattered? It''s just a bone, a stepping stone."


    "Now that I have entered the Spirit Spring Realm and possess mana, even if my cultivation speed is much slower than before, I can still continue on the path of cultivation," Song Lingqing stated calmly.


    "The moment I stepped onto the Immortal Path, I had resolved that even if it kills me, I wish to die on the path of Bing an Immortal. No matter the cost, I will not stop walking."


    "I will repay the Song Family''s kindness and avenge their grievances, even if it takes hundreds or thousands of years, I will achieve what I desire."


    Discussing the Immortal Path, an obsessive light emerged in Song Lingqing''s otherwise stagnant eyes.


    Chu Zheng remained silent; throughout, he never brought up helping Song Lingqing repair her Immortal Bone. It was simply not in his ns.


    Not to mention that repairing the Immortal Bone would require a significant sacrifice on his part, the very Immortal Bone that even Phantom Spirit Sect hadn''t managed to save if repaired by him, could cause enormous turbulence.


    There are invisible threads in each cause and effect in this world, and every matter has traces which can be followed; Chu Zheng dared not be certain whether there were experts capable of divining fate within Phantom Spirit Sect, nor was he willing to gamble on it.


    If such a person were to discover him, everything would be over.


    Chu Zheng silently released the Spirit Binding Ring and handed over the Cloud Wing Tiger to Song Lingqing. As their fingertips touched, a message appeared before his eyes.


    [Song Lingqing (First Order): True Disciple of Phantom Spirit Sect, Middle Quality Immortal Bone, meridians severely damaged, Immortal Bone consecutively struck twice and forcefully shattered, repairs possible (0/3000)]


    Middle Quality Immortal Bone...


    Seeing this message, doubts instantly clouded the depths of Chu Zheng''s eyes.

 Chapter 55: Chapter 51: Scripture Pavilion, Xuan Tian Seal

    ```


    Song Lingqing, with a high-quality Immortal Bone, became a disciple of the Supreme as soon as she joined, and was listed among the true inheritors, truly a Pride of the Heavens with limitless potential.


    This wasmon knowledge throughout the entire Phantom Spirit Sect.


    From the reaction of Night Light Pavilion, it wasn''t a secret across the Great Zhou, nor in the surrounding countries.


    Yet now, the information that came from the panel waspletely different.


    Chu Zheng would not doubt the panel, and he equally didn''t believe that the Phantom Spirit Sect had erred in assessing Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone.


    Without much consideration, Chu Zheng could assert that the concealment was a unteral intention of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    In light of this, many things that were previously unclear suddenly made sense.


    To give up on a disciple with a middle-quality Immortal Bone would be somewhat painful for the Phantom Spirit Sect, but not uneptable. As for the Song Family, they were naturally expendable.


    The difference between middle-quality and high-quality Immortal Bone might be only one level, but the actual gap was as vast as heaven and earth.


    Take Zhao Tingxian for example; he entered the Divine Infant Realm at two hundred years old and became a Saint Heir of the Holy Land.


    Based on this speed, having joined for over three years, Song Lingqing should have reached at least the Spirit Spring Realm Perfection, even preparing to enter the Entry Path, rather than just recently breaking into the Spirit Spring.


    Moreover, for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, they only sent an Inner Sect Elder as her escort, clearly not taking it too seriously.


    As for why the Phantom Spirit Sect wanted to hype up Song Lingqing, the hidden reasons behind it were worth pondering.


    Song Lingqing was unaware of the tumultuous thoughts swirling in Chu Zheng''s mind. Just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by Chu Zheng:


    "Have you been injured twice before?"


    After pondering for a moment, Song Lingqing gave a somewhat uncertain response, "I remember only once, and then I lost consciousness."


    A glint of realization shed through Chu Zheng''s eyes. Perhaps, Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone wasn''t shattered by an outsider.


    The panel showed that Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone had suffered two heavy blows.


    This second time might have been after her return to the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Chu Zheng did not voice his spection but turned to entrust Song Lingqing with another matter:


    "If you have time, could you help me borrow some ancient books from the Scripture Pavilion? I''d prefer a cultivation technique. The cost in Spirit Stones is negotiable, and I''ll reimburse youter."


    All his current thoughtscked evidence for support; they were merely his subjective conjectures, likely to have some biases.


    Song Lingqing was still alive and able to continue her cultivation. For the short term, maintaining the status quo was the safest option. As for the rest, that could be consideredter.


    "I''ll bring them to you tomorrow."


    Song Lingqing did not ask further, mounted the Cloud Wing Tiger, and rose through the clouds, disappearing into the sky.


    ...


    ...


    The Scripture Pavilion of the Phantom Spirit Sect was divided into two locations, one in the Outer Sect, the other in the Inner Sect.


    The Outer Sect''s Scripture Pavilion mostly contained low-level Cultivation Techniques, secret techniques, rudimentary formation Fu Lu arts, as well as some basic alchemy and artifact refining methods.


    Song Lingqing did not consider this ce and directly rode the Cloud Wing Tiger to the Inner Sect.


    The Inner Sect''s Scripture Pavilion was heavily guarded. The Phantom Spirit Sect''s heritage of ten thousand years was mostly stored here, with even a Divine Infant Realm Supreme Elder stationed here long-term.


    After settling the Cloud Wing Tiger, Song Lingqing shed her true inheritor Jade Token and stepped straight into the Scripture Pavilion.


    The Scripture Pavilion had six floors. Inheritors had unrestricted ess to the fifth floor and below, while only the Sect Leader and Supreme Elders had the authority to open the topmost floor.


    "Isn''t this Sister Song? It''s been a few days, howe you look even more haggard?"


    Just as she entered the Scripture Pavilion, a frivolous greeting suddenly came from not far away, "You''ve just been heavily injured¡ªyou should take more care of yourself and move less."


    Song Lingqing''s breathing became slightly irregr, her lips tightened, and she nced sideways without saying a word.


    Standing not far were three people, all dressed as Inner Sect Disciples, two males and one female, all about twenty years of age, with identical sneers on their faces.


    Song Lingqing clenched her hand tighter, fell silent for a moment, turned around, bypassed the three people''s location, and continued forward.


    ```


    ```


    He''d hardly taken two steps when three figures blocked his path again.


    "Sister Song, why are you ignoring us? Could it be that you''ve hit your head and no longer recognize us?"


    The woman among the three covered her mouth with a light chuckle, herughter not reaching her eyes, which were filled with coldness.


    "Until my master speaks from his retreat, I remain the true sessor. Get out of my way!"


    Song Lingqing''s expression was icy, a hint of fierce energy flickering in her eyes, "Keep blocking my way and picking fights, disobeying your senior, and I will go straight to the Punishment Hall and ask for our sect''sw to deal with you severely."


    "Why bother with all that trouble."


    The man leading the trio''splexion turned frosty as he said coldly, "Why not settle this on the life-and-death stage right now and reveal our true capabilities?"


    "Enough!"


    A stern shout erupted like thunder from a clear sky, and in the next instant, an old man with silver hair wearing a long robe appeared in front of Song Lingqing.


    Seeing the Supreme, the three Inner Sect Disciples'' faces changed as they bent in salute.


    The old man looked down at Song Lingqing, his gaze warm, "You go in first."


    "Thank you, Supreme."


    Song Lingqing bowed her thanks and slowly walked towards the second floor.


    Once her figure had disappeared down the corridor, the old man lowered his gaze back to the three, saying dispassionately,


    "The three of you will go to the Punishment Hall and receive a hundredshes each, as well as surrender three hundred Contribution Points. Should you offend again, you''ll be demoted to the Outer Sect."


    "Thank you, Supreme."


    The trio, not daring to say anything further, saluted and left the Scripture Pavilion in session.


    "And you."


    The old man suddenly turned, his gaze turning slightly cold as he looked to one side, "If you use such inferior tactics to test my reactions again, you''ll spend a few years in the Outer Sect too."


    From the corner, a young man raised his head from in front of the ancient books, his silent chuckle barely there, as he stood up and bowed,


    "This disciple acknowledges his mistake."


    ...


    ...


    The next morning, in the Spirit Beast Garden.


    Chu Zheng bathed in the early rising morning glow, slowly opened his eyes, and exhaled a breath of turbid Qi, feeling somewhat impatient as he pulled up his panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: First Order Initial Stage]


    [Cultivation Technique: Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Dragon Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order/Iplete), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)]


    [Repair Master: First Order (325/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 5]


    [Current Repair Capabilities: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (295/300), Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500), Condensing Space Bracelet (0/1000)]


    After several days, the Xuan Tian Seal was finally about to be fully repaired.


    Collecting himself, Chu Zheng ced all his remaining repairs on the Xuan Tian Seal.


    An image instantly emerged in Chu Zheng''s mind, and amidst the vagueness, he could only make out a corner of it.


    [Xuan Tian Seal Third Form: A Martial Path masterpiece, using Qi and blood at a cost to temporarily increase one''sbat power threefold.]


    As Chu Zheng had anticipated, the Xuan Tian Seal was indeed a Divine Skill that could boost hisbat power in a short period.


    Moreover, in the method of operating the Xuan Tian Seal, a part of the Qi cultivation route was incorporated.


    ```

 Chapter 56: Chapter 52: Immortal, Martial, Qi Cultivator

    This cultivation technique map is notplete, yet the meridians it involves are vaguely intersecting andmunicating with the Qi-refining technique.


    The Xuan Tian Seal is more than just a divine skill; it may also epass methods of martial cultivation.


    Unfortunately, what Chu Zheng obtained was only a fragmented map. If only he had that iplete martial barrier in his hands, perhaps he could have partially restored the path of martial cultivation.


    The augmentation from the Xuan Tian Seal was exceptionally noticeable. After briefly sensing it, Chu Zheng''s expression turned somewhat grave.


    Back at the Song Family, if he had this Xuan Tian Seal, he wouldn''t have needed a second move to kill Jiang Cunhu.


    The key point is that this kind of divine skill isn''t unique to him; simr secret techniques must surely exist in this world.


    The Qi Observation Technique can only discern the strength of one''s Yuan Qi. It has no way to detect secret techniques and divine skills that can explosively unleash astonishingbat power in a short time.


    If Jiang Cunhu had held such a secret technique at that time, the one who died would not have been him. In future battles, he would need to be much more cautious.


    While Chu Zheng was pondering the Xuan Tian Seal, a streak of flowing light suddenly shot across the sky.


    Momentster, Song Lingqing stepped into the Spirit Beast Garden, this time not apanied by Tong Jinshan but by an Outer Sect executive.


    This executive Chu Zheng recognized, as he was precisely in charge of his area, his name was Yu Bin, at the Mid Spirit Spring Realm, and was rarely seen on normal days.


    "Sister Song''s Cloud Wing Tiger isn''t working out for her, she wants to exchange it for another spirit beast. You lead the way."


    The Outer Sect executive waved at Chu Zheng and then turned his head with a smile at Song Lingqing:


    "Sister Song, please."


    "There''s no need. He can take me. Executive Yu, you''re busy with many affairs, no need to apany me any further," Song Lingqing declined with a shake of her head.


    "Well... that''s fine then. Should you have any requests, Sister Song, feel free tomand at any time."


    Yu Bin nodded slightly, looking at Chu Zheng, "Pick carefully and ensure Sister Song is satisfied."


    "Understood."


    Chu Zheng acknowledged and began leading Song Lingqing deeper into the garden.


    After walking for a while, Chu Zheng sent a voice transmission to ask, "What happened yesterday?"


    The attitude in the Spirit Beast Garden had changed, and this must have been due to some incident that urred with Song Lingqing yesterday.


    "I encountered a few Inner Sect Disciples looking for trouble, and they were punished by the Supreme Elder."


    Song Lingqing did not conceal the details, speaking in an even tone, "They were instigated by someone behind, coveting my position as a true disciple and also testing the Sect''s reaction."


    "In the Phantom Spirit Sect, there are only so many ces for true discipleship, granted to the most capable. Their approach wasn''t wrong, they were just too hasty."


    "The attitude of the Supreme Elder is questionable, showing favoritism a bit too much. The punishment was overly high-profile, as if he owed me something, or perhaps there''s a hidden agenda."


    Chu Zheng''s mind stirred slightly, noting that Song Lingqing''s line of thought was sharper than he had anticipated.


    "The books you asked for, I have brought them. Where should I ce them?"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s eyes brightened slightly, and his step quickened: "Follow me."


    The two made their way to a simple straw hut, which Chu Zheng had constructed himself.


    In the Spirit Beast Garden, it was warm like spring all year round, without distinction between cold and heat, and without rain or clouds, so there was no need for a roof to find shelter.


    For spirit beasts with special environmental needs, they are housed in the deepest parts of the garden, with formations creating specific environments such as cold pools, volcanoes, deserts, etc., for them to dwell.


    The low-grade spirit beasts naturally do not receive this treatment. Such special spirit beasts are mostly powerful, capable of speaking humannguage, though there are no such great demons capable of transforming into human form.


    "Original scriptures cannot be taken out of the Scripture Pavilion; these are basically handwritten copies."


    Having entered the hut, Song Lingqing took about a dozen books from her storage ring and then pulled out a jade talisman:


    "This should be enough for you to read for a while. I can''te here often as it would attract too much attention. If you need anything in the future, contact me through this jade token."


    Chu Zheng took the jade token and casually flipped through the dozen or so books. Several of them had fresh ink, evidently having been copied not long ago, which somewhat moved him:


    "Thank you."


    "No need to thank me, I didn''t copy these."


    Seeing Chu Zheng looking at the books, Song Lingqing guessed what he was thinking and casually said:


    "The Scripture Pavilion has disciples specifically assigned to copy them, I asked them to do it."


    Chu Zheng immediately bowed his head and started flipping through the books.


    Phantom Spirit Sect Chronicles, Theory of the Universe Beyond the Heavens, Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique, Ancient Epoch War Chronicles, True Elixir Dao Comprehension, Seventy-Nine Formation Summary¡­


    The books Song Lingqing brought this time were clearly of a much higher level, including some Immortal Path secret techniques.


    After skimming through them, Chu Zheng looked up, puzzled¡ªsomething was missing from the books.


    "The cultivation technique you wanted is here."


    Song Lingqing took out a jade token and pressed it against Chu Zheng''s forehead.


    "This is the Phantom Spirit Technique, the Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of the Phantom Spirit Sect. I only have the first threeyers."


    Before her words had finished, a vast amount of information poured into Chu Zheng''s mind¡ªa detailed diagram of the human meridians clearly appeared in his thoughts.


    Channel Qi into the body, Nourishing Power, transform into Spiritual Spring, build Dao Foundation, condense the Soul, cultivate the Divine Infant, Deification Nine Transformations, enter Tongxuan.


    [Phantom Spirit Technique (Sixth Order/Iplete): Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of the Phantom Spirit Sect, cultivable up to the Tongxuan Realm, can be restored (0/10000)]


    This was Chu Zheng''s first encounter with a systematic method of cultivation, which provided him with a clearer understanding of the realms in the Immortal Path.


    To his surprise, the Phantom Spirit Technique was a cultivation technique on par with the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, its pinnacle being the Seven Realms of Immortal Path. Tongxuan was also the ultimate peak of the human path.


    After turning around, Chu Zheng''s brows furrowed slightly: "By passing this technique to me, will it cause you any harm?"


    "Can you even cultivate it?" Song Lingqing did not seem concerned.


    Chu Zheng fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "It''s uncertain¡­"


    The reason he had asked for a cultivation method of the Immortal Path was because of the thoughts that arose after hearing Song Lingqing''s current state yesterday.


    Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bones were shattered, but because she possessed mana in her body, she could continue cultivating, albeit at a slower pace.


    Channeling Qi into the body is the first barrier of the Immortal Sect; absorbing nature''s spiritual energy into the body was effortless for Chu Zheng, and he could try starting directly from the secondyer of the Phantom Spirit Technique.


    The cultivation route map was already in his mind. For now, it seemed to be without much difficulty.


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s response, Song Lingqing suddenly raised her hand and reached toward the back of Chu Zheng''s head.


    The back of the head is a vital point and exceedingly sensitive. Chu Zheng suddenly became aware and suppressed the impulse to strike that surged through his body in an instant, putting down the hand that had subconsciously raised.


    A blow from him could not be withstood by Song Lingqing, who was still seriously injured.


    Several slender and delicate fingers deeply inserted themselves into the roots of Chu Zheng''s hair, carefully probing for a moment before retracting.


    Song Lingqing''s expression remained calm as she stated, "You do not possess Immortal Bones."


    Chu Zheng did not argue, but chuckled softly, "You said it yourself yesterday, it''s just a bone, just a stepping stone."


    At his words, Song Lingqing was taken aback, her gaze lowering slightly: "That''s true."


    Whether the Immortal Path waspatible with the Method of Qi Refining or even with the Martial Path was unclear to Chu Zheng, but he wasn''t opposed to trying it out.


    The path he trodded might be one unknown to this world, without a guide to lead the way, trial and error were inevitable.

 Chapter 57: Chapter 53: Return, Elixir Hall

    The path of cultivation isrgely the same across the board, revolving around drawing in spiritual energy into the body and nourishing oneself, sharing somemonalities.


    "How many spirit stones will this require? I''ll pay you backter,"


    Chu Zheng had no intention of taking advantage of Song Lingqing''s kindness.


    "There''s no need, just consider it repaying the favor I owe to the Song Family."


    Song Lingqing shook her head and didn''t stay for long. After leaving the Cloud Wing Tiger behind and switching it for a Single-Horned Celestial Steed, she quickly departed.


    This was a third-order spirit beast, capable of contending with cultivators of the Entry Dao Realm. Based on Song Lingqing''s cultivation level, she really shouldn''t be lending out a spirit beast of this caliber.


    However, after the elder of the Spirit Beast Garden made a statement, Song Lingqing''s process of exchanging for the celestial steed encountered no obstacles. She didn''t even go through the normal protocols; it was a special approval.


    After Song Lingqing left, Chu Zheng resumed his regr life: reading, cultivating, feeding spirit beasts, and it was very fulfilling.


    The Xuan Tian Seal had been repaired, and Chu Zheng used all of his repair attempts on the Condensing Space Bracelet. Looking at the numbers increasing daily put him in a good mood.


    Once the Condensing Space Bracelet is fully repaired, his level as a Repair Master will also rise to the second order; at that time, he could start considering his next step.


    One advantage of the Spirit Beast Garden became apparent during this time: there''s no need to interact too much with people. After finishing his tasks, he was rarely disturbed by anyone.


    It may seem lonely to the average person, but for Chu Zheng, it was just right.


    Moreover, perhaps because Chu Zheng was a Qi Cultivator, these spirit beasts were very friendly toward him, and they hardly ever got temperamental.


    Over time, Chu Zheng even developed an understanding of the beasts''nguage, enabling him to engage in briefmunication with the spirit beasts.


    ording to the records of the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, those who cultivated Qi had auspicious beasts as theirpanions; the breath they exhaled could make nts and trees gain spiritual awareness and transform into demons.


    Since Qi refining cultivates the Heavenly Dao, with bnced Yin Yang Dual Qi inside the body, it can peacefully coexist with all types of primordial Qi.


    A Qi Cultivator canmunicate with all things; that is the interaction of Qi.


    Having these spirit beasts forpany, the days were not dull or monotonous.


    ......


    ......


    Before he knew it, more than a month had passed, and someone Chu Zheng had been waiting for a long time arrived at the Spirit Beast Garden.


    Fu Quanliang had returned to the sect.


    In that month, Chu Zheng hadn''t rushed to try cultivating the Immortal Path because the timing wasn''t right. Cultivation differs from Qi refining; fluctuations in cultivation are hard to conceal and can be easily detected by others.


    However, among the secret techniques that Song Lingqing brought, there was one that Chu Zheng had begun to experiment with.


    Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique.


    [Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order): An Immortal path body refinement technique, divided into five levels, refining the body''s muscles and bones with the Power of the Stars. At the pinnacle of the fifth order, one possesses Moving Star Power.]


    Body refinement is different from cultivation; Blood Qi can be hidden and suppressed, and the strength of muscles and bones is not detectable without a thorough examination.


    His Dragon-Tiger Body was still iplete, and Chu Zheng didn''t have any spare repair attempts to devote to it, so shifting to the Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique was undoubtedly a better choice.


    At first, Chu Zheng tried to draw in the power of the Circuit of Qi Stars into his body every night, but the results were not very noticeable, and his progress was very slow.


    Later, he changed his approach, adopting Qi-refining techniques to draw Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi into his body. After refining it, he simted the conversion into Astral Qi within his body to temper his physical form.


    This method was highly effective. With the foundation of the Dragon-Tiger Body, it took just over a month for him to sessfully step into the firstyer, his physical strength surged.


    "Wu¡ª"


    When Fu Quanliang found Chu Zheng, he was squatting in front of an adult Silver-boned Cat Demon, attempting tomunicate with it.


    This Silver-boned Cat Demon had reached adulthood, measuring seven feet in length, with sharp ws and teeth capable of easily tearing through the defenses of a cultivator in the Spirit Spring Realm.


    ```


    However, it clearly had no guard against Chu Zheng,zily turning over its body as it sensed someone approaching, allowing Chu Zheng to knead and sort through the Yuan Qi within its body.


    "Chu Zheng?"


    Seeing this scene before him, Tong Jinshan''s expression changed slightly as he trotted to Chu Zheng''s side.


    "Old Tong." Chu Zheng casually greeted without shifting his gaze, continuing to stare at the cat demon beneath his hands, his face unconsciously breaking into a smile.


    Tong Jinshan''s expression changed slightly once more as he hurriedly verified, "You haven''t forgotten what I told you on your first day at the Spirit Beast Garden, have you?"


    In his view, Chu Zheng was somewhat too reclusive; the other odd-jobbers would gather to chat and spar in their free time, venting the energy they had nowhere to channel.


    In the prime of their youth, they needed outlets for their abundant vigor; chatting could also help pass the tedious time.


    Chu Zheng never took part in such activities, and he entirelycked that sense of impetuousness.


    Together with the scene now unfolding before his eyes, Tong Jinshan felt that it was just too dangerous.


    Chu Zheng paused for a moment, then, realizing what Tong Jinshan meant, abruptly withdrew his hand, shaking his head repeatedly, "I haven''t forgotten."


    "That''s good to hear," Tong Jinshan breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Wu¡ª"


    The Silver-boned Cat Demon flipped to its feet, uttering a dissatisfied whimper and ncing at Tong Jinshan with an obviously unfriendly look in its eyes.


    Tong Jinshan was unaware, some spirit beasts are inherently temperamental.


    Chu Zheng stood up, and only then did he notice Fu Quanliang not far away, his eyes lighting up for a moment.


    Seeing Chu Zheng looking over, Fu Quanliang immediately sent a telepathic message, "To find you, I''ve been all over the Outer Sect these past few days."


    "You''ve worked hard," Chu Zheng soothed with a reply.


    He hadn''t put much effort into the Life-link Seal, it was something he had just started learning and hadn''t fully mastered yet; theoretically, even if separated by a starry sea, he and Fu Quanliang should be able to sense each other''s positions.


    But there was plenty of time ahead to slowly deepen their connection.


    After a month apart, Fu Quanliang didn''t seem much different, appearing more spirited, and his cultivation had also increased by ayer, now at the Eightfold Nourishing Power Realm.


    "Take this one to pick a leading spirit beast, choose something clever; you can only select a First Order, Second Order beasts are not an option," Tong Jinshan instructed with a casual attitude, obviously not intending to personally attend to them.


    Chu Zheng nodded without saying much and led Fu Quanliang inside while telepathicallymunicating:


    "Do you have a way to help me get some elixirs?"


    Just cultivating with nature''s spiritual energy, although not too slow, Chu Zheng still felt unsatisfied; elixirs to advance cultivation were essential.


    "What kind of elixirs do you want?"


    Fu Quanliang looked hesitant, "In the Sect, apart from waste elixirs, everything else requires contribution points, and I don''t have many¡­"


    Contribution points were hard toe by, and every mission entailed danger, like the recent one to the Song Family where he nearly lost his life; the contribution points he earned weren''t much either.


    "Waste elixirs?"


    Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened, without any hesitation he responded, "First, help me get a batch of waste elixirs."


    With the repair panel at hand, these so-called waste elixirs were well worth trying out.


    "Waste elixirs are mostly in the Elixir Hall, I''ll think of a way for you,"


    Fu Quanliang was somewhat unclear about Chu Zheng''s intentions, but without asking further, he agreed.


    ```

 Chapter 58: Chapter 54: Elixirs, Discovery

    "Will there be any trouble? If it''s dangerous, then forget it."


    Upon hearing the words ''Elixir Hall,'' Chu Zheng immediately spoke up. If there were elixirs avable, it would indeed be an added bonus; if not, it wouldn''t be a significant loss.


    If it meant risking Fu Quanliang''s life, then it really wouldn''t be worth it.


    "This matter isn''t difficult; several of the attendants in the Elixir Hall are old friends of mine, from the same batch when we joined the sect. There''s no major problem," he said.


    Fu Quanliang shook his head. If it were really dangerous, he wouldn''t consider doing it.


    No matter how experienced an alchemist was, a one-hundred percent sess rate could never be guaranteed.


    Generally speaking, if three portions of ingredients yielded two sessful batches of pills, with about a seventy percent chance, then one is considered a qualified alchemist.


    For arge sect like the Phantom Spirit Sect, the number of waste elixirs produced daily was astonishingly high.


    On normal days, these waste elixirs were ground into powder and used to fertilize the medicinal fields; a small portion missing would go unnoticed by anyone.


    About alchemy, the ''True Elixir Dao Comprehension'' that Song Lingqing provided contained much information, and Chu Zheng had read some content over the past few days and gained some understanding.


    The subject of alchemy wasplex. It did not demand high qualifications, but the requirements for talent and perceptiveness were incredibly high.


    This was different from possessing Immortal Bones. Those with high-quality Immortal Bones might not have a talent for alchemy, while those with lower-quality Immortal Bones might be surprisingly gifted in alchemy.


    To go from an attendant to a qualified alchemist, one needed at least decades of nurturing, essentially built upon countless spiritual medicines, making their value extremely high.


    Loose cultivators and smaller sects couldn''t afford such a vast expense on spiritual medicines and could not cultivate alchemists on their own.


    Elixirs that increase cultivation are basically monopolized by therge sects, which is also a major source of revenue for the major Immortal Sects.


    Thus, it''s almost unheard of for a loose cultivator to be an alchemist. If there were any, they would have broken away from arge sect.


    Currently, Chu Zheng was a First Order Repair Master. For Zeroth Order elixirs, those used in the Nourishing Power Realm, repair cost him nothing.


    When he advanced to the Second Order, it would be the same for the elixirs used by cultivators in the Spirit Spring Realm.


    ......


    ......


    Renting a spirit beast also required contribution points. Fu Quanliang''s visit this time was for Chu Zheng''s sake, and he did not choose to take a spirit beast but merely wandered around briefly before quickly leaving.


    In Tong Jinshan''s eyes, this took on another meaning.


    Couldn''t afford the contribution points.


    "Ten years since entry, and still not at the Nourishing Power Perfection. I see his future development as essentially limited; at best, he enters Spirit Spring and gets a minor official position. With no powerful family backing, finding a Daopanion in the sect might be hard, likely will need to look in Illusory Spirit City."


    Watching Fu Quanliang''s retreating back, Tong Jinshan shook his head and then a hint of smugness appeared on his face. "My son, only twenty-six this year, is already at the ninth level of Nourishing Power Realm; he might have a chance to enter the path and be an Outer Sect Elder in the future."


    As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Chu Zheng and his tone suddenly changed:


    "Why don''t youe with me to Illusory Spirit City someday? I know quite a few friends there, could help arrange a matchmaking for you. With your appearance, you''d match even the families of high standing, and being so young, you''d definitely find someone suitable."


    Although odd-jobbers can''t bring families into the sect, setting up a family outside has no restrictions. As long as one settles in Illusory Spirit City, the Phantom Spirit Sect still permits annual family visits and gives a few days off.


    Chu Zheng''s current state genuinely worried Tong Jinshan, fearing he might take the wrong path and ruin his life.


    Meanwhile, Chu Zheng, still pondering over the elixirs, was somewhat absent-minded and did not pay attention to what Tong Jinshan was saying, merely responding absently a few times.


    "Well, that settles it then," said Tong Jinshan, satisfied as he walked away.


    Chu Zheng returned to the straw hut and began his daily cultivation.


    The Qi-refining Technique was proving exceptionally smooth for him; at this rate, in another month, he would be able to step into the mid-stage of Spirit Transformation.


    Up to now, he had spent less than half a year on his cultivation journey, and in terms of cultivation level, he was no weaker than those cultivators of the Immortal Sect who had trained for several or even dozens of years.


    The speed was already fast, but Chu Zheng still felt some urgency.


    If his strength were sufficient, he wouldn''t need to consider these twists and turns and could, like the Ancient Qi Refining Masters, roam the four seas and visit various Immortal Sects to enhance his own foundation.


    Sticking to one ce had be exceedingly dull; even thepany of these Spirit Beasts could not alleviate his growing boredom with the location.


    If it weren''t for the books that Song Lingqing had brought him, Chu Zheng''s days would have been even more formless.


    ......


    ......


    Fu Quanliang moved quickly, and in just three days, he returned to the Spirit Beast Garden.


    On his back, he carried an entirerge bag of Spiritual Medicine.


    The Waste Elixirs were mostly misshapen, looking merely like clumps of soil wrapped in nt roots and stems, along with unidentified scales and fragments.


    Chu Zheng scanned them one by one, and soon detailed information began to appear before him.


    [Hundred Herbs Elixir (Zeroth Order/Iplete)]: Made from a hundred kinds of ordinary herbs, strengthens kidneys and nourishes essence, strengthens muscles and veins; ruined due to excessive heat during refining (repairable).


    [Bone-healing Elixir (First Order/Iplete)]: Can reconnect broken bones within half an hour, restoring them as before, ruined because one less stalk of ck Blood Grass was used (repairable 0/2).


    [Vitality Scattering Powder (Zeroth Order/Iplete)]: Dispels bruises, detoxifies blood, activates limbs and bones, speeds up recovery of injuries, ruined due to incorrect dosage of ingredients (repairable).


    [Spirit Revitalizing Pill (Second Order/Iplete)]: Can restore 50% of a Second Order creature''s mana within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea; ruined because Primordial Serpent Bone was added toote and the heat was unbnced during Solidifying Pill stage (repairable 0/100).


    ......


    "Has the Phantom Spirit Sect had any major conflicts recently with others?"


    Seeing information popping up continuously, Chu Zheng gradually realized something was off; many of these elixirs were for healing injuries and quickly replenishing mana.


    For the Immortal Sect, these kinds of elixirs were akin to strategic reserve resources. Such extensive production was either because of a conflict with other Immortal Sects or because there was a significant action brewing.


    "Where did you get this information from?"


    Fu Quanliang appeared somewhat surprised, "I also found out not long ago; it was an attendant from the Elixir Hall who told me. Now, most likely, many Inner Sect Disciples still don''t know about it."


    "What happened?" Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened, as he had suspected.


    "It''s still because of Sister Song."


    Fu Quanliang sighed lightly, "This time, during the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, the sect lost a High Quality Immortal Bone from one of our Immortal Seedlings. Several Supreme Elders were extremely enraged and after discussion, decided to wage full-scale war against Night Light Pavilion and Earth Dragon Sect, demanding justice."


    "A war?"


    Chu Zheng was slightly taken aback, his first reaction being that it was impossible. If the Phantom Spirit Sect truly had such conviction, the situation of the Song Family couldn''t possibly have reached this point.


    "Indeed, the Sect Leader has already summoned the Sect-Defending Divine Treasure, the Illusory Spirit Treasure Mirror, and sent a message to the Tai Xu Holy Land, requesting the Holy Land''s arbitration."


    Fu Quanliang wore a grave expression, "Considering the time, the emissary from the Holy Land should be arriving soon."

 Chapter 59: Chapter 55: Holy Land Envoy

    "Tai Xu Holy Land?"


    The name was not new to Chu Zheng; Fu Quanliang had mentioned it before during thest visit to the Song Residence.


    The gifted individual from the Zhao Family of Great Zhou with high-quality Immortal Bone, Zhao Tingxian, had once served as the Saint Heir within the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    "Indeed, when the Immortal Sect goes to war, the consequences are substantial; without checks and bnces, it would affect billions of people. The surrounding dozens of countries would be dragged into warfare, affecting them for thousands, even tens of thousands of years. Holy Lands usually step in to mediate."


    Fu Quanliang pondered for a moment before saying, "A Holy Land emissary visited three years ago due to the high-quality Immortal Bone matter. Sister Song had joined the sect for only half a month at that time and was just taken out by the Supreme Elder, so she missed the meeting."


    "The news spreads this quickly?" Chu Zheng was somewhat surprised.


    "Across tens of millions of miles, there are hundreds of big and small sects. Each sect, before epting disciples, not only examines the bones but also uses Stepping Stones of Immortality for determination to reveal the true grade of Immortal Bones."


    "What are Stepping Stones of Immortality?" Chu Zheng was surprised, having thought that Immortal Bones would be easy to discern.


    "Stepping Stones of Immortality are sent out from the Tai Xu Holy Land and can sense the tier of Immortal Bones. The higher the grade of Immortal Bone, the stronger the reaction from the stone, said to be an avatar of an Immortal Treasure."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s expression changed; his first thought was that the Tai Xu Holy Land was monopolizing talent, protectively absorbing all prodigies that could pose a threat.


    Whenever a sect produced a genius, the Tai Xu Holy Land could pre-emptively bring them into the Holy Land, avoiding potential great enemies in the future and adding to their sect''s heritage, undoubtedly killing two birds with one stone.


    The strong remain strong.


    Fu Quanliang looked around and said through a spiritual message transmission, "I heard that this emissary didn''te just because of the sect''s war, but also partly because of Zhao Tingxian."


    "What does this have to do with Zhao Tingxian?" Chu Zheng''s expression grew even more puzzled.


    "I heard it from a senior sister. The Phantom Spirit Sect within Great Zhou Territory has already evacuated. It''s because Zhao Tingxian suddenly manifested his power, killing an Elder of the Night Light Pavilion right at the Song Residence."


    "The Song Residence?" Chu Zheng gasped in a breath of cool air.


    He had not anticipated that matters at the Song Family would alert an Immortal Sect Elder, who then died. If he had lingered longer at the time, he might have been dead by now.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, then asked Fu Quanliang for his opinion, "Do you think this battle could really start?"


    "It would be best if it doesn''t start, for if it truly begins, I fear it would end with both sides severely damaged. I would certainly be among the first to enter the battlefield."


    Fu Quanliang frowned slightly, uncertainly saying, "I feel this matter should be resolved with the mediation of the Holy Land."


    Chu Zheng had the same thought; the Phantom Spirit Sect wouldn''t pay such a great price for Song Lingqing. If a genuine battle started, the Night Light Pavilion''s power clearly outmatched them substantially.


    The best choice for Phantom Spirit Sect would be to negotiate for some benefits under the mediation of the Holy Land.


    Perhaps, that was the original intention.


    Chu Zheng rubbed his brow, organizing his thoughts, his mind bing clearer.


    Three years ago, the special emissary from the Tai Xu Holy Land came because of the change in the Stepping Stone of Immortality, and so it was certain that a person with high-quality Immortal Bone existed.


    If Phantom Spirit Sect intended to hide this, it was likely they wanted to preserve this individual as a backup n for the sect.


    Song Lingqing was merely a stand-in then; perhaps the shattering of her Immortal Bone was pre-nned.


    Now, it had been some time since Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone was shattered, yet news of the changing True Disciple position had been dyed, perhaps intentionally waiting for this Holy Land emissary.


    "Wait here a moment,"


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng took a bag of Waste Elixir into a thatched hut and spent nearly half an hour restoring the Zeroth Order elixirs.


    He picked out two types of power-enhancing elixirs and filled several hundred pills in a sea bowl, stepping out of the hut to hand them to Fu Quanliang:


    "These should still be of some use to you."


    Looking at the sharply emanating pills in the sea bowl, Fu Quanliang was momentarily lost in thought. In his ten years in the sect, he had never seen so many power-enhancing Spirit Pills.


    With so many elixirs, in Illusory Spirit City, one could exchange several superior artifacts.


    "This is..."


    Fu Quanliang quickly thought of the waste elixirs from earlier, a sh of shock flickering through his eyes. Just as he looked up to ask, he saw Chu Zheng shake his head.


    "I understand."


    Always prudent, he quickly grasped the situation, his expression solemn as he wrapped the bowl in a cloth bag.


    Such an astonishing method was tantamount to creation; surely, even the Holy Lands would be moved.


    Having known Chu Zheng for so long, this was the first time Fu Quanliang had seen a tangible benefit, inevitably stirring his emotions.


    "These elixirs can only be consumed, not sold. The peril involved, you need not speak of it, as you already understand," Chu Zheng reminded him.


    Although these elixirs were not high-grade, their medicinal power was absolutely several times stronger than that of simr elixirs.


    In any elixir-making process, some of the medicinal power would inevitably be lost, but once restored, these missing parts would be replenished, something that no alchemist could achieve.


    "I understand."


    Fu Quanliang nodded, clutching the cloth bag tightly to his chest, "When I collect the waste elixirs, I will be more cautious, ensuring that no one discovers me."


    With the support of these elixirs, even if his talent were poorer, entering the Spiritual Spring within a year would be as easy as flipping his hand.


    This was equivalent to Chu Zheng changing his fate.


    ...


    ...


    A few dayster.


    At noon, at the main peak of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Inside the grand hall at the summit, stood over a hundred scattered figures, with two figures upying the main seats.


    Sitting in the chair in the middle was a middle-aged man d in a moon-white robe, robust in stature, with hair as dark as ink and eyes deep as abysses, the marks of time etched upon his face.


    Though he appeared to be nearly in his fifties, sitting in the chair, he was like a tiger lying in wait, surveying all around, the pressures suppressing all movements within the hall.


    The envoy from Tai Xu Holy Land, Ling Qi, an invincible powerhouse who had stepped into the Divine Infant Seven Transformations.


    His power alone could push through the entire Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Beside him was a man in his thirties, d in a blue robe, tall and handsome, with an aura as clear as the moon, the sect leader of Phantom Spirit Sect, Gu Chunyang, his cultivation having reached Divine Infant Perfection.


    Ling Qi scanned the hall and spoke in a steady tone, "Where is the person?


    Gu Chunyang immediately gestured, "Summon Song Lingqing."


    A figure walked slowly into the hall and stopped at the center of the grand hall.


    Song Lingqing raised her head, her gaze silently sweeping around¡ª the Great Elders of both Inner and Outer Sects, the Elixir Hall, the Punishment Hall, several Peak Masters, and even the Supreme Elders in seclusion were all present.


    Such arge assembly she had only seen when she first joined the sect. Recalling it now, her memory was somewhat blurry; at that time, the gazes of these elders were not focused on her.


    Without waiting for Gu Chunyang to speak, Ling Qi had already stood up and with one step, was already standing in front of Song Lingqing:


    "The child has suffered."


    Ling Qi''s gaze was gentle as he raised his hand to touch the back of Song Lingqing''s head, his brow slowly furrowing, his eyes turning slightly cold:


    "Is this the high-quality Immortal Seedling?"

 Chapter 60: Chapter 56: Confrontation

    The hall was silent as the grave.


    "May I ask what is wrong, Holy Envoy? Based on the Stepping Stone of Immortality''s reaction, Ling Qing indeed possesses a High Quality Immortal Bone beyond doubt."


    Gu Chunyang''s expression remained unchanged as he slowly descended from the jade stairs:


    "That day, many witnesses saw it with their own eyes."


    "Gu Chunyang, I will give you one more chance."


    Ling Qi turned around, his previously gentle face visibly transformed, with bone-chilling coldness in his eyes as if he intended to pierce Gu Chunyang straight through:


    "Tai Xu Holy Land has methods to repair Immortal Bones. If this child''s Immortal Bone is restored and it is not High Quality, then your actions would be considered deceitful, and your Phantom Spirit Sect will face annihtion!"


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing''s gaze shifted slightly, an uncontroble sense of hope welling up within her.


    If the Immortal Bone could truly be repaired, her path to immortality was not yet severed.


    "The day the Stepping Stone of Immortality resonated was when Ling Qing entered the Sect Gate. If you still do not believe it, Envoy, you are more than wee to repair Ling Qing''s Immortal Bone and verify it yourself."


    Gu Chunyang''s gaze did not waver, and he spoke calmly:


    "However, if I have spoken even a single false word, you may take my head. If you think my Phantom Spirit Sect is weak and aim to bully us with your power, I have nothing to say. You might as well tten my Phantom Spirit Sect today."


    As Gu Chunyang''s voice fell, a silence as heavy as death filled the hall, so quiet that not even a breath could be heard, one could hear a pin drop.


    Many Elders broke out in cold sweat, their bodies stiff, not daring to make the slightest movement.


    Faced with the behemoth that is the Tai Xu Holy Land, one false step could turn the Phantom Spirit Sect into history.


    Ling Qi stared at Gu Chunyang for a long while before suddenly smiling:


    "Ancient Sect Master jests."


    The chill in his eyes dissipated, returning to his initial warmth: "The Tai Xu Holy Land would not bully others with its power, and I do not wish to doubt you. It''s just that some things are too coincidental, leading to needless worries."


    With that, he turned to look at Song Lingqing, speaking gently, "There''s nothing for you here anymore, go back and rest well."


    Ling Qi no longer mentioned helping Song Lingqing repair her Immortal Bone, instead, he swiftly changed the subject: "The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is still ten years away, does the Phantom Spirit Sect not intend to participate? It''s not toote to set off now."


    "The reward for the champion of the tournament is a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, I myself am quite envious. Furthermore, by participating in the tournament, there''s a chance toe into contact with outside domains, to see cultivators who practice ways different from the Immortal Path. This is a rare opportunity indeed."


    Hearing this, Gu Chunyang''s expression revealed a touch of bitterness:


    "This tournament, my Phantom Spirit Sect has already lost a High Quality Immortal Seedling, I really don''t wish to take any more risks, I hope the Envoy will understand."


    "The Ancient Sect Master cherishes his disciples, I canprehend, but a Hidden Dragon must eventually face the sea. Going out and experiencing more will benefit their future path."


    After a bout of pleasantries, the atmosphere in the hall rxed considerably, with many Elders breathing a sigh of relief as they slowly wiped away the cold sweat from their foreheads.


    Song Lingqing stood still, watching Ling Qi. On her slightly pale face was a look of hesitation, wanting to speak but not knowing how to begin.


    This seemed like her only hope, yet it was like a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water, within sight but beyond reach. For some reason, she suddenly felt timid.


    Gu Chunyang nced at her, his expression gentle: "Lingqing, you go back first."


    Ling Qi, with his back to Song Lingqing, showed no reaction whatsoever, not even sparing her a nce, ignoring her presence entirely.


    In an instant, Song Lingqing felt as if she had fallen into a pit of ice.


    The hope that had just risen was once again shattered, a blow beyond description.


    "Disciple... shall take her leave."


    Song Lingqing bowed respectfully and slowly exited the hall, her figure slightly flustered.


    Ling Qi spoke gently: "I still have to visit the Night Light Pavilion and will not linger here. As for the time to negotiate, Ancient Sect Master, wait for my message."


    Having said that, he turned around and was ready to leave.


    "Holy Envoy, please wait a moment."


    Gu Chunyang hurriedly spoke up and bowed, "Regarding Ling Qing''s Immortal Bone... could you possibly think of a way to help?"


    "We shall discuss itter."


    Ling Qi''s steps did not halt, and in a blink of an eye, he disappeared within the great hall.


    About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, ripples suddenly began to spread across the void, and Ling Qi returned where he''d been before.


    "Does the Holy Envoy have another matter?" Gu Chunyang asked, his expression puzzled.


    Ling Qi''s face bore a smile as he spoke gently, "This time, the Tai Xu Holy Land has not bestowed upon me the intention to cease hostility, I hope that the Ancient Sect Master makes appropriate mental preparations."


    Gu Chunyang''s gaze slightly hardened, and he nodded, "Naturally."


    "Then that is good."


    Ling Qi nodded his head and once again disappeared within the great hall.


    After a long while, Gu Chunyang waved his sleeve over the void, and in front of him a phantom screen emerged, sketching out tens of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains.


    After staring at the screen for a long time, Gu Chunyang finally spoke, "He is gone."


    With the fall of his voice, an invisible barrier rose, covering the entire great hall and carving out an isted space, severed from heaven and earth.


    "Sect Master, this is far too risky!"


    "If Ling Qi truly brings Song Lingqing back to the Tai Xu Holy Land, what then shall we do?!"


    "And if we truly start a war with the Night Light Pavilion, how shall we manage the consequences?"


    The moment the barrier rose, the hall burst into uproar, the elders and Supreme elders all disyed faces full of worry.


    "Enough!"


    With a stern shout from Gu Chunyang, the restlessness was immediately quelled, "Just now, Ling Qi was merely bluffing us. You are all so unable to keep calm; even if we could deceive him, we would still give ourselves away."


    "Sect Master, how did you discern that Ling Qi was deceiving us?" the Punishment Hall Master asked in a deep voice, his ck robe and slightly darkplexion, his features stern, having managed the Phantom Spirit Sect''s Punishment Hall for more than three hundred years.


    "If one could tell the Immortal Bone just by touching, what use would there be for the Stepping Stone of Immortality? To repair the Immortal Bone?"


    Gu Chunyang''s expression was no longer as gentle as before, showing a hint of severity, "Let that Pseudo-Immortal from the Tai Xu Holy Lande and see if he has the means!"


    "Even if there was a way to mend the Immortal Bone, would the Tai Xu Holy Land really be willing to spare it for Song Lingqing? It''s just a High Quality Immortal Bone. How many talents of such caliber does the Tai Xu Holy Land possess?!"


    "Ling Qi was here merely to see whether Song Lingqing truly was crippled or not."


    Even if the Immortal Bone could be mended, the Tai Xu Holy Land would not be willing to spend the resources.


    If repaired, and it turned out to be a High Quality Immortal Bone, it would be akin to helping the Phantom Spirit Sect for free, and if it were a Middle Quality Immortal Bone, even destroying the Phantom Spirit Sect might not make up for the cost incurred.


    This was a deal that was a loss no matter how one looked at it.


    "Just now, what Ling Qi meant was that the Tai Xu Holy Land will not mediate this time, and if war truly breaks out..."


    One of the Supreme elders frowned slightly, hesitating.


    War between Immortal Sects is not child''s y; it involves many and, in terms of strength at this moment, the Night Light Pavilion is decidedly more powerful.


    "Then we fight! At worst, we fight for a century or two, until the Tai Xu Holy Land calls a halt," Gu Chunyang said without any hesitation, his expression icy, "It''s just a matter of more mortals dying. After a hundred years, they will be replenished."


    Many of the elders still looked hesitant. Once a war starts, far more than just mortals will die; it could be that some of them would also fall.

 Chapter 61: Chapter 57: If You Want to Fight, Then Fight

    "Sect Master, is it really worth it to protect Xiao Yuanqing at such a great cost..."


    An Inner Sect Elder spoke solemnly, his expression serious. He had reached the peak of the Soul Condensing Realm and was just half a step away from the Divine Infant Realm. Additionally, being rtively young amongst the elders, he held significant influence.


    "Look at Zhao Tingxian, a clear example right before your eyes,"


    Gu Chunyang''s expression remained unchanged, and the unrest in Great Zhou only solidified his resolution to protect the High-Quality Immortal Seedling at all costs.


    If the Phantom Spirit Sect could produce a Tongxuan, or even someone stronger, another Holy Land would rise amongst the Eight Destes and Four Seas, which would be a great blessing for the sect for generations toe.


    "Not all with High-Quality Immortal Bones be Zhao Tingxian. Over the years, how many Saint Heirs at the Tai Xu Holy Land have surpassed him?"


    "In my view, Sect Master, we should still carefully consider this,"


    "Indeed... Looking thousands of years back, not a few with High-Quality Immortal Bones have stopped at the Nine Transformations of the Divine Infant, and few have attained the Tongxuan."


    The Elders began to speak up sporadically, some uncertain. They had heard of the Immortal Seedlings with High-Quality Immortal Bones and even seen them firsthand. Although their cultivation speed was miraculous, they also had bottlenecks and could die prematurely from various causes.


    "I agree with the Sect Master''s decision."


    "Our Sect has been weakening for a long time, and Night Light Pavilion clearly does not take us seriously; other sects are also watching from the sidelines, waiting for the right moment. If we do not fight now, we will inevitably perish sooner orter."


    "That''s right, showing weakness will only attract a pack of wolves. We might as well give it our all; we canst another hundred years, our Phantom Spirit Sect''s foundation can sustain that!"


    Most of the Elders agreed with Gu Chunyang''s approach, and their voices grew louder.


    Gu Chunyang sat back in the Sect Leader''s seat, scanning the Elders who had raised objections and said softly:


    "I will now send a message to Ling Qi, telling him that we have kept the truth hidden, and that there is still a High-Quality Immortal Seedling within the sect for him to collect. What do you think?"


    The hall fell silent, with no one responding.


    "Enough, let''s not argue any longer."


    A figure approached from outside the hall, walking straight through the light barrier and into the center of the Grand Hall.


    A young man in a gray robe, appearing to be only about fifteen or sixteen years old, was somewhat slender in build, with rosy skin and bright red lips and white teeth, his eyes shining with intelligence.


    "The old Sect Master?!"


    "Ancestor Master!"


    "Ancestor Uncle!"


    As they recognized the neer, nearly half of the Elders were excited, their eyes filled with disbelief.


    The remaining Elders looked puzzled, their expressions mixed with surprise.


    Phantom Spirit Sect''s old Sect Master, Feng Qiyuan, had been in seclusion for a thousand years, showing no signs of activity, and rumors of his death had long spread throughout the surrounding sects.


    "Master, you... have reached the second transformation?"


    Gu Chunyang got up to greet him, his face slightly tensed, his eyes inadvertently brimming with happiness.


    "Fortuitously, I gained a thousand more years of life,"


    Feng Qiyuan nodded slightly: "If it weren''t for being ced in a do-or-die situation, I wouldn''t have been able to make this step."


    As his voice fell, he scanned the many Elders in the hall and spoke gently:


    "It all boils down to the fear of death. If that''s the case, what are you cultivating immortality for? If it''s just for longevity, you might as well seize a tortoise, retreat under the water, and live through a hundred thousand years of spring and autumn. Who could outlive you all?"


    All the Elders looked ashamed.


    "Night Light Pavilion, a mere lower-tier sect a thousand years ago, could hardly find a single Divine Infant, and now it has be a major threat. Yet, you still refuse to strive for progress,"


    Feng Qiyuan''s voice remained calm, clearly reaching everyone in the hall:


    "The sixty-three nations'' territories left by our Ancestor Master have now dwindled to a quarter of their original size. We, the unworthy descendants, are indeed failing to honor the remnants of our ancestors. If we do not fight now, should we wait for others to take action?"


    The hall was dead silent. After a long pause, Feng Qiyuan''s somewhat youthful voice rang out again:


    "Prepare for war."


    ......


    ......


    Three dayster.


    Phantom Spirit Sect''s territory, thirty thousand miles away.


    A towering peak, split across the middle, shone like a mirror at the cut surface. Overnight, a Green Stone Grand Hall had been erected.


    Inside the grand hall.


    Two rows of people sat facing each other. Only three people from the Phantom Spirit Sect hade: Gu Chunyang and two Supreme Elders of the Divine Infant Realm.


    From the Night Light Pavilion, six hade, all Divine Infant Great Abilities, with the pavilion master Fang Lie in attendance.


    "Our sect''s High Quality Immortal Seedling was damaged, an Inner Sect Elder was severely injured and near death. If we don''t go to war, we demand four nations'' worth ofnd from Night Light Pavilion aspensation."


    Gu Chunyang spoke outright, making his intentions clear.


    Fang Lie did not respond immediately, instead ncing at Ling Qi, who sat in the middle seat.


    After Ling Qi gestured with a hand, Fang Lie then said gravely,


    "It''s true your Phantom Spirit Sect lost a disciple, but Qin Feng alone killed seven of our Soul Condensing Elders in Night Light Pavilion, plus Jiang Ruibing, who died at Song Residence. This time, Night Light Pavilion altogether lost eight Inner Sect Elders. What talk ofpensation can there be from your Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    Gu Chunyang did not hesitate for a moment: "Then let''s fight."


    "If it must be war, then war it shall be!" Fang Lie''s expression was frigid, his eyes filled with a tide of murderous intent.


    As he said, this confrontation did not lean in favor of Night Light Pavilion much, for though Song Lingqing possessed a High Quality Immortal Bone, she ultimately had not grown strong.


    The loss for Night Light Pavilion was of true pirs of strength, likely future Divine Infants among Soul Condensing Elders. Even for Night Light Pavilion, this was an unbearable weight.


    Gu Chunyang did not respond to Fang Lie, but turned to look at Ling Qi.


    Ling Qi''s mouth curved slightly, as he took out a jade scroll, unfolded it slowly, and spoke leisurely, "Since both parties agree, let''s sign the Battle Pact."


    "This battle will follow the rules of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, those above Divine Infant may not participate, all others may fight freely until one side concedes."


    "The losing side will cede ten nations, and I will witness this."


    "Dare I ask, Envoy, what is the meaning of this stance from Tai Xu Holy Land?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chunyang''s eyes narrowed slightly:


    "The rules of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is one thing, they are an agreement among many Holy Lands, passing through hundreds of sects and thousands of nations, forbidding Divine Infants from acting carelessly to avoid idents, this is understandable. But to decide life and death between two sects¡­"


    "Did I allow you to die?" Ling Qi''s face suddenly turned cold: "I am not here to prevent war, nor do I wish to see the Ancient Sect disappear into obscurity. We may fight, but life and death are not up to your two sects to decide."


    If those above Divine Infant could not participate, then the battle would hinge on the depth of the sects'' resources, focusing on the younger generation, making the implications entirely different.


    This battle would result in a break that couldst thousands of years,pletely severing a sect''s backbone.


    Now, with only fourteen nations left in the Phantom Spirit Sect, if they were to lose ten more, they would be left with just four nations to stand on, barely better than a second-rate sect.


    If those above Divine Infant were not allowed to act, then Phantom Spirit Sect would lose a major card, putting them at a disadvantage once again.


    Ling Qi said indifferently, "If the Ancient Sect Master has objections, you may also choose not to go to war. Discuss it further."


    "War."


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Gu Chunyang stood up, sliced open his palm, stained the seal with blood, and firmly pressed it onto the Battle Pact with the Sect Master''s seal.


    His gaze locked intently on Fang Lie, his eyes icy cold: "This battle will continue until my Inner Sect is extinct, the true transmissions all lost."

 Chapter 62: Chapter 58: Preparing for Battle, Progress

    Upon the Battle Pact, arge seal was deeply red, its spiritual power not yet dispersed, emitting an overwhelming aura, vast like an abyss.


    Upon seeing Gu Chunyang''s resolute decision, Fang Lie''s eyes flickered with a trace of suspicion, yet he did not hesitate. He stood up, took out the Sect Leader''s grand seal, and affixed the seal to it.


    "The Battle Pact is effective."


    Ling Qi put away the Battle Pact and spoke indifferently, his expression aloof:


    "Within three months, news shall spread through a hundred nations; a hundred dayster, you are free to fight at will. You may recruit allies, but during this period, you shall not ughtermon folk without cause, nor raid or disturb other sects. If the Holy Land receives aint, it will intervene ording to thew and punish each offense severely."


    ......


    ......


    Gu Chunyang returned to the sect and informed all the elders about the content of the Battle Pact, naturally sparking a wave of discussion.


    However, with Feng Qiyuan''s prior statement, no one suggested a ceasefire. The more extensive discussions were about how to win this war or drag it out for decades or even centuries.


    "Tai Xu Holy Land has no intention of mediating, pushing this war solely over the matter of High-Quality Immortal Bone, clearly intending to suppress our Phantom Spirit Sect. At this moment, we should thank our forefather''s lingering protection, for leaving us a way out."


    Eventually, Feng Qiyuan spoke up and made a decision:


    "Open the Spirit Beast Garden. Cultivators in the Nourishing Power Realm may take Second Order Spirit Beasts, those in the Spirit Spring Realm may take Third Order Spirit Beasts, those in the Entry Dao Realm may take Fourth Order Spirit Beasts, and those in the Soul Condensing Realm... take as many Fourth Order Spirit Beasts as you can manage, and familiarize yourselves in advance."


    ......


    ......


    The news of full-scale war with the Night Light Pavilion quickly spread throughout the entire Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The younger Outer Sect Disciples, and even some of the Inner Sect true inheritors, were all eager to test their skills, sharpening their swords and honing their des, unable to wait to demonstrate their capabilities.


    Sect contributions, normally extremely difficult to obtain, requiring a great deal of time and effort toplete tasks.


    But in war, everything changes. Merely by striking down an enemy, one earns achievements! Those are cultivation resources!


    Most crucially, due to the blood feud, the sect was even willing to wage war against an opposing Immortal Sect, a stance sufficient to rally the disciples.


    In the eyes of many disciples, behind Song Lingqing there was no noble house. Even though she was crippled and unable to cultivate further, the sect had not abandoned her but was still willing to avenge her and make a statement on her behalf.


    This was the sect''s protection of its disciples, hence the cohesion of everyone in Phantom Spirit Sect at this moment reached its peak over millennia.


    Due to the strictws of the Holy Land, friction among major sects was mostly kept to a minimal extent.


    Looking back ten thousand years, other than minor conflicts between small schools and factions, no Immortal Sects had records of engaging in battles.


    This was an unprecedented massive change, potentially affecting the lives and deaths of countless individuals, impacting numerous mortal realms.


    Phantom Spirit Sect, after all, was a sect with tens of thousands of years of heritage; even now, despite a gap in its lineage, it still possessed astounding foundations.


    Once news of the war preparations spread, the whole Phantom Spirit Sect, like an awakened beast, almost instantly entered a state of frenzied operation.


    Supreme Elders, usually a rare sight, personally went into action, entering the Elixir Hall, the Artifact Refining Hall, and sealed themselves in the symbol towers to start mass production of elixirs, forging weapons, and making symbols.


    Feng Qiyuan even personally took the initiative, gathering numerous disciples and elders, unabashedly began teaching the sect''s secret records and life-saving techniques.


    Near the Spiritual Spring at the center of the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range, originally the abode of the various Supreme Elders, was alsomandeered during this crucial period, temporarily turning into vast medicinal fields.


    Already, Supreme Elders had begun setting up Spirit Gathering Arrays, preparing to elerate the maturation of Low-Grade Spirit Grass to supply the Elixir Hall, a visible preparation for a prolonged war.


    The Pill Furnaces in the Elixir Hall were almost melting, the fires burning ceaselessly day and night. With such intense operations, the rate of elixir spoge was much higher than usual, with batches of Waste Elixirs piling up like mountains.


    These Supreme Elders, although they could not directly participate in the war, had other methods to sustain it, their very existence being the foundation.


    On ordinary days, the Spirit Beast Garden, which saw no human activity, was now bustling, with arge number of spirit beasts emerging from the valley. There were spirit beasts of up to Fourth Order, originating from areas Chu Zheng normally couldn''t ess.


    The lifespan of spirit beasts far exceeded that of cultivators. When not needed, they could even maintain a state of suspended animation, ceasing growth and simting death. Within the Phantom Spirit Sect, there were more than one spirit beasts who had lived over ten thousand years, and this was the legacy of the ancestors.


    Besides the Sect-Defending Divine Treasure, the Illusory Spirit Treasure Mirror, most of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s strongest foundations were in this Spirit Beast Garden.


    Chu Zheng was alsopelled to get busy, and within just a few days, he had released most of the spirit beasts in his area.


    Amidst the great changes, his mind began to stir. The chaotic spectacle offered little benefit to him, but equally, it offered no harm.


    Inevitable battles and conflicts would lead to the damage of magic artifacts and weapons, and once his rank as a Repair Master was raised, he could repair arge number of lower-grade magic artifacts in a very short time.


    The Nourishing Power Realm and Spirit Spring Realm cultivators were the main forces on the battlefield, which meant that Chu Zheng had the ability to influence the basic tactics of the battle.


    The immense wealth contained within was beyond verbal estimation.


    However, profiting from this war was not so straightforward and required deep consideration.


    ......


    ......


    In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.


    During this time, Fu Quanliang had delivered three batches of Waste Elixirs to Chu Zheng, each batchrger than thest, with at least several ten thousand pills each, requiring transport by cart.


    Not wanting to draw attention, Fu Quanliang did not deliver these batches of Waste Elixirs directly to the Spirit Beast Garden, but hid them several tens of miles away in a mountain ravine.


    Night and day, he ingested elixirs for cultivation, and his cultivation naturally improved rapidly. In just over a month, he had progressed to the Ninth Level of the Nourishing Power Realm.


    He was extremely thorough in his considerations; in order to conceal his abnormal progression in cultivation, he even spent all his Contribution Points to obtain several bottles of Spirit Pills that could boost cultivation from the Elixir Hall, using them as a disguise.


    Chu Zheng, too, devoted most of his energy to cultivation.


    Even though Low-grade elixirs were not very effective for him, thanks to nature''s spiritual energy, he still managed to enter the mid-stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm. His Yuan Qi surged several times over, and his Life Origin was once again extended.


    With the increase in lifespan, his appearance subtly started to regenerate in reverse. The phenomena brought by his Dragon-Tiger Body began to settle down, and at a nce, he appeared to be a young man of about fifteen or sixteen.


    ......


    ......


    Nightfall.


    At midnight, the Phantom Spirit Sect was still a spectacle of divine lights everywhere, looking like a scene of fiery trees and silver flowers.


    Outside the Spirit Beast Garden, in the mountain ravine, Fu Quanliang once again delivered a cart of Waste Elixirs, which he piled up inside an excavated cave.


    "I''ll bring the next batch in a few days,"


    Fu Quanliang wiped his sweat, not daring to stay long, and turned to leave.


    "Wait,"


    Suddenly, Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brow and reached out to press his hand on Fu Quanliang''s shoulder.


    [Fu Quanliang (Zeroth Order): Unstable foundation, damaged meridians, slight elixir poisoning in the body, repairable.]

 Chapter 63: Chapter 59: Advance, Repair

    Indeed.


    Chu Zheng''s slightly furrowed brow slowly rxed; he noticed that Fu Quanliang''s breathing rhythm was off, with a muddled sound mixed in his heartbeat, clearly indicating a problem with his body.


    Relying on elixirs for cultivation was indeed a shortcut, but taking shortcuts inevitablyes with a price.


    Chu Zheng himself had also consumed numerous elixirs, but the panel had not provided any alerts.


    As for the reason, Chu Zheng understood well; during his Qi-refining technique sessions, each circuit of Qi hepleted was like a purification for his body, expelling many impurities.


    For him now, the toxin in the elixirs not yet cleared for his stage had a minimal effect; they simply couldn''t linger.


    Fu Quanliang''s aptitude was indeed excessively poor; consuming so many elixirs, even Lower Quality Immortal Bone should have been enough to reach the Spirit Spring Realm.


    Yet, he had only stepped into the ninth level of the Nourishing Power Realm and even suffered damage to his meridians from the power of the elixirs.


    "What''s wrong?"


    During Fu Quanliang''s moment of confusion, a warm current flowed from Chu Zheng''s palm, entering his body.


    Instantly, his muscles and bones seemed to lighten by several ounces, his breathing became indescribably smooth, and the obscure pain somewhere inside him alsopletely dissipated.


    "When consuming elixirs, be mindful of your limits. If you feel difort,e find me at any time."


    Chu Zheng withdrew his hand; thankfully, as long as there were opportunities to remedy, it wasn''t much trouble.


    "Thank you."


    Fu Quanliang''s gaze was somewhatplex, the secrets Chu Zheng harbored seemed endlessly deep.


    Just as he had never been able toprehend Chu Zheng''s thoughts.


    Watching Fu Quanliang walk away, Chu Zheng turned back to look at the mountain of Waste Elixirs, his brow gradually furrowing again.


    He also needed elixirs to supplement himself, but the repair of First Order elixirs could only rely on the five daily refresh opportunities, which was far too slow.


    The promotion of his rank as a Repair Master was urgently pressing.


    ......


    ......


    As the Phantom Spirit Sect prepared for battle, it simultaneously scattered countless disciples under itsmand in various nations to thoroughly search for Immortal Seedlings.


    Once the battle started, there would be numerous casualties among sect disciples, and these peaceful days would be hard toe by, necessitating immediate preparation of fresh blood.


    Only in this way, could the sect have capable fighters ten or even a hundred years from now, ensuring that the sect''s foundation wouldn''t bepletely depleted in the fight.


    The actions of the Night Light Pavilion were indistinguishable from those of the Phantom Spirit Sect, both scattering hundreds or thousands of disciples to startpeting for the reserve of Immortal Seedlings.


    As these disciples dispersed, news of the Immortal Sect''s onset of war spread with shocking speed across a hundred nations, stirring up a colossal wave in the millennia of stagnant waters.


    ......


    ......


    Time flew by, and soon, the period tomence battle approached.


    Phantom Spirit Sect, main peak grand hall.


    Song Lingqing once again entered the ce alone, holding a Jade Disk in her hands.


    Inside the disky a Jade Token symbolizing the true heritage of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Besides her in the hall, there was only one middle-aged man d in a blue robe, the Supreme Han Yuanqing of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    He was also the pir of the Han family.


    "Master."


    Song Lingqing bowed respectfully.


    "Ling Qing, do not me your master."


    Han Yuanqing''s eyes held aplex light, apanied by a soft sigh.


    "Ling Qing''s fate with immortality is shallow, unable to pass the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, it is my own destiny, with no rtion to the sect or master."


    Song Lingqing''s voice was calm, her eyes like stagnant water, utterly unrippled.


    "You needn''t worry, your treatment henceforth will not be less than that of any Inner Sect Disciple."


    Han Yuanqing said gravely, "My Han family has many talented youths; in the future you may choose any one of them as your Daopanion. Middle Quality Immortal Bone is also an option for you; pick anyone you like, my Han family will protect you for life."


    "I have a question for you, Master."


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing slowly raised her head and looked directly at Han Yuanqing, pausing between each word as she said, "The day I joined the sect, was it really I who triggered the Stepping Stone of Immortality?"


    "How could you have such a bizarre thought? If it wasn''t you, who else could it be?"


    Han Yuanqing narrowed his eyes, his expression dark and indecipherable: "Has anyone said something to you?"


    Song Lingqing shook her head: "I only feel that my talents are dull. If it hadn''t been for me holding back Uncle Master Qin that day, he wouldn''t have been so severely injured."


    "You have been in the Entry Path for a short time, and achieving the cultivation of the Spirit Spring Realm is already not easy. You needn''t me yourself."


    Han Yuanqing''s eyes lost theirplexity, and his voice returned to calm:


    "You don''t need to participate in this battle. Go back and recuperate well. I noticed you arrived on a Third Order Celestial Horse. Go to the Spirit Beast Garden and exchange it for a Second Order spirit beast. The other disciples could use this horse; it might even save some lives."


    "Yes."


    Song Lingqing said no more, bowed deeply, and handed the jade disk in her hand to Han Yuanqing:


    "Supreme Elder, I shall take my leave."


    ......


    ......


    Spirit Beast Garden.


    These days, the Spirit Beast Garden was also a hive of activity, preparing and provisioning arge amount of food for the spirit beasts'' post-battle recovery.


    But Chu Zheng was as usual,pleting the tasks assigned to him in less than half an hour, spending the spare time on his cultivation.


    Early morning, as the sun was just rising.


    Seated under a grass shelter, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and allocated all of his refreshed repair attempts to his Condensing Space Bracelet.


    The next instant, two messages flooded into his mind.


    [Your experiences have grown, advancing your repair skills further, and now you have be a Second Order Repair Master.]


    [Second Order Repair Master: First Order holds no more secrets to you, only matters concerning Second Order and above can stump you.]


    Second Order Repair Master, aplished.


    Chu Zheng''s heart stirred slightly, a trace of joy arising.


    Before he even tried repairing a First Order elixir, a familiar figure approached from afar, led by Tong Jinshan.


    "The Supreme informed me that I need not participate in this battle, instructed me to return the Unihorn Celestial Horse, and to seclude myself for healing."


    "My status now is that of an Inner Sect Disciple."


    Song Lingqing walked slowly towards Chu Zheng and spoke softly, then pursed her lips and added another sentence:


    "It was I who voluntarily gave up the position of true heir."


    Chu Zheng did not speak, only turning his head to nce.


    Tong Jinshan had been extremely busytely, this time he didn''t even greet him before leaving, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.


    The change in attitude was somewhat obvious.


    Chu Zheng watched Song Lingqing, slowly reaching out his hand.


    [Song Lingqing (First Order): True heir of Phantom Spirit Sect, Middle Quality Immortal Bone, meridians severely damaged, Immortal Bone subsequently suffered two heavy strikes and was forcefully shattered, repairable.]


    As expected... even the most severe injuries are merely First Order.


    A sh of enlightenment crossed Chu Zheng''s mind as he began to n his next steps.


    "What are you doing?"


    Song Lingqing took a frightened step back, her face full of confusion.


    "I do not owe favors to others; since you do not want spirit stones, I can onlypensate in other ways."


    Chu Zheng said gravely, "I have a way to help you repair your Immortal Bone."


    "After your Immortal Bone is repaired, I will leave Phantom Spirit Sect. The rest is up to you."


    Song Lingqing''s situation, he had seen it clearly; previously he hadn''t helped because he was unable. Now that he had advanced to Second Order, holding arge number of Waste Elixirs, and with the Condensing Space Bracelet repair imminent, he could always start over elsewhere.


    Privately passing on the Phantom Spirit Sect''s Sect-Defending Secret Scripture was a capital offense, yet Song Lingqing had still given it to him; that was a heavy favor.

 Chapter 64: Chapter 60: The Cost

    Upon hearing that Chu Zheng could repair the Immortal Bone, Song Lingqing was stunned for a moment, but did not have much of a reaction.


    She did not doubt Chu Zheng''s words; there was no need for him to lie to her.


    However, the recent ups and downs, the warmth and coldness of human rtionships, had already put her through the mill, as if she were a stagnant pool of water, incapable of stirring the slightest ripple.


    Whether the Immortal Bone could be repaired was no longer an obsession for her.


    "Before repairing the Immortal Bone, I have a few things to tell you,"


    Chu Zheng did not rush to begin but first gave Song Lingqing a heads-up:


    "The Immortal Bone in your body is not of high quality."


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing fell silent for a while, then nodded: "I know."


    Song Lingqing''s response surprised Chu Zheng for a moment:


    "How did you find out?"


    "After I was admitted, I practiced diligently, but I was only slightly faster than those fellow disciples with middle-grade Immortal Bones. With this speed, it would be impossible for me to enter Divine Infant before the age of two hundred, let alone the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant."


    "There is no such thing as a high-quality Immortal Bone that only barely manages to enter the Spirit Spring after more than three years at the sect."


    Song Lingqing lowered her gaze: "I''ve known there was a problem with my talent for a long time, I just didn''t want to question the judgment of my teacher... Supreme Elder."


    "Your Immortal Bone has suffered two heavy hits before finally shattering."


    Chu Zheng pointed out the cause of the fragmentation of Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone and then hinted:


    "You''ve mentioned you only remember being injured once. Which time the second one urred, I presume you have an idea."


    Some things didn''t need to be spelled out too clearly.


    Song Lingqing abruptly looked up at Chu Zheng, disbelief filling her eyes.


    In an instant, many thoughts shed through her mind: Tai Xu Holy Land, Phantom Spirit Sect, Stepping Stone of Immortality, high-quality Immortal Bone, homage to Supreme, Ling Qi...


    A thread gradually strung together her fragmented memories, finally forming a coherent narrative.


    She instinctively took a step back, lowered her head to organize her thoughts, and only after a long while did she speak:


    "I understand now."


    What she had previously failed to see clearly was simply because she was too involved to be objective.


    In three years at the sect, the number of times Han Yuanqing saw her could be counted on one hand, and there was no talk of guiding her cultivation.


    Among the thirty-six True Disciples, she was the only one who had only the first threeyers of the True Fantasy Spirit Technique.


    Which sect would hold back from their True Disciples?


    "Come with me,"


    Chu Zheng turned and entered the thatched hut. Although he could repair it right here, he needed to choose a method that Song Lingqing could ept a bit easier.


    Song Lingqing came back to her senses and followed him into the thatched hut.


    Chu Zheng took out a Spirit Pill with a flip of his hand and, without waiting for Song Lingqing to see clearly, stuffed it into her mouth.


    "Take it, sit down and circte your cultivation."


    Song Lingqing obediently swallowed and sat down on the ground.


    Chu Zheng raised his hand to press on her Baihui point on the crown of her head, and his Yuan Qi gently moved, starting to draw in the Essence of the Great Sun, and circted the Circuit of Qi.


    He had given Song Lingqing a Blood Qi Activating Pill, a verymon Lower Quality elixir capable of promoting bone and blood formation, which could recover expended Blood Qi in a short time.


    Then transforming it into Yang Qi, it circted several Grand Circtions within her body, and with the aid of the Blood Qi Activating Pill''s medicinal effect, Song Lingqing would soon feel a dry mouth and a burning sensation in her limbs as hot as molten rock.


    The intense reaction of her body would cause her to overlook the subtle changes in the Immortal Bone at the back of her head.


    By the time this whole process was over, several hours had passed, and it was already getting dark outside.


    During the practice, Chu Zheng was somewhat astounded to find that after Yuan Qi circled through Song Lingqing''s body and returned to his own, there was a significant increase.


    After several Grand Circtions, the change became more substantial, nearly twice as fast as when he cultivated alone.


    Moreover, his body did not show any adverse reactions from absorbing too much Yang Qi.


    Chu Zheng nced at the sky and reluctantly retracted his hand.


    What puzzled him was that as the Immortal Bone was restored, the information about Song Lingqing had changed.


    [Song Lingqing (First Order): Former true disciple of Phantom Spirit Sect, Immortal Path Loose Cultivator, middle-grade Immortal Bone.]


    Feeling Chu Zheng''s hand leaving the top of her head, Song Lingqing slowly opened her eyes, and the sense of relief from the back of her head had already told her the result.


    What Phantom Spirit Sect could not aplish, Chu Zheng had done.


    "How... how should I repay this favor?"


    Song Lingqing felt somewhat bewildered for a moment, realizing that the favor she owed Chu Zheng was bing a debt she could hardly repay.


    Chu Zheng waved his hand dismissively, "We can talk about thister. Do you have a storage bag?"


    "Ah? Yes."


    Song Lingqing came back to her senses, removed the storage bag from around her waist, and handed it to Chu Zheng.


    "I''ll be taking this with me."


    Chu Zheng weighed the storage bag in his hand, took out several magic artifacts from inside, and passed them to Song Lingqing. Without this item, he simply couldn''t carry away numerous waste elixirs.


    Now that Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone had been fully healed, he had no intention of staying any longer. He nned to leave tonight to avoid any unforeseen changes.


    In times of war, unlike ordinary days, countless disciplese and go from the sect, and many rules have changed.


    The scrutiny for entering the sect has be much stricter than in the past, but leaving the sect is now done with ease, and nobody pays any mind to an odd-jobber.


    "In the north of Illusory Spirit City, there''s a medical hall, with a cloth sail hanging at the front that reads ''Millennial Family Medical Skills, Magical Rejuvenation'', easy to find. It''s mine," Chu Zheng said.


    "Behind the back room, three feet underground, I''ve buried a storage bag. It was originally Jiang Cunhu''s. You can go and retrieve itter; there''s also a sum of spirit stones in it."


    Having made up his mind, Chu Zheng didn''t drag his feet. He didn''t even n to return to Illusory Spirit City. By the next morning, he estimated he would be thousands of miles away.


    Chu Zheng''s hasty preparations led Song Lingqing to guess the reason¡ªit was all because of her.


    Repairing an Immortal Bone, a feat against the heavens, would likely cost the Holy Land dearly. If outsiders knew about it, no matter the reason, Chu Zheng would face serious trouble.


    Song Lingqing said no more, silently taking the few magic artifacts and softly spoke, "I''ll take my leave first."


    She didn''t offer to apany Chu Zheng on his journey; what she needed to do now was to distance herself from Chu Zheng as much as possible.


    ......


    ......


    After returning the divine horse, Song Lingqing didn''t take another spirit beast and left the Spirit Beast Garden alone, heading to a remote peak.


    This was a ce where every disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect would visit upon entry.


    Because on the peak was ced the ''Stepping Stone of Immortality''.


    The Stepping Stone of Immortality spanned thirty feet, deeply embedded into the ground, resembling a white jade za.


    On normal days, few people visited here, but now one could see the figures of some disciples and even elders.


    By their side, they brought newly found Immortal Seedlings from outside the sect.


    The arrival of Song Lingqing caused quite a stir of conversation.


    The news of her demotion to Inner Sect Disciple had spread throughout the sect gate.


    Song Lingqing''s expression remained calm as she steadily stepped onto the Stepping Stone of Immortality.


    Only a High-Quality Immortal Bone could activate the Stepping Stone of Immortality. The difference between a Middle-Quality and a Lower-Quality Immortal Bone could be determined by the speed of channeling Qi into the body.


    This time, the Stepping Stone of Immortality manifested no anomalies.


    Song Lingqing stood on the Stepping Stone of Immortality for the entire night, not moving until dawn broke and her hair was damp with morning dew.


    She looked around, then quietly left, heading towards the Inner Sect area and hurried to a secluded bamboo forest.


    This ce was rarely visited by anyone, with no disciple''s cave dwellings for a hundred miles, and was one of the quietest ces in the entire Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The reason she came here was that she remembered one of the people who had joined the sect on the same day as she had been allocated here.


    It seemed... his name was Xiao Yuanqing.


    Song Lingqing didn''t try to hide her presence, and as soon as she arrived at the edge of the bamboo forest, a figure walked out.


    Looking at the person before her, Song Lingqing''s gaze grew heavy.


    Late Spirit Spring Realm, much stronger than her own cultivation.


    A Middle-Quality Immortal Bone could never advance at such a rate.


    Such an individual would never be inconspicuous within the sect; the only exnation was that Phantom Spirit Sect intentionally concealed this person.


    "Song... Senior Sister?" Xiao Yuanqing''s expression was hesitant and puzzled.


    Song Lingqing didn''t hesitate for a moment, a trace of spiritual light shed suddenly in her pupils. The Phantom Spirit Technique was particrly adept at the Soul-Confusing Illusion Technique, granting an overwhelming advantage in confrontations with lower-grade cultivators.


    Completely unprepared, Xiao Yuanqing''s mind went nk in an instant.


    By the time he regained his senses, all that remained before him was a blinding sword light.


    In a thunderous moment, his chest was pierced by the sword Qi, his heart shattered into a muddy mess of blood.

 Chapter 65: Chapter 61: Resonance of the Stepping Stone of Immortality, High-Quality Immortal Bone!

    The vitality within his body leaked like a breached dike, quickly draining away.


    Xiao Yuanqing lowered his head, staring at the long sword piercing through his chest, his expression filled with bewilderment.


    No matter how talented he was, he was still just a boy under twenty, and his thoughts were simply unable to help him make sense of the situation before him.


    Song Lingqing didn''t speak further, she pulled out the long sword and swung it again, directly beheading Xiao Yuanqing.


    Having confirmed that Xiao Yuanqing was dead, Song Lingqing slowly exhaled a breath of turbid qi, turned around, and left, leaving behind only a string of muttering.


    "You were not wrong, nor was I, it''s just that some actions inevitablye with a price."


    "You are that price."


    "The sects don''t have to help the Song Family, I wouldn''t hold a grudge even if they just stood by and watched, but they shouldn''t have shattered my Immortal Bone."


    "If no one helped and my family were destroyed, my Immortal Bone shattered, I''d never again have the chance for vengeance in this lifetime. This would be taking my life."


    "The day I stepped onto the Immortal Path, I made a resolution that even if I had to die, I wanted to die on the road to bing an Immortal. No matter what the cost, I would never stop moving forward."


    "Since the Phantom Spirit Sect cut off my path to immortality, I''ll sever its lifeline. Seekingpensation is only right."


    ...


    ...


    At the boundary of the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range.


    The crowd surged like a tide.


    In these extraordinary times, disciples wereing and going frequently, and the pressure on some of the elders became enormous, working almost without rest day and night.


    Song Lingqing shed her Phantom Spirit Sect disciple attire, donning in clothes and walked slowly to the entrance, greeting the elder who guarded the gate:


    "Elder Li, I wish to leave the sect."


    "Where to?"


    Elder Li looked up at her, his brow slightly furrowed, "Why roam around instead of properly recuperating from your injuries?"


    Song Lingqing remainedposed, her face still carrying a smile, "I''m going to Illusory Spirit City to buy some things."


    A flicker of realization passed through Elder Li''s eyes. Now that Song Lingqing''s status had changed, she was no longer a true disciple, so the treatment she once received naturally ceased, and she needed to run some errands herself.


    "Go ahead."


    Elder Li didn''t make things difficult and quickly allowed her to pass. With a battle imminent, he was overwhelmed by the recent events and had no desire to waste time on such trivial matters.


    Song Lingqing stepped leisurely into Illusory Spirit City, first buying a loose, thick robe and donning a hood to disguise herself. She then headed north, quickly finding the medical hall.


    She didn''t rush inside but started to observe her surroundings.


    Soon, she noticed something.


    Not far from the medical hall, several servants dressed individuals were squatting on guard, their gazes lingering on the entrance of the hall.


    Song Lingqing''s eyes lingered on the g at the entrance of the medical hall for a long time. After a moment of consideration, she circled around and stealthily entered through the back of the hall without a sound.


    Signs of disturbed earth were easy to find, and in just a moment, she had the Storage Bag in her hands.


    The moment she opened the Storage Bag, the Spiritual Light within nearly harmed her eyes.


    Even as a true disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect, she had never seen so many Spirit Stones before. This amount of resources was sufficient for her to cultivate to the Entry Path and perhaps even beyond.


    This was the foundation for her to establish herself and secure her future.


    Song Lingqing sighed softly. The debts of gratitude were piling up... how would she ever repay them...


    She didn''t linger inside the medical hall and exited. Heading east, she soon arrived at the gates of Illusory Spirit City.


    The guards here were veryx. She faced no obstruction whatsoever.


    The moment she left Illusory Spirit City, a feeling of indescribable exhration rose in her heart, and her mood greatly improved.


    As soon as she reached the wilderness, she controlled her flying tool and took to the skies, heading straight in the direction of Giant Marsh Country.


    For whatever reason, she needed to confirm her family''s safety first.


    ...


    ```


    ...


    At the main peak of Phantom Spirit Sect, within the grand hall.


    Though it was noon, the hall was deathly cold, with ayer of frost visible to the naked eye coating the green stone walls.


    Xiao Yuanqing''s bodyy across the center of the hall, his severed head reattached, and the sword wound in his heart patched up, but it was devoid of life.


    All Supreme Elders who had stepped into the Divine Infant Realm were present, with uniformly ghastlyplexions, a mix of pale and livid.


    "A high-quality Immortal Seedling, in deep within the Inner Sect, has such a farce urred in the entire Cangyun Realm in millions of years?"


    With a faintugh, Feng Qiyuan''s voice was chilling to the bone, "Right now, what''s the point of us going to war with Night Light Pavilion?"


    Gu Chunyang knelt on both knees, repeatedly kowtowing, "Master, it''s my fault for losing vignce..."


    With war looming, many Supremes were preupied with affairs, having little energy to spare for anything else.


    Nobody would have expected an ambush on Xiao Yuanqing, who had been part of the Sect for over three years and was barely recognized by Inner Sect disciples, especially in the core area of the Inner Sect.


    Even a master of the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant couldn''t possibly avoid the grand formation silently and infiltrate so deeply without a trace.


    "Of course you''re at fault!"


    Feng Qiyuan shouted coldly, pointing at the Supreme Elders, "Not just you, all of you, including myself, for making such foolish mistakes. How can we face our ancestors in the future?"


    He closed his eyes and concentrated, then after a moment said in a calmer tone, "Lock the doors, allow entry but no exit, and investigate thoroughly."


    "Screen all disciples who have joined the Sect recently. Set aside how the information was leaked for now; we must capture this person first before discussing anything else."


    Before his words had settled, a deep, resonant chant echoed within the Sect, between the mountains. A ray of rosy light shot into the sky, illuminating the heavens and overshadowing the brightness of the sun.


    "A high-quality Immortal Bone?!"


    Gu Chunyang stood up in disbelief, looking toward the Stepping Stone of Immortality. In just a short moment, he had gone from deep sorrow to great joy. Despite his profound cultivation and seasoned experience, his emotions were indescribable.


    He turned instinctively, looking toward the dais, only to find Feng Qiyuan had disappeared without a trace.


    ...


    ...


    Miles away from Phantom Spirit Sect, within a remote small town.


    At a wonton stall, two figures sat facing each other, leisurely sipping their soup.


    "You left the Sect like this, won''t theye looking for you?" Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled.


    "Me, an Outer Sect Disciple, the Sect doesn''t have that much energy to spare."


    Fu Quanliang did not even lift his head, gesturing instead, "Another bowl, please."


    When Chu Zheng had found him the night before, he had chosen without hesitation to leave with Chu Zheng.


    In a war between Sects, an Outer Sect Disciple of his strength would only be cannon fodder.


    Besides, his life was in Chu Zheng''s hands; it was safer to follow Chu Zheng.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not say more and pulled out his panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: First Order Mid Stage]


    [Cultivation Technique: Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)]


    [Repair Master: Second Order (5/1000)]


    [Remaining daily repairs: 0]


    [Items currently repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500), Condensing Space Bracelet (765/1000), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/10000)]


    Song Lingqing''s storage bag contained only some clothes and slightly over a hundred Spirit Stones, which was rather meager.


    Chu Zheng needed to rebuild his wealth, but fortunately, in a little over a month, he''d be able to unlock the treasures within the Condensing Space Bracelet.


    ```

 Chapter 66: Chapter 62: Plotting in the Holy Land, Usurping the Nest

    Sixth Order realm.


    ording to the ssification of this world, it had already surpassed the Deification Nine Transformations, belonging to the powerful beings who could enter the Tongxuan Secret Realm.


    It was only a step away from the Immortal Sect, and could be known as a Pseudo-Immortal.


    When demons reached this step, they also had the ability to transform and reach the heavens. The items contained within such a Storage Spiritual Treasure of this caliber would likely exceed Chu Zheng''s imagination.


    "What should we do next?"


    Fu Quanliang put down his bowl, sighed, and then asked about Chu Zheng''s ns.


    Every day within the sect he had to consume Fasting Pills, which nauseated him. After his experience at the Song Residence, even the ordinary grains, which held no benefit for his physique, were something he missed amidst all the vours of the world.


    "Start a sect, establish a faction, but not recruit disciples, just do business."


    For his subsequent ns, Chu Zheng already had a rough idea.


    The great war between two sects was imminent, affecting an area over a million miles. The existence of Magic Artifacts was no less significant than military weapons in his previous life.


    Repairing Low Grade Magic Artifacts required virtually no cost for Chu Zheng.


    The most suitable business for him was undoubtedly the highly profitable trade of Magic Artifacts.


    Starting a sect and establishing a faction was merely for show, and with only two people, it seemed weak and powerless, but at least it sounded usible.


    "Start a sect? What''s it called?" Fu Quanliang asked, puzzled.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a long time before he slowly replied, "Let''s call it ''Qi Sect''."


    "Qi Sect? What kind of qi?" Fu Quanliang thought the name odd.


    Chu Zheng dipped his fingertip in tea water and slowly wrote the character ''Qi'' on the desk.


    Staring at thepletely foreign character, Fu Quanliang doubted for a moment, "Does this character exist?"


    "It didn''t exist before, but since I came, it now does."


    ...


    ...


    Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The Stepping Stone of Immortality emitted a humming sound for just a moment before people began to crowd around, all were elders and disciples drawn by the noise.


    On the Stepping Stone of Immortality stood a boy who appeared no older than thirteen or fourteen, with a youthful face and clear eyes. Wearing simple clothing, he radiated an air of simplicity.


    All around was silent because of the sudden appearance of Feng Qiyuan.


    The radiant Immortal Light on the stone gradually subsided, and as Feng Qiyuan stepped onto the Stepping Stone of Immortality, his expression was serene,


    "What''s your name?"


    "Wei Changqing."


    The boy looked puzzled as he faced Feng Qiyuan, who seemed to be about his age, and subconsciously asked back,


    "What''s your name?"


    A gleam of Spiritual Light flitted through Feng Qiyuan''s pupils as he stared into Wei Changqing''s eyes. In an instant, he captured the boy''s spirit; his tone turned icy,


    "I''ll ask one more time, what''s your name, and where is your home?"


    Xiao Yuanqing had just died; now another High Quality Immortal Bone had emerged¡ªit was too coincidental.


    "I''m Wei Changqing, from the Shuo Silver Fortress of the Fengyi Residence in Luo Yun County within the White Feather Empire..."


    Wei Changqing spoke monotonously, truthfully revealing everything.


    The Phantom Spirit Technique specialized in cultivating the soul with a very strong Divine Sense, and was particrly adept at illusions and soul-bewitching methods.


    To such an ordinary person devoid of cultivation, such as Wei Changqing, there was no chance of resisting in front of Feng Qiyuan; his spirit was utterly lost.


    "What are you doing here?" Feng Qiyuan furrowed his brows, never rxing his vignce.


    "Someone said they would teach me cultivation..."


    Just as Feng Qiyuan was about to ask further questions, the grand formation that enveloped the entire Phantom Spirit Mountain Range suddenly rippled in waves.


    He looked up, only to see a figure towering over the nine heavens, gesturing towards a lock.


    Upon recognizing the visitor, a flicker of murderous intent inadvertently surged in the depths of Feng Qiyuan''s eyes, vanishing as quickly as it hade.


    He waved his hand to disperse the grand formation and weed the neer with a smile on his face, greeting,


    "Envoy Ling, it must have been over a thousand years since west met."


    "Indeed, I thought you wouldn''t make it past that point. You''re quite lucky," Envoy Ling remarked offhandedly, "Do you mind if I have a word with this child?"


    "The news from the Holy Land is as timely as ever," Feng Qiyuan said without changing his expression, gesturing,


    "The Holy Envoy may do as he pleases."


    Envoy Ling slowly raised his hand, drawing a boundary on the ground, and a barrier was instantly erected, blocking the watchful eyes from all sides.


    Looking at the still dazed Wei Changqing, Envoy Ling shouted,


    "Awaken!"


    Wei Changqing''s focus gradually returned, and he looked around, eventually directing his gaze at Envoy Ling before him, puzzled,


    "Who are you..."


    Envoy Ling pointed a finger at Wei Changqing''s forehead.


    The boy immediately retreated, clutching his head in pain. After a while, he gradually calmed down.


    When he looked up again, the confusion had vanished from his face, and with a respectful demeanor, he bowed,


    "Master..."


    Envoy Ling said gently, "Changqing, do you resent me for making you lose your cultivation?"


    "If Master has done so, there must be a reason. I hold no grudges, I just don''t understand," Wei Changqing said, his face filled with confusion, "The Holy Land is more than a hundred times stronger than Phantom Spirit Sect, why would I need to cultivate undercover in a medium-level sect and also have my previous memories locked away?"


    "There are more than a hundred people in the Holy Land with High Quality Immortal Bone; if you aim to vie for the position of Saint Heir, you must take a different path."


    "No matter how abundant the resources of the Holy Land are, with so many people sharing, the part that falls into your hands is very little."


    "Although the Phantom Spirit Sect is going through tumultuous times, it was once a power that produced a Tongxuan realm expert. The sect''s thousand-year umtion makes for profound foundations," Envoy Ling exined, "That Illusory Spirit Treasure Mirror is indeed a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, rare even within the Holy Land."


    "The war between the sects is about to begin, and whether the Phantom Spirit Sect''s High Quality Immortal Bone truly met with an ident or was hidden away, your entry into the sect now is perfectly timed."


    "In normal times, Phantom Spirit Sect would spend a great deal of effort to verify your ancestry up to three generations. Now, with the looming war, your traces within the White Feather Empire will soon be scattered and untraceable."


    "You shall stay in Phantom Spirit Sect for a hundred years; after a century, we will see how things change. I will keep an eye on your progress."


    Envoy Ling nced outside the barrier, then pointed a finger at Wei Changqing''s forehead again.

 Chapter 67: Chapter 62: Plotting in the Holy Land, Usurping the Nest (Combined Part 2)

    A y requires a full performance.


    ...


    ...


    The area around the Stepping Stone of Immortality had been cleared, leaving only Feng Qiyuan, Gu Chunyang, and a few Divine Infant Supremes.


    As the barrier dissipated, Ling Qi didn''t speak to Feng Qiyuan and the others, but instead stepped into the void and vanished in the blink of an eye.


    Seeing this, Feng Qiyuan couldn''t help but frown and turned to look at Wei Changqing, repeating his tactic, he spoke in a deep voice,


    "What did that person just say to you?"


    Wei Changqing looked bewildered and slowly began to speak:


    "The Phantom Spirit Sect is in turmoil, not equal to the Tai Xu Holy Land..."


    "An unexpected issue with a high-quality Immortal Bone..."


    "Lack of cultivation resources, leaving me with very few at hand..."


    "Deep-rooted heritage..."


    "A chance to be a Saint Heir..."


    Listening to these words, the crease in Feng Qiyuan''s brow deepened and he remained silent for a long while.


    In his perception, Wei Changqing''s Divine Soul showed no anomaly, and it hadn''t been cleansed or altered; these were indeed the words Ling Qi had spoken earlier.


    "Master, this child..." Gu Chunyang sensed something amiss but couldn''t immediately grasp the full picture.


    "Xiao Yuanqing just died, and now hees along. Could such coincidences really exist in the world?" Feng Qiyuan''s expression remained unchanged, his voice evidently carrying a chill.


    "Do you suspect Tai Xu Holy Land..." Gu Chunyang''s expression subtly changed as he thought about it, and became more convinced of the guess.


    Other than the Holy Land, how could anybody else possess the means to silently infiltrate the formation and kill someone!


    "Not necessarily so, Tai Xu Holy Land values a high-quality Immortal Bone even more than us."


    Feng Qiyuan appeared somewhat weary and he let out a light sigh, "But this child... really is too much of a coincidence..."


    The value of a high-quality Immortal Bone, in the eyes of the Holy Land, is probably worth more than the entire Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The only thing Feng Qiyuan could imagine was that Tai Xu Holy Land wanted the inheritance of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    "Then, Master, how should we handle this child?" Holding his thoughts back, Gu Chunyang suddenly found himself without direction.


    After a moment of contemtion, Feng Qiyuan spoke slowly: "Teach him the spells. After he enters the Spiritual Spring, send him to the battlefield."


    "Isn''t that too risky?" Gu Chunyang hesitated, "The battlefield is perilous, and if he''s not careful, the child might meet his end."


    He really couldn''t bear the thought of losing a high-quality Immortal Bone.


    "Xiao Yuanqing was ced within the Sect with grand formations for protection, yet didn''t he still die?" Feng Qiyuan shook his head:


    "If he truly is sent by the Holy Land, then Ling Qi will surely protect him. With this child present, in the battle against the Night Light Pavilion, our Phantom Spirit Sect will be able to win."


    Gu Chunyang still seemed indecisive, "If we''re wrong in our guess and end up costing the child his life..."


    "If he dies, he dies. Pretend he never came,"


    Feng Qiyuan''s expression turned ice-cold: "I still have a thousand years of life. Once you achieve Divine Transformation, you will be able to protect the inheritance of Phantom Spirit Sect and n for the future."


    No matter what, he couldn''t let the inheritance passed down by the ancestors fall into others'' hands during his time.


    Before his voice fell, Feng Qiyuan stepped forward and vanished into the void.


    After he left, Wei Changqing''s expression gradually returned to rity, a trace of bewilderment lingering on his face.


    Gu Chunyang waited in silence for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Why didn''t you leave with that person just now?"


    "It''s too far away from home..."


    Wei Changqing smiled and shook his head, his face showing the simplicity and innocence unique to youth.


    Gu Chunyang''s eyes showed aplicated expression, and without a word, he turned and left with Wei Changqing.


    ...


    ...


    The Great Zhou Dynasty, South Sea.


    The Great Zhou bordered various countries on three sides and faced the sea on one.


    Near the coast, there were many inds, forming a frontier realm where sometimes small Sects or Immortal Path Loose Cultivators would settle.


    In the coastal viges and towns, stories about Immortals weremonly heard.


    This could be said to be the closest ce in the entire Great Zhou to the Cultivation World, akin to Illusory Spirit City.


    Two hundred sea miles from the shore, a dragon boat spanning over thirty zhang was moored near an ind.


    Above the dragon boat, gs stood tall, and atop the bow, a particrly eye-catching g was hoisted, red with a golden background, embroidered with a fierce bird enveloped in mes, spreading its wings as if to soar.


    The sun hung high, and beneath the sunlight, the sea shimmered with ripples,yer uponyer, like glinting golden scales.


    A small t boat was tossing among the nearby waves, a figure sat at the bow, letting the waves roll over it, unmoving as a mountain.


    Ssh¡ª¡ª


    Momentster, the sound of water exploded, and a figure burst from the sea, leaping onto the bow.


    "Are you sure you threw it here?"


    Song Lingxue looked at Li Mingzhou sitting at the bow, a hint of skepticism in her eyes, "Could it be that you remembered wrong?"


    She was dressed in sharkskin, her hair in disarray behind her, herplexion pale from soaking in the seawater, her breath slightly unstable.


    "No mistake, my memory, is stronger than yours."


    Li Mingzhou huffed lightly, "That piece of stone wall wasn''trge to begin with, with so many years gone by, washed away by waves, sinking into mud, anything''s possible, it''s not that easy to find."


    Song Lingxue sat on the edge of the boat, feeling somewhat discouraged for a moment, as the wavespping at her ankles brought a sensation that was both gentle and forceful.


    That day after leaving the Song Residence, within a few days, she had run into Li Mingzhou.


    After some involvement, they finally made clear their respective standings.


    Hearing the news of the Song Family''s troubles, Li Mingzhou immediately set out to confirm Chu Zheng''s safety.


    Having lived nearly a hundred years, he had never seen a person with such an exceptional root bone, truly hard to let go of.


    After meeting Song Lingxue, Li Mingzhou didn''t make a scene, even used his means to find Song Yun and hispanions, altering their identities and hiding them on the spot.


    After that night, Song Lingxue''s martial prowess surged like a gushing well, her inner strength advancing at a rapid pace. In less than half a month after leaving the Song Residence, she had entered the realm of Grandmaster.


    Then onward, she ascended in triumph, and within a mere three months, her inner strength underwent a transformation, stepping into the realm of Martial Path Grandmaster.


    Such astonishing changes naturally had Li Mingzhou eximing her as a monstrous talent.


    After a round of sparring, he once again produced the move of Xuan Tian Seal, which Song Lingxue perceived as having some clues.


    From this iplete Xuan Tian Seal, she vaguely sensed that ahead in the martial path, there was more to be discovered.


    Grandmaster was far from the end.


    After some questioning, they arrived at today''s scene.


    However, searching for an iplete stone wall at the bottom of the sea was like finding a needle in a haystack; after a long and fruitless search for over a month, Song Lingxue still had nothing to show for it.


    "Shall we call it off?"


    Seeing Song Lingxue silent with a lowered head, Li Mingzhou spoke out to persuade her,


    "Instead of wasting time here, it''d be better to spend it searching for Chu Zheng; he still has the fragmented map I made a rubbings of in his possession."


    He was still somewhat worried about Chu Zheng.


    "His current situation is probably more dangerous than mine."


    Song Lingxue shook her head; she didn''t want to cause more trouble for Chu Zheng. Taking a deep breath, she dived back into the sea.


    Half an hourter, a tremendous wave suddenly burst forth, apanied by an excited whisper:


    "I''ve found it!"


    Stepping onto the boat, Song Lingxue fondled the near three-foot-long fragment of wall. After a moment, a light seemed to appear in her eyes as she murmured to herself:


    "I see it..."


    In her eyes, within this piece of the wall, there seemed to be an energy flowing.


    "What do you see?"


    Li Mingzhou looked at the dark stone in front of him, scratching his head, utterly baffled.


    He had studied this stone for a long time back in the day and came out with nothing.


    "The path of martial arts..."


    Song Lingxue''s eyes were filled with obsession; she had never felt as she did at this moment.


    This fragment of wall was like a beacon, instantly clearing the dense fog before her eyes.


    Beyond qi condensation, the path of martial arts still continued.


    ...


    ...


    As the morning sun rose and its rosy light dyed the sky, passing through the mountains and vegetation, it shone into a canyon.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on a huge rock, his breathing long and drawn out, taking half an hour for each inhale and exhale.


    Fu Quanliang was not far away at the mouth of the mountain, meditating with his eyes closed, his mouth bulging, stuffed with Qi Boosting Elixirs.


    He was beginning to attempt to break through to the Spiritual Spring.


    Nearing midday, Chu Zheng finally slowly opened his eyes, and after adjusting his state to the optimum, he pulled up his panel and used up all of today''s repair attempts.


    [Condensing Space Bracelet (Sixth Order): A Spatial Spiritual Treasure, connected to a Small World, forcibly shattered by a Sixth Order being, once belonged to a Demon King, after many days of hard work, you have finally repaired it.]

 Chapter 68: Chapter 63: Small World, The Remains of a Pseudo-Immortal

    The fully restored Condensing Space Bracelet was aqua green throughout and felt warm and smooth to the touch. The bracelet was slender at the mouth, with dense patterns sprawling across it, faintly outlining andscape of mountains and seas.


    Seeing the update on the information panel, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel a bit surprised.


    A small world?


    Without giving it much thought, Chu Zheng closed his eyes and concentrated, squeezing a thread of essence blood from the tip of his tongue, and began refining this Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure.


    He was not versed in the methods of the Immortal Path and, with his cultivation not high and his Divine Soul not yet condensed into a spiritual imprint, he could only use the blood sacrifice methodmon among Qi Cultivators to refine the Condensing Space Bracelet.


    The essence blood smoothly merged into the Condensing Space Bracelet, without the slightest rejection.


    This made Chu Zheng breathe a sigh of relief; he had been somewhat worried that, once the Condensing Space Bracelet was repaired, it might still retain the imprint of its previous master.


    Now it seemed that even the panel couldn''t restore the brand of a deceased person.


    Half an hourter, Chu Zheng had established a faint connection with the Condensing Space Bracelet.


    In just a moment, he understood all the properties of this Spiritual Treasure.


    The Condensing Space Bracelet was merely a gateway that could open a path to a small world, rather than containing a space within it.


    Besides that, the Condensing Space Bracelet also carried a Treasure Technique named ''Space Condensing''.


    Treasure Techniques were unique abilities of Spiritual Treasures, which, when activated by a cultivator, could disy astonishing power, akin to Divine Skills.


    The Space Condensing Art could freeze space within a small area.


    The power of this Divine Skill was rted to the strength of the user.


    With Chu Zheng''s current level of cultivation, although he could notpletely freeze space, he was still able to slow down the movement of certain beings. In battle, it was akin to having an extra ace up his sleeve.


    After getting to know a bit more, Chu Zheng ced the Condensing Space Bracelet within his Dantian to nurture and deepen the connection.


    At the same time, his Yuan Qi stirred lightly, flowing into the Condensing Space Bracelet, opening the gateway to the small world.


    An illusory gate of light appeared before his eyes, with shimmering blue light swirling inside, the path beyond unclear.


    This was a spatial passageway, connecting to an unknown, distant alien realm.


    Only the mighty ones of the Tongxuan Secret Realm could touch upon the Laws of Space, crossing the void in a blink to reach millions of miles away.


    Chu Zheng nced at Fu Quanliang, who was unconscious at the mouth of the valley. Without waking him, he stepped into the gate of light alone.


    The moment he entered the passageway, Chu Zheng felt a void beneath his feet and a tightness around him as if wrapped by an invisible membrane, followed by a gentle pushing force from behind.


    After a few breaths, Chu Zheng felt solid ground under his feet and, with his eyes still closed, he sensed a wave of vegetation Essence Qi rushing toward him.


    Opening his eyes, Chu Zheng found himself covered by spirit grass rising taller than a person.


    [Nurturing Spirit Herb (Second Order): matures in five hundred years, the main ingredient for refining Ascension Pills; having grown for over ten thousand years, its medicinal efficacy is exceptionally profound.]


    Chu Zheng rose into the air and scanned the surroundings, seeing at a nce a prairie with no visible end.


    The sky held neither sun nor moon, just two small stars, casting a faint, hazy light, leaving the entire world as if entombed in twilight, permeated with a tinge of duskiness.


    Dozens of miles away, one could barely discern a deep abyss, bottomless to the eye.


    The Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth was exceedingly abundant, surpassing that of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s residence by more than a measure, which was sufficient evidence that beneath this small world there must be an entire Spirit Vein buried!


    The value of this Spirit Vein alone was incalcble.


    After some consideration, Chu Zheng concealed his aura and began exploring the surroundings using the Invisibility Technique.


    This was a small world with its own cosmos, and since there were Spirit Grasses growing, he couldn''t be certain there weren''t living creatures as well. Being cautious was undoubtedly the right approach.


    He soon crossed the prairie that spanned dozens of miles and entered a in.


    Along the way, he saw many cracks, seemingly left by some unknown weapons, stretching dozens or even hundreds of miles.


    In these cracks, an extremely intense aura of dead silence lingered. No one knew how many years had passed, yet there was still a scorching heat that prevented any grass from growing where the cracks were.


    An hourter, Chu Zheng had advanced a thousand miles and could vaguely feel that he was getting closer to the center of this Small World.


    The further forward he went, the more cracks there were on the ground.


    After exploring thousands of miles, Chu Zheng finally made a new discovery.


    Amidst the thousand miles of red earth, stood a set of blue clothes with white bones, holding a spear upright.


    The spear, thick as a wrist and nearly ten feet long, seemed to be flowing with magma, its entire body a glowing red, exuding an oppressive feeling that took one''s breath away.


    Chu Zheng observed the surroundings for a moment and carefully approached, tentatively touching the long spear.


    [Lihuo Spear (Sixth Order): Due to the owner''s death and significant wear and tear, its True Spirit has fallen into slumber. After a long period, it has recovered eight or nine parts out of ten. Your current cultivation is insufficient to subdue it. It can be repaired (0/200).]


    Chu Zheng withdrew his hand like a sh of lightning, fearing to awaken the True Spirit within. A battle-type warrior weapon was starkly different from a Spiritual Treasure like the Condensing Space Bracelet.


    Although both were Sixth Order, the reason the Condensing Space Bracelet was considered Sixth Order wasrgely due to this Small World; it had not developed its own spiritual intelligence.


    The Lihuo Spear, however, already had its own True Spirit. Once it revived autonomously, it would be no different from a living Tongxuan powerhouse, equivalent to a revival of a Pseudo-Immortal, who could crush him effortlessly.


    Fortunately, a slumbering Spiritual Treasure wouldn''t wake up easily without external force.


    Chu Zheng subdued his aura and quietly reached out to touch the white bones beside him.


    [Nameless Corpse Bone (Sixth Order): Human Race, former Elder of the Taixuan Sect, Superior Immortal Bone, bone age seven hundred and ny-four, his cultivation reached the peak of the Sixth Order, unable to trigger Immortal Tribtion due to ws in the Heaven and Earth Laws, and failed to escape this Small World, eventually dying of exhaustion.]


    Superior Immortal Bone.


    Chu Zheng''s eyelids twitched; this was the person with the highest level of innate talent he had encountered sinceing to this world.


    His bone age also proved this point. At just over seven hundred years old, he had already stepped into the peak of the Tongxuan Realm, just one step away from Bing an Immortal.


    Considering the information given by the panel and then thinking about the Demon King''s bones in the ancient battlefield of the mine, Chu Zheng quickly deduced some of the original situation from back then.


    The Condensing Space Bracelet did not have the power to trap enemies forcefully, so there could only be one possibility.


    This former Elder of the Taixuan Sect had walked into this Small World on his own.


    When that great battle erupted, perhaps he was in seclusion within this world. The rtionship between him and that Demon King must also be somewhat mysterious.


    The great battle broke out, and the Demon King was ambushed; the Condensing Space Bracelet was shattered. She fought desperately to reim the fragments, probably hoping to release this person.


    This Small World was closed off. Without the Condensing Space Bracelet opening a passageway, there was no way to leave.


    The Tongxuan Secret Realm was not an Immortal after all; it couldn''t forcefully shatter this Small World. With the ws in the Heaven and Earth Laws and no progress in cultivation, the final oue could only be death by entrapment.


    A Pseudo-Immortal fell, a fact that inevitably elicited sighs.


    At this thought, Chu Zheng''s gaze returned to the skeleton, pondering. A Pseudo-Immortal couldn''t possibly only have this spear.


    After carefully searching for a moment, he soon made a discovery.


    On the pearly white finger bones, there was a ring, and around its neck, there hung a Jade Token.


    Chu Zheng first reached out for the Jade Token.


    [Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order): The Taixuan Sect''s secret technique, at its highest level, one can ascend to immortality, and Immortal Techniques span the heavens.]


    The information transmitted from the panel made Chu Zheng inhale a breath of cold air; he never expected to stumble upon such an unexpected windfall.


    A true Immortal Ascension Method!

 Chapter 69: Chapter 64: Immortal Path System, Cangyun Secret Realm Map

    Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    This is a true Heaven-reaching Immortal Law, its level far surpassing the Great Circtory Qi Guideline Chu Zheng currently cultivated.


    The path of a Qi Cultivator beyond, he knew nothing of it yet.


    Eighth Order.


    If ording to the cultivation system of the Immortal Path, it was already the ninth realm of cultivation; whether there were strong beings of this realm in the current world was still a question mark.


    Chu Zheng had once seen the "Chronicle of Shuoxue Tianjun," wherein the Celestial Lords recorded within might be of this realm.


    Calming his emotions, Chu Zheng didn''t rush to examine the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, but carefully reached out to take off the ring from the finger.


    [Ethereal Ring (Fourth Order): A quite exquisite Storage Magic Treasure, not crafted by the Human Race but by a master artifactsmith of the Demon Race.]


    The corpse had been dead for tens of thousands of years, the brand on the ring had long since dissipated, and Chu Zheng''s Yuan Qi easily probed inside.


    A vast space unfolded in his mind, stretching for several miles; in terms of size, it surpassed a hundred, even a thousand storage bags.


    Although spacious, there weren''t too many objects stored inside.


    The most eye-catching were three piles of spirit stones.


    Spirit stones were categorized just like Immortal Bones: Lower Quality, Middle Quality, High Quality, and Superior Quality.


    A Middle Quality spirit stone was roughly the equivalent of ten Lower Quality ones.


    In these three piles of spirit stones, there were no Lower Quality ones. Thergest pile was of Middle Quality spirit stones, piled up like a mountain, at least over a hundred thousand in number.


    There were also more than ten thousand High Quality spirit stones, and nearly a thousand of the Superior Quality.


    Converted to Lower Quality spirit stones, that amounted to over three million in front of him, nearly enough to buy a lower-ranking sect.


    Even for the Phantom Spirit Sect,ing up with so many spirit stones in one go would not be easy.


    This former elder of the Taixuan Sect was incredibly wealthy.


    Near the spirit stones, scattered haphazardly, were numerous jade bottles. The pill bottles, however, were empty.


    With a little guess, one could tell that probably all the elixirs had been consumed in an attempt to break free from this world.


    Besides, there were a few magic treasures, naturally iparable to the Lihuo Spear. A fifth-order battle armor, a fourth-order spear, and a fourth-order pill furnace.


    This person had also been an alchemist in life, with no low achievement.


    To Chu Zheng''s slight disappointment, aside from the two ancient books that recorded various pill recipes and spiritual medicines, there were no other ssics to read.


    Clearly, this Pseudo-Immortal was not fond of reading in his daily life, which left Chu Zheng clueless about that era.


    In a corner of the space, some misceneous items were piled up - ores, beast bones, spiritual medicines, not of much use to Chu Zheng.


    Within the pile of jade boxes, he came across a painting.


    The painting depicted a woman in her twenties with purple hair over her shoulders, eyes the color of azure blue, sparkling like stars, wearing an elegant green dress; barefoot, she stood on a smooth boulder, stretchingnguidly, with a captivating silhouette.


    On her ankle, she wore a greenish-blue ankle bracelet.


    In two lifetimes, Chu Zheng had never seen such a breathtaking beauty; every inch of her skin seemed to radiate allure, bewitching like a demoness.


    This was no doubt the Demon King.


    Setting the painting aside, Chu Zheng continued to search through the jade boxes.


    Soon, he found something new - a map stored inside a jade box, made of an unknown material.


    [Cangyun Secret Realm Map (Third Order): Taixuan Sect spent tens of thousands of years exploring the Cangyun Secret Realm, perfected it through thousands of attempts, and finally obtained this map.]


    This map was a magic treasure; once activated, it would reveal a map of millions of miles around, with mountains and rivers clearly visible, marked in ck, red, and gold colors.


    The specific meaning of these colors was unknown to Chu Zheng.


    But a map that took so long for a sect to explore andplete must be extraordinary.


    ```


    Half an hourter, Chu Zheng''s consciousness withdrew from the Ethereal Ring, and he let out a breath.


    The harvest brought by the Condensing Space Bracelet was simply too great, making him feel somewhat unreal; it was as if he had obtained the legacies and treasures of two Pseudo-Immortals in one fell swoop.


    Chu Zheng looked up at the skeleton before him. His eyes flickered slightly¡ªthe azure garments, uncorrupted for tens of thousands of years, must also be of a high quality.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng turned around,municated with the Condensing Space Bracelet, and opened the passage.


    The gains from this trip were already substantial, and he did notck this vestment robe. All things in life were bound by cause and effect; excessive greed could easily exhaust one''s own fortunes.


    Before stepping into the passage, Chu Zheng had a thought, turned back, took out the painting, and ced it beside the skeleton. He bowed deeply and then turned to leave.


    Chu Zheng''s figure gradually disappeared into the passage. Next to the skeleton, the Lihuo Spear suddenly glowed faintly, quickly returning to stillness.


    ......


    ......


    By the time he returned to the outside world, night had fallen.


    Not far away, Fu Quanliang was still immersed in cultivation, his breath slightly unstable, trying to break through to the Spirit Spring Realm.


    Over the past days, he had consumed endless elixirs and had touched the threshold of the Spirit Spring Realm. The moment to break through had arrived.


    Chu Zheng sat down cross-legged and took out the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    It was not set in stone that Qi-refining techniques could not be cultivated alongside the Immortal Path. Now, with an Immortal Ascension Method before him, Chu Zheng had no intention of missing out.


    The moment his consciousness delved in, a vast tide of information flooded his mind.


    Channel Qi into the body, Nourishing Power, Transform into Spiritual Spring, Build Dao Foundation, Condense the Soul, Cultivation of the Divine Infant, Deification Nine Transformations, Enter Tong Xuan, Attract Celestial Tribtion, pass through three thunder tribtions, step onto the Immortal Path, enter the True Immortal Realm.


    After Tong Xuan is the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    The Eighth Order is the True Immortal.


    Chu Zheng pondered deeply for a long time, took out two High Quality Spirit Stones, and held them in his palms. Bypassing the Nourishing Power Realm, he began to cultivate directly from the secondyer of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    His physical body had long been strong enough; as long as he absorbed the Spiritual Energy into his body, it could naturally withstand the burden brought by mana.


    In just a moment, a trace of mana appeared within Chu Zheng''s Dantian, a form of energy vastly different from Yuan Qi but simrly possessing many mysteries.


    In the blink of an eye, two hours passed.


    Hum¡ª


    A fluctuation emanated from the mountain pass, originating from Fu Quanliang.


    "I''ve entered the Spirit Spring!" Fu Quanliang suddenly opened his eyes, his expression ecstatic. Watching the mana flowing in his hands, his eyes nearly turned red.


    At one time, the Spirit Spring seemed unreachable to him, and it might have taken another decade before he had the chance to enter the Spirit Spring Realm.


    Now, in just over half a year, he had leaped across three levels, from the Seventh Layer of the Nourishing Power Realm straight into the Spirit Spring Realm, possessing mana.


    Even amon Middle Quality Immortal Bone did not have such a rapid cultivation speed!


    Hearing the excited whisper not far away, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and nodded, saying,


    "Mm, me too."


    Fu Quanliang''s face, filled with excitement, stiffened for a moment, his gaze dazed and somewhat incredulous:


    "When did you start cultivating the Immortal Law?"


    Previously there were no fluctuations of mana on Chu Zheng, but his aura now was undoubtedly that of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    "Two hours ago," Chu Zheng said calmly.


    As far as his own feeling was concerned, the cultivation of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture was notplex.


    At least, it was much simpler than when he first began the Great Circtory Qi Guideline and first started the Grand Cirction.


    ```

 Chapter 70: Chapter 65: Divine Fire

    His rapid entry into the Spiritual Spring was inextricably linked to the foundation of Chu Zheng''s physical body.


    The practice of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture does not ce high demands on the Immortal Bone but still has its restrictions, giving more importance to physique and requiring assistance from Divine Fire.


    If one could find a High-Quality Fire Seed, the speed of cultivation would naturally be extraordinarily fast, even with a Lower-Quality Immortal Bone, one could have a cultivation pace not inferior to that of a High-Quality level.


    If it were the legendary Fire Spirit Body, cultivating this technique would be even faster than a Superior Immortal Bone.


    There are somemonalities between the Great Circtory Qi Guideline and the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    The Qi-refining Technique also aims for bing an Immortal. The biggest difference is that after the mind Transforms into spirit and before stepping into the Immortal Sect, there is no such tribtion as the Immortal Tribtion.


    The path of Qi Refining includes a hundred days of tempering, Spirit Transformation, Jade Bone, Dao Embryo, Golden Core, Refine Spirit, Returning to Void, and Dao Integration.


    Above Dao Integration is the Human Immortal.


    The descent of a great tribtion is to prevent beings from bing Immortals¡ªan earthly restraint and binding on powerful beings, as well as a form of self-protection.


    The path of cultivation is essentially about drawing from the Heavenly Dao to supplement oneself. By consuming spiritual essence and Qi, one is continuously extracting the essence of heaven and earth.


    Upon crossing the threshold of the Immortal Sect, a being''s nature ispletely reversed, life expectancy greatly prolonged. In a world of endless cycles and reincarnations, this can severely affect the energy cycle.


    True Immortals never leave; an era with an excessive number of Immortals ultimately results in no sessors.


    The heart of heaven is impartial. All beings are treated equally, and facing tribtions is a necessary step.


    It is the same for Qi Cultivators, only with a different approach.


    The reason why Ancient Qi Refining Masters traveled across the oceans was to face tribtions. Before Dao Integration, regr Qi Cultivators would have already undergone numerous tribtions and be shrouded in Tribtion Qi; naturally, heaven and earth would not lower a great tribtion for further testing.


    Not everyone can safely navigate the great tribtions sent by the heavens; subtly transforming a great tribtion into a lesser one¡ªthis is where the uniqueness of Qi Cultivators lies.


    However, such a practicees with drawbacks. If a Qi Cultivator were to seclude themselvespletely, they would ultimately hit a bottleneck, making no progress in their cultivation. There is always a loss for every gain¡ªsuch is the way of the universe.


    Lacking an Immortal Bone to rely on, Chu Zheng''s practice of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture is somewhat slow. He has to forcibly absorb spiritual energy into the body with Yuan Qi and then transform it into Mana.


    This process is too inefficient. The time wasted is somewhat counterproductive, not nearly as fast as direct Qi Refining.


    To make significant achievements on the Immortal Path, he ultimately needs a piece of bone, even if it is just Lower Quality Immortal Bone.


    He couldn''t help but remember the Damaged Immortal Bone he found on the ancient battlefield. Immortal Path Cultivators have methods to refine Immortal Bones into their bodies; perhaps he could start there and make an attempt.


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng looked towards Fu Quanliang: "What cultivation technique are you practicing right now?"


    "The Jade Transformation Scripture. It''s the one most Outer Sect disciples practice."


    Fu Quanliang''s expression was somewhat numb; the exhration of stepping into the Spiritual Spring was gone.


    He had joined the sect ten years ago and cultivated diligently to this day, the fruits of which Chu Zheng had matched in merely two hours.


    This huge disparity nearly shattered his cultivation resolve.


    "From now on, practice this."


    Chu Zheng was not stingy and lifted his hand to press the jade token of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture to Fu Quanliang''s forehead.


    The Qi-refining Technique should not be casually transmitted. The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, however, had no such restrictions.


    No matter the Quality, in the end, it''s just a cultivation technique¡ªa replicable resource¡ªand cannot be considered precious.


    The repair panel was the foundation of his existence.


    Now that the Condensing Space Bracelet waspletely repaired, Chu Zheng had to consider what to repair next.


    He already had an idea about this, putting the Heavenly Aura Sword and the Five Elements Shaping Pill at the top of the list.


    [Heavenly Aura Sword (Sixth Order/Iplete): Originates from theplete Heavenly Aura Sword Array set, one of the three hundred and sixty Assistant Swords, made of Phoenix Blood Wood. With your current abilities, you can onlyplete preliminary repairs. (Preliminary repair 0/100)]


    [Five Elements Shaping Pill (Fourth Order): Made from the Qi of the Five Elements and supplemented with the White Tiger ws, Azure Dragon Scales, ck Tortoise Armor, Vermilion Bird Feathers, and Qilin Blood of the Five Sacred Elements, it can mold a Five Elements Primordial Body.


    Brewed for three years to achieve the pill, but due to the passage of time, the potency has almostpletely dissipated. Repairable (0/500)]


    After a basic repair of the Heavenly Aura Sword, Chu Zheng would be able to use it to cultivate the Qi Cultivator''s Divine Skill ''Object Control''.


    This differed from the way Immortal Path Cultivators manipte Magic Artifacts. Magic Artifacts differ from Spiritual Treasures; they have no sentience and can be controlled by any cultivator.


    And the magic treasures refined through Object Control cannot be used by anyone other than the Qi Cultivator themselves.


    Moreover, with years of nurturing by Yuan Qi, the magic treasures themselves will continuously evolve and grow stronger, even crude iron can be spiritually awakened.


    As for the Five Elements Shaping Pill, it is beneficial to Chu Zheng''s cultivation, as it can help him elerate the transformation of the Five Elements Qi in the world.


    When entering the Dao Embryo phase, he can use it to condense a false pill in preparation for condensing the Golden Core.


    Both are essential, the Heavenly Aura Sword can be repaired in twenty days, while the Five Elements Shaping Pill will take a hundred days.


    "Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture..."


    After a long while, Fu Quanliang finally opened his eyes, his gaze revealing unmistakable astonishment:


    "What Quality is this cultivation technique? Does it actually contain the way to bing an Immortal?"


    "It''s much stronger than the Phantom Spirit Technique."


    Chu Zheng didn''t borate further, he stood up and said, "Let''s go."


    "Where to?"


    Fu Quanliang was taken aback and stood up as well.


    "To find a safe ce, seek Fire, do business."


    Originally, Chu Zheng was worried about capital, but now he had plenty of it.


    He had no intention of hiding in the Small World to engage in death-defying cultivation; without a source of ie, everything would run out eventually.


    The elixirs brought from the Phantom Spirit Sect would be exhausted one day.


    Without elixirs to replenish, relying solely on his current pace of cultivation, Chu Zheng did not know how long it would take to achieve anything substantial.


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture is highlypatible with alchemy, but Chu Zhengcks the patience to study the art of alchemy himself; cultivation is fundamental.


    Now he didn''tck pill recipes or spiritual medicine; he intended to start from scratch, to search for suitable people and nurture a group of alchemists to work for him.


    It didn''t matter if their talent wascking, for him, waste pill or sessful elixirs were all the same.


    Even if he had to use spiritual medicines excessively, he could still build a few alchemists who were suitable for use.


    Thus, seeking the Fire Seed became the most urgent matter.


    Whether for alchemy or for cultivating the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, Divine Fire was indispensable.


    ......


    ......


    Within several million li, the most powerful sects include Purple Blood Valley, Earth Dragon Sect, Night Light Pavilion, and the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    These four powers have all been major schools with ten thousand years or even tens of thousands of years of heritage, some with the deterrence of their ancestor''s legacy, and others are newly emerging giants.


    Besides these four forces, there are also many loose cultivators and smaller sects.


    These sects and loose cultivators can continue to exist also because it''s tacitly acknowledged by the several big Immortal Sects.


    The strength of a single sect is ultimately limited, unable to cover tens or hundreds of countries; many people with Immortal Bones are only found at an age of fifty to sixty, when they understand their destiny.


    This is not a rare urrence.


    If a small sect cannot raise a Hidden Dragon, those cultivators with exceptional talents, even if they enter these small sects, will ultimately gravitate towards therger sects once they understand the vastness of the heavens and the earth.


    People always strive for higher ces; this is an eternal truth.


    Essentially, these small sects and loose cultivators serve as reserves of Immortal Seedlings for the big Immortal Sects.


    Just as the Phantom Spirit Sect is to the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Chu Zheng''s first target was these smaller sects.

 Chapter 71: Chapter 66: Tianhe Sect, Night Light Pavilion!

    Having decided on their direction, Chu Zheng immediately set out with Fu Quanliang.


    Avoiding the core territory of Phantom Spirit Sect, the two cultivated at night and traveled during the day. After more than a half month and over a hundred thousand miles eastward, they stepped into the territory of a small sect known as Tianhe Sect.


    This ce was called Zishi Dynasty, and though it was their territory, it was still within the control of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Tianhe Sect had a heritage of just a thousand years; its founding Elder was a Loose Cultivator of the Soul Condensing Realm. Due to ack of resources, the sect was gradually declining. The most powerful was only at the early stage of the Entry Dao Realm, and was already not young in age. There were only a handful of Cultivators in the Spirit Spring Realm inside the sect.


    In total, the entire sect had barely more than twenty members.


    The reason why Chu Zheng came here was that among Tianhe Sect''s dwellings, there was an Artifact Refiner.


    While merely a Low-Grade Artifact Refiner, capable of crafting only First Order Magic Artifacts, he was extremely famous among the local Loose Cultivators.


    Artifact Refining also required Divine Fire, and within Tianhe Sect, there was a Low Grade Fire Seed, which was most likely the Earth Fiend True me.


    In the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, worldly fire seeds are divided into nine orders.


    The mostmon Earth Fiend True me is of the Second Order and could significantly elerate one''s cultivation speed.


    Chu Zheng, with Fu Quanliang in tow, headed directly into the Imperial Capital of the Zishi Dynasty. After some inquiries, they quickly learned the whereabouts of the Tianhe Sect.


    Located near the mortal world, the Tianhe Sect''s dwelling was just thirty miles outside the Imperial Capital, situated halfway up a hill.


    Compared to Great Zhou, the Zishi Dynasty was not at all unfamiliar with Immortal Sects; their rtionship was quite close.


    The disciples of Tianhe Sect often entered the Imperial Capital to examine the bones of newborns, looking for Immortal Seedlings, and they enjoyed a particrly harmonious rtionship with the Royal Family.


    Over a decade ago, a gue spread throughout the Zishi Dynasty, and it was the Tianhe Sect that intervened, preventing a major disaster.


    The Sect Leader, True Person Nanfeng, was known to all for hispassionate heart, having wandered thends in his youth, saving countless lives.


    Throughout the dynasty, there were many shrines erected in his honor.


    These smaller sects, clearly devoid of the remoteness of the hidden major sects, possessed a certain mundane atmosphere.


    Perhaps because they could not be self-sufficient, they always had to find ways to gather resources, inevitably dealing with the secr world, gradually bing as such.


    After making inquiries, Chu Zheng, with Fu Quanliang, left the Imperial Capital and headed straight for the Tianhe Sect''s dwelling.


    During the journey, Chu Zheng hadpleted the preliminary repairs of the Heavenly Aura Sword and had stored it within his Dantian to nourish it with Yuan Qi.


    Together with the Condensing Space Bracelet and a few other Magic Treasures in the Ethereal Ring, dealing with an Entry Dao Realm Cultivator shouldn''t be a difficult task.


    What was on the agenda next was business negotiation.


    Only when the strengths of two parties are equal can there be a negotiation; otherwise, it''s just a one-sided extraction.


    The distance of just over thirty miles passed in a blink, and as they approached the base of the mountain, Chu Zheng caught sight of the Sect Gate situated halfway up the hill.


    The Sect Gate was very simple: a thirty-foot high stele engraved with the bold characters ''Tianhe Sect''.


    A Spirit Gathering Array slowly rotated, striving to gather the sparse spiritual energy from heaven and Earth, delineating and suitable for cultivation.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes shed with a spiritual light. After observing for a while, he turned to look towards the Imperial Capital, having made his assessments.


    The founding Elder of Tianhe Sect chose this ce not arbitrarily. The Feng Shui pattern here was where a Dragon Vein breathed out water.


    Although there were no Spirit Veins and the energy returned by the Dragon was not substantial, it was still much better than ordinarynd and could sustain a cultivating sect, albeit not a thriving poption.


    For a Loose Cultivator alone and with limited strength, achieving this much was not easy.


    After observing for a moment, Chu Zheng ascended the mountain to knock on the gate.


    They did not conceal their tracks and before reaching the stele, two figures came to meet them, a man and a woman, both Cultivators of the Spirit Spring Realm, appearing to be nearly forty years old.


    "From where do you hail, Daoist Friend?"


    The man was the first to speak, inquiring about Chu Zheng''s intention with a somewhat cautious demeanor.


    Two Spirit Spring Realm Cultivators would not stand out in arge sect, but among Loose Cultivators, they were not to be underestimated.


    ced in Tianhe Sect, they were responsible for a significant part of the sect, and their importance was self-evident.


    Fu Quanliang nced at Chu Zheng and, noticing that he had no intention to speak, understood the cue and stepped forward to say,


    "Disciples of Qi Sect, we have heard of the Artifact Refiner of Tianhe Sect and havee to discuss business."


    Upon hearing the word ''business,'' the two rxed significantly and a smile appeared on their faces. Though they had never heard of the Qi Sect, they still stepped aside,


    "Please enter, Daoist Friend."


    It was quitemon for some Loose Cultivators and small sects toe here to purchase Magic Artifacts.


    Chu Zheng followed one step behind Fu Quanliang, walking side by side as they made their way into Tianhe Sect.


    After a moment, the two entered the main hall, where a disciple of the Nourishing Power Realm served them Spiritual Tea.


    Once seated, the middle-aged man spoke first, offering a greeting, "My name is Xu Xinke, and this is my junior sister Fang Yu. How may we address the two of you?"


    "Fu Liang."


    Fu Quanliang pointed to himself without revealing his real name, and got straight to the point,


    "I wish to purchase your sect''s Fire Seed; price is not an issue."


    "Fire Seed?"


    Upon hearing this, Xu Xinke slightly furrowed his brow.


    Fu Quanliang nodded and said, "There''s an Alchemist in our sect who needs this item; the price is negotiable."


    "This Fire Seed of our Tianhe Sect is a legacy of our founding ancestor; it''s not really a question of how many spirit stones, it''s not suitable for sale, I hope you understand."


    At this point, Xu Xinke looked puzzled, "Why doesn''t Daoist Friend Fu go directly to the Phantom Spirit Sect to purchase it?"


    A Fire Seed of Earth Fiend True me isn''t considered rare; any cultivator above the Soul Condensing Realm could use the Earth Escape Technique to acquire it from the heart of the earth.


    "I offer three thousand Lower Quality Spirit Stones," Fu Quanliang stated directly, naming his price.


    Xu Xinke''s expression was hesitant; the sum was already double that of a normal Fire Seed.


    "Five thousand," Fu Quanliang upped the offer. His expression was steady, but inside he was feeling somewhat anxious.


    The price Chu Zheng had instructed him to offer was indeed too high, already more than triple the normal amount.


    "Deal!"


    Without waiting for Xu Xinke to speak, Fang Yu immediately epted the offer. The transaction was guaranteed to be profitable.


    Xu Xinke started to speak but then hesitated and finally, with a soft sigh, stayed silent.


    "I need to verify the Spirit Stones first," Fang Yu added.


    "Of course," Fu Quanliang nodded. He looked toward Chu Zheng; he had only about twenty Spirit Stones on him.


    Chu Zheng didn''t speak but raised his hand and took out five hundred Middle Quality Spirit Stones, neatly stacking them on the desk.


    "Please wait for a moment, I will fetch the Fire Seed."


    Seeing the Spirit Stones, Xu Xinke''s look of regret vanished, and he got up somewhat flusteredly and walked out of the hall.


    Just as he reached the doorway, he abruptly stopped, turned his head, and said gravely, "Junior sister, go and ask master to leave seclusion."


    "Do we need to disturb master over such a trivial matter?"


    Fang Yu was perplexed, but obediently stood up and walked towards the back of the hall.


    Chu Zheng turned his head and nced, his gaze suddenly sharpening.


    Tiny specks of light twinkled on the horizon as more than then cultivators approached together. The leader was a man in his thirties, already at the Entry Dao Realm with a Celestial Foundation condensed.


    All of these people were dressed in alternating blue and white clothing with a pattern of joined green lotuses on their chest, clearly indicating they were from the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Chu Zheng instinctively activated his Spiritual Eye, and his expression changed immediately.


    The Qi within these cultivators was raging incessantly, an obvious sign they were ready to strike at any moment.


    "Be careful in your response; I will act ording to the situation," Chu Zheng, sensing something was wrong, passed a message to Fu Quanliang. He began to use the Invisibility Technique, gradually vanishing into the void.


    After a short time, more than ten cultivators entered the hall, their expressions as stern and cold as ice.


    "Are you from the Phantom Spirit Sect?"


    Fu Quanliang looked at the unfamiliar faces with suspicion.


    A cultivator at the Entry Dao Realm could be an Outer Sect Elder; in the entire Phantom Spirit Sect, it was impossible for him not to recognize an Entry Dao Realm cultivator, or even Spirit Spring Realm ones.


    "Who are you? You look somewhat familiar," the leading man narrowed his eyes slightly.


    "He is Fu Quanliang! I''ve seen his portrait; Junior Brother Jiang died by his hand!"


    Out of nowhere, one of the cultivators standing behind the man spoke up loudly.


    "Junior Brother Jiang?"


    Fu Quanliang was taken aback, a sh of realization crossing his mind as his eyelids suddenly flew open, and he shouted,


    "You are people from the Night Light Pavilion?!"

 Chapter 72: Chapter 67: Im Just a Businessman

    Hearing Fu Quanliang''s sharp shout, the leading man in blue clothes was slightly startled. After sizing up Fu Quanliang, his smile gradually turned yful:


    "Interesting... such a coincidence indeed."


    Having just entered the Spirit Spring Realm and now facing a cultivator of the Entry Dao Realm along with a group of Spirit Spring Realm cultivators, the pressure was unspeakable, and Fu Quanliang''s fingertips couldn''t help trembling momentarily.


    The Entry Dao Realm, that was the level of an Outer Sect Elder, and for the former him, it was practically heaven.


    Though his heart was filled with fear, due to his trust in Chu Zheng, Fu Quanliang still tried to maintain hisposure.


    Waiting for Chu Zheng to find an opportunity to strike and kill all these people before him.


    Just like with Jiang Cunhu that day.


    "I knew the information was wrong."


    Sensing the fluctuations in Fu Quanliang''s aura, the man in blue clothes sneered coldly:


    "How could Jiang Cunhu have possibly been killed by a seventhyer Nourishing Power Realm cultivator? You''re indeed a Spirit Spring Realm cultivator as well."


    Xu Xinke retreated to Fu Quanliang''s side, his back also drenched in sweat.


    News of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s battle with the Night Light Pavilion was known to all; these people wearing the Phantom Spirit Sect''s robes, deep in the hearnd of the sect, were obviously up to no good.


    "Your Excellency..."


    "Seal the mountain."


    The man casually turned his head and uttered a phrase, interrupting Xu Xinke''s words, and looked towards Fu Quanliang with a cold gaze:


    "Today, the Tianhe Sect perishes."


    Most of the Night Light Pavilion cultivators immediately followed the order and went to set up a formation, sealing off all directions; their actions were practiced, clearly not their first time doing such a thing.


    Chu Zheng was still quiet, and sweat started to seep out on Fu Quanliang''s forehead. His mind racing, he immediately raised his voice:


    "Elder, please hold back. The Night Light Pavilion and Phantom Spirit Sect are in the midst of war. I can serve as an inside agent..."


    Upon hearing this, the man''s expression grew thoughtful, but after only a breath, he shook his head:


    "Forget it, what use is there for a fence-sitter? Taking your head back can still me two thousand spirit stones from Elder Jiang, better than nothing."


    "Why only two thousand stones?"


    Fu Quanliang ignored the preceding words, and couldn''t help but retort. It turned out that the spirit stones Chu Zheng had just spent could have bought his life twice over.


    After all, he is now a Spirit Spring Realm cultivator.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A sharp whistling sound exploded, as a flying sword soared into the air, and in the blink of an eye, it was already shing beside Fu Quanliang''s neck!


    The man in blue clothes was ruthless and decisive, with intent to kill in his breath, aiming straight for the head!


    ng¡ª


    A jade stele emerged, blocking in front of Fu Quanliang and stopping the flying sword.


    "Daoist friend, please hold back your hand!"


    An old man stepped quickly into the hall, his expression grave, his aura fluctuating, clearly having entered the Dao.


    "True Person Nanfeng."


    The man in blue clothes called back the flying sword and opened his mouth leisurely, a hint of disdain in his eyes, obviously not deeming the old man significant.


    The flying sword was unscathed, while the jade stele now bore a sword mark nearly an inch deep, the superior and inferior clear at a nce.


    "Master, they are people from the Night Light Pavilion!"


    Seeing True Person Nanfeng arriving, Xu Xinke immediately spoke up, his panicked heart slightly steadied.


    "Aren''t you aware, Your Excellency?"


    True Person Nanfeng''splexion darkened slightly, "In the Battle Pact between the Night Light Pavilion and Phantom Spirit Sect, it''s clearly stated that attacks on other sects are strictly forbidden. If it''s verified, Tai Xu Holy Land will intervene and punish severely... "


    "This ce is Phantom Spirit Sect territory. Even if an incident urs, it would be Phantom Spirit Sect''s doing, what does it have to do with us?"


    The man in blue clothes let out a faint smile, then as if realizing something, he said:


    "Ah, that''s right, I haven''t introduced myself. I am an Outer Sect Elder from the Night Light Pavilion, Lai Baojiang..."


    Upon hearing him dere his identity, True Person Nanfeng''s expression grew even more unsightly; such brazenness equated to treating them all as good as dead.


    "Is there still room for negotiation, Daoist friend?" True Person Nanfeng still wanted to struggle a bit more.


    "You canmit suicide, and I''ll leave you a whole corpse..."


    Lai Baojiang retracted the expression from his face, leaving only coldness, and even before the words were fully out, a fierce aura-wind suddenly howled by his ear.


    In an instant, his expression drastically changed, wanting to retreat, but his movements became significantly slower, just barely moving half his body aside, a step toote.


    Arge spear stabbed out from the void, its edge so sharp and cold that it prated Lai Baojiang''s left shoulder in an instant, and with a swift motion, ripped off his entire left arm.


    His reaction was extremely quick; his flesh writhed to stop the gushing blood, and he withdrew, retreating from the grand hall in a breath.


    Only at this moment did the few cultivators from Night Light Pavilion within the hall barely react, all their faces drastically changing as they turned and fled.


    Chu Zheng stepped out of the void without a moment''s pause, as swift as a breeze, arriving faster than those who acted before him. In the space of three breaths, he thrust out his spear several times, effortlessly shattering the back of a few heads.


    The Immortal Bone Fragment, emitting a faint glow, was mixed with scattered brain matter.


    His current strength was vastly different from the time in the Song Residence; Spirit Spring Realm cultivators couldn''t withstand a single strike from him.


    Add to that a Fourth Order spear in his hand, which was like adding wings to a tiger.


    Following Chu Zheng''s wielding of therge spear, Lai Baojiang''s expression gradually changed, somewhat incredulously:


    "A top quality magical treasure?! Who are you?"


    Such high-level magic treasures, even Divine Infant Realm cultivators wouldn''t have many.


    "To arms!" Lai Baojiang bellowed, wishing to summon back his disciples who had sealed off the mountain.


    Despite his severe injuries, he remained extremely calm. The person before him was merely at the level of the Spirit Spring Realm. Even with his severe wound, having several sect brothers to help would make capturing this man not a difficult task.


    At that time... this top quality magical treasure would also fall into his hands.


    However, there was dead silence in the wilderness, no response whatsoever.


    "They are all dead."


    Chu Zheng stepped calmly out of the grand hall, swinging the spear to flick the fresh blood off its tip, and spoke indifferently:


    "I''m a businessman."


    He had never crossed hands with an Entry Dao Realm cultivator before, naturally needing to secure a retreat first, killing the cultivators who had sealed off the roads was the best strategy.


    Even if he couldn''t defeat the enemy, he would still be able toe and go freely.


    Lai Baojiang''splexion changed, and he stared fixedly at Chu Zheng, his flying sword hovering before him, the mana within his body rushing to the Dao Foundation in his Dantian as he began to consider retreating.


    In his mind, thoughts raced as he contemted how to escape; in terms of speed, the man before him definitely couldn''t catch up with him...


    Pfft!


    Before he could take any action, a warmth pierced his chest, and his expression became fixed. Lowering his head, he saw a wooden sword protruding from his chest, its broken edge ck as if burnt.


    Before he could react, the view before his eyes blurred, the wooden sword vanished without a trace, followed by a sudden warmth at his neck, and a whirl in his vision before he sank into darkness.


    Chu Zheng put away his long spear and recalled his Heavenly Aura Sword, gaining a rough understanding of his own strength.


    Even in directbat, he wouldn''t be weaker than an Early Dao Entry Realm cultivator; in fact, he might be stronger by a fraction.


    To have reached this level of power in less than a year of cultivation was already no small feat.


    ng¡ª


    The flying sword, without anyone to control it, fell from the sky with a crisp sound.


    Fu Quanliang rushed out of the grand hall, his face still pale, legs trembling slightly, breathing heavily. Seemingly venting his frustration, he fiercely kicked away the severed head of Lai Baojiang.


    A bloodstain was still visible on his neck, weeping blood, grazed by the sword qi earlier; he had been a hair''s breadth away from decapitation.


    After calming himself for a moment, he picked up the nearby flying sword and began to clean up the battlefield, collecting Storage Bags from the corpses one by one.


    "Thank you, Daoist Friend, for your help. May I ask your name?"


    True Person Nanfeng strode over, bowing in gratitude, his face full of thanks.


    If not for Chu Zheng, Tianhe Sect would surely no longer exist.


    "I am Fu Quanliang. The one from before was my elder brother Fu Liang; those people got it wrong earlier."


    Chu Zheng casually replied without revealing his true name, then suggested:


    "I rmend that True Person Nanfeng take Tianhe Sect somewhere to lie low for a while. Night Light Pavilion may have more than just this group of people nearby."


    "Thank you for the advice. I will take my disciples to Illusory Spirit City and report this matter to Tai Xu Holy Land through Phantom Spirit Sect," said True Person Nanfeng, nodding repeatedly, as this was also his n.


    Momentster, Xu Xinke, who had vanished just moments before, rushed over, presenting a brocade box with both hands:


    "This is the Fire Seed Daoist Friend Fu requested. There''s no need for the Spirit Stones; consider it a gift of gratitude from Tianhe Sect."


    Chu Zheng did not borate, simply pocketing the brocade box. Five thousand Spirit Stones was not a small sum, and saving them was naturally better since he wasn''t so extravagant to ignore such an amount.


    After a while, Fu Quanliang approached with a spring in his step and a hint of joy on his face, his waist adorned with more than ten Storage Bags.


    The corpses of the Night Light Pavilion were stripped bare, not even their vestment robes left behind.

 Chapter 73: Chapter 68: Harvest, Reaction

    True Person Nanfeng moved swiftly, and within half an hour, he had gathered his disciples and left the Sect Gate, preparing to head for Illusory Spirit City.


    He took away the bodies of all the disciples of Night Light Pavilion, including Lai Baojiang.


    Before leaving, he also made a trip to the Purple Stone Imperial Capital to notify the Royal Family of the ce, advising them to act cautiously.


    After True Person Nanfeng left, Chu Zheng, apanied by Fu Quanliang, entered the Imperial Capital and temporarily settled in hiding.


    He first needed to refine the Fire Seed of Earth Fiend True me to advance his cultivation with the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and to take inventory of his gains.


    At the same time, he also wanted to observe the reactions of Night Light Pavilion and Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Even if he carried people with him, a cultivator at the Entry Dao Realm could reach Illusory Spirit City in less than ten days, and the results would soon be evident.


    Without making a sound, the Night Light Pavilion had already infiltrated the hearnd of the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect would inevitably react.


    The Storage Bag acquired by Fu Quanliang contained a total of twelve, all in pristine condition.


    Apart from a few Spirit Stones, elixirs, and magic artifacts, there was nothing else.


    Not a single book or scroll, not a trace of evidence that could prove their identities.


    Upon discovering this, Chu Zheng''s eyebrows slightly twitched.


    Night Light Pavilion was too clean in its preparations, clearly experienced, having readied these people for their potential deaths before the operation.


    True Person Nanfeng''s journey might not go smoothly.


    As long as Night Light Pavilion steadfastly denied everything, he actually had no solid evidence in his hands.


    If Tai Xu Holy Land became more suspicious, they might even suspect that this was a plot orchestrated by the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Moreover, what role the Tai Xu Holy Land yed in this battle remains unknown.


    Chu Zheng shook his head and stopped thinking further, emptied the Storage Bag''s contents, and after a brief tally, had a rough idea of this haul.


    Converting all Spirit Stones to low quality, the total came to over thirteen thousand pieces, half of which came from Lai Baojiang''s Storage Bag.


    There were nearly twenty First Order magic artifacts of varying qualities, which if sold, would yield at least twenty thousand low-quality Spirit Stones.


    Only one Second Order Magic Treasure.


    [Night Shadow Sword (Second Order): Low Quality Magic Treasure, has in over a thousand lives, imbued with Blood Fiend, crafted by a Fourth Order Artifact Refiner, materials pushed to their limits, wless.]


    A sword, essentially a weapon of ughter, coupled with its numerous killings, made its edge even more frightening.


    It was clear that Lai Baojiang had engaged in more than this sort of activity just once, such as with the Tianhe Sect incident.


    The rapid rise of the Night Light Pavilion, surpassing the Phantom Spirit Sect, was somewhat rted to these deeds.


    Piging has always been the quickest way to umte wealth.


    In a casual manner, Chu Zheng tossed the Night Shadow Sword to Fu Quanliang and nonchntly said, "Your head will soon be worth more than just two thousand low-quality Spirit Stones."


    "What do you mean?" Fu Quanliang felt a sense of unease.


    "When that True Person Nanfeng asked me earlier, I gave him your name, no need to thank me."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes slightly narrowed as he calmly spoke,


    "Entering the Spiritual Spring and ying an Entry Dao Realm cultivator, your name will soon resonate across the entire battlefield."


    Fu Quanliang was momentarily stunned, his throat dry, looking at Chu Zheng, feeling a chill rising in his heart.


    By this ount, his worth was no longer just barely better than nothing.


    Congrattions were in order.


    Chu Zheng took out the brocade box holding the Fire Seed and slowly opened it.


    The material of the brocade box was Sky Fire Wood, typically used to house a Fire Seed, as this type of Spirit Wood, encouraging fire from wood, could keep the Fire Seed vital for years and sustain its burning indefinitely.


    A tuft of orange-red me the size of a baby''s fisty quietly at the center of the brocade box, slowly drawing energy from the Sky Fire Wood to burn.


    Fire Seeds do not burn through their own power but require spiritual energy as fuel, usually aided by formations, and filled with Spirit Stones as kindling to be used in alchemy and artifact forging.


    Mere burning of a Fire Seed alone, no matter how abundant its origin, would burn out over the years, even for Immortal mes, which could not withstand this toll.


    What Chu Zheng intended to do now, was to follow the methods in the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, refining this Fire Seed into his Dantian to hasten the advancement of his cultivation.


    He opened his mouth and drew the Fire Seed directly into his body.


    [Earth Fiend True me (Second Order): Extracted from the heart of the earth, it is one of the mostmon among the Spiritual Fires of this age, has burned for a thousand years, some damage, can be repaired (0/4)]


    Upon receiving this information within his mind, Chu Zheng did not hesitate and instantly repaired it fully.


    In an instant, the Fire Seed returned to its peak from a thousand years ago, its energy swelling multifold.


    Chu Zheng''s skin turned instantly reddish, his blood Qi surged, emitting searing heat, his every strand of hair defying gravity and gradually adopting a hazy orange glow.


    After swallowing the Fire Seed, he couldmence the cultivation of an Immortal Law known as ''Fire God Transformation'' ording to the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    Cultivated to its ultimate, one couldpletely revert the bodily flesh of any living being, turning oneself into a mass of Divine Fire, drawing spiritual energy from the universe to burn eternally.


    That was the Fire Immortal.


    ording to the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, numerous preparations were necessary before absorbing the Fire Seed, as the flesh of ordinary cultivators, upon their initial experience, cannot withstand the smelting of Divine Fire and would end up charred.


    But afterprehensive studies in Qi Refining Techniques, Chu Zheng discarded the extremely cumbersome preparations.


    The Qi of Divine Fire is, after all, merely a variant of the manifest Yang Qi.


    Now, with the Yuan Qi in his body reversing and Yang Qi gradually converting to Yin, he protected his internal organs and channels around his body, quickly suppressing the intense fire poison step by step.


    Within moments, hisplexion returned to normal, with tendrils of white smoke faintly swirling around his nose and mouth as his breathing gradually steadied.


    Seeing Chu Zheng start his cultivation, Fu Quanliang did not disturb him further; he took out a handful of Spirit Pills, stuffed them into his mouth, moved to the side, sat down crossed-legged, and closed his eyes to cultivate.


    His worth had grown significantly, demanding him to cultivate even harder.


    After an initial shock, a sense of unexinable gratification followed.


    His life was gradually bing valuable, no longer worthless.


    No Immortal Path Cultivator would dare to consume elixirs in suchrge quantities for cultivation like Fu Quanliang, as it could potentially cut off their path to immortality, even reducing their lifespan.


    But with Chu Zheng as his backup, Fu Quanliang was simply consuming as much as he could survive, impressively elerating the pace of his cultivation progress, even surpassing those with High-Quality Immortal Bone.


    There are myriad paths in the cultivation of the great Dao, and shortcuts are the fastest.


    Chu Zheng was the greatest shortcut on his path to immortality.


    ......


    ......


    Illusory Spirit City.


    True Person Nanfeng traveled day and night, and within a mere seven days, he arrived here with a group of his disciples.


    The disciples guarding the city, upon hearing this, did not dare to be negligent and immediately reported it.


    Within half an hour, True Person Nanfeng met with the master of the Phantom Spirit Sect, Gu Chunyang.


    Regarding this matter, Gu Chunyang showed extreme caution and immediately sent a messenger to Ling Qi, seeking high-level officials of Night Light Pavilion for a face-to-face confrontation.


    Still at the Phantom Spirit Sect''s station, thirty thousand miles away.


    Supporting a giant peak, Green Stone Grand Hall.


    Signing the Battle Pact again, it wasn''t but a few months before the three parties gathered once more.

 Chapter 74: Chapter 69: Speculation

    In the great hall.


    More than a dozen corpses were neatly lined up in a row.


    True Person Nanfeng stood in the corner, shrinking back and looking rather constrained, even afraid to raise his head and look directly at the few people in front of him.


    Fang Lie, the master of the Night Light Pavilion, appeared indifferent as he looked at the corpses before him, showing no response whatsoever.


    "Recently, I have received continuous reports that nearly a hundred Sects around the Phantom Spirit Sect have suffered attacks, murders, and plundering."


    "Most of these Sects have been wiped out entirely, with only a few disciples who were away managing to escape with their lives."


    Gu Chunyang nced at Fang Lie and then turned to Ling Qi, his voice grave as he began to speak,


    "ording to the terms of the Battle Pact, I earnestly request a holy judgment to severely punish the Night Light Pavilion."


    Upon hearing that nearly a hundred Sects had fallen victim, Fang Lie''s brow twitched suddenly, and a hint of rm shed in his eyes. In an instant, he regained hisposure and looked intently at Gu Chunyang.


    Ling Qi''s expression showed little change as he slightly lifted his chin, signaling Fang Lie to speak.


    "Where''s the evidence?" Fang Lie asked curtly, his gaze at Gu Chunyang carrying a trace of contempt, "Based on these dozen or so corpses?"


    Gu Chunyang nced at True Person Nanfeng in the corner and spoke gently, "Who is this Entry Dao Realm cultivator who was beheaded?"


    True Person Nanfeng involuntarily bent lower and said softly, "He imed to be an Outer Sect Elder of the Night Light Pavilion, Lai Baojiang..."


    Fang Lie''s eyes narrowed slightly, as he asked in a calm tone, "Who had a hand in killing these men?"


    At this, True Person Nanfeng hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to tell the truth.


    If by doing so he caused the Night Light Pavilion to hold a grudge against Fu Quanliang, it would mean dooming the savior of his own Sect, a sin he could never atone for even with death.


    "Just tell the truth, and I, the Phantom Spirit Sect, will ensure his safety."


    Gu Chunyang waved his hand, signaling True Person Nanfeng to be at ease.


    The long-standing reputation of the Phantom Spirit Sect ultimately had its effect, and after hesitating for a moment, True Person Nanfeng finally spoke up,


    "The person who made the move is named Fu Quanliang..."


    "Fu Quanliang?!"


    Gu Chunyang was momentarily taken aback; he had thought these Night Light Pavilion cultivators had just met with misfortune by chance, but he had not expected it to be rted to his own Phantom Spirit Sect.


    To confirm if it was a case of mistaken identity, Gu Chunyang immediately raised his hand and, using mana, sketched out the appearance of Fu Quanliang, "Is it this man?"


    "That person was indeed present on the day, but as for appearances..."


    True Person Nanfeng hesitated, but after realizing something, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.


    He had realized that the man had used a pseudonym.


    "Again, Fu Quanliang..."


    Not waiting for True Person Nanfeng to finish speaking, Fang Lie interrupted him with a snort ofughter, "Is my Night Light Pavilion really so weak, or is your Phantom Spirit Sect truly that powerful?!"


    "A mere Outer Sect Disciple at the Seventh Layer of the Nourishing Power Realm has killed an Inner Sect Disciple of my pavilion, and now you''re telling me he has also killed an Entry Dao Realm cultivator?!"


    His voice grew louder and the anger seemed ready to burst from his eyes as he stood up with a p on the table,


    "Do you take everyone else for fools?!"


    This news, whether true or false, would be a humiliation for the Night Light Pavilion if it spread.


    "No, no, no, the person who made the move... Daoist Friend Fu, is a cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm."


    True Person Nanfeng, somewhat flustered, hastily waved his hands to correct himself, then added, "Indeed, he is at the Early Spirit Spring Realm without a doubt."


    "Early Spirit Spring Realm..."


    Seeing True Person Nanfeng''s earnest expression, Fang Lie restrained his anger, his gaze bing puzzled as he looked towards Gu Chunyang.


    In an instant, many spections flooded his mind.


    If a Nourishing Power Realm killing a Spirit Spring Realm could still be grudgingly epted, then someone just entering the Spirit Spring Realm cutting down an Entry Dao Realm cultivator was almost impossible.


    To kill an enemy a whole major realm higher, one either has to have a special physique, monstrous talent, possess a Superior Immortal Bone, or have a treasured object in hand.


    Fu Quanliang, a mere Outer Sect Disciple with a Lower Quality Immortal Bone, could not have possibly advanced through several realms in just a few short months, not even if he had a Middle Quality Immortal Bone.


    The only exnation was that when Fu Quanliang was at the Song Residence, he was already a Cultivator at the Spirit Spring Realm.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect clearly did not intend to intervene too much in the previous affairs of the Song Residence, and Fu Quanliang''s going there was obviously a sacrificial move...


    Yet, the final oue was that Song Lingqing suddenly reported being crippled, while Fu Quanliang returned to the Phantom Spirit Sect unscathed.


    What was Gu Chunyang thinking by making such a move?


    The more Fang Lie thought about it, the more he felt that these events were filled with inconsistencies.


    Song Lingqing''s crippling was shrouded in mystery; the Night Light Pavilion was clearly out for blood, and the force capable of shattering an Immortal Bone was enough to blow her head off.


    Just breaking the Immortal Bone while her head remained intact was way too lucky.


    And now, with such an incident arising...


    Recalling True Person Nanfeng''s earlier response, Fang Lie suddenly narrowed his eyes.


    Appearance...


    Darkness beneath the light...


    Could it be that this Fu Quanliang¡­ was not the real Fu Quanliang? Was someone else at the Song Residence?


    Or could it be that a High Quality Immortal Bone belonged to someone else or perhaps¡­ it was indeed this ''Fu Quanliang''?!


    The more he thought about it, the more certain Fang Lie became of his spections.


    In any case, this seemingly inconspicuous Fu Quanliang must be hiding a great secret.


    Looking at Gu Chunyang''s puzzled face, Fang Lie could not help but sneer to himself:


    Putting on an act...


    "If there''s no evidence, then let''s put these matters aside for now."


    During a pause of silence, Ling Qi tapped lightly on the desk with his fingertips, his tone slightly cold:


    "Now that the hundred-day deadline has passed for quite some time, and your two Sects are still hesitant to act, will this battle be fought or not? I don''t have that much time to waste here with you!"


    He clearly lost his patience, with no inclination to allow this battle to drag on.


    Ling Qi nced at Gu Chunyang, "I give you ten days to prepare for battle. I will designate an area for the battlefield. The loser will cede territory of five countries. Regardless of the oue, another battle will be fought after a year to determine the victor, with ten countries at stake."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chunyang''s expression subtly changed. Ling Qi was clearly showing favor to the Night Light Pavilion and suppressing the Phantom Spirit Sect, which bred resentment in his heart.


    If the Sect lost both battles, the Phantom Spirit Sect would lose all its territories overnight, including having to relinquish the Sect''s base, and even owe the Night Light Pavilion territories from one country.


    "Emissary, this..."


    Gu Chunyang wanted to speak, but Ling Qi interrupted him with a wave of his hand:


    "If you wish to see the Holy Land punish the Night Light Pavilion, first bring out the evidence."


    After speaking, he lowered his eyelids, and the look he gave Gu Chunyang grew colder:


    "I do have some other evidence at hand, but you probably don''t want to see it."


    Gu Chunyang''s heart trembled, and he said no more.


    ......


    ......


    The news of the ten-day decisive battle spread quickly.


    True Person Nanfeng was not very strong, but he was well-liked among the various countries, had many friends, and carried a fair amount of weight in his words among Loose Cultivators and many smaller Sects.


    His words were not doubted by many, and the news of the Night Light Pavilion''s murderous rampage against Sects and Loose Cultivators had spread far and wide.


    People''s hearts were unsettled, and even the Sects that originally had no intention of getting involved hesitated, gradually leaning towards the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    At the same time, the name Fu Quanliang became increasingly well-known.

 Chapter 75: Chapter 70: Encounter

    In a few short months, first by using Nourishing Spirit-destroying Spring, then entering the Spiritual Spring Realm, he had even crossed realms to y a cultivator in the Entry Dao Realm.


    Such monstrous legends hadst appeared ten thousand years ago.


    Such news often spread extremely fast, and the truth became increasingly distorted as it was passed on.


    Rumors quickly became various andplex; some said he had suddenly awakened a special physique and was ate bloomer, or that he had been possessed by some powerful being.


    There were even ims that Fu Quanliang had received the inheritance of a True Immortal and held an Immortal Treasure in his hand, which was outrageous.


    This news, in just a few days, reached the ears of Chu Zheng and another.


    ......


    ......


    Zishi Dynasty, the imperial capital, within a courtyard.


    Under the moonlight, beside a pond with weeping willows, tree shadows danced.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged by the pond, aspirating Yin Qi, bncing the zing Divine Fire within his body.


    This mouthful of Divine Fire replenished his Yang Essence; the advancement in his Qi-refining Technique was even faster,plementing each other well.


    After refining the fire seed of the Earth Fiend True me, his mana had increased significantly. The speed of transforming Spiritual Energy had clearly improved.


    Additionally, taking Spirit Pills, in just half a month, his cultivation had risen a level, entering the Mid Spirit Spring Realm, and his mana surged.


    Correspondingly, his own status panel had changed, disying a new notification.


    [You have overdosed on elixirs, your foundation is unstable, and your body contains a massive amount of elixir toxins, lifespan reduced by more than half, now a severe issue. (Repairable)]


    Repairable meant it was not a serious issue, but the bad news was that the supply of Spirit Pills was bing increasingly tight.


    Out of desperation, Chu Zheng had once tried dividing a single elixir into several parts, and then attempted to repair them again.


    Unfortunately, the panel did not grant his wish; after the elixir was repaired, the remaining Broken Pills immediately turned to ashes.


    Rustle¡ª


    Noises came from the room, Fu Quanliang slowly walked out, already having changed his appearance, his face now visibly wrinkled, and even sporting a circle of beard around his jaw, appearing more than twenty years older, almost fifty.


    "What are you doing?"


    Seeing him this way, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel puzzled.


    "A tall tree catches the wind, I naturally need to disguise myself well, how can I show my face recklessly?"


    Fu Quanliang''s expression was calm, the rumors were rampantly spreading, and his portrait had been distributed everywhere; it was extremely dangerous.


    He always knew his own limits well.


    He didn''t know the Invisibility Technique, and without the trump cards that Chu Zheng held, once pursued, he would have nowhere to hide, and face certain death.


    "Fair enough."


    Chu Zheng nodded, the corners of his mouth slightly curling up, "Then, I am Fu Quanliang now."


    At these words, Fu Quanliang squinted his eyes, "At Tianhe Sect, you did it on purpose; what exactly do you want to do?"


    This had always puzzled him, as Chu Zheng was filled with too many inconsistencies, not fitting in with this world.


    Ordinary cultivators, upon receiving an Immortal Ascension Method, would never share it with others, yet Chu Zheng did just that.


    He would not overestimate his own ce in Chu Zheng''s heart; with someone else, nting a Life-link Seal, Chu Zheng would have done the same.


    The only exnation was that the Immortal Ascension Method was not important in Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    So, what did Chu Zheng truly desire?


    "I have told you, my purpose in this life is to achieve great things."


    Chu Zheng''s expression was tranquil as he spoke slowly:


    "The power of time is terrifying, the glory and disgrace of our lives won''t concern many, and after you die, after a hundred or a thousand years, there will be no trace of you left in this world."


    "In this world before you, there have been True Immortals and even those stronger than True Immortals. Where are they now? Just nameless individuals."


    "Everyone desires something; I seek evesting fame, regardless of good or evil, cultivation is merely a means to that end."


    "What''s the point of leaving a legacy for future generations?" Fu Quanliang felt this was utterly absurd.


    "Until I find something more meaningful than this, it is more important than everything else."


    "After bing an immortal, one achieves eternal life, so why bother leaving a legacy?" Fu Quanliang questioned.


    Cultivators seek eternal life; why care about the opinions of mortals, mere ants they are.


    "Where is the Immortal? I''ve seen the Immortal Bone before."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, "Are there truly undying people in this world? I don''t believe so."


    If there were truly undying individuals, the world would not be as it is today.


    The activities of life require the intake of energy; cultivators do not consume ordinary food but still need spiritual energy to survive.


    As cultivators progress in their cultivation, the energy they consume and exhale with each breath is vast like an abyss.


    How much energy must be expended to sustain such powerful beings in this world?


    Living forever, even if it were the entire universe, would it be enough to sustain them?


    "Being an Immortal naturally involves eternal life..."


    Fu Quanliang whispered softly but without much confidence.


    He could vaguely feel that what Chu Zheng said might be right.


    Regaining his senses, Fu Quanliang couldn''t help but harbor new doubts:


    "Then why don''t you just use your own name?"


    Chu Zheng shook his head repeatedly, "My current power is insufficient to protect myself; I need to experiment."


    "You are walking the path I originally wanted to take. I want to see how it ends for you before I decide whether to follow it or not."


    Fu Quanliang''s face stiffened slightly, as Chu Zheng''s words were as straightforward as ever.


    If he were to fail halfway, Chu Zheng would remain incognito, trying another path and, by the way, burn more paper money for him.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, slowly stood up, walked up to Fu Quanliang, looked earnestly, and heavily ced his hand on his shoulder, his eyes full of expectation:


    "So... you must diligently cultivate, grow stronger quickly, and apany me further on this journey."


    Under the weight of a great reputation, if one couldn''t withstand it, they would be crushed by it.


    Seeing Fu Quanliang''s distracted expression, Chu Zheng reassured:


    "Don''t worry, if you die, I will mention your name in my biography, allowing you to linger in this world for a little longer."


    "There''s no need, living just this life is enough for me."


    Fu Quanliang clenched his teeth and silently took out a Spirit Pill and stuffed it into his mouth; he truly could notprehend Chu Zheng''s bizarre way of thinking.


    Crazy.


    "Stop eating, let''s get on the road."


    Chu Zheng turned and walked toward the courtyard entrance.


    "Where to?"


    Fu Quanliang spat out the Spirit Pill in his mouth, put it into his storage bag, and quickly followed.


    "First, I''ll help you find a Fire Seed, and then... go near the battlefield to assess the situation."


    With the battle imminent, such an unprecedented event naturally warranted his observation, and he might as well scavenged what he could.


    ......


    ......


    The two set out from the Zishi Dynasty towards another small sect.


    However, before they arrived, they encountered an ambush en route.


    A group of more than ten people, dressed in Phantom Spirit Sect attire, were surrounding and killing several cultivators.


    The individuals being attacked were dressed differently, and at a nce, it was obvious that they were loose cultivators.


    "Is it Night Light Pavilion again?"


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be surprised; there seemed to be too many from Night Light Pavilion recently, so brazen near a great battle.


    "No..."


    After scrutinizing more closely, Fu Quanliang''s expression changed slightly:


    "This time it really is the Phantom Spirit Sect... The leader is an Outer Sect Elder of the Phantom Spirit Sect, Ji Fanglong."


    "Ji Fanglong?"


    In an instant, Chu Zheng felt a pang of familiarity, took out a notebook and flipped through it, then his expression cleared.

 Chapter 79: Chapter 72: The Substitute, The Probe

    ```


    After entering the Yuan Aura Realm, Song Lingxue became keenly aware of the changes within herself.


    She could faintly sense a warm energy fluctuation in her lower abdomen, like the warm sun of spring, nourishing her body.


    The rapid progression of her cultivation in these recent days was inextricably linked to it.


    The origin of this energy was not difficult to conjecture...


    The only pity was that the broken wall was too small, not even leaving behind aplete diagram of the cultivation route.


    Now, Song Lingxue was doing her utmost toprehend and explore but could only find the cultivation method of the Yuan Aura Realm.


    The path ahead was still shrouded in fog.


    Li Mingzhou calmed his feelings and asked, "What do you n to do next?"


    "To transmit the method of turning Qi Condensation into Aura to the Great Grandmasters, I may not be able to aplish it, but perhaps someone else can," Song Lingxue responded, her senses returning. There is nock of extraordinary figures in the world, those with unique talents, just like Chu Zheng.


    The future she could not see might be visible to someone else.


    "Girl," Li Mingzhou said with a solemn look and a long sigh, "You are young and not thorough in your considerations. The hearts of people in this world are unpredictable, and what you intend to do is quite dangerous."


    "Great Zhou is not as simple as it seems on the surface. If there truly is a future for the Martial Path, it will be troublesome for those Hidden Immortal Sects, do you understand? Perhaps many people will die, and you might even jeopardize yourself."


    At this point, Li Mingzhou sighed softly again, "You are still young, there is a long road ahead of you..."


    "Someone once told me that everyone eventually dies, whether heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather."


    Song Lingxue''s eyelids drooped slightly, "The Immortal Sects regard me like an ant, but I don''t want to be a feather, nor do I wish to reach my deathbed and find that my life was full of mediocrity, having wasted my time."


    "Before, I only wanted to live for the Song Family, but now my sister has died, my father is sick with worry, and the Song Family is no more, I want to find a new way to live..."


    In the past, she had to consider many things and could endure a lot for the sake of the Song Family.


    But now, the Song Family was no more.


    Song Lingxue swallowed the words she wanted to say next, fire spreading in the depth of her eyes, growing more intense.


    If there came a day when her Martial Path reached its peak, when she could soar above the clouds...


    The Night Light Pavilion... the Phantom Spirit Sect...


    All the great Immortal Sects of the world...


    Would die...


    "Then wait a little longer."


    Li Mingzhou stopped advising her and his expression turned cold:


    "When I''ve achieved turning Qi into Aura, I''ll pass on this method in my name, and I''ll take the brunt of the first strike thates for you."


    "How could this be? Governor Li, you have already been so generous to me..." Song Lingxue was taken aback by Li Mingzhou''s words and her expression changed slightly.


    She wasn''t unaware of the dangers involved, but if she wanted to quickly find out if there was a future for the Martial Path, some risks had to be taken.


    "You are not influential enough, while I still carry some weight in the secr Martial World, people will be more willing to try if I release it," Li Mingzhou said, waving his hand dismissively. Without waiting for Song Lingxue to speak, he turned and walked away:


    "You have more talent than I do, and are still so young. The path you can walk on the Martial Path is longer and farther than mine."


    "I am nearing a hundred years, half in the grave already. If I can block a cmity for you, it''s worth it."


    "Rest well. I will send someone to bring you some old medicer, to replenish your energy and blood."


    As Song Lingxue watched Li Mingzhou''s retreating figure growing more distant, her eyes wereplex, and she bowed in gratitude.


    Without Li Mingzhou, she would never have obtained that piece of broken wall, nor would she have the strength she had now.


    This was a favor from heaven.


    ......


    ......


    Around noon, when the sun was high in the sky, not a single ray of sunlight prated, blocked byyers of clouds.


    asionally, a gust of wind would blow, stirring up a sky full of dust and making the atmosphere even more oppressive.


    This battlefield was personally demarcated by the Holy Land, spanning tens of thousands of miles, deste with no human presence¡ªa space enough for two Sects to engage in a bloody battle.


    The arrow was on the bowstring, ready to be released.


    ```


    In front of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s main camp, a figure approached at a leisurely pace.


    When he was still over two hundred paces from the camp, Fu Quanliang suddenly heard an explosive yell:


    "Halt! Who goes there?!"


    "Fu Quanliang!"


    Fu Quanliang called back loudly and through the Life-link Seal, he secretlymunicated with Chu Zheng:


    "Right now, my reputation outside is too prominent. Later, I will surely be thoroughly questioned by the elders. Have you thought of a way to deal with this?"


    After speaking, he became somewhat nervous, "What I fear is the Soul-Confusing Technique."


    Han Yuliang was the leader for this battle, with all the dispatching on the battlefield following his arrangements.


    With Fu Quanliang''s rising fame, his entry into the camp for battle would definitely be subject to a quite stringent inspection.


    As a Great Cultivator of the Soul Condensation Realm, his Divine Soul being too powerful, and with the Phantom Spirit Technique employed, he had no slightest resistance and might likely expose Chu Zheng''s secrets.


    "Just do whatever you need to do. I have a n in mind,"


    After Chu Zheng whispered this through theirmunication, there was no further sound.


    The Life-link Seal had significant limitations; a Qi Cultivator could only use it on one living being. As a Divine Skill, it naturally entailed much more than the simple idea of dying and living together.


    A seasoned Qi Cultivator has many techniques targeting the Divine Soul. The Life-link Seal, ensuring dependency and vital safety, would naturally have had precautions taken against it long ago.


    If Fu Quanliang''s spirit ever faltered, every single memory rted to Chu Zheng, no matter how significant or trivial, would be sealed.


    This was to protect the master.


    Chu Zheng, the person, would instantly vanish from Fu Quanliang''s world, as if he had never been there.


    ......


    ......


    In front of the camp.


    Hearing of Fu Quanliang''s arrival, Han Yuliang came out in person.


    He scrutinized the Outer Sect Disciple who had recently be notorious.


    In the Initial Stage of Spirit Spring, his aura was rich and solid, with not the slightest hint of being artificially enhanced by elixirs. It was a steady and solid progress.


    Strictly speaking, Fu Quanliang was still one of the Han Family, and the more potential he had, the more beneficial it was for them.


    However, with the great battle imminent, Han Yuliang did not take him lightly.


    After verifying Fu Quanliang''s identity ording to the procedure, he used the Phantom Spirit Technique to probe his mind and soul, inquiring about Fu Quanliang''s recent history.


    "Have you been to Tianhe Sect?"


    "I have," Fu Quanliang replied woodenly.


    "What did you do there?" Han Yuliang pressed.


    "I did business to earn some Spirit Stones, but I was disrupted by someone from the Night Light Pavilion..."


    "Was it you who killed the Night Light Pavilion''s Outer Sect Elder Lai Baojiang?"


    Fu Quanliang looked stiff, as if lost in memory. After a long moment, he nodded, "He attacked me with his sword... but then I kicked his head off."


    Hiss¡ª


    As these words came out, many elders around them couldn''t help but inhale sharply.


    A direct confrontation with a Spirit Spring cutting through the Entry Path turned out to be true.


    And it had happened to someone with Lower Quality Immortal Bone, which was utterly inconceivable.


    "Did you obtain an Immortal Treasure?"


    "No."


    Han Yuliang asked him a few more questions and, after confirming that Fu Quanliang was clear, he let him into the camp.


    Seeing Fu Quanliang pass safely, Chu Zheng from a distance let out a sigh of relief.


    After weighing his options for a long time, he decided to stay on the sidelines, ready to act, and not to risk entering the Phantom Spirit Sect''s main camp.


    Right now, his cultivation level was a bit too dangerous in front of a group of Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators.


    In fact, this battlefield had attracted many Loose Cultivators besides Chu Zheng, and there were not a few who harbored the same thoughts as him.

 Chapter 80: Chapter 73: Soul Condensation into Nascent

    ```


    The two Immortal Sects were headed for a decisive battle.


    Loose cultivators, including those from smaller sects, found the current living environment extremely tough with scarce resources, and they dared not take sides.


    Inparison to Night Light Pavilion, the strength of Phantom Spirit Sect was indeed weaker, but after all, this ce was closer to the Phantom Spirit Sect''s home ground.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect had been entrenched here for tens of thousands of years, and many ancestors of the smaller sects had grown up listening to the name of Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Even though it was now in decline, the influence it once wielded still existed.


    These loose cultivators were drawn to this great battle more to find out the news firsthand, to then decide how to proceed in the future.


    Their own strength could only go with the flow; a slight carelessness might drown them in the changing tides.


    Chu Zheng looked up at the sky; the day was waning, and dusky twilight began to emerge on the horizon.


    The day of the decisive battle was tomorrow, and fighting between cultivators was entirely different from mortal dynastic struggles for supremacy.


    With the intervention of the Holy Land, and now that both sects had disclosed their trump cards, a head-to-head confrontation was inevitable.


    Deploying troops and strategizing cunningly were utterly useless in this context¡ªit was all about who had higher cultivation. Victory was most likely to go to those with strongerbat capabilities and a more abundant supply of magic treasures and elixirs.


    The battle would not be prolonged. A burst of effort would likely settle the oue swiftly.


    In Chu Zheng''s view, Night Light Pavilion was bound to win; it was just a question of how many losses it would suffer.


    Yuan Qi could not be faked; the power umted by Night Light Pavilion was far greater than that of Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Chu Zheng found a suitable spot to watch the battle, dug a hole halfway up a mountain, and buried himself in it, leaving just a small hole that directly faced the battlefield.


    Afterwards, he circted the Yuan Qi within his body, and gradually, his presence merged with the rocks and soil as he sank into cultivation.


    Beforemencing the Qi Cirction, Chu Zheng nced at the panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Mid Spirit Transformation Realm, Immortal Path: Mid Spirit Spring Realm]


    [Cultivation Technique: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Object Control (First Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)¡­]


    [Repair Master: Second Order (445/1000)]


    [Remaining Number of Repairs for Today: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/10000), Five Elements Shaping Yuan Pill (125/500)]


    Ever since hemenced cultivating the Immortal Law, the information on the panel had changed, showing specific levels of cultivation for both Qi Cultivator and Immortal Path, not just a general summary like before.


    There seemed to be a clear distinction between these two paths of cultivation.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, then closed the panel.


    Once the Five Elements Shaping Yuan Pill was repaired, repairing the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume would need to be scheduled.


    The entrance volume recorded the cultivation methods only for the Spirit Transformation Realm and the next realm, Jade Bone.


    There was no specific path on how to proceed with cultivation after advancing to Jade Bone or how to condense a Dao Embryo.


    Once the Five Elements Shaping Yuan Pill was restored, his cultivation in Qi Refining was expected to enter a period of rapid advancement, not far from the Jade Bone Realm, so early preparation was essential.


    ...


    ...


    The moon rose and set, and overnight, time passed in the blink of an eye.


    Morning light emerged from the edge of the sky, a gentle breeze swept over the mountain peaks, stirring sand and stones, creating faint and barely perceptible sounds.


    The fluctuations of Yuan Qi between heaven and earth gradually became turbulent and chaotic, awakening Chu Zheng from his cultivation.


    The spot he had chosen was less than a thousand miles from the center of the battlefield, offering amanding view. From his elevated position, he could oversee the entire battlefield.


    ```


    At such a great distance, although Chu Zheng had not yet specifically cultivated the Thousand-Mile Eye divine skill, he could still see the vague outlines clearly thanks to the Yuan Qi.


    For him, as long as he could discern which side''s Yuan Qi fluctuations were diminishing, he could grasp the trends of the battlefield.


    Chu Zheng''s mind was mostly focused on the Life-link Seal, paying close attention to Fu Quanliang''s condition.


    The battlefield was chaotic; anything could happen.


    If he sensed something amiss, he could use divine skills to send some aid to Fu Quanliang with his own Blood Qi and Essence Yuan.


    As long as it wasn''t an instant death, with the support of the Repair Master''s panel, he could save Fu Quanliang''s life.


    ...


    ...


    In the deste reaches of the Great Desert, tens of thousands of figures were scattered about, stretching into two lengthy lines nearly two hundred miles long.


    The two sides faced each other from tens of thousands of feet apart.


    Above the sky, two figures stood opposite each other, themanding generals at the front of both Sects.


    Han Yuliang''s expression was indifferent, dressed in a green gown with a golden crown and a jade belt, emanating an unchanging air of nobility as if he were a lord.


    Standing opposite him was a strapping man in his thirties, d in gilded heavy armor, tall and burly as a mountain, nearly ten feet tall, with Blood Qi fierce as a dragon, clearly a man of Great Achievement of Body Refinement.


    Themander of Night Light Pavilion, Lei Shilong, born with an exceptional Root Bone, had achieved Perfection in the fourthyer of the Dragon Whale Body Refining Technique, the secret method of Night Light Pavilion, in just over 270 years.


    He had the prospect of stepping into the Divine Infant Realm within three hundred years, almost the ultimate possible for someone with Middle-Quality Immortal Bone.


    "Han Yuliang, I''ve long heard of your name, the current helmsman of the Han Family. Our Sect''s Supreme once mentioned you, you might ascend to Divine Infant within ten years," Lei Shilongughed heartily, his voice spreading across the entire battlefield:


    "Phantom Spirit Sect is in decline, with defeat looming, staying with Phantom Spirit Sect is like a pearl gathering dust. You might as well bring the Han Family to join our Night Light Pavilion, perhaps you might even have a chance at Divine Transformation."


    This statement inevitably caused some unrest among the troops below.


    "When my ancestor founded Phantom Spirit Sect, your Night Light Pavilion''s old ancestor hadn''t even been born. A moment of glory is just a castle in the air, a mere clown; in this battle, Phantom Spirit Sect will be victorious."


    Han Yuliang''s face was without the slightest ripple, his hair wild in the wind, his green robe pping in the fierce breeze, nearly divine in stature: "Today, I will show you what the foundation of a great faction is."


    Before his words had finished, he slightly turned his palm and took out a Spirit Pill, the size of a baby''s fist, with seven pores on the pill as if it was breathing, swallowing the majestic Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth.


    After being taken out for a mere breath''s time, the entire surface of the pill was covered with ayer of Spiritual Frost, beginning to crystallize.


    "Nascent Soul Pill!" Lei Shilong''s face jerked, and after reacting, his expression drastically changed: "You are seeking your own death!"


    The next instant, a Great Halberd appeared in his hand, his Blood Qi surged violently, as if a True Dragon was awakening, charging straight at Han Yuliang.


    Lei Shilong didn''t hold back in the slightest, his body seemed to burn in blood mes, the Void rippling like the surface of water, nearly torn apart.


    Gurgle¡ª


    Without any hesitation, Han Yuliang swallowed the Nascent Soul Pill, and in the snap of a finger, his aura began to swell dramatically.


    A vague figure emerged from Han Yuliang''s forehead, bing increasingly solid, and in just a few blinks, it was indistinguishable from him, with cracks visible on the body.


    Breaking through as a Cultivator is not as simple as it seems, Soul Condensation into Nascent is no less than a matter of life and death.


    Breaking through during battle is not something all Cultivators have the courage for; a single mistake could mean utter annihtion, the soul dissipated.


    Han Yuliang, with a long umtion and years of consolidation, stepped into the Peak of Soul Condensing Realm and risked a forced breakthrough with the Nascent Soul Pill; even his Divine Infant was nearly split open, proving its peril.


    Not far away, Chu Zheng, hiding on the mountainside, could only feel a brightening before his eyes, as if a great sun had suddenly risen in the sky, almost blinding him.


    At the sight of this brilliant sun, Chu Zheng was slightly startled.


    The reality deviated severely from his prior estimation; Night Light Pavilion had fallen into an absolute disadvantage.


    A crushing defeat was imminent.


    This was an ascension beyond realms; in an instant, the tide of battle was reversed.

 Chapter 81: Chapter 74: Bias, Holy Land Communication

    Above the nine heavens, the Blood Halberd swept across the sky, and in an instant, it descended upon Han Yuliang''s head.


    At the Peak of Soul Condensing Realm, and having achieved Great Achievement in Body Refinement, a single strike from this halberd could tear apart a hundred miles of rivers and mountains!


    Han Yuliang slowly raised his hand and flicked his finger lightly.


    Boom!


    The blood light enveloping the Battle Halberd instantly dispersed and recoiled backward.


    Lei Shilong''s arms burst open, his bones at their ends crackling, and the overwhelming blood qi in his body was pierced through by that seemingly casual flick of the finger.


    The reason why the Divine Infant could be called powerful was that the Spirit Soul had undergone a qualitative transformation, achieving a connection with the heavens and earth unlike any before, and every movement carried the weight of heavenly authority.


    After the strike, Han Yuliang''splexion showed an abnormal flush, and his brow split open, oozing fresh blood.


    Having just achieved a breakthrough and then forcefully taking action was an extremely heavy burden on him.


    Yet, he did not choose to stop; the Divine Infant, riddled with cracks in front of him, stepped forward, and in the blink of an eye was above Lei Shilong''s head, stamping down.


    Spiritual energy in the surrounding heavens and earth violently copsed, creating a vacuum.


    The next moment, a foot spanning a thousand yards emerged and heavily stomped on Lei Shilong, crushing him into the ground.


    Boom!


    The hundred-mile desert trembled violently, the earth''s veins fractured, and within a few breaths, the foot made of spiritual energy dispersed, leaving Lei Shilong reduced to a pool of blood and mud, his heavy armorpletely shattered.


    The very foot that crushed Lei Shilong inadvertently also killed over a hundred cultivators from Night Light Pavilion.


    Han Yuliang continued forward, his target clear, charging at the Soul Condensation Realm cultivators like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, killing several more in the blink of an eye.


    This battle was one that Divine Infant Realm cultivators could not participate in, presenting an almost once-in-a-millennium opportunity for the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    He aimed topletely annihte the middle ranks of Night Light Pavilion with this battle, break the spine of this ferocious tiger, and secure a significant advantage for the next war.


    "Stop!"


    Before a moment had passed, a stern shout came from the void.


    Within a few breaths, the area above the nine heavens was filled with figures.


    Ling Qi, the envoy from Tai Xu Holy Land, and almost all the Divine Infant Cultivators from both Phantom Spirit Sect and Night Light Pavilion had arrived, creating a tense and explosive atmosphere.


    Fang Lie''s expression was dark, his eyes fixed on Han Yuliang, filled with uncontroble murderous intent.


    They had just noticed something was amiss and rushed over immediately but, despite their speed, were still a step toote. Over a hundred Soul Condensation Realm cultivators had already been lost under Han Yuliang''s deliberate targeting.


    "Envoy! You personally stated that Divine Infant Cultivators should not intervene in this battle, Phantom Spirit Sect is breaking the rules and must be severely punished!"


    Fang Lie suppressed the surging murderous intent in his chest, forcibly calmed himself, and turned to Ling Qi as he spoke sternly, "Such acts of defiance have cost Night Light Pavilion greatly, I need an exnation."


    "You seek an exnation from me?"


    Ling Qi barely lifted his eyelids and remained unmoved, "Before the battle began, Han Yuliang was a Soul Condensation Realm cultivator, which both sides had confirmed beforehand."


    "Phantom Spirit Sect''s actions do not constitute a vition of the rules,"


    Ling Qi said indifferently, not particrly concerned, "In the next battle, Night Light Pavilion can do the same."


    As these words fell, the expressions of several Divine Infant Cultivators from Night Light Pavilion fluctuated unpredictably.


    The Nascent Soul Pill was a Fifth Order elixir, and amidst the several major sects in the vicinity, not a single alchemist capable of crafting Nascent Soul Pills could be found.


    Only in Holy Lands such alchemists existed, extremely rare and invaluable.


    Moreover, the process of Nascent Soul Transformation was extremely perilous. Advancing during battle was risky; the slightest carelessness could lead to both person and pill perishing, and not everyone had the courage to attempt this.


    Han Yuliang seeded because he was on the brink of breakthrough, with a profound foundation.


    Even so, he still bled from his brow at this moment, and his forcefully induced breakthrough had severely affected his Divine Infant, continuing to act despite nearing copse.


    This injury would take at least fifty or sixty years to heal, consuming countless amounts of spiritual medicine.


    With these umting risks, even if Night Light Pavilion had a Nascent Soul Pill and specifically sought someone at the peak of the Soul Condensing Realm, survival was not guaranteed.


    "Envoy, this..."


    Seeing how casually Ling Qi handled the situation, Fang Lie started to speak, but his words hung at his lips and then were swallowed back.


    It was ringly obvious bias, and no matter what he said, it would be futile.


    Ling Qi was about to speak again when suddenly, a streak of light appeared in the sky, falling into his palm.


    It was a message.


    "The battle is concluded. Phantom Spirit Sect is victorious, Han Yuliang has entered the Divine Infant Realm and cannot participate in the next battle. The subsequentnd division will be discussedter."


    After clearly seeing the content of the message, his expression changed slightly. He dropped a sentence and then disappeared in an instant.


    ......


    ......


    Half an hour earlier.


    Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Between towering immortal peaks, mountains and rivers reflected each other, withyers of towers and pavilions stretching beyond sight.


    In the depths of the mountains, a divine phoenix could vaguely be seen spreading its wings, its body covered in spiritual feathers, shimmering with auspicious colors, prompting the luan birds to sing in unison.


    A mighty long river flowed from the horizon, spanning countless miles, supported by an array, where groups of spiritual carps swam, and hidden among them, flood dragons roamed.


    At the riverbed, arge amount of spiritual energy crystals had precipitated, forming the riverbed over years of washing.


    Atop an inconspicuous peak, an old man in a ck robe held a jade rod, fishing, with his fish basket beside him empty.


    "Holy Master."


    A middle-aged man came walking quickly, bowed deeply, and presented a jade scroll with both hands:


    "Immortal Alliance decree."


    The ck-robed old man did not move to receive it, and spoke slowly:


    "Speak, what is it about?"


    The middle-aged man stood up straight, put away the jade scroll, and said gravely:


    "The Immortal Alliance says there have been disturbances in the Heavenly Dao of Cangyun Realm. A few months ago, thews shifted, and the efficiency of Immortal Path cultivation decreased by five percent. It might be that the Martial Path is rising again, someone has broken into the Second Realm."


    "It seems another remarkable figure has emerged in the Martial Path, a pity he was born in the wrong ce."


    Upon hearing this, the old man couldn''t help but sigh lightly, "Is there anything else?"


    "The direction of thisw''s shift is a bit abnormalpared to the past, slightly different, only simr to the one seventeen years ago."


    "The Immortal Alliance suspects that the response from the Heavenly Dao is not caused by someone from the Martial Path, but possibly other Taoist Orthodoxy infiltrating the realm, and hasmanded us to investigate thoroughly this time."


    "Most of the Holy Lands in the Southern Region have already received the message."


    "It might not be someone from the Martial Path? And it''s in the Southern Region?"


    The old man slightly raised his eyebrows, turning to look:


    "Interesting, what are the Immortal Alliance''s instructions? To kill?"


    "If it''s people from other Taoist Orthodoxies, kill directly, if it''s from the Martial Path, leave them for now."


    Upon saying this, the middle-aged man''s expression shifted slightly:


    "The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is imminent, and this time, the Martial Hall will send a Martial God to observe the event in Cangyun Realm. We might seize this opportunity to exchange a few prisoners for some talents with Superior Immortal Bones."


    "Whoever finds this person first, can pick two from those with Superior Immortal Bones to recruit."


    With a ssh¡ª


    A spiritual carp suddenly leapt out of the water, spraying Spirit Spring Water on the face of the ck-robed old man.


    "Any specific location?"


    The old man raised his hand to wipe the water off his face and silently reeled in his fishing rod.


    Suddenly, the fish basket beside him flew up and plunged into the river, and in just a breath, it scooped up a carp as thick as an adult''s thigh, fat and robust.


    The middle-aged man, as if he had seen nothing, bowed his head and said:


    "It is under the jurisdiction of our Tai Xu Holy Land, actually near Ling Qi, but..."


    "But what?"


    The old man nced at the fish basket.


    The carp within the fish basket, highly aware of its surroundings, stood upright and bowed repeatedly, seemingly pleading for mercy.


    "The location is near the Night Light Pavilion, on the oldnds of the Court Immortal."


    "It''s Great Qian again? No... it''s called Great Zhou now."


    "I remember, over a thousand years ago, that Embracing Pill Martial Master also came from this ce, indeed a blessednd."


    The old man picked up the fish basket, poured the carp back into the river and said slowly:


    "Notify Ling Qi to visit the ce and bring the person back."

 Chapter 82: Chapter 75: Wei Changqing

    Twilight descended.


    Above the Great Desert, ck smoke billowed, and severed limbs and bones were everywhere.


    The battle line between the Phantom Spirit Sect and the Night Light Pavilion stretched for hundreds of miles, and once the battlemenced, halting it was no easy task.


    By the time both sides ceased hostilities, more than half the day had passed, with casualties on both sides.


    Because of the variable that was Han Yuliang, those who died from the Night Light Pavilion vastly outnumbered those from the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    To the disciples who died in battle, the sect would issuepensations, treating everyone equally, or at least that was how it appeared on the surface.


    In front of the Phantom Spirit Sect''s main camp, many iplete magic artifacts were stacked, all collected during the retrieval of the bodies.


    This long-prepared battle ended abruptly and in a very rushed manner.


    Simply because a Divine Infant Cultivator reversed the situation in an instant, it inevitably felt somewhat surreal and even unreal.


    One flying boat after another quickly activated and merged into the clouds. The Phantom Spirit Sect did not linger on the battlefield and began retreating consecutively.


    Many loose cultivators who had been watching from the sidelines flocked over, spending a hefty amount of spirit stones to buy all those iplete magic artifacts.


    The price they offered was extremely high, less a transaction and more an offering, to familiarize themselves and ensure their own safety.


    These broken magic artifacts, almostpletely devoid of value, required vast amounts of time and effort to re-purify and strip the materials, essentially making them direct scrap.


    asionally, some magic artifacts fell into the mortal world, obtained by those from the Martial World, thus starting another legend of divine weapons descending to earth.


    Seeking out Fu Quanliang at this moment would be too conspicuous, so Chu Zheng did not rush to approach him. He sent a message via the Life-link Seal and arranged to meet in Illusory Spirit City.


    Only after the disciples of the Phantom Spirit Sect had almostpletely withdrawn did Chu Zheng appear, assuming the identity of a loose cultivator, and began to reim the trash that the small sects had purchased at high prices.


    The price he offered was naturally ridiculously low, barely one-tenth or one-twentieth of what the small sects had paid.


    Still, by the end, most of these iplete magic artifacts had ended up in his hands.


    These pieces of junk, which were of little use to them and required a considerable amount of time and effort to refine and strip materials, were simply not worth it, so it was better to cut losses in time.


    Compared to the Phantom Spirit Sect, the situation on the Night Light Pavilion side was much more grim; most of their dead were dismembered, some reduced to mere pools of blood mud, with only their storage bags recoverable.


    For those with intact corpses, they burned the bodies on the spot and took away the ashes; for those reduced to pools of blood mud,rgely no one cared.


    Arge number of shattered magic artifacts, as well as remnants of battle armor and chariots, were left behind, primarily First Order and Second Order magic artifacts, with quite a few Third Order magic treasures as well.


    Chu Zheng collected everything as listed, quickly making his way into the center of the battlefield.


    A gigantic footprint spanning several miles, like a crater made by a meteor, caught his eye.


    Facing the might of a Divine Infant for the first time, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but inhale a cool breath. Momentster, a desire surged in his heart; once he achieved the Golden Core, he too would possess the power to move mountains and seas.


    Calming his emotions, Chu Zheng leapt into the pit and approached a pool of blood mud.


    There were many residual auras around, evidence that many cultivators had visited this ce.


    [Hao Day Armor (Third Order): Made primarily from Silver-Scaled Python Skin, forged and inscribed with a Twelve-Layered Spell Formation, impervious to anyone below a Divine Infant, repairable (0/100)]


    A Third Order magic treasure, the Hao Day Armor was among the best of them. Since all fragments were present, repairing it was not difficult.


    However, there was no rush to repair the battle armor. It would wait until he ascended to a Third Order Repair Master.


    As he picked up the fragments of the armor, Chu Zheng inadvertently touched some of the blood mud. Suddenly, his fingertips paused, picking up a broken corner.


    [True Dragon Blood Pill (Fourth Order/Iplete): A treasure pill made primarily of True Dragon blood, greatly enhances one''s physical constitution and strengthens blood qi, has been ingested and refined, leaving only a corner, repairable (0/500)]


    Chu Zheng lowered his head and continued to search in the bloody mud, finding a few more simr fragments. The repair count for the True Dragon Blood Pill was reduced once again, now only requiring two hundred to fully restore it.


    Chu Zheng lingered for several days on the hundreds of miles long battlefront until he was sure that there was not a single trace left on the whole battlefield, and then he set off for Illusory Spirit City.


    ......


    ......


    Phantom Spirit Mountain Range, Illusory Spirit City.


    The city, as always, was bustling and lively. The four city districts to the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest were orderly and had not undergone any changes due to the battle.


    The people in Illusory Spirit City had lived there for generations and had an almost blind confidence in the Phantom Spirit Sect. Before the battle had even started, most of the city''s residents had already concluded that the Phantom Spirit Sect would win.


    The oue did not surprise them.


    Chu Zheng changed his appearance to that of a man in his thirties, a great man d in a vestment robe, stepping on treasured boots, with two Flying Swords glowing with treasure light on his back, evidently in the mid Spirit Spring Realm.


    A Loose Cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm was already quite powerful. Coupled with several high-grade Magic Artifacts for protection, even cultivators in thete stages of the Spirit Spring Realm would not dare to provoke him rashly.


    Walking down the street, without needing to look closely, Chu Zheng could feel the various gazes around him ¨C awe, envy, and most of all, respect.


    The strength he now disyed ced him at the pinnacle of this celestial and mortal interface in Illusory Spirit City; he would encounter no trouble here.


    Chu Zheng did not stop walking and casually paid a fee of ten Spirit Stones before entering the East City District. He found an inn, booked a private room, and quietly waited.


    An Hourter, two figures entered the private room.


    Several days had passed sincest seen, and some changes had urred to Fu Quanliang. Unlike before, most of the Outer Sect Disciples of Phantom Spirit Sect now respectfully called him Senior Brother Fu when they saw him.


    He had never felt this way before, and naturally, his mentality was different.


    "Who is this child?"


    Chu Zheng slightly frowned as he looked toward the simple young boy beside Fu Quanliang.


    "Wei Changqing."


    Fu Quanliang responded.


    Chu Zheng''s brows did not rx, and he slowly extended his hand.


    [Wei Changqing£¨First Order£©: Bone Age Fourteen, High-Quality Immortal Bone, Holy Land True Transmission candidate of Tai Xu, Outer Sect Disciple of Phantom Spirit Sect, originally at Perfection of the Spirit Spring Realm, restarting cultivation after dissolving his powers, memory barriers exist, repairable.]


    Holy Land True Transmission candidate? Outer Sect Disciple?


    Seeing the panel information, Chu Zheng withdrew his hand as doubt emerged in his eyes, his thoughts momentarily cluttered.


    This was the first time he had seen such High-Quality Immortal Bone, such vastly different identities simultaneously present in one person, which was somewhat peculiar.


    Chu Zheng''s first reaction was to think that Wei Changqing was the prodigy that Phantom Spirit Sect had secretly hidden before.


    But on second thought, this idea fell apart¡ªneither the time, cultivation, nor age matched up.


    More than three years ago, Wei Changqing was still a ten-year-old child.


    If that was the case, then the only possibility was that he was an undercover agent from Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Recollecting Wei Changqing''s identity as an Outer Sect Disciple, Chu Zheng thought perhaps the Phantom Spirit Sect was not unaware of this.

 Chapter 83: Chapter 76: Visitor from the Holy Land, Thorough Investigation of 4K

    Every disciple, upon initiation, will step on the Stepping Stone of Immortality.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect couldn''t possibly be unaware of Wei Changqing''s talent. That they''ve only granted him the status of an Outer Sect Disciple now implies a suspicion about his identity.


    Moreover, ording to his earlier spection, inside the Phantom Spirit Sect, there should be another High Quality Immortal Bone hidden.


    Wei Changqing might be a gambit between the Tai Xu Holy Land and the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    "You go out first and wait at the door."


    Regardless of the underlyingplications, Chu Zheng now had little interest in getting involved. He raised his hand, pointed towards the door, and signaled for Wei Changqing to go out and wait.


    Wei Changqing nced at Fu Quanliang, and upon seeing him nod, he turned and left the room, being sure to close the door behind him.


    "Why did you bring him here?"


    Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled; Fu Quanliang wasn''t a man who took things lightly.


    "After taking to the battlefield, this kid has been following me and has been quite helpful. He has a good temperament, and I thought he might be a promising seed, so I brought him here for you to take a look."


    Fu Quanliang was somewhat nervous. He rarely took a liking to juniors, but Wei Changqing indeed caught his eye.


    "This child has a High Quality Immortal Bone; his talent is indeed not simple, but you and I can''t afford to provoke him. Stay away from him."


    Chu Zheng''s expression grew serious. Without beating around the bush, he directly shared the information he knew, issuing a warning as well:


    "Immortal Ascension Methods are beyond our ability to protect right now. Let word get out, and we''ll be dead, so keep that in mind."


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, in his eyes, wasn''t a big deal, but to those cultivators, it certainly was.


    The sect-defending secret scripture of the Phantom Spirit Sect was only of Sixth Order.


    Upon learning that Wei Changqing was a High Quality Immortal Bone, Fu Quanliang froze for a moment. As he realized the implications, cold sweat seeped down his back, and he nodded repeatedly:


    "I understand."


    With a High Quality Immortal Bone but lingering in the Outer Sect, there must certainly be a deliberate arrangement by the Sect. Getting involved could lead to significant trouble with even the slightest carelessness.


    Fu Quanliang wasn''t foolish. Once awakened to the reality, he naturally understood what to do.


    Thus, Chu Zheng said no more. He flipped his hand out and took out a brocaded box, as well as a storage bag:


    "This is the Fire Seed of the Earth Fiend True me. On my way here, I bought it from a small sect, along with some spirit stones, which you can keep for your cultivation."


    "Are you leaving?" Fu Quanliang realized something was amiss. "Where to?"


    "I''m making a trip back to Great Zhou. Cultivate in peace and just keep collecting Waste Elixirs for me."


    Chu Zheng nodded. "You can refine the Fire Seed here; I''ll protect you while you do it. If you were to do it alone, you''d have a lot of preparations to make."


    For the moment there were no conflicts between the Phantom Spirit Sect and the Night Light Pavilion, so there was nothing for him to do in Illusory Spirit City. With the Condensing Space Bracelet, wherever he cultivated made no difference.


    Better to return to Great Zhou, check on Li Mingzhou, and inquire about the Martial Path Remnant Wall. Then, following the route the Song Family took, head to Giant Marsh.


    He wanted to find Song Lingxue. Based on the travel speed of ordinary people, they should not have reached Giant Marsh yet.


    Times had changed, and neither the Phantom Spirit Sect nor the Night Light Pavilion would care about a minor Song Family. It was only a matter of time before the Song Family regained their footing, and everything was getting back on track.


    He too could rest for a while, concentrate on cultivation, observe the evolving situation, and spend some time reading.


    Fu Quanliang said no more, opened the brocaded box directly, and swallowed the Fire Seed.


    In the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, it''s emphasized countless times that absorbing a Fire Seed is a very dangerous affair that requires many precautions.


    Butpared to the cultivation technique, Fu Quanliang trusted Chu Zheng more.


    Chu Zheng stood up, circted the Yin Qi within his body, and injected it into Fu Quanliang to protect his vital meridians, aiding him in refining the Fire Seed.


    An hourter, Fu Quanliang sessfully integrated the Fire Seed into his body. His cultivation had increased by a margin, and he was not far from the Mid Spirit Spring Realm.


    "The speed at which I absorb Spiritual Energy... has increased..."


    Fu Quanliang opened his eyes, filled with disbelief, and it wasn''t until this moment that he truly felt the subtlety of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    "In the uing period, I won''t be here. Consume fewer elixirs; overdosing on them can kill a person."


    Without lingering any longer, Chu Zheng gave onest warning, then got up, opened the door, and walked out.


    Wei Changqing was squatting at the doorway. Hearing the sound, he looked up at Chu Zheng, gave him a warm smile filled with the purity only a youth holds, like a rising sun.


    Even Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel a sense of fondness. As Fu Quanliang had said, this was indeed a good kid.


    It was just a pity that the matter he was embroiled in wasn''t simple.


    ...


    ...


    Having left the tavern, Chu Zheng didn''t rush to leave the city but instead made a quick trip back to the medical hall.


    Finding the buried storage bag taken, he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.


    This was enough to prove that Song Lingqing had very likely taken the storage bag and directly left the ce, instead of encountering trouble.


    After checking, Chu Zheng returned to the east of the city to start inquiring.


    He was here to find someone, and his trip to Illusory Spirit City wasn''t just for Fu Quanliang.


    With Mid Spirit Spring Realm cultivation, it didn''t take much effort for Chu Zheng to find the person he sought.


    In a somewhat secluded courtyard, the signboard reading ''Bai Residence'' was peeling and faded from weathering, appearing somewhat dpidated.


    Chu Zheng approached and knocked on the door.


    Soon, the door slowly opened, and a young boy peeked out.


    Seeing the somewhat unfamiliar Great Man in front of him, Bai Nian hesitated for a moment, cautiously asking:


    "You are...?"


    Chu Zheng took out the Heavenly Aura Sword, revealing his identity, and said sinctly:


    "Come with me, I''ll show you a path."

 Chapter 84: Chapter 76: Visitors from the Holy Land, Thorough Investigation [4K]_2

    While investigating, he had already learned quite a bit about Bai Nian.


    The Bai Family used to be considered a n of nobility, with an ancestor who became a Soul Condensing Realm Inner Sect Elder.


    After the passing of that elder, for five consecutive generations, no Immortal Seedling emerged within the n. Considering the profound mysteries of geomancy and fate, they chose to relocate the entire n, leaving Illusory Spirit City, with only a branch remaining there.


    After generations of sole inheritances, a Lower Quality Immortal Bone finally appeared, which was Bai Nian''s father, Bai Wending.


    Bai Wending joined the Phantom Spirit Sect and cultivated all the way to the Spirit Spring Realm. Just when it seemed hopeful to revitalize the family, he suddenly disappeared during a sect mission, with his life or death unknown.


    ording to the news that spread within the Phantom Spirit Sect, he most likely had died.


    Bai Wending had only one wife, who had borne Bai Nian for him in her near-forties, but it cost her Life Origin. Even with Spirit Pills as supplements, it was beyond the power to save her. She managed to live another ten years but passed away before she turned fifty.


    Bai Nian had now essentially be an orphan, living in a very difficult situation within Illusory Spirit City, and eating was a problem once the family''s saleable items were gone.


    Perhaps because of his identity as a schr, Chu Zheng took some pity on Bai Nian and could not bear to see him starve to death.


    Unable to cultivate, the Martial Path was also a way. Once he returned to Great Zhou, if he could find that Martial Path Remnant Wall, Bai Nian would naturally have a way out.


    Even if it''s just reaching Grandmaster Level, when Bai Nian returns to Illusory Spirit City, he would have a means to make a living.


    Looking at the Heavenly Aura Sword in Chu Zheng''s hand, Bai Nian quickly realized something and, after thinking for a while, shook his head:


    "You now dare not show your true face, your circumstances must not be convenient, and the path you speak of might not be easy to walk. Ick the strength to truss a chicken, following you will only be a burden."


    "We have only made a deal, there are no favors between us, I don''t need your help, and I still need to wait here for my father to return."


    His thoughts were clear, and he was soposed that it was hard to believe he was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth, which somewhat surprised Chu Zheng.


    "A mere schr is useless, with your current situation, at best you can hold on for a few more years before you likely starve to death, then you can only sell your ancestral property, or even have it forcibly taken away by others, eventually dying in the streets."


    Chu Zhengid out the bleak future for the youth, and then said:


    "I can teach you the martial way, ensuring your entry into the martial master realm. Then, you cane back here and continue waiting for your father. If you refuse, I shall leave now, I''ll give you the time to consider it over a cup of tea."


    Chu Zheng did not insist. As a Qi Cultivator, he respected fate. If Bai Nian did not want this opportunity, it was his choice. Chu Zheng would not impose help out of a momentary feeling of pity.


    Bai Nian looked hesitant; he hadn''t thought too far ahead, only considering that his father might return in a few more years.


    The oue of selling his ancestral property and eventually dying in the streets was something he never even considered.


    "Let me pack up a few things."


    Bai Nian did not keep Chu Zheng waiting long. After thinking for a few moments, he made his decision and went to gather his belongings.


    A short whileter, Bai Nian, carrying a small bundle on his back and locking the yard door, followed Chu Zheng out of the city and boarded a flying boat.


    The great sun ascended in the sky, hanging high and blindingly bright.


    ...


    ...


    The Phantom Spirit Sect was still quite a distance from Great Zhou.


    Chu Zheng first covered tens of thousands of miles on the flying boat before changing direction and heading for Great Zhou.


    In the mortal world, encountering an Entry Dao Realm cultivator is even harder than ascending to the heavens. Chu Zheng''s current cultivation level allowed him to traverse freely.


    Therefore, he made no effort to conceal his tracks, controlling his flying tool directly, traveling by day, and cultivating at night.


    Due to the presence of the Fire Seed within him, his Yang Qi was continuously on the rise, and he was growing to like cultivating at night, which alleviated some difort.


    Bai Nian had begun practising the Song Family''s ancestral cultivation technique, the Heavenly Origin Heart Method, the highest level cultivation method Chu Zheng had on him.


    The Martial Path Initial Understanding that Li Mingzhou had once given him was iplete and could not infer the path ahead; it was better to cultivate this scripture, which at least had the advantage of being stable and reliable.


    Chu Zheng fed him several Zeroth Order elixirs, which had significant effects, and the progress of his martial skills was astonishing.


    After traveling for more than half a month, Chu Zheng finally entered the Capital of Great Zhou.


    Upon entering the Imperial Capital, Chu Zheng did not alert anyone and began to secretly look for Li Mingzhou''s whereabouts.


    The location of the Vermilion Bird Divine Guard Town Commander was easy to find. Chu Zheng settled Bai Nian in an inn and using his Invisibility Technique, he ventured into the area alone.


    Upon entering the Town Garrison Command, Chu Zheng immediately sensed over a dozen Grandmaster Level Yang Qi fluctuations.


    Among them, one presence was especially astonishing, almost reaching the threshold of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    The gathering of so many grandmasters in one ce was clearly abnormal.


    ''Could it be... Li Mingzhou really found the way out?''


    Chu Zheng became somewhat doubtful for a moment and followed the Qi to its source.


    Momentster, he stood before a door, his figure materializing.


    ```


    Zing¡ª


    As soon as Chu Zheng''s breath leaked, a sword aura spanning several meters shot out from the window, its edge piercing to the bone.


    Raising his finger, he shattered the sword aura, and upon seeing the person who drew the sword, Chu Zheng looked slightly startled, then a hint of realization appeared in his eyes.


    "Chu Zheng?"


    Song Lingxue was stunned for a moment, slightly panicking as she sheathed her long sword.


    Once she gathered herself, she unconsciously took a half step back, tidied her slightly messy hair at the temple, and the look in her eyes was one of unabashed joy:


    "Have youe to find me?"


    "..."


    Encountering Song Lingxue here was indeed beyond Chu Zheng''s expectations. After a moment of silence, he nodded and said, "Yes."


    In his original ns, the next stop after Great Zhou was Giant Marsh, so it wasn''t exactly a lie.


    Chu Zheng wasn''t surprised at the speed of Song Lingxue''s cultivation progression. On the day they joined forces, he had entered Spirit Transformation and became a true Qi Cultivator, fundamentally changing the level of his life.


    Song Lingxue had absorbed his Yang Essence, naturally receiving a tremendous boost, so this speed was not strange at all.


    Now, he could still feel the aura of his Yang Essence within Song Lingxue''s body, not yet fully consumed, with some remaining power.


    "How did you break into this realm?" Chu Zheng looked puzzled.


    The only thing that he found somewhat iprehensible was how, without a clear path forward, Song Lingxue found her way out.


    "Come with me."


    Song Lingxue took Chu Zheng''s hand and pulled him into the room.


    On the desky a three-foot-long fragment of ck remnant wall.


    Chu Zheng''s expression shifted, and he reached out his hand.


    [Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order/Iplete): The life''s insights of a Martial God, containing the cultivation methods of the Xuan Tian Scripture and the Fourteen Martial Arts Supernatural Powers, with remnants of Immortal Path Qi. Smashed personally by a True Immortal into six pieces.


    If all the fragments are collected and repaired, it will be much easier, with zero out of three thousand repairspleted.]


    Indeed...


    After digesting the information on the panel, Chu Zheng fell into thought. Song Lingxue finding this stone wall was truly a fortuitous encounter.


    Regaining hisposure, Chu Zheng casually mentioned, "Oh right, Ling Qing didn''t die."


    "Really? Is she alright?"


    Song Lingxue''s eyes suddenly brightened, but upon reflection, her heart sank slightly as she gazed at Chu Zheng, her eyes revealing aplex expression.


    "She suffered some minor injuries, which I have healed," Chu Zheng said nonchntly, not dwelling on the subject: "She should be in Giant Marsh by now. I thought you were there, so I sent her to find you."


    "You... didn''t go with her?"


    Song Lingxue felt a slight stirring in her heart, greatly relieved, her lips turning up uncontrobly. At least Chu Zheng came looking for her first.


    "Why should I follow her?" Chu Zheng couldn''t understand for a moment.


    Song Lingxue didn''t say much, her smile growing gradually wider and more evident:


    "This ce isn''t convenient. Let''s go outside to talk."


    "Where to?"


    "Anywhere is fine, as long as it''s not here."


    Song Lingxue''s cheeks blushed slightly as she whispered in his ear, "I remember you saying you liked the daytime."


    ...


    ...


    The next morning, at dawn.


    As the morning sun rose, a figure stood on nothing in the sky.


    Ling Qi looked down at the Imperial Capital below, with a touch of concern in his brow.


    Regarding the person of the heretic path, he had checked the surrounding nations for nearly a month, to no avail.


    The location given by the Immortal Alliance had been thoroughly searched, leaving Great Zhou as thest region.


    Owing to Zhao Tingxian''s presence, the people from the various Holy Lands had been restrained, not overly reckless, hence the search was significantly slower, having to be screened bit by bit.


    He was the first to enter this ce but wouldn''t be thest; time was of the essence.


    ```

 Chapter 85: Chapter 77: The Great Calamity [4k]

    Southern Imperial Capital, within an inn.


    Chu Zheng, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, slowly opened his eyes and calmed the continuously surging Yuan Qi within his body.


    His previous idea had been validated: Dual Cultivation significantly enhanced him.


    The Yang Essence within Song Lingxue that had not yet beenpletely absorbed had been redivided over nearly ten hours.


    A portion of it had transformed into Yuan Qi during the Dual Cultivation and returned to Chu Zheng''s body, causing a significant increase in his cultivation.


    Now, he was merely one step away from thete stage of Spirit Transformation.


    Not a few among the Pre-Qin Qi Cultivators excelled in Dual Cultivation, and many had ascended in broad daylight.


    The union of Yin and Yang is fundamentally the natural order of heaven and earth, containing the utmost truth of the Dao; the only pity was that Chu Zheng did not possess a method for Dual Cultivation and had merely cycled the Yuan Qi simply, yet the harvest was already quite substantial.


    Song Lingxue gained even greater benefits. The Aura Qi within her body had grown significantly, and even her cultivation realm had improved.


    [Song Lingxue (First Order): Cultivation in the second level of the Yuan Aura Realm, Leader of Martial Path in the Cangyun Realm.]


    Cangyun Realm was evidently the name of the world before them.


    From the information on the panel, it was not difficult to deduce that the Martial Path of this world had indeed been consigned to history, to the extent that no one could even recall it.


    Song Lingxue was the first person in this era to step into the Yuan Aura Realm.


    The term Cangyun was not unfamiliar to Chu Zheng; inside the Ethereal Ring, he had discovered a Cangyun Secret Realm Map, which clearly had some connection to this Cangyun Realm.


    "When shall we depart for Giant Marsh?"


    Song Lingxue propped herself up, her headzily resting on Chu Zheng''s shoulder, rubbing his cheek with hers and wrapping her arms around his waist.


    Her mood was one of joy radiating from within. Yesterday, after telling her father that Ling Qing was unharmed, her father''s illness had visibly improved.


    After taking the Spirit Pill given by Chu Zheng, his white hair turned ck in an instant, the medicine cured the illness, and he was spirited and well in a blink.


    After meeting Chu Zheng, it seemed every trouble turned into a blessing.


    "We shall leave in a few days..."


    Chu Zheng had not finished speaking when the sky outside suddenly darkened. His whole body tightened, his Spiritual Perception shed, and his expression instantly turned solemn.


    "Get dressed!"


    He murmured softly, quickly walked to the window, pushed it open, and looked up into the sky.


    Upon discerning the scene in the sky, Chu Zheng''s pupils dted uncontrobly, shing a hint of horror.


    Across the heavens, a colossal creature that spanned the entire Imperial Capital coiled in the sky.


    At a nce, it could be faintly made out to be a Silver Leopard.


    The Imperial Capital of the Great Zhou stretched nearly a hundred li, butpared to this Silver Leopard, it was not nearly significant enough to note.


    Chu Zheng''s expression grew even more solemn as he activated his Spiritual Eye. His gaze pierced through the body of the Silver Leopard, and he quickly made a discovery.


    Atop the Silver Leopard''s head stood a figure, the fluctuations of Yuan Qi within were a hundred or even a thousand times greater than those of Han Yuliang back in the battlefield when he broke through to Divine Infant.


    Without a doubt, this was an Immortal Path Cultivator whose cultivation had not only surpassed Divine Infant but had also stepped into the realm of Deification Nine Transformations; this Silver Leopard was the transformation of his Divine Infant.


    In a few breaths, Song Lingxue was fully dressed. She too noticed the Silver Leopard in the sky and instantly froze, taking a long moment to recover.


    For an ordinary person who had only ever seen Cultivators of the Spirit Spring Realm, the impact was too intense.


    ...


    ...


    Above the nine heavens.


    Ling Qi''s gaze slowly swept over the Imperial Capital, then immediately focused on the southern part of the city.


    A few slightly more robust fluctuations of vital energy entered his Divine Sense, faintly having crossed the threshold of martial masters.


    Finally some gain...


    Ling Qi''s eyes shed with satisfaction as he stepped forward, the next moment stepping into the Vermilion Bird Divine Guard Town Commander.


    The entire Town Garrison Command''s buildings and pces instantly soared into the void, turning to ash in an instant, leaving behind only a group of Vermilion Bird Divine Guards and many civillian Grandmasters standing there, dumbfounded.


    Ling Qi scanned the crowd, his gaze resting on Li Mingzhou:


    "The first person to break through the realm of Martial Path, is it you?"


    The breakthrough of the Martial Path being discovered so quickly and attracting such a powerful Superior Immortal to intervene was far beyond Li Mingzhou''s expectations.


    He had originally thought that, at least for a while, he would be able to maintain stability.


    His mind was swirling, and after a moment of silence, he bowed:"Responding to the Superior Immortal, it is indeed I."


    "Speak the truth."


    Ling Qi shook his head: "Not you. You only broke through a few days ago and your foundation is unstable. Moreover... at your age, it''s toote."


    The Martial Path, different from the Immortal Path, follows the way of vital blood and physical strength. As one ages and life passes its peak, not only will cultivation not rise, but it may even decline; thetter half of life is the peak period for a martial artist.


    Simrly, in the early stages of cultivation, the growth rate of Martial Path strength is much faster than that of Immortal Path. Most fighters havepleted many paths in their lifetimes that many Immortal Path Cultivators would onlyplete over their entire lives.


    At Li Mingzhou''s age, his potential had already been exhausted; even if he once had outstanding talent in Martial Path, it was difficult to achieve greatness. Forcing a breakthrough to achieve Yuan Aura was practically impossible.


    "Indeed, it is I," Li Mingzhou insisted stubbornly, refusing to back down.


    "I do not seek this man''s life. This ce is the ancientnd of Court Immortals, and I do not wish to kill. I''ll give you one more chance, tell the truth."


    Ling Qi''s gaze swept around, then abruptly focused, stopping on a pitch-ck, iplete stone wall.


    All things in the Town Garrison Command should have already turned to ashes, yet this seemingly ordinary stone had been preserved.

 Chapter 86: Chapter 77: The Great Calamity [4k]_2

    He immediately raised his hand and beckoned, drawing the stone wall into his palm.


    After scrutinizing it for a moment, a sh of realization crossed Ling Qi''s eyes, "It is indeed the True Martial Arts Scripture, no wonder someone could enter the Second Realm..."


    As he spoke, he suddenly exerted force in his palm.


    "Hmm?"


    A look of surprise shed in Ling Qi''s eyes; the piece of fragmented wall in his hand remained motionless regardless of how much force he applied, even though Immortal Gold used for crafting Spiritual Treasures would be crushed before him.


    This was merely a piece of broken stone...


    After pondering for a moment, his fingertips burst forth with colossal mana, sharp as a knife, scraping away the Fragmented Map bit by bit from the top of the wall.


    Mingzhou''s eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head, his heart wrenching as if the knife was engraved in his heart, continually bleeding.


    Ling Qi casually tossed the iplete ck Stone in his hand and nced around, suddenly pausing his gaze on an inn not far away, a slight smile on his lips:


    "Indeed, there is another involved..."


    At the instant Ling Qi''s gaze swept over, Chu Zheng immediately sensed the danger, but Ling Qi didn''t give him enough time to react.


    A vast and colossal strength instantly suppressed all of Chu Zheng''s movements; he could only just manage to dissolve the Yuan Qi in his Dantian and conceal his spirit.


    The next moment, as Chu Zheng''s vision blurred and he came to, Ling Qi had already reached within an inch of him, with the inn now a thousand yards behind.


    The sharp sensitivity of Qi Cultivators to Yuan Qi destined that they could clearly see the disparity in strength.


    The bond beside him gradually loosened, and Chu Zheng''s heart sank.


    An overpowering fluctuation of aura emanated from the person before him, suppressing the Qi around him all the time, even pausing his thought processes momentarily.


    In that instance, he was like an ant staring directly at a mighty dragon.


    With such an ability, even if he reached the Golden Core, it would be far inadequate; only if he could transform thought into spirit would he stand a marginal chance topete.


    In front of such a being, every strategy and thought became utterly meaningless.


    "Tai Xu Divine Fire Scripture... Are you from the Tai Xu Holy Land?"


    Ling Qi nced at Chu Zheng and urately revealed the Tai Xu Divine Fire Scripture.


    His eyes narrowed slightly with some confusion, "Is the Tai Xu Holy Land about to reopen its Sect Gate? Such an important matter, and they sent just you alone? Where are your elders?"


    On hearing this, countless thoughts raced through Chu Zheng''s mind, and he quickly caught on.


    Tens of thousands of years had passed; the formerly Taixuan Sect had now be the Taixuan Holy Land. The person before him could see through his origins at a nce, clearly also a person from the Holy Land.


    This person was clearly after the Martial Path, and those eyeing the Martial Path weren''t limited to just one Holy Land.


    With that realization, Chu Zheng''s fingertips trembled slightly as he bowed respectfully, "May I ask the senior''s name?"


    "Tai Xu Holy Land, Ling Qi."


    Ling Qi''s expression returned to normal. Looking past Chu Zheng at Song Lingxue behind him, he couldn''t help but show a sign of admiration upon sensing her aura fluctuations:


    "You have just entered the Yuan Aura, with only an Iplete True Scripture, and in just a few months, you have gained ground again. Truly a Martial Path prodigy, with such talent, born in Cangyun Realm, you are indeed buried."


    Perhaps shocked by Song Lingxue''s talent, Ling Qi uncharacteristically exined a bit:


    "A few months ago, when you broke through in the Martial Path, you rmed the Heavenly Dao of this realm, which is why I came here looking for you."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng was stunned for a moment, and then a chill rushed through his heart. A few months ago, Song Lingxue was still at the Song Family, merely at Qi Condensing Great Completion, not even a Grandmaster; how could she cause a breakthrough that would trigger a reaction from the Heavenly Dao?


    A greater likelihood was that his Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation released an aura that was sensed by the heavenly and earthly forces of this realm, thus bringing about today''s cmity.


    Song Lingxue had shielded him from one disaster.


    "Senior..."


    Chu Zheng was about to speak, but Ling Qi interrupted him directly:


    "I''m aware of the close rtionship between the two of you; you still have her aura on you."


    He let out a coldugh, "You''re quite the flirt, no wonder you haven''t wasted that appearance. What is the status of this woman? Haven''t your elders told you? Brazen and daring, after finding the person, you dare to deceive and neglect to report?"


    "Punishing you is the business of the Tai Xu Holy Land; I won''t overstep. I will not kill you today."


    His expression was indifferent, ncing at Chu Zheng, he said lightly:


    "I''m taking her with me; you may tell your elders not to search further."


    "Hold on a moment, senior!"


    Chu Zheng stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Song Lingxue with a calm expression:


    "May I ask one more thing, by taking her, are you dictating her life and death, or deciding her future?"


    Ling Qi turned back to gaze at him, his eyes cold as ice, "What concern is it of yours?"


    Noticing the killing intent gradually rising from Ling Qi, Chu Zheng remained calm, his feet not moving an inch.


    Song Lingxue''s eyes were filled with anxiety. She wanted to speak, but her whole body was under control, unable to utter a single word.


    "Junior, on any normal day, you wouldn''t even qualify to speak to me. The usation of your Taixuan Holy Land colluding with the Demon Race has not yet been cleared. Attend to your own affairs before others!"


    "Get lost!"


    Ling Qi bellowed, his breath as thunderous as a heavy hammer striking Chu Zheng''s chest.


    Chu Zheng only saw darkness, his body like a thin sheet caught in a fierce wind, nearly torn apart, blood sttered on the long street, blown a thousand zhang away, crashing down a hundred-plus brick walls before heavily hitting back to the inn.


    Ling Qi''s anger slowly subsided, and he turned back to nce at Li Mingzhou and the others.


    Puh¡ª


    A muffled sound came, and many Great Grandmasters fell at once. Ling Qi, in a moment, had shattered their dantians and quickly destroyed their Martial Path cultivation.


    However, as he had said before, he had not gone on a killing spree in the Capital of Great Zhou, leaving a few people alive at least.


    Ling Qi''s expression was utterly unppable as a beam of spiritual light overflowed from his forehead, transforming into the Silver Leopard he had summoned earlier, lifting Song Lingxue into the Nine Heavens.


    ...


    ...


    At the border of Great Zhou, a Silver Leopard crossed the void, covering hundreds of li in an instant.


    Song Lingxue sat on the back of the Silver Leopard, enveloped in a thin cocoon that isted external Qi, with mountains and rivers reversing beneath her feet, unable to discern direction, feeling only an ever-forward motion.


    Before long, a streak of fire shot across the sky, directly colliding with the advancing Silver Leopard.


    The firelight disappeared, revealing a middle-aged man, his brows like des, wearing a maroon brocade robe, standing eight feet tall, his face red as me, his long hair draped over his shoulders, radiating a crimson divine glow.


    "Who might you be?" Ling Qi stopped, his eyes slightly narrowing.


    This red-haired man had a cultivation equal to his own, both at the Divine Infant Seven Transformations.


    "Taixuan Holy Land, Fang Jiong." The middle-aged man gave a bowed salute, "May I ask which Holy Land you are from, my friend? Why the rush? Have you encountered trouble?"


    "Tai Xu Holy Land''s Ling Qi, my Holy Land has called for me suddenly, I''m in a bit of a hurry, no troubles."


    Ling Qi arched his eyebrow, ncing past Song Lingxue to his rear, a slight chuckle escaping him:


    "It''s quite fate, meeting someone from your Taixuan Holy Land twice in a single day."


    "That junior back in the Capital of Great Zhou, I did not harm him, you may look for him."


    "My junior?"


    Upon hearing this, Fang Jiong''s gaze suddenly sharpened, "This time, my Taixuan Holy Land, as per the Immortal Alliance''s summons, dared not dy. To avoid suspicion, I alone ventured out, what do you mean by your remark?"


    "Oh?"


    Ling Qi''s eyes shimmered with intrigue, casually saying, "I saw he practiced the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, thought he might be one of your people, is he not then?"


    A realization dawned on him, his mouth curving slightly. Taixuan Holy Land had once colluded with the Demon Race, and to prove their innocence, had closed their gates until now, a span of ten thousand years; how could they have disciples in the world now?


    Interesting...


    "The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture?!"


    Fang Jiong''s gaze suddenly intensified, he immediately responded, "Would you mind sharing this person''s Qi and appearance with me? My Taixuan Holy Land will be deeply grateful!"


    "It''s my duty."


    Ling Qi narrowed his eyes, lifting his hand to materialize a Qi silhouette of the person, encasing it in a Jade Talisman, and handed it across the space to Fang Jiong.


    "Thank you, friend, my Taixuan Holy Land owes you a favor, we shall return it generously in the future!"


    Fang Jiong, as if receiving a great treasure, bowed deeply, transforming into a long rainbow, his hair suddenly flying upwards, a fire lotus blooming in the void, and in the blink of an eye, he was thousands of li away, shooting straight for the Capital of Great Zhou.

 Chapter 87: Chapter 77: Divine Transformation of Slaying Gods, Intent to Kill Decisive�4k】

    Capital of the Great Zhou.


    In the midst of ruins, Bai Nian cleared away shattered tiles and debris, digging out Chu Zheng, who only managed to regain his senses after a while.


    The moment consciousness returned, Chu Zheng essed the healing panel andpletely mended his injuries, promptly sitting up.


    "Are you seriously hurt?"


    Looking at the dust-covered Chu Zheng, Bai Nian''s eyes filled with concealed worries; if Chu Zheng were to die, he didn''t know whether he could ever make it back to Illusory Spirit City alone.


    "Find a ce to hide; I will find youter."


    Chu Zheng spoke briefly, pushed Bai Nian away, and started running. The Qi around his body roiled unstoppably, searching for the elemental Qi in the surroundings.


    Just now, he had sensed a very distinct rejection within the surrounding elemental Qi.


    The normally receptive elemental Qi now seemed distant, as if it had abandoned him.


    Chu Zheng could vaguely feel that ever since he had encountered Ling Qi, the tribtion Qi around him had been awakened, and he was now trapped in a major tribtion for a Qi Cultivator.


    This was a life-and-death trial, signifying he had fully stepped into the threshold of Qi Cultivators.


    Following the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had always been smooth sailing, never encountering any tribtions. The Song Family''s disaster also wasn''t targeted at him; he could withdraw at any time, managing it effortlessly.


    The unseen tribtion Qi was always umting, finally erupting today.


    Ancient Qi Practitioners who achieved considerable cultivation could foresee their personal tribtions and even the people involved, thereby devising strategies to safely ovee their tribtions.


    Previously, Chu Zheng had no awareness of this, and now it was toote to prepare.


    The major tribtion was extremely perilous; all coincidences stemmed from nature''s intent to doom him.


    If Chu Zheng drank water now, chocking to death was not out of the question.


    Everywhere around him, the elemental Qi sent warnings; this major tribtion was far from over.


    Chu Zheng ran desperately without a clear direction, stalling for time, while calming his agitated nerves and thinking desperately for a solution.


    The tribtion was not a certain death situation; there had to be a sliver of life''s chance.


    But now, he couldn''t even see the nature of the tribtion clearly, let alone devise a strategy...


    Retreating to a Small World to temporarily avoid the situation was absurd; dying would only make the tribtion Qi denser, turning it into a death tribtion.


    By then, he might be struck dead by a bolt of lightning as soon as he left the Small World.


    Having fled the Capital for thousands of miles, Chu Zheng suddenly felt a tightness around him, and his frame froze in ce.


    Above the vast sky, a red rainbow streaked across, revealing a figure eight feet tall, dressed in a crimson brocade robe.


    In his palm, he held a Jade Talisman; the aura emitted from the talisman was all too familiar to Chu Zheng¡ªtwo mixed auras, one from Ling Qi and one from himself.


    He''s here!


    Feeling the surge of tribtion Qi around him, Chu Zheng''s jaw tightened as he stared at the middle-aged man before him, took a deep breath, and concentrated his mind.


    Remembering Wei Changqing he had once seen, Chu Zheng''s brows rxed slightly, and his expression carried a touch of adolescent innocence, his face puzzled as he asked:


    "May I ask who you are, senior?"


    "Taixuan Holy Land, Fang Jiong."


    Fang Jiong remained unmoved, his eyes already filled with a murderous intent: "Where did you get this Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture?"


    "I found it on a corpse by chance."


    "Have you passed it on to others?"


    "No," Chu Zheng shook his head.


    "Where is the corpse now?" Fang Jiong''s brows rxed slightly, his expression softened considerably, even releasing Chu Zheng voluntarily.


    Chu Zheng didn''t rx at all; he could feel that the murderous intent from Fang Jiong hadn''t diminished in the slightest and had even intensified.


    In that instant, Chu Zheng felt the stealthy surge of tribtion Qi, and the next statement would determine his life or death.


    Fang Jiong had clearly resolved to kill; to prevent the Sect-Defending Secret Scripture from leaking, he hade for this purpose. Regardless of the consequences, Chu Zheng was doomed.


    An understanding dawned on Chu Zheng; he had not believed in fate before, but the appearance of Fang Jiong undeniably told him now.


    Heavenly Fate truly existed.


    Otherwise, in the vast expanse of the world, how could Ling Qi incidentally encounter a person from Taixuan Holy Land, and even lead him directly to Chu Zheng?


    This was not a coincidence but an inevitability.


    This tribtion was originally meant for Ling Qi, but because Lingxue helped Chu Zheng avoid one tribtion, Ling Qi did not kill him but only knocked him unconscious.


    However, that level was clearly not enough to dissipate the tribtion, subsequently drawing Fang Jiong here.


    Heavenly Fate...


    This was the major tribtion!


    Chu Zheng bowed his head, the murderous intent welling up in his eyes, chilling to the bone.


    "Answer!"


    Fang Jiong stepped forward impatiently, lifting his broad palm, gripping Chu Zheng''s face, and forcibly lifting his head.


    The fiery red palm radiated oppressive heat, quickly scorching Chu Zheng''s face and emitting puffs of blue smoke.


    Fang Jiong''s eyes brimmed with anger, resembling an erupting volcano, appearing like a deity emerging from mes. Had he not been inept at soul secret techniques, he would have forcibly extracted the soul by now.


    He was not skilled at delicate tasks. The youth before him had a too fragile Divine Soul to withstand disturbances; a slightly forceful move could kill him outright.


    [Fang Jiong (Fifth Order): Taixuan Holy Land, Deputy Head of the Punishment Hall, Cultivation at Divine Infant Seven Transformations, tasked by Immortal Alliance to emerge from Taixuan Holy Land and hunt down Heretic Path followers, his internal organs slightly damaged due to years of absorbing and refining Divine Fire, affecting his cultivation progression.


    He''s now resolved to kill you; can be repaired (0/1000).]


    Divine Infant Seven Transformations!


    A shadow crossed Chu Zheng''s mind, seemingly startled, he returned to his senses and whispered: "In a certain Small World."

 Chapter 88: Chapter 77: Divine Transformation of Slaying Gods, Intent to Kill Decisive�4k】_2

    "A Small World?" Fang Jiong was taken aback, a look of surprise spreading across his ruddy face.


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much, his mind connected to the Condensing Space Bracelet as he raised his hand to open a spatial portal.


    "It contains a universe, a Pseudo-Immortal''s treasure?!"


    Fang Jiong let go of his grip, his expression subtly changing as he immediately detected the clue, and the next instant, ecstasy surged in his eyes¡ªsuch a wondrous treasure was likely rare even among those Pseudo-Immortals in the Holy Land.


    "Elder, please follow me."


    Without more words, Chu Zheng turned and stepped into the portal.


    Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Jiong followed closely behind, the mere Spiritual Spring in his palm incapable of causing the slightest disturbance.


    An endless wildernessy before them, the pitch-ck cracked earth crisscrossed and shimmering with heat waves.


    As soon as he stepped into the Small World, Chu Zheng sensed something was off¡ªthe Spiritual Energy seemed much thinnerpared to before.


    "It indeed carries the aura of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture..."


    Fang Jiong''s expression darkened, a serious look knitting his brows, as he sensed a hint of Immortal might within these traces.


    The one who had acted was at least a Pseudo-Immortal-level powerhouse.


    With his vast Divine Sense spreading out, Fang Jiong''s eyes narrowed slightly as he scooped up Chu Zheng, then in a sh, they appeared in front of a cyan-robed skeleton.


    Looking at the skeleton standing with a spear, Fang Jiong slowly examined the bright red spear beside it, his expression cold:


    "It is indeed that traitor. No wonder back then, several Supreme beings exhausted their efforts in divination and still could not find his whereabouts¡ªit turns out he was hiding in this Small World."


    Chu Zheng''s gaze nearly fixed on the Lihuo Spear, a whirlwind of thoughts in his mind¡ªthis was his only lifeline at the moment.


    He suppressed the urgency in his heart and feigned innocence, as if not realizing the path: "Elder, do you recognize this person?"


    "I never saw him with my own eyes, but since I joined the Holy Land, I''ve been fully aware of this traitor''s affairs. This scoundrel is called Ye Yulou. Once bewitched by a demon, he betrayed his teacher and ancestors, taking the sect-defending secret scripture with him and never returning."


    "In times of critical battles, the sect sent him countless messages, all of which vanished like stones sunk in the sea, leading to a major defeat and causing the Taixuan Sect to be scorned by all branches of the Human Race."


    "Ten thousand years ago, our sect, being one of the Holy Lands, even had to close the Sect Gate and withdraw from the world. Such a person, whoy with beasts, has long been unworthy of being a disciple of the Taixuan Holy Land, much less of cultivating the Divine Fire Scripture."


    As he spoke, Fang Jiong reached out his hand, intending to touch the Lihuo Spear. After hesitating for an instant, he pushed Chu Zheng away:


    "You go and bring that spear over, let this elder have a look¡ªbe gentle in your movements."


    Spiritual Treasures would choose to seal themselves after their master''s death, waiting to choose a new one. Since the Lihuo Spear stilly dormant, it indicated that its rightful master had not yet appeared, so there was no need to worry too much.


    But a person''s reputation can be intimidating, and Ye Yulou''s fame was far more substantial than his notoriety. Possessing a Superior Immortal Bone and the Fire Spirit Body, hepleted the Deification Nine Transformations by the age of six hundred, stepping into the Tongxuan Secret Realm.


    This was nearly the most splendid moment since the founding of the Taixuan Sect. Before the cmity, no one doubted that Ye Yulou''s future would surpass that of many ancestors, writing a new myth.


    Even if he had fallen and consorted with a Demon King, such a powerful being would most likely leave countermeasures before death.


    Following the instructions, Chu Zheng moved forward, his fingertips slowly brushing over the bright red spear before him.


    [Lihuo Spear (Sixth Order): A True Spirit long slumbering, already awakened by your previous actions, has undergone a period of self-repair and is now almost restored to its peak. Upon hearing Fang Jiong''s words, it is now on the brink of rage, forcibly suppressing its fury, waiting for you to reopen the portal and seek an escape. Repair (0/2)]


    Reading the information provided by the panel, Chu Zheng retreated discreetly, his back breaking out in a cold sweat.


    He had not expected the Lihuo Spear, which had been dormant during hisst visit, to have already been revived and even possessed such high intelligence that it could feign death.


    "What are you dallying for?"


    Fang Jiong''s brows furrowed slightly, showing a trace of impatience:


    "Hurry and bring it here!"


    "Since this elder has passed away, it''s best not to disturb him rashly..."


    "He''s just a dead man. You dared to take his cultivation technique from his body before, what are you afraid of now?"


    Fang Jiong''s gaze narrowed, his voice chilling as he pressed forward: "With this elder here, what are you afraid of? Even if hees back to life this instant, I can protect you."


    "That''s what you said..."


    Chu Zheng''s fists slowly clenched as a murderous intent surged in the depths of his eyes.


    He silentlypleted thest two repairs needed, and suddenly raised his hand, grabbing the blood-colored spear in front of him. He then swung his leg in a sweeping motion, forcefullyunching the Lihuo Spear straight at Fang Jiong''s face.


    Fang Jiong''s expression remained unchanged, a cold smile ying on his lips. He slightly tilted his head, effortlessly dodging the iing bright red spear, reaching out to grab it.


    In just a moment, Chu Zheng''s gaze turned icy as he activated the Fire God Transformation, then burned all his blood and Qi, performing the Xuan Tian Seal for the first time, causing his aura to surge exponentially.


    His hair stood on end, shining with a crimson divine light, and in the blink of an eye, he channeled all his Yuan Qi and mana into the Condensing Space Bracelet, creating a spatial portal behind him, and at the same time, he unleashed the divine skills it contained at Fang Jiong.


    Space Condensing Art!


    Fang Jiong''s grasping hand slowed as the spatial portal appeared behind Chu Zheng, swallowing him whole.


    Grabbing at empty air, Fang Jiong felt a sudden sense of doom, but before he could react, a piercing sonic boom sounded from behind, and a blinding sh of blood-red light illuminated the entire world.


    ...


    ...


    The sky had darkened, and the silver moon hung high.


    Thud¡ª


    Within the deste forest, Chu Zheng rolled out from the spatial portal, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his chest and abdomen torn open. That one grasping attempt that didn''t quite catch him just grazed him, nearly costing him his life.

 Chapter 89: Chapter 77: Divine Transformation of Slaying Gods, Intent to Kill Decisive�4k】_3

    Under the panel''s repair, his body swiftly returned to its original state, wounds gradually healing,plexion rosy without a trace of scars.


    Chu Zhengy on his back, chest wide open, facing the starry sky, his breathing as loud and greedy as thunder as he drew in the thick air filled with the scent of rotten wood and leaves.


    He was, after all, alive.


    A battle-oriented Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, with a True Spirit revived, itsbat strength, was unparalleled to that of a Pseudo-Immortal, and under its furious state, Fang Jiong was bound to die without question.


    Suppressing the fierce beating of his heart, Chu Zheng sat up, and after sensing carefully for a moment, his mood once again plummeted.


    Tribtion Qi was still churning around him, and although much of it had dissipated, it was not entirely gone, and the tribtion still held underlying threats.


    The oue of the tribtion was uncertain, with troubles still ongoing, and the possibility of it turning into a deadly tribtion remained.


    And the most critical point had not been resolved...


    Having sorted out the causes and consequences, Chu Zheng''s thoughts became clearer, and a murderous intent once again surged in his eyes.


    After pondering for a moment,


    Chu Zheng stood up and cautiously opened a spatial channel, stepping into it.


    In the deste world, everything was scorched red, a sea of fire engulfed the heavens, nothing remained but a figure in green robes with white bones.


    The red Lihuo Spear had expanded a thousandfold in size, akin to a pir of the heavens, standing tall at the heart of the sea of fire.


    Fang Jiong''s presence was everywhere, in the sky, underground, in the air, with parts of his body scattered everywhere; the practitioner of Divine Fire was incinerated by Divine Fire, merged into the world, leaving no trace to be found.


    "I knew you woulde back."


    A somewhat blurry figure over a meter tall floated in front of Chu Zheng, the voice resonating like a bell, deep and resonant, filled with the essence of time.


    Without doubt, this was the True Spirit of the Lihuo Spear.


    "I knew you were conscious before, and I hope you can forgive my previous offense."


    Chu Zheng strived to calm his breath, and in just a few breaths, the residual heat had already scorched his throat.


    "You are not afraid I will kill you?" the figure asked in a deep voice.


    "If you kill me now, you will only be trapped in this world forever, unable to escape."


    A Divine Weapon is, after all, a Divine Weapon, and not a living being, incapable of controlling or maneuvering Magic Artifacts and Spiritual Treasures, unless the Lihuo Spear can shed its shackles, cultivate a body of flesh and blood, and thus control the Condensing Space Bracelet.


    This was even more difficult than ascending to immortality.


    Threatening wasn''t Chu Zheng''s intention, and he quickly spoke again:


    "Your old master is gone, and you''re bound to seek a new master. Acting alone is too conspicuous, and you''ll soon be noticed and harassed. I help you find a Fire Spirit Body, and you help me strike one more time, how about that?"


    "I can protect myself," the figure remained unmoved.


    "You must also know that the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture is the most suitable Cultivation Technique for a Fire Spirit Body."


    Chu Zheng tried tentatively, observing the figure''s reaction. Seeing it fall silent, a trace of joy couldn''t help but flood his eyes:


    "The Cultivation Technique is now in my mind. You need this scripture for a new master; you help me, I''ll pass it on to your new master."


    "..." The figure contemted for a while, then nodding after a moment of contemtion:


    "Agreed."


    It was not versed in the ways of cultivation and couldn''t teach others to cultivate; it needed someone to do it on its behalf. It could not seek the help of Taixuan Holy Land, for that would be walking into a trap, leaving it with no choice but to rely on Chu Zheng.


    "Just this once."


    Chu Zheng nodded; he needed to take care of Ling Qi before he returned to Tai Xu Holy Land, to eliminate the root of his troubles.


    Otherwise, the secret of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture couldn''t be kept hidden, and it would still attract the people from Taixuan Holy Land. Without resolving this tribtion, endless troubles would follow.

 Chapter 90: Chapter 78: Planning

    "If you had note to this realm, I would have had no hope of escaping my predicament in this lifetime."


    Lihuo Spear raised its hand and beckoned lightly, "Some things on the body of the man just now may be of use to you, consider it a repayment of your favor."


    They were Fang Jiong''s belongings.


    A storage spirit ring and a purple flower hovering mid-air.


    [Wind Spiritual Ring (Third Order): Engraved with triple arrays, it possesses effects such as ''Light Body'', ''Gathering Spirit'', and ''Enhance Strength''.]


    [Heavenly Star me (Fifth Order): Extracted from meteor fires moving between cosmic spaces, refined into a seed, quite rare.]


    Chu Zheng''s gaze brightened slightly. The Wind Spiritual Ring was just ordinary, but this Heavenly Star me was genuinely a high-grade fire seed that could significantly elerate his cultivation pace.


    However, he no longer had the time to refine this fire seed at the moment.


    Focusing his attention, Chu Zheng searched within the spirit ring for a while and pulled out a jade talisman.


    This jade talisman bore the aura of Ling Qi.


    "There is that person''s aura on this jade talisman; I hope you can lend your assistance," he said.


    With Chu Zheng''s speed, there was no possibility of catching up with Ling Qi; he could only rely on Lihuo Spear.


    As his words fell, Chu Zheng directly opened the passageway and took the first step into it.


    Once he left this world, the initiative would be in Lihuo Spear''s hands.


    But Chu Zheng now had no other choice and could only hope that Lihuo Spear would honor its agreement.


    Amidst the deste mountains and forests, a crimson great spear slowly emerged from the void.


    The vegetation in the surrounding mountains and forests ignited without any source of me, giving rise to a zing inferno.


    In just a few breaths, the mountains were left with nothing but ash.


    "Theplete Heaven and Earth Laws..."


    Lihuo Spear let out a sigh, its body quivering as it crazily drew in the spiritual energy from all around, like parchednd weing a rainstorm.


    Without dwelling on its emotions, after sensing for a moment, it directly lifted Chu Zheng and soared upwards into the skies, piercing through the nine heavens.


    Crack¡ª


    A sound like thunder exploded in the void, fracturing it with web-like cracks.


    Ayer of firelight enveloped Chu Zheng, a gentle warmth that shielded him from the ripping spatial fluctuations all around.


    The firelight entered the crack, and in the blink of an eye, it had already reappeared tens of thousands of miles away.


    Moving through space in the blink of an eye, this is the power of Tongxuan, the divine skill of Pseudo-Immortals.


    Chu Zheng''s vision was blocked by the firelight, he couldn''t see the outside world at all, and he couldn''t even sense any jolting.


    As to whether Lihuo Spear could catch up with Ling Qi, he had no confidence whatsoever and began to ponder other fallback ns.


    If Ling Qi managed to get away and return to Tai Xu Holy Land, his situation would be extremely passive.


    Ling Qi had seen Chu Zheng, and he had also seen Fang Jiong. Once the two sidesmunicated, Taixuan Holy Land would quickly lock on to his presence.


    With his aura in Ling Qi''s hands, tracking him down would not be difficult, and the situation could escte rapidly.


    Bowing his head, Chu Zheng searched in the Wind Spiritual Ring once again and quickly found amandment.


    "Disturbances in the Heavenly Dao of the Cangyun Realm... other Taoist orthodoxies... the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects... Immortal Alliance... Martial Hall..."


    As he read the contents of themandment, Chu Zheng''s expression changed slightly; this world was far moreplex than he had thought.


    The lofty Holy Lands were just dominators in this domain, still under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Alliance.


    The situation for Song Lingxue was not as dangerous as he had previously imagined, and for her, it may even turn out to be an opportunity...


    Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, the firelight before him suddenly dispersed, and in the nearby airspace, a familiar silver leopard appeared.


    On the back of the silver leopard, there were two familiar figures.


    Ling Qi, Song Lingxue.


    So soon? It had been less than half a cup of tea''s time.


    Chu Zheng''s heart slightly sank, as the Lihuo Spear, being a Spiritual Treasure, already possessed such inconceivable and magical prowess.


    The pseudo-immortals within those Holy Lands, with their methods and divine skills, would only be more terrifying.


    "Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure?!"


    Seeing the giant fiery red spear that stretched between heaven and earth behind Chu Zheng, Ling Qi''s heart suddenly sank.


    He had not expected that Chu Zheng would actually produce such a perfectly intact weapon of ughter.


    In less than a day''s time, something unknown and momentous must have happened to Chu Zheng.


    He would have produced this Spiritual Treasure earlier if he could have, instead of waiting until this moment.


    Thinking of Fang Jiong who had asked for directions earlier, Ling Qi''s breathing hitched, his eyes full of disbelief, "You killed Fang Jiong..."


    "No."


    Chu Zheng shook his head in denial, his expression indifferent,


    "You killed him. I am the sessor that Fang Jiong found just before his death. When I reach the Taixuan Holy Land, I will report the truth and demand an exnation from the Tai Xu Holy Land."


    Now that he has caught up with Ling Qi, Chu Zheng''s n for whates next is gradually bing clearer.


    Song Lingxue''s and his current situation was quite troublesome, for it was actually Chu Zheng whom the Holy Lands were seeking, and yet now it had be Song Lingxue.


    If he cannot escape it, then he might as well face it head-on; proactively approach Taixuan¡ªSong Lingxue wouldn''t be in mortal danger, and he could also seek protection from the Holy Land.


    He possessed Fang Jiong''s legacy¡ªall his belongings and, having absorbed the Heavenly Star me, he was indeed the true sessor; the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture now had a source.


    As long as he killed Ling Qi, there would be no evidence to the contrary, and he could deceive everyone.


    No one would believe that a cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm had the power to kill a peak expert of Divine Infant Seven Transformations.


    "Little... fellow Daoist."


    Ling Qi felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and began to exin, "I mean no harm. I havee to take this youngdy back on the orders of the Immortal Alliance, and I won''t hurt her..."


    "What has that to do with me?"


    Chu Zheng shook his head, cutting off his words.


    Sensing the killing intent rising from Chu Zheng, a sliver of fierceness shed in Ling Qi''s eyes as he pointed at Song Lingxue beside him,


    "If you insist on this, I will kill her first."


    "Then go ahead."


    Chu Zheng''s gaze was cold, his expression unflustered, "If you return, the Taixuan Holy Land won''t spare me. I havee here just to kill you; everything else is insignificant."


    Seeing the cold look on his face, Ling Qi''s heart grew cold; he could not tell whether Chu Zheng was telling the truth or not and found himself in a dilemma.


    "If you can''t bring yourself to do it, then I will help you."


    Chu Zheng whispered, and arge spear appeared in the palm of his hand.


    The next instant, the spear shot out like an arrow from a bow, directly aiming at Song Lingxue without the slightest pause, piercing through her Dantian and abdomen.


    The colossal strength carried by the spear lifted her entire body, throwing her onto the back of the Silver Leopard. She fell like a broken-winged hawk to the ground, her fate unknown.


    "You!"


    Seeing this, Ling Qi''s heart turned ice cold. With the Dantian shattered, such a grave injury would leave her with only days to live, even if she were desperately saved.


    His expression drastically changed, he cast aside all hope and fled. The Silver Leopard beneath him burst forth with blinding divine light, transforming into a Divine Bird that swiftly took flight, spanning thousands of miles in an instant.


    The Lihuo Spear was even faster.


    In an instant, heavenly fire scorched the emptiness; the whole void was smelted. Ling Qi did not even have the chance to struggle and, along with the Divine Infant beneath him, was evaporated in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace.


    Chu Zheng did not linger, racing straight towards Song Lingxue.


    On an empty hill, Song Lingxuey among the broken stones, already unconscious.


    [Song Lingxue (First Order): Dantian shattered, Aura dispersed, a great deal of Qi and blood lost, severely injured (repairable).]


    Chu Zheng slowly exhaled, his expression gradually softening.

 Chapter 91: Chapter 79: The Holy Land Trembles

    For ordinary people, injuries that are nearly irreparable to them are barely troublesome for Chu Zheng.


    He measured his response with precision, and being a martial cultivator with vigorous blood and Qi, getting stabbed by a spear wouldn''t threaten his life.


    Chu Zheng lifted Song Lingxue in his arms, and under the healing panel, the chilling wound quickly healed.


    A few breathster, Song Lingxue slowly opened her eyes, subconsciously touching her lower abdomen, finding the wound had already healed, though the intense pain seemed to still linger in her perception.


    "It''s alright now."


    After saying this with a somewhat hoarse voice, Chu Zheng found himself at a loss for words.


    "I understand, there''s no need to exin," Song Lingxue said, slightly shaking her head with a trace of worry in her expression,


    "Now that someone has died in the Holy Land, they will certainly not let this go."


    Shepletely understood Chu Zheng''s actions just now; if Chu Zheng had shown too much concern for her, she wouldn''t have had a chance to survive.


    This time, to save her, Chu Zheng had taken a great risk.


    Looking at the current results, this was the smallest price to pay.


    However, the biggest trouble had yet to be resolved.


    On the Silver Leopard''s back, Ling Qi had told her many things, which nearlypletely tore apart and restructured her previous worldview.


    Not to mention the Immortal Alliance, the mere existence of the Holy Land was terrifying enough.


    In her former understanding, Hidden Immortal Sects like the Phantom Spirit Sect were already heaven-like, but now they seemed utterly insignificantpared to the Holy Land.


    Now that Chu Zheng had killed an Elder of the Holy Land, he was bound to face their vengeance.


    Thinking of this, Song Lingxue couldn''t help feeling a bit guilty, "It''s me who has dragged you down."


    In her view, the Holy Land''s great movements were all because someone cultivated a path different from the Immortal Path, which moved the Heavenly Dao.


    If it weren''t for her, Chu Zheng wouldn''t have fallen into such a situation, and wouldn''t have to be an enemy of the Holy Land.


    "This is not your fault; it originates from me," Chu Zheng knew that Song Lingxue had taken a cmity for him, and he was crystal clear about this.


    It was simply a matter of coincidental timing that confused these people from the Holy Land.


    In other words, if not for Song Lingxue, Chu Zheng would have not escaped death. The Holy Land''s methods are diverse, and they might have ways to detect the presence of a Qi Cultivator.


    Once discovered, Chu Zheng''s only fate would be a dead end.


    After all, the decree of the Immortal Alliance only spared the lives of those in the Martial Path.


    "What should we do next?" Song Lingxue''s greatest worry now was Chu Zheng''s situation.


    Being targeted by the Holy Land, one might evade them temporarily, but not forever.


    "Return to the Capital of the Great Zhou and get married," Chu Zheng said offhandedly.


    "Get... married?"


    Song Lingxue was momentarily stunned, then couldn''t help feeling anxious. Now was not the time to consider such matters.


    "Right now we''re in an union without formal ties."


    Chu Zheng said seriously, "Only after paying respects to Heaven and Earth, burning a letter to inform the Ancestral Dao, can we truly be husband and wife."


    He practiced Taoist Qi Refining, and ording to propriety, he at least had to inform the Ancestral Dao.


    But, did the Ancestral Dao truly exist in this world?


    Chu Zheng''s expression changed, suppressing the sphemous thoughts deep within his heart.


    "Now is not the time to worry about these things..."


    Seeing that Chu Zheng remained calm andposed, Song Lingxue grew more anxious. She had never ced much importance on so-called propriety.


    "Don''t be anxious."


    Chu Zheng said soothingly, "Once my cultivation progresses further, I will take you to the Taixuan Holy Land."


    For the road ahead, Chu Zheng already had a rough n in mind.


    ```


    The pursuit from the Holy Land was unavoidable; the only choice was to meet it head-on.


    Only by relying on the sanctuary of the Holy Land could they buy enough time.


    With nine years until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, at least during this period, Song Lingxue would be safe, and Chu Zheng could catch his breath.


    However, approaching the Holy Land was no small matter and could not be taken lightly. He needed to make thorough preparations.


    At this thought, Chu Zheng turned his head towards the Lihuo Spear and said with unnerving boldness, "I am in your debt."


    At their own pace, it would probably take until next year for the two of them to return.


    The Lihuo Spear did not say much. It expelled a wisp of Spiritual Fire, enveloping them, and once again employed the Art of Fiery Escape, rushing towards the Capital of the Great Zhou.


    Wrapped in mes, Chu Zheng calmed his mind and went over the cause and effect of the situation, sighing softly to himself.


    It was still a bit too careless...


    He began to reflect that since the sudden attack by Ji Feng in the ancient battlefield at the mine, the world had been warning him.


    The encounter with the Night Light Pavilion members at the Tianhe Sect was the same; there are no coincidences in the world, and where there is anomaly, there is evil lurking.


    Haunted by cmity, Chu Zheng had been too restrained all along, with Fu Quanliang always covering for him at the forefront.


    All his cmities were essentially Fu Quanliang bearing the tribtion in his stead.


    Especially in this world of the Immortal Path, the Heavenly Dao''s sensitivity towards him would grow sharper, and this sort of cheating method was the ultimate cause of the great cmity.


    The sudden emergence of Ling Qi was to make evasion impossible, Heaven and Earth were forcibly pushing him to face the tribtion.


    He had not had a strong understanding of the intangible cause and effect before, but after Ling Qi''s cmity, he had gained some insight.


    If the cause and effect were too burdensome, they would evolve into a tribtion.


    Just like now, if he were to take on disciples, and should they provoke trouble during their travels, the consequences would inevitably fall on him.


    After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the two once again arrived at the Capital of the Great Zhou.


    The Lihuo Spear, unwilling to return to that Small World, chose to enter the Ethereal Ring.


    The Ethereal Ring was starkly different from that Small World.


    Whenever it wanted, it could shatter space toe out.


    ......


    ......


    The Southern Region was vast, capable of being divided into thousands of domains and nations, with numerous Immortal Sects standing tall.


    There were five Holy Lands, but they divided the world into four parts. The Taixuan Holy Land had closed its sect gate for a long time and, as time passed, gradually faded from the eyes of the world.


    Located at the far south of the Southern Region, the Taixuan Holy Land was nestled among continuous volcanoes, eternally unbearable in its heat, sparsely popted, seldom with mortal kingdoms.


    This moment, at the center of the Holy Land, within a Crimson Crystal Grand Hall.


    Dozens of figures stood, and at the center of the table that wasid a crimson zemp.


    Soul Lamp.


    Only those who stepped into the Soul Condensing Realm could leave this trace of sensing, within which housed a cultivator''s soul division, indicating the cultivator''s fortune and life or death.


    This Soul Lamp used to belong to Fang Jiong, but at this moment, it had already been extinguished.


    "This is too much... too much!"


    "After tens of thousands of years, these bastards still refuse to let go of my Taixuan Sect?!"


    The many elders were engulfed in rage.


    They knew nothing of the outside world, only that after tens of thousands of years, it was the first time a Taixuan elder left the Holy Land under themand of the Immortal Alliance.


    And yet, not even a month after leaving, he died inexplicably.


    In this vast Southern Region, only Tongxuan possessed the power to kill a Divine Infant Seven Transformations expert.


    A Divine Infant Seven Transformations expert was in thete stage of Divine Transformation and even when facing a Nine Transformations expert, he would have the power to escape.


    Apart from the major Holy Lands, no one else would possess this strength.


    "From today, my Taixuan Sect shall reopen its gates!"


    ```

 Chapter 92: Chapter 80: Refining Heavenly Fire, Shattering Bones [4k]

    The one who spoke of reopening the sect gates was none other than the Holy Master of the Taixuan Holy Land, Geng Yiyang.


    A Supreme Being who had stepped into the Tongxuan Secret Realm ten thousand years ago was now just one step away from the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    He appeared ancient, with hoary-hair, a hunched back, and skin that had lost its luster, dry as dead wood, covered with the scars left by the years.


    Even True Immortals have a lifespan limit, let alone Pseudo-Immortals. Geng Yiyang''s Life Origin was nearly exhausted.


    Upon his deration, the grand hall fell into silence.


    The death of Fang Jiong, naturally, angered many of the elders.


    But reopening the sect was not an easy task. The structure of the four dominating powers in the Southern Region had already been established; Taixuan''s move to reopen the sect gate was akin to demanding a share of the spoils.


    The initial decision to close the sect came from thebined suppression by the other Holy Lands. Now, ten thousand yearster, within the Holy Lands, the younger generations had no pirs of support, leaving only a bunch of old-timers gasping for air.


    If not for the lingering protection of their ancestors, the legacy of the Divine Fire, and the miraculous Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, the Taixuan Holy Land would have fallen long ago.


    Those Holy Lands, after ten thousand years of growth, had already solidified their foundations. At this moment, any attempt to intervene would be toote.


    "Reopening the sect is not a matter of impulse. My lifespan is nearing its end, and I need to find someone to pass on the ''me Aura Dragon me''."


    Geng Yiyang swept his gaze over many elders and spoke slowly:


    "This mission from the Immortal Alliance is an opportunity. If we can use this man to exchange for two Superior Immortal Bones from the Martial Hall and find a Fire Spirit Body, Taixuan''s revival is hopeful."


    "We rely entirely on the Holy Master''s judgment."


    The elders in the hall all bowed in agreement. As the oldest existence in the Taixuan Holy Land, no one dared to oppose Geng Yiyang''s opinions.


    Moreover, Taixuan Holy Land''s current situation indeed was perilously critical,cking sessors.


    "In any case, we need to first ascertain the cause of Fang Jiong''s death. We cannot let the death of an elder who underwent the Divine Infant Seven Transformations pass without any exnation."


    "If it is the doing of the other Holy Lands, we must pursue this matter to the end!"


    "Please, Holy Master, issue the order. I am willing to go to the location of Fang Jiong''s demise and investigate thoroughly!"


    Various elders spoke one after another, eager to take action, using Fang Jiong''s death as an excuse to emerge from the sect gates.


    "There''s no need."


    Geng Yiyang shook his head, his slightly murky eyes igniting with fire: "This time... I will go myself."


    Whoever killed Fang Jiong must belong to the Tongxuan Secret Realm. Facing a Pseudo-Immortal, sending more cultivators from below the Tongxuan Realm would be futile, like adding fuel to the fire, useless in essence.


    ...


    ...


    As Taixuan Holy Land was shaken by the death of Fang Jiong, Tai Xu Holy Land was also stirred into a huge uproar.


    Even for such an ancient Holy Land, losing a peak powerhouse who had achieved the Divine Infant Seven Transformations was somewhat unbearable.


    Most Saint Heirs would not necessarily be able to grow to this stage without incident.


    Furthermore, Ling Qi was quite young and was seen as a future hope to aspire to the Tongxuan Realm; now, he died inexplicably.


    A Pseudo-Immortal from Tai Xu Holy Land took action, deducing the Heavenly Dao, wishing to find the cause of Ling Qi''s death.


    After several days of effort, the only oue derived was a vast expanse of zing fire, with no trace of any other living beings'' aura.


    Before Tai Xu Holy Land could respond, another decree from the Immortal Alliance arrived, urging the grand Holy Lands of the Southern Region to expedite their search for the man.


    In just a few days, the deviation of the Heavenly Dao Laws had increased, nearly doubling.


    In today''s Cangyun Realm, the efficiency of cultivating the Immortal Path had already dropped to less than ny percent of its original levels.


    This ten percent decrease in efficiency affected tens of thousands of Immortal Path cultivators.


    Under the original cultivating efficiency, a cultivator with Lower Quality Immortal Bone could painstakingly cultivate for a lifetime and might, at the end of their life, have a chance at Soul Condensing, thus extending their lifespan.


    But now, this opportunity had be even more elusive.


    Under immense pressure, Tai Xu Holy Land soon took action, reinforcing their team by sending out a Pseudo-Immortal and two elders who had undergone the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant, rushing to thest region Ling Qi had visited.


    As Tai Xu Holy Land sprang into action, news of Ling Qi''s death leaked out, causing great turmoil within Phantom Spirit Sect and Night Light Pavilion.


    As the envoy monitoring intersct wars, the impact of Ling Qi''s death was undoubtedly massive.


    The stance of Night Light Pavilion reversed, showing no intention to cede the previously agreed upon five countries. Even within the sect, Divine Infant Cultivators began to stir, gradually bing active, testing the attitude of Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Now that Ling Qi, holding the Battle Pact, was dead, the power of the previous alliance agreements naturally weakened considerably. Night Light Pavilion already harbored the ambition to strike with the force of a thunderstorm, marshaling the full power of the sect to utterly annihte Phantom Spirit Sect.


    As for the turmoil between the two sects, Tai Xu Holy Land did not interfere at all. Compared to the troubles concerning the cultivators of an entire realm, disputes between two minor sects were insignificant, barely worthy of attention.


    ...


    ...


    Phantom Spirit Sect Outer Sect.


    In a corner, several Outer Sect Disciples gathered, whispering among themselves.


    The news of the demise of Tai Xu Holy Land''s envoy spread quickly; within just a few days, it was known to everyone within Phantom Spirit Sect.


    Wei Changqing put down the Spirit Grass he was holding, squatted to one side and listened, recalling the person he had met when he first entered the sect. He was momentarily lost in thought.


    "That person... is dead..."


    Recalling Ling Qi''s appearance, Wei Changqing''s eyes inexplicably reddened, tears streaming down uncontrobly, as if harboring a belly full of grievances, yet without a way to voice them.


    Outer Sect Disciples were already tasked with many menial chores. Coming from a background with no backing, he inevitably faced oppression and lived a difficult life.


    Previously, Senior Brother Fu had looked after him, but for some reason, during these recent days, even Senior Brother Fu, who had been very close, started distancing himself from him. He had no idea what he had done wrong.

 Chapter 93: Chapter 80: Refining Heavenly Fire, Shattering Bones [4k]_2

    After a while, the tear stains on his face slowly dried, and Wei Changqing rubbed his eyes. The inexplicable heartache gradually dissipated. He got up expressionlessly and continued to sort through the Spirit Grass.


    A momentter, a figure slowly stopped in front of him.


    Wei Changqing instinctively looked up and saw a young man with bright red lips and white teeth.


    "You..." Wei Changqing was startled. He had only seen this young man once when he joined the sect and was unclear about the identity of the person before him.


    "Follow me," Feng Qiyuan said slowly.


    Wei Changqing instinctively looked down at the piles of Spirit Grass in front of him.


    Feng Qiyuan stepped forward, took his hand, and, using the Void Object Control technique, rose into the air.


    A voice came through the wind:


    "No need to continue. From now on, you will cultivate with me, call me master."


    ...


    ...


    Great Zhou Dynasty, the border.


    On the wide imperial road, a carriage sped forward, pulled by two extraordinary steeds, their bodies bright red and muscr, nearly a zhang tall at the shoulders.


    The driver was a young man around sixteen or seventeen, his face clean and filled with a schrly air.


    Inside the carriage, Chu Zheng sat with closed eyes, concentrating as he slowly absorbed the Yuan Qi from the heavens and earth to increase his cultivation.


    Song Lingxue sat beside him, asionally ncing at Chu Zheng, her expression somewhat dreamy.


    Even now, she felt as if she were in a dream, hardly believing that she was already married.


    Although the wedding was very simple, with hardly any guests present, only her father and a few others including Li Mingzhou, she and Chu Zheng had indeed bowed to heaven and earth and be husband and wife, legitimate and justified.


    These past few days, Chu Zheng had done a lot. After returning to the Capital of the Great Zhou, he first rescued Li Mingzhou and hispanions.


    As for what happened on that day, Li Mingzhou and the others didn''t know and didn''t ask further.


    For safety''s sake, Chu Zheng directly sent Song Tonghai and these Great Grandmasters into a Small World he carried with him.


    The pursuit of martial cultivators by various Holy Lands was still ongoing. For Li Mingzhou and the other Great Grandmasters, staying in the Great Zhou posed too great a risk and could leave traces, far less secure than keeping them by his side.


    What surprised Chu Zheng the most was that on his wedding day, after offering a ritual to the Ancestral Dao, he received a faint response from the void.


    Although the response was very weak, as a Qi Cultivator, Chu Zheng still sensed it.


    The content of the response was indistinct and unclear, but at least it proved that there was indeed an Ancestral Dao above this stretch of stars.


    As a Qi Cultivator, he was not alone. This realization oddlyforted Chu Zheng; he was not walking an isted path.


    There were others ahead, proving that this path was viable.


    After getting through the recent great disaster, Chu Zheng distinctly noticed some changes.


    The affinity of the Yuan Qi between heaven and earth had clearly increasedpared to before. In other words, the speed of his Qi refinement had increased.


    It had nearly doubled.


    This indicated that this part of the world''s acknowledgment of him was gradually increasing.


    Simr to the different grades of Immortal Bone among cultivators of the Immortal Path, among Qi Cultivators, there are also those naturally extraordinary, favored by the world, with exceptional understanding. In one year they reach the Jade Bone, in three the Dao Embryo, in ten the Golden Core, and in a hundred, they refine their spirit.


    Such individuals are destined for greatness from birth, unfamiliar with what a cultivation bottleneck is, perhaps due to significant karma from a previous life leading to brilliance in this one.


    Unlike Immortal Path cultivators, Qi Cultivators do not require a specific environment to cultivate; they can practice under any conditions, it''s just a matter of efficiency.


    No matter how harsh the environment, the worst oue is dying of old age on the path of cultivation.


    For Immortal Path cultivators, however, if the concentration of Spiritual Energy is too low, not only can they not cultivate, but their cultivation might even regress, eventually losing all their mana.


    Now that the world''s recognition of Chu Zheng had increased, he possessed a cultivation speed in the mundane world not inferior to that within a Cave Heaven Blessed Land.


    Add to this the Superior Quality Spirit Stones, and within a short time, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had already improved greatly, stepping into thete stage of Spirit Transformation, just one step away from the Jade Bone Realm.


    It had been less than a year since Chu Zheng had started on the path of cultivation, and his achievements were already modestly noteworthy.


    However, the sense of urgency in his heart had not rxed in the slightest.


    Now that people had died in both holynds, the next people toe would only be more terrifying than Ling Qi and Fang Jiong, even possibly, a mighty one from the Tongxuan Secret Realm himself.


    Facing such existence, even the Lihuo Spear would be suppressed on the spot, unable to stir up the slightest storm.


    He needed to strike first before the storm arrived, making all necessary preparations for ascending Taixuan.


    Among these, the most critical task was to quickly digest the inheritance left by Fang Jiong.


    For safety, Chu Zheng checked everything of Fang Jiong''s in the Small World to prevent any leaking of aura.


    From Fang Jiong''sst words, those methods of the holynds could not divine objects inside a Small World.


    The reason the holynds had never found Ye Yulou''s remains over so many years was precisely because of this.


    In these times, through Fang Jiong''s relics, Chu Zheng had grown increasingly more familiar with Taixuan Holy Land.


    Due to the prevalence of Divine Fire, Taixuan Holy Land was abundant with Alchemists and Casting Masters; the strongest Alchemist of the entire Southern Region used to be from Taixuan Holy Land.


    Taixuan Holy Land was also one of the only two lineages currently capable of refining Immortal Pills.


    Learning this, Chu Zheng''s intention to enter Taixuan became even more resolute, setting aside some unavoidable risks, Taixuan Holy Land was almost a perfect ce to settle.


    "Husband... where do we go now?"


    Song Lingxue was still somewhat ufortable with this somewhat foreign title,


    Changing habits was not so easy, and another reason was somewhat rted to Chu Zheng''s current appearance.


    As a cultivator in the Spirit Transformation Realm, he had a lifespan of 360 years. Now that his cultivation had advanced, Chu Zheng''s appearance had once more undergone rejuvenation.


    Compared to before, even if Chu Zheng''s frame was taller and his skeleton well-proportioned, he now looked to be only around fourteen or fifteen years old, which made Song Lingxue somewhat ufortable.


    Rather than a couple, the two of them now looked more like siblings.


    Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, his pupils showing a maturity entirely unlike his appearance:


    "First, let''s go to Giant Marsh, find Ling Qing, report safety, have a family reunion, avoid this storm, then go to Taixuan."


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, night fell.


    The carriage slowly stopped, and Chu Zheng opened a world passage, leading Song Lingxue and Bai Nian into the Small World slowly by foot.


    Currently, they were unclear about the outside situation. Though this way of travelling was slow, it was safe and unlikely to draw the attention of other cultivators.


    Chu Zheng walked alone into a wilderness and summoned the relics left by Fang Jiong.


    [Heavenly Star me (Fifth Order): Derived from the fire of a meteor moving between the stars in space, refined into a seed, quite rare.]


    Looking at the flickering Fire Seed in front of him, Chu Zheng took a deep breath, sat down cross-legged, and swallowed the Fire Seed in one gulp.


    ording to the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, if he could refine this Fifth Order Fire Seed, his speed of cultivation on the Immortal Path would beparable to that of a high-quality Immortal Bone.


    While assimting the Divine Fire, Chu Zheng concentrated his thoughts on the back of his head and slowly crushed a piece of bone.


    Having seen Ling Qing''s fragmented Immortal Bone, he could easily imitate it. Although it was quite ufortable to have several broken bones at the back of his head, this disguise was indispensable.


    The absorption of the Divine Fire went smoothly. In less than half a day, Chu Zheng''s aura had changed.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Late Spirit Transformation Realm, Immortal Path: Late Spirit Spring Realm]


    [Cultivation Technique: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Iplete)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Object Control (First Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)¡­]


    [Repair Master: Second Order (565/1000)]


    [Remaining Repair Attempts Today: 5]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon Tiger Body - Middle Volume (0/500), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/10000), Five Elements Shaping Pill (245/500)]

 Chapter 94: Chapter 81: Qionglou

    After refining the Heavenly Heart me, Chu Zheng''s cultivation in the Immortal Path had advanced further, entering thete stages of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    Even for those with high-quality Immortal Bones, reaching this stage would normally require at least a few years of devoted cultivation.


    For someone like Fu Quanliang with lower-quality Immortal Bones, if there were no elixirs to consume and one were to follow the orthodox path of cultivation, reaching this stage would take at least a century.


    In just less than a few months, having refined Divine Fire twice in session, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had seen astonishing progress.


    Such rapid advancement actually came with significant risks.


    Refining Divine Fire was an extremely dangerous task, but under the repaired panel, these risks were forcibly smoothed over.


    Just in the process of refining the Heavenly Heart me alone, Chu Zheng''s body was dried out hundreds of times, nearly exhausted of its oil and burnt to the wick.


    Conventional cultivators, excluding those born with a Fire Spirit Body, even with monstrous talent and without numerous prepared methods along with cold-rted spiritual materials to bnce the power of the Divine Fire, would not have survived.


    After settling the energy within his body, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, his pupils shing with divine light.


    The growth in his cultivation of the Immortal Path had invisibly strengthened his spirit soul considerably, nearing the evolution of a Divine Sense.


    The bones at the back of his head that had previously been crushed were already regrownpletely through multiple repairs.


    Having no choice, Chu Zheng had to experience the pain of shattered bones again; next time when repairing, he would need to be more careful, allowing the remnant bone at the back of his head to gradually be an old wound, so that he could be convincing at a critical moment.


    Apart from external injuries concerning the divine soul, Chu Zheng also had to create ayer of disguise. With his current ability, he could not alter his own memories, but he had ways to circuNovelFireent.


    However, this required him to enter the Jade Bone Realm before he could start attempting it.


    Entering the Jade Bone Realm would truly open the doors to bing a Qi Cultivator, enabling him to try practicing some peculiariar divine skills.


    For example, draping ayer of falsehood over his own divine soul to deceive others.


    Even if it only blocked one probing attempt, it would be enough.


    After adapting to the surging mana within his body, Chu Zheng stood up and went to where the Great Grandmasters were.


    They were situated extremely far from where Ye Yulou''s remains were; in a Small World without seasons or weather changes, simply setting up a few wooden huts and straw shelters was enough to live in.


    Now, most of their energy was spent on cultivation.


    In the mundane world, most of those who could reach the realm of Great Grandmaster were devoted to the Martial Path, now seeing that there were further prospects in martial arts, naturally they did not dare to ck off, hoping to reach Qi Condensing Aura Completion as soon as possible.


    Song Lingxue was the same, having recently been pondering over the Xuan Tian Seal Third Form that Chu Zheng had taught her.


    This was aplete Martial Dao Divine Ability. After she received the partial route map to perform the techniques within, she had an epiphany.


    Her talent in martial arts was indeed chillingly impressive, rare in the world, and with a push from Chu Zheng, she was walking at the forefront of the world''s martial path.


    Compared to her talents, Bai Nian seemed quite ordinary on the Martial Path; even with the support of elixirs, he was still a considerable distance away from Qi Condensing Great Completion.


    His interests were very simr to Chu Zheng''s, with a great liking for reading. Unfortunately, no matter how much one read in this current world, the applications were quite limited.


    As he thought back to his initial arrival in this realm, Chu Zheng could not help but sigh; he thought of Song Yun.


    Preparing for the future, soon after settling in the Imperial Capital, Song Tonghai had already sent Song Yun ahead to explore Giant Marsh and he might still be on his way there.


    Chu Zheng wondered if there would still be a chance to encounter him.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng, without alerting anyone, walked out of the Small World and began traveling alone.


    Once outside the Great Zhou, it was apletely different territory, less popted, making actions more convenient.


    The only thing to be wary of was his own safety; if Chu Zheng perished outside, the people inside the Small World would hardly have a chance to survive.


    Even if the Condensing Space Bracelet remained undiscovered, these people would still inevitably follow in Ye Yulou''s footsteps, trapped in this realm until their lifespans exhausted.


    ...


    ...


    Capital of the Great Zhou.


    Three figures stood together in the clouds.


    The person in the center wore a white robe, under thirty years old, with handsome features, a rosyplexion, temples cut sharp as a de, and his feet enshrouded by ayer of auspicious clouds, reflecting the light of seven-colored ze, embodying an ethereal aura beyond the mundane.


    Tai Xu Holy Land, in the eyes of the people, had only one apparent Pseudo-Immortal, Zhou Zili, known as ''Immortal Master Zili,'' renowned throughout the Southern Region.


    The other two figures, one of medium build wearing ck clothes, over forty years with traces of hardship on his face, had a broad back and a square face.


    The other, with ck hair cascading down their back, casually spread behind, had a beautiful appearance that defied gender, eyes soft and clear like water.


    Both of them were also long famous, each only a step away from reaching the Tongxuan Secret Realm, apex powerhouses.


    "Ling Qi had unfolded the Divine Infant here, leaving traces of its aura," said Zhou Zili as he extracted a strand of silver light from the void. The silver light twisted and changed in his palm, forming a slightly ethereal Silver Leopard.


    Observing the Divine Infant in his palm, Zhou Zili couldn''t help but reveal a trace of confusion, "There are no traces of others here. He did not stay long, lingered for just a moment, then left straight for the Holy Land, only to be in midway."


    "Ling Qi was tasked to search for that Heretic Cultivator and rushed back to the Holy Land in such haste. It must be that he had found something significant," mused the man in ck robes.


    "Senior Brother Wen speaks correctly, it''s even possible that Ling Qi had captured the Heretic Cultivator and was about to report back to the Holy Land when he was ambushed and killed en route."

 Chapter 95: Chapter 81: Qionglou_2

    Another person nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "After all, these are two Superior Immortal Bone positions, it is not surprising that someone secretly made a move."


    "Wen Lijun, Feng Zhou, the two of you enter the Imperial Pce to inquire and see if the emperor knows some clues," they said.


    Zhou Zili spoke softly and then reminded them:


    "Act with utmost prudence. As a Court Immortal, his identity is different from before, now being part of the Immortal Alliance, his lineage deserves some respect."


    "Understood."


    The two bowed, turned around in one step, and entered the grand interior of the Imperial Pce.


    Inside the Golden Throne Hall, all the officials were present, and the sudden appearance of two figures nearly startled the flood dragon on the Coiled Dragon Pir, causing a noisy uproar.


    On the Dragon Throne, the Son of Heaven stood up abruptly with a calm expression and waved his hand:


    "Dismiss the court."


    The Secret Guard, d in battle armor of four colors, strode into the hall to clear the area.


    In a blink of an eye, the Golden Throne Hall was empty.


    The Son of Heaven slowly walked down the jade stairs, bowed, and said, "Zhao Yunan, a descendent of the Zhao Family, greets the two Superior Immortals."


    "Worthy of being a descendent of a Court Immortal, indeed possessing a certain bearing, unlike ordinary people," they remarked.


    Wen Lijun faintly praised him and then got straight to the point, "We two havee from the Tai Xu Holy Land. A wonderous phenomenon urred in your Imperial Capital the other day, how much do you know about it? Speak the truth."


    "Indeed, a major event happened the other day, but Yunan knows very little, only that after the event, my Vermilion Bird Secret Guard Governor vanished without a trace, and the leader is also missing," he exined.


    Regarding the event that urred prior, Zhao Yunan was also full of confusion.


    Seeing this, Wen Lijun and the other slightly furrowed their brows, asked a few more questions, and then turned to leave.


    The two jointly arrived at the former site of the Vermilion Bird Town Garrison Command. In the days that passed, the street was mostly cleaned up, only this area was sealed off by the Imperial Court and had remained untouched.


    After observing for a moment, both exerted their power together, drawing lumps of dried blood out of the dust to start inferring one by one.


    Soon, the inference waspleted, and disappointment covered their faces:


    "We can''t infer it."


    "Perhaps the person is already dead."


    With their divine skills, as long as they were still in this world, they would have some sensation; now feeling nothing, there was only one possibility: no trace of the body remained.


    Having no choice, the two had to return to Zhou Zili''s side.


    Seeing the look on their faces, Zhou Zili already understood and sighed lightly:


    "Let it be, I will ask heaven. Fortunately, nowadays the Court Immortal presides over the Heavenly Dao. Reminiscing about our past as fellow sect members, he might give some leeway."


    Before he finished speaking, he raised his finger, slicing open his palm, and in a blink of an eye, blood gushed out like a fountain, gradually forming a vague human figure.


    The next instant, the figure seemed to ignite into fierce mes, emitting rolling red smoke that covered the skies for thousands of miles.


    The world turned blood red as if plunging into purgatory. Wen Lijun and Feng Zhou showed shock in their expressions; this scene, even they had never seen before.


    Burning blood as a sacrifice to heaven, to seek a response, this was a divine skill unique to Pseudo-Immortals.


    Not all beings are privileged to make sacrifices to heaven.


    A few momentster, the blood color in the sky slowly dispersed, and a dark cloud appeared in the sky, with lightning flickering and the roaring of thunder shaking the void, heard across a hundred countries.


    Zhou Zili staggered, his face pale as snow, and the thunderclouds above his head began to slowly disperse.


    The two beside him dared not ask, only waiting for Zhou Zili to regain his breath.


    "It''s unclear..."


    Regaining his senses, Zhou Zili''s eyes filled with surprise. Blocking the world''s response to Heavenly Dao, even Demi Immortals of the Immortal Tribtion Realm did not possess such means, even True Immortals found it difficult.


    The person who killed Ling Qi had some wondrous treasure that shielded against heavenly secrets, or perhaps an external force had interfered.


    Zhou Zili slowly furrowed his brow, the matter was bing moreplicated.


    The one who acted was not from the Holy Lands of the Southern Region, but another party, possibly even rted to forces beyond our realm.


    This shift in the Heavenly Dao Laws might be a sign of something.


    "Heavenly Dao''s guidance is only a vague direction. The two of you follow this path slowly and conduct your search. I must return to the Holy Land for now," he instructed.


    Raising his hand to point them in a direction, Zhou Zili did not linger, stepping into the void, and in an instant, he disappeared without a trace.


    This matter is of great importance; no matter what, they had to first report it to the Immortal Alliance.


    ...


    ...


    Before he knew it, a month had passed.


    By noon, the sky had cleared. Above the river waves, the vast smoky clouds followed behind arge ship trailed by over twenty smaller boats, sailing downstream, gs fluttering on them all.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on a boulder on the shore. He didn''t call out to the fleet but rather pulled out his tablet and exhausted the number of repairs for today.


    [Five Elements Shaping Pill (Fourth Order): Harnesses the Qi of the Five Elements, fortified with the materials of White Tiger ws, Azure Dragon Scales, ck Tortoise Armor, Vermilion Bird Feathers, and Qilin Blood from the Five Sacred Elements, simmered for three years into a pill that can shape the Five Elements Primordial Body. Due to the ages passed, the medicinal power has nearly depleted.


    Repairs (490/500)]


    A month had passed, and the repair of the Five Elements Shaping Pill neared its end, just two days away frompletion.


    Once he swallowed this pill, he would be one step closer to the Jade Bone Realm.


    From Great Zhou to Giant Marsh, the distance spanned over three hundred thousand miles.


    After hurrying day and night for over a month, Chu Zheng finally stepped into the territory of Giant Marsh Country.


    This ce was known as ''Giant Marsh'' because the country contained manykes and seas, mostly inds, and travel between cities relied heavily on boats.


    As a result, the power of the Royal Family of Giant Marsh Country was extremely fragmented, virtually in name only. The national situation was quite chaotic, predominantly ruled by powerful familiespeting against one another.


    Due to the deep rivers and seas, water demons often caused trouble within the territory of Giant Marsh Country.


    Many small sects flourished here, andmoners needed cultivators stationed on their boats for safe passage across rivers, as safe crossings were rare. It was amon sight to see cultivators not yet entered in the Spiritual Spring of Nourishing Power mingling withmon people.


    Upon entering Giant Marsh, Chu Zheng began to gather information, but he did not inquire directly about Song Lingqing. Instead, he asked about the prominent Song families.


    The Song Family in Giant Marsh had a branch, or rather, this branch in Giant Marsh Country represented the direct lineage.


    In terms of seniority, Song Tonghai was the second son. Following the order of elder and younger, his elder brother Song Tongxuan was considered the rightful sessor of this branch of the Song family.


    Originally, Chu Zheng nned to leverage his identity as a cultivator to gather information through local influencers, including some smaller Immortal Sects.


    However, after a discreet inquiry, he quickly abandoned this n.


    Within Giant Marsh, the strongest power was Qionglou.


    Qionglou was a foreign power, with its main lineage not residing within Giant Marsh and located very far from here, harboring cultivators in theter stages of the Divine Infant Realm.


    Even though it was just a small branch, within the myriad of little sects in Giant Marsh, it stood out, robust in power.


    Upon hearing this name for the first time, Chu Zheng felt a touch of familiarity and, after a careful thought, he realized with a start.


    This name, he had heard it from Fu Quanliang''s mouth before.


    In the past few years, among the countries under Phantom Spirit Sect, one had discovered a lower quality Spirit Mine.


    Ultimately, Qionglou exchanged a high-quality Divine Weapon to take over that country, including the lower quality Spirit Mine itself.


    Now, it seemed the country Fu Quanliang spoke about that was exchanged might just be the current Giant Marsh Country.


    Considering this, Chu Zheng dismissed the idea of using the Immortal Sect to gather intelligence.


    Since Qionglou had dealings with Phantom Spirit Sect, any unintentional leak could alert Phantom Spirit Sect, which could invite trouble and be counterproductive. It was better to remain cautious.


    Chu Zheng slowly got up, about to call to the fleet nearby when a small boat slowly approached.


    The small boat wasn''trge and could only amodate two or three people, manned by a single old man paddling.


    The old man wore grey, his hair white as frost, his back hunched, his expression unclear, resembling a piece of decaying wood about to sink into the river.


    Chu Zheng was moved and leaped onto the small boat, smiling:


    "Old man, the river winds are fierce and the waves high. Can your small boat make it across?"


    The old man sighed softly, "It can cross, no wave too big to ovee..."


    Chu Zheng settled at the bow, swaying with the waves:


    "Old man, at your age, why must you stille out to ferry people?"


    Hearing this, the old man slowly lowered the oar in his hands and murmured softly:


    "Originally, I had a nephew who ran errands, but now, that nephew has inexplicably died. I must do it myself."


    "Oh? Was it an ident while out boating?"


    Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened slightly, "Old man, may I ask your family name?"


    "It is Geng, without honor."

 Chapter 96: Chapter 82: Old Stories from Years Ago [4k]

    The old man''s body swayed, seeming somewhat unsteady amid the turbulent waves.


    "Geng..."


    Chu Zheng instinctively scanned the surrounding river, where the waves surged fiercely, with the nearest Water Ind almost twenty miles away.


    A strong man, rowing a boat, would also expend much Qi Strength, not to mention the Water Demons and Evil Spirits lurking beneath. Those who ferried in such a ce could hardly be ordinary people.


    Sensing something was off, Chu Zheng quietly stood up and reached out to support the old man:


    "The current is swift, be careful, elder."


    [Geng Yiyang (Sixth Order): Holy Master of Taixuan Holy Land, at the peak of Tongxuan with Seventh Level Perfection of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, has used life-extending methods, life nearing depletion,bat power not even seventy percent of his peak (irreparable).]


    Even though Chu Zheng had braced himself mentally, he was still momentarily stunned after seeing the information on the panel.


    He had anticipated that the old man was no ordinary individual, but never had he imagined he would be extraordinary to this extent.


    A Supreme Being, just a step away from the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm!


    Most crucially, the Holy Master of the Taixuan Holy Land!


    Chu Zheng struggled to control his reaction and slowly withdrew his hand.


    "Young man, you are a good person."


    Geng Yiyang looked up at the sky, eyes slightly squinting, took out a straw hat from the stern to shade himself, picked up the oar again to continue rowing. His already murky eyes, hidden under the shade of the hat brim, became even more obscure, obscuring any discernible expression.


    Chu Zheng sat back at the bow, his mind more tumultuous than the rolling waves in front of him.


    Woosh woosh¡ª


    The waves crashed against the side of the boat, sshing several feet high, sparkling with a golden light under the sun, gradually wetting the hem of Chu Zheng''s trousers. The undeniable dampness crept upstream, caressing Chu Zheng''s spine.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts gradually stabilizing as he began to think.


    Geng Yiyang showing up here could hardly be a coincidence, most likely he had obtained some clue and deliberately waited here for him.


    Had something given him away, Fang Jiong? Or the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture? Or perhaps it was the Heavenly Star me?


    For a moment, Chu Zheng couldn''t be sure, but after pondering for a bit, he vaguely guessed it was probably due to thetter.


    From Geng Yiyang''s previous words, it was obvious he already knew about Fang Jiong''s death, which prompted this Holy Master to make a move.


    Cultivators of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture are quite sensitive to the aura of mes, and for someone at Geng Yiyang''s level, even more so.


    Geng Yiyang must have sensed the Heavenly Star me on him, which led him to appear and probe, though it was not known how long he had followed in secret or how much he had discerned.


    Thinking this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. Fortunately, since he left Great Zhou, he had been traveling alone, likely not exposing anything critical.


    The fact that Geng Yiyang hadn''t attacked him outright was the best news, indicating there might still be a turnaround.


    Chu Zheng nced again at the information provided by the panel, having an epiphany.


    The panel couldn''t extend life. Even though Geng Yiyang''s life was nearing its end, approaching the state of a burnt-outmp, it couldn''t restore him to his peak.


    Just like those bones dead for many years, some limitations existed.


    As Chu Zheng pondered, a somewhat deep whisper suddenly came from behind:


    "Young man, could you share a bit about yourself, just to entertain this old man?"


    Chu Zheng turned to look back. The elder was bending over the oar, working strenuously, with a thinyer of sweat on his forehead, his clothing dampened by the mist, clinging tightly to his frail, withered body.


    Chu Zheng turned away, no longer looking at Geng Yiyang: "What would you like to hear, elder?"


    "Just talk about what you''ve been up totely." Geng Yiyang called back loudly, pushing the oar more vigorously.


    Chu Zheng paused for a moment, lost in thought: "Along the way, numerous matters have entangled me, so I hardly know where to start."


    In the blink of an eye, the small boat reached the middle of the river, where the current became even more swift, wave after wave.


    The small boat''s progress slowed further, barely managing a few yards before being pushed back by the waves by some two or three yards, nearly stagnating.


    A boat crew not far off, upon spotting the two on the small boat, shouted:


    "There are Water Demons ahead, do not go any further!"


    "Come aboard, and we''ll get you across the river!"


    This was a kind warning, unwilling to see two lives simply lost.


    As the echo lingered, a massive shadow spanning several dozen yards suddenly appeared beneath the bobbing small boat in the waves, concealed within the river water, its shape unclear.


    At the same time, over a dozen shadows enclosed on the boat crew.


    "It''s a group of Water Demons!"


    On the main ship of the boat crew, seasoned sailors all turned pale, quickly turning back to look towards a figure seated cross-legged on a raised tform.


    Sitting on the tform was a middle-aged man in blue robes, holding a Compass, watching the frenzied spinning needle, a faint sheen of cold sweat emerging on his forehead.


    The approaching demonic aura was too astonishing, far beyond what his cultivation could withstand.


    This was far too abnormal. The cargo on the boat had neither Blood Food nor Spiritual Materials, and should not have attracted so many Water Demons.


    Sitting at the bow, Chu Zheng nced downward, dipping his hand into the water to soothe the increasingly agitated Qi around him and calm the readying Water Demons.


    He had done this many times at the Spirit Beast Garden, and now it was like second nature.


    Right now, his mind was upied with thoughts of how to preserve his life, having no capacity to engage in a fight with a powerful Sea Demon.


    Moreover, taking action would inevitably reveal more of his secrets, necessitating the spinning of many more lies to cover his tracks.

 Chapter 97: Chapter 82: Old Stories from Years Ago [4k]_2

    Aftermunicating for a while, Chu Zheng pulled out a Zeroth Order elixir and tossed it into the water as a toll.


    Woo¡ª¡ª


    A melodious low moan came from underwater, and suddenly a wave surged up, reaching a height of a hundred zhang. Soon after, the dark shadow below receded.


    The more than ten dark shadows that had been closing in on the fleet gradually dispersed as well, disappearing back into the water in the blink of an eye.


    The man in blue on the main ship seemed slightly stunned, he took a deep breath as if he had survived a great disaster, his hand holding thepass soaked with sweat.


    A hundred-zhang water column, at least at the Spirit Spring Realm Perfection, or even the Entry Dao Realm of Great Demons. Ordinary cultivators in the Entry Dao Realm might not even be a match for it underwater.


    Regaining hisposure, he unintentionally turned his head to nce at the small boat nearby, shook his head with a sigh, and thought that these two were incredibly lucky to have saved their lives in such a situation.


    Seeing this, Geng Yiyang stopped paddling, his gaze slightly condensed, and a hint of surprise shed through his eyes.


    "During this period of time, I''ve killed many people, most of whom were nameless."


    Before he could think it over, Chu Zheng had already begun speaking in a very calm tone:


    "Not long ago, I was still a mortal, sold as a ve in a residence, only knowing some superficial martial arts, life and death determined by others."


    "Fortunately, Iter found the legacy of a senior, obtained a scroll of cultivation Immortal Laws, inherited various treasures, and only then did I enter the path of cultivation, first witnessing the wonders of heaven and earth."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Geng Yiyang resumed paddling and asked softly:


    "Young man, where are you nning to go then?"


    "To visit the Sect where that senior had lived, it''s called ''Taixuan Holy Land,'' which must be an extraordinary ce."


    A hint of longing appeared in Chu Zheng''s eyes, his voice filled with anticipation.


    To avoid Geng Yiyang having the ability to discern the truth or falsehood of his words, everything Chu Zheng said was true.


    Sometimes, revealing part of the truth is the greatest Blinding Method.


    With such a vast gap in power, he was already out of options, now he could only give it his all.


    Silence followed behind him, not a sound was heard.


    After a long silence, Chu Zheng instinctively turned around, only to meet Geng Yiyang''s scrutinizing gaze.


    "Little one, you''re quite good at making up stories, I nearly got fooled by you."


    Suddenly, Geng Yiyang grinned, his teeth still neat, a cold white gleam under the sunlight, resembling the sharp teeth of a ferocious beast, causing one''s hair to stand on end.


    "I wasn''t quite sure before, but now it seems I underestimated you."


    The expression on Geng Yiyang''s face grew more animated, faintly tinged with murderous intent:


    "Killing my people from Taixuan Holy Land and then daring to seek refuge at Taixuan Holy Land, you''ve got guts indeed!"


    At his sharp cry, the entire river was instantly smoothed by a giant hand, devoid of any bumps, as stable as if on solid ground.


    The world fell deathly silent, the invisible breeze too, stalled, hovering mid-air.


    Chu Zheng quickly stood up, his gaze fixed on Geng Yiyang.


    Under the terrifying pressure, his heartbeat unavoidably became chaotic, struggling to breathe.


    Facing a Pseudo-Immortal was far more hair-raising than facing Ling Qi in the Capital of Great Zhou, under Geng Yiyang''s gaze, he felt as if he were about to be crushed.


    Quickly revisiting his own words and actions to confirm nothing was amiss, Chu Zheng steadied his spirit and still tried to struggle:


    "What do you mean by that?"


    Perhaps this old man was bluffing him, a misstep now meant death, he decided to be defiant.


    "Why do you think I was waiting here for you?"


    With a low murmur, Geng Yiyang''s expression was indifferent: "You''ve just started on the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, naturally, you wouldn''t know that Divine Fires can speak... "


    "What means did you use to kill Fang Jiong? Using the Spirit Spring God-ying Transformation, you must have relied on a Spiritual Treasure, it must have been mainly for killing, bring it out and let me see!"


    Instantly, Geng Yiyang seemed like a changed person, fiery and increasingly casual in his speech, his tone rising as if intentionally provoking:


    "Just like how you killed Fang Jiong, try to y me! Come!"


    Under the increasingly suffocating pressure, Chu Zheng''s thoughts gradually began to lose their calm.


    Upon hearing Geng Yiyang''s words, his heart sank. Any scant hope he had harbored waspletely shattered. His understanding of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture was, after all, rather superficial¡ªat least he could not yet hear the Divine Fire speak.


    If the Lihuo Spear could develop a spirit, there was no reason the Divine Fire couldn''t, especially a Fifth Order Divine Fire.


    It was no surprise that Geng Yiyang had some undisclosed methods tomunicate with the Fire Seed within him.


    These ancient beings, who had lived for countless years, could not be easily deceived with just a few words. Geng Yiyang had likely gleaned most of the truth and was only testing him.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, ceased his struggles, and retrieved the Lihuo Spear from his Ethereal Ring.


    He did not ask the Lihuo Spear to help him; he simply stood quietly, in total silence.


    Geng Yiyang was too strong, overwhelmingly so, to the point of despair. Even the Lihuo Spear would stand no chance against him.


    Chu Zheng''s act of taking it out was merely to give the Lihuo Spear a chance to escape on its own.


    If he were to wait until he was dead, the Lihuo Spear would have to first shatter the barriers of the Ethereal Ring before escaping, doubtlessly a slower process.


    After all, the Lihuo Spear had once helped him through a major catastrophe, and he owed it that much.


    "It really is you..."


    Geng Yiyang regained hisposure, nced at the red spear, and then could not take his eyes off it again.


    "Lihuo Spear?!"


    His face slightly stunned, he blurted out the name of the spear. His muddy eyes filled with a sudden surge of light, filled with disbelief:


    "You have received Ye Yulou''s legacy?! Where is the Fire Seed of the ''Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire''?!"


    "Indeed, it is a relic left by Senior Ye. I have never seen the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire you speak of."


    Chu Zheng nodded, suddenly sensing that the ambiance of killing intent that enshrouded them was gradually dispersing, leading to a new bout of confusion in his heart.


    "Where are his bones?"


    Geng Yiyang no longer maintained his calm demeanor, his breathing bing slightly rapid.


    Chu Zheng was silent for a moment, then focused his mind on the Condensing Space Bracelet and opened the passage.


    After his death, Geng Yiyang would still obtain the Condensing Space Bracelet; lingering was pointless.


    However, Chu Zheng faintly sensed a glimmer of hope for survival¡ªGeng Yiyang seemed not entirely keen on killing him.


    The two entered the Small World one after the other, the Lihuo Spear, unusually, following them in. It seemed to also recognize Geng Yiyang and didn''t show much resistance.


    In the void, faint ripples flickered as Divine Senses interacted, the man and weaponmunicating silently.


    Tens of thousands of years was too long a time¡ªwords fell short. Through an exchange of Divine Senses, understanding was reached in an instant.


    In the blink of an eye, they arrived in front of the skeleton.


    Surveying the green-robed skeleton before him, Geng Yiyang scanned his surroundings. Noticing the traces left on the ground, his eyes reflected a clear sadness:


    "So it is... The sect has been unable to summon him back; he was trapped and perished in this realm, a genius envied by the heavens."


    After a deep sigh, he murmured, "I know Brother Ye''s character. He is not one to lose his wisdom over lust. His departure from the sect must have had its reason; only the naive would believe he was bewitched by demons."


    With that, Geng Yiyang slowly raised his hand and extracted a bluish me from between the bones.


    In an instant, the me danced in his palm, morphing into a Jade Qilin.


    Closing his eyes to feel for a moment, Geng Yiyang''s expression turned somewhat deste.


    Even the Immortal me could not extend his life any longer.


    "You, my boy, are truly fortunate."


    Regaining hisposure, Geng Yiyang''s eyes shed with a hint of envy:


    "The Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire is a true Immortal me, sourced from within a Holy Beast and not of this world. It was granted by the Immortal Alliance when a True Immortal yed an Undying Qilin in battle, capturing this True me. Only two Fire Seeds were ever forged."


    "If not for Brother Ye''s exceptional talent, he would not have been orded this honor. Once you achieve the Divine Transformation, and refine this seed, you can directly master the Immortal Qilin Transformation and sweep through your peers invincibly."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered slightly, his heart unable to suppress a surge of tion.


    The intent of Geng Yiyang was quite clear¡ªhe intended to spare his life. As for the reason, Chu Zheng was not concerned.


    Surviving was fortunate enough. Further questioning why Geng Yiyang had not killed him seemed rather foolish.

 Chapter 98: Chapter 83: Lifeline

    "On my way to find you, I''ve already learned the news."


    Geng Yiyang put away the Fire Seed of the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire and turned to look at Chu Zheng:


    "You didn''t just kill Fang Jiong, there was also Ling Qi from the Tai Xu Holy Land, wasn''t there?"


    "That''s right."


    Chu Zheng fell silent for a moment, then nodded and exined:


    "Ling Qi realized I possessed the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and informed Fang Jiong, who happened to arrive. Fang Jiong, having gotten wind of the clue, came after me and thus perished under the Lihuo Spear."


    "I was concerned that the news of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture would leak and once again attract the attention of the Holy Land, so I had to take action first."


    "With the cultivation of the Spirit Spring Realm, you dare provoke two great Holy Lands; once your Divine Infant forms, I''m afraid you won''t even consider the Immortal Alliance within your sight."


    Geng Yiyang shook his head, "Truly reckless."


    With his experience, he had never heard of someone as wildly ignorant of the heavens and the earth as Chu Zheng.


    The depth of the Holy Lands was simply beyond Chu Zheng''sprehension; to think he couldmit such an earth-shattering act with just a weapon was nothing short of courting death.


    "A cornered beast will still fight."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, denying this. He didn''t consider himself unusually courageous; he was just better at making swift decisions, choosing the best options avable to him in the current situation as quickly as possible.


    Sometimes, there was no time to contemte; by the time he came to his senses, the situation had already turned into what it was now. Provoking powerful enemies when vulnerable was certainly not his intention.


    With the knife already at his neck, he couldn''t just offer it up to be sliced.


    There were no sun or moon in the Small World, only two small Stars hanging above the sky, radiating dim yellow light.


    Under the twilight, Geng Yiyang raised his hand to gather the bones of Ye Yulou and, noticing the scroll beneath his feet, bent down.


    He slowly unrolled the scroll, looking at the woman painted inside, his turbid eyes filled with mixed feelings. After a long while, he let out a light sigh:


    "A tragic entanglement."


    Had it not been for his entanglement with the Demon Race, Ye Yulou''s fate would not have been so bleak; he might have already be an Immortal, entered the Immortal Alliance, been granted the title of Immortal King or Venerable, and enjoyed the fruits of eternal life."


    "Where did you find this Small World?"


    Coming back to his senses, Geng Yiyang rolled up the scroll, cing it together with the bones of Ye Yulou.


    "From the corpse of a Demon Race, on an ancient battlefield."


    "Ancient battlefield, Demon Race corpse..."


    Geng Yiyang immediately narrowed his eyes and turned to ask:


    "Apart from the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, what else did you get from Brother Ye''s belongings?"


    Chu Zheng did not hide anything, taking out everything from the Ethereal Ring.


    With an invisible Divine Sense sweeping over them, Geng Yiyang raised his hand and took two things into his palm.


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture''s Heritage Jade Token and that Cangyun Secret Realm Map.


    "This map is rted to the Cangyun Secret Realm, which contains secrets to Bing an Immortal. However, it now looks quite outdated. Since Brother Ye left, this map has been updated no less than a hundred times. I''ll get you a newer versionter."


    "Once your Soul Condenses, you can try entering the Secret Realm to test your luck. Some have found fragments of Immortal Treasures there, and even witnessed the remains of Immortals."


    Geng Yiyang nced at it and tossed the Cangyun Secret Realm Map aside. When he saw the Heritage Jade Token, his expression became serious:


    "This Transmission Command has been used twice recently... Have you passed on the technique?"


    Among these items, the Heritage Jade Token is the most precious, for the inheritance of Immortal Law is not so easily attained. Many details of the cultivation practice cannot be recorded through text and can only be transmitted through the divine power of the jade token.


    Eachplete Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture is left by a True Immortal and is extremely precious. Now, in the entire Taixuan Holy Land, including the one in Chu Zheng''s possession, there are only three in existence.


    For a moment, Geng Yiyang was somewhat at a loss for words. He didn''t know what to say to Chu Zheng, this young one''s actions always seemed somewhat unpredictable.


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, such a supreme Immortal Art, if attained by an ordinary person, they would likely keep it secret until death.


    "Apart from me, indeed there is another person who has cultivated the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture."


    Chu Zheng exined, "At the time, I did not know the name of Taixuan Holy Land; I just thought that no one would know, never expecting it would bring such trouble."


    This statement came from the heart; he deeply underestimated the potential dangers the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture could bring. If he had known about the subsequent twists and turns earlier, many of his past choices would have changed.


    But he couldn''t predict that far ahead.


    Without dwelling on those thoughts, Geng Yiyang pressed on, "Where is that person now?"


    "Phantom Spirit Sect."


    "Phantom Spirit Sect..."


    Upon hearing this name, Geng Yiyang''s expression became somewhat vacant:


    "Illusory Spirit True Lord is quite a figure, who had the chance to establish a Holy Land, but s, he did not survive the Immortal Tribtion; his Life-bound Spiritual Treasure was gravely damaged, its artifact spirit lost, its power reduced to a tenth of its original strength. The orthodoxy declined from there, which is truly regrettable."


    As the words fell, Chu Zheng''s view blurred, and a familiar thatched hut appeared before him.


    "Do you have any idea how much trouble these people before you will bring?"


    Geng Yiyang''s soft whisper arose in his ear, and as Chu Zheng looked at the crowd of Martial Path Grandmasters, he fell silent.


    He understood full well what Geng Yiyang was hinting at; this realm does not tolerate the Martial Path, as it would draw the attention of the Immortal Alliance.


    But there was an extremely critical issue; it was he, not those Martial Path practitioners, who abetted the anomaly in the Heavenly Dao.


    Even if all these Martial Path cultivators, including Song Lingxue, were to perish now, the changes in the Laws of the Heavenly Dao would remain irreversible, and the Immortal Alliance would still investigate to the end.


    Unless Chu Zheng died first.


    "I know."


    These secrets Chu Zheng could not possibly disclose to Geng Yiyang; after a long silence, that was all he could respond.


    "That young girl is the youngest, but her Martial Path cultivation is the highest. The Immortal Alliance is likely searching for her. Counting the days, she has nine whole years left in this world."


    Geng Yiyang looked toward Song Lingxue and spoke lightly, "After the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, I will hand her over to the Martial Hall; this too will be a stroke of good fortune for her."


    He didn''t ask Chu Zheng for his opinion, making his decision as he spoke.


    Chu Zheng fell silent for a while, then spoke deliberately word by word, "She is my wife-to-be."


    "That''s even better."


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze swept over him; although his back was hunched, for a moment, Chu Zheng felt as if he were directly facing the sun in the starry sky, like he was being burnt by an intense fire.


    "The Lihuo Spear is just an artifact spirit; it does not care for the life and death of others. It was your ability that persuaded it to kill Fang Jiong and Ling Qi."


    "But for every misdeed, a price must be paid."


    "You killed Fang Jiong and refined the Heavenly Star me; you must repay Taixuan with something much more valuable than his life."


    "In this uing Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, you will represent our Taixuan Holy Land. If you seize a spot within the top ten, I will spare your life. I might even appoint you as the Saint Heir; once you enter the Immortal Tribtion Realm, you will have a chance to join the Immortal Alliance, and by then, your wife will still be your wife."


    "If you fail to achieve this, you will have only nine years of life left. You and she have only been husband and wife for a few days; if she remembers you for a hundred years, it would already be extraordinary. A thousand yearster, your wife may not necessarily still be your wife."

 Chapter 99: Chapter 84: Return to the Ancient Battlefield

    """


    A series of low murmurs, echoing in Chu Zheng''s mind like the tolling of a great bell, deafened and astounded.


    Chu Zheng fell silent for a long while before lifting his head; his expression did not show the unease, annoyance, or panic that Geng Yiyang had expected, just calmness.


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng asked a question that surprised Geng Yiyang:


    "How many editions of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects have there been?"


    For a moment, Geng Yiyang found Chu Zheng''s thought process increasingly elusive. After some contemtion, he finally answered, "It urs every hundred years, and this edition is the six hundred seventy-seventh event."


    Sixty thousand years...


    Chu Zheng calcted for a while and then slightly narrowed his eyes, "The champion of the first Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, where is he now? Does anyone still remember him?"


    Upon hearing this, Geng Yiyang instinctively looked up at the sky before realizing they were in a Small World, then he spoke, "That person is named Shang Cangyun. This realm wasn''t originally known as the Cangyun Realm; it was renamed only after him."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes brightened slightly, "If I im victory, can this realm be renamed after me too?"


    "Naturally not," Geng Yiyang shook his head, "This realm is named after him simply because he is the youngest Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance, now an Immortal King."


    "What is a Heavenly Judge?" Chu Zheng was slightly puzzled.


    "Heavenly Dao Laws determine life and death for you and me; he decides the cycles of Heavenly Dao, whether the Heavenly Dao of a realm is just, and his word is final."


    "I see," said Chu Zheng, his gaze bing brighter, "So by bing a Heavenly Judge, one could rename the realm?"


    Watching the light rise in his eyes, Geng Yiyang felt surprised. He looked up again at the two stars in the sky, and unexpectedly said with some emotion stirring within him for the first time in ages, "If you could be an Immortal King in the future, you could personally discuss it with Shang Cangyun, it''s just a name..."


    As he finished speaking, a sh of insight burst into his mind and with his clouded eyes, he scrutinized Chu Zheng, slowly discerning a hint of something special.


    From their first meeting until now, Geng Yiyang had vaguely sensed something off about Chu Zheng, and now he finally pinpointed the strange feeling emanating from Chu Zheng.


    From their first encounter to the present moment, there hadn''t been a single trace of fear in Chu Zheng''s eyes, not even in the face of certain death, nor had there been any significant emotional fluctuation, just a bit of regret, which didn''t seem quite human.


    "You fear neither death, nor the Immortal Alliance, nor the prospect of your wife remarrying after your death. Instead, you are rather concerned about a seemingly useless posthumous reputation."


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze became sharp, "So that''s how it is... people chase after profits, and you, after fame... Indeed, the world is full of wonders, nourishing strange creatures like you!"


    "Little thing, you''ve genuinely piqued my curiosity," he said.


    Chu Zheng shook his head, "Her remarrying is not necessarily a bad thing. If I die young, it''s due to my ipetence, not her fault."


    "As for death...I do not fear death, but rather fear dying as a mediocrity, a nameless nobody, having lived a life in vain and thus squandering my time."


    "And one more thing... my name is Chu Zheng."


    He had grown somewhat tired of the ''little thing'' moniker, especiallying from someone nearly in the grave; it was quite ufortable.


    Geng Yiyang turned away, no longer looking at him, and spoke slowly, "I''ve noted it."


    Chu Zheng bowed his head in contemtion; whether he could survive now hinged on the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    Given another nine years, even Chu Zheng himself was uncertain how far he would grow.


    Yet the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, held every century, allowed only those under a century old who were considered prodigies to participate.


    With the repair panel, he only needed to be ten times faster than those people, and Chu Zheng was confident in that.


    "You will apany me to the Phantom Spirit Sect first."


    Geng Yiyang mentioned in passing and signaled Chu Zheng to open the way:


    "The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture must not be leaked. The person you transmitted the technique to must apany you to Taixuan."


    """


    Speaking of this, his expression grew serious:


    "You''d better hope that this person has not spread the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture; otherwise, the Phantom Spirit Sect will cease to exist in the Southern Region."


    If the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture were to be leaked, to ensure nothing went wrong, he would take action topletely annihte the Phantom Spirit Sect, to eliminate future troubles.


    "That may not necessarily be a bad thing."


    "..."


    Hearing this, Geng Yiyang fell silent for a while, feeling quite a headache, "Do you not feel any guilt? These people might die because of you."


    "The one killing them is you, and the one causing their deaths is the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture. Why should I feel guilty; did I force you to kill them?"


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained unchanged, "Even if you were to kill me today, I wouldn''t me you, for you have a reason to kill me. From your standpoint, there is no problem at all."


    As for the psychological pressure mentioned by Geng Yiyang, it waspletely non-existent.


    "..."


    After a silent trek out of the passage, Geng Yiyang stopped talking and asked Chu Zheng for a direction, then headed straight for the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    ......


    ......


    Just before entering the sect, Geng Yiyang suddenly stopped in his tracks:


    "First, take me to that ancient battlefield."


    "Now?" Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled, not quite understanding Geng Yiyang''s thoughts.


    "Just lead the way."


    Chu Zheng pointed in a general direction, and soon the two of them appeared in the midst of the mines.


    It was midday, and there were still people mining; the g of the Han Family was still prominent, and the cultivator overseeing the ce had been reced by an Entry Dao Realm elder from the Outer Sect.


    Chu Zheng had not seen him before; in a short period, many new faces had been added to the mine, many of whom Chu Zheng had never seen.


    The two made their way into the mine without a sound, unnoticed by anyone along the way.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel astonished; Geng Yiyang''s methods, unlike the Invisibility Technique, allowed them to walk in brazenly without attracting any attention. It was as if they were in a different world, close yet worlds apart.


    Soon, the two entered a stretch of mining tunnel that Chu Zheng was quite familiar with. The tunnel was covered with dust and cobwebs, and along the way, they began to see fragments of battle armor and damaged bones.


    This time, Chu Zheng didn''t miss any item, whether it was pieces of armor or damaged magic treasures; he collected everything and put it all into the Ethereal Ring.


    Not knowing if he would have another chance toe here, he decided to take everything with him this time to avoid future hassle.


    Information shed across the interface panel, and soon, a familiar message appeared before Chu Zheng''s eyes:


    [Damaged Immortal Bone (Seventh Order): The remains of a True Immortal, which had been obtained by an Immortal Path Cultivator who had forcibly fused it into their body. With your current ability, you cannot repair it at all.]


    This Immortal Bone had not been taken by him at that time, and now, even though his repair level had increased, the panel''s information had not changed at all, suggesting there was still a long way to go.


    After a short while, the two reached the deepest part of the battlefield and came to a pit within the mines.


    Looking at the robes covering the bones, Geng Yiyang nced at Chu Zheng, said nothing, and began to collect the Demon King''s remains.


    He nned to bury them together with Ye Yulou''s exuviae, thereby settling a matter on his mind.


    As he was collecting the bones, Geng Yiyang suddenly paused, and his pupils dted with a frightening intensity of killing intent:


    "Was she betrayed by the Human Race?!"

 Chapter 100: Chapter 85: Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance

    Geng Yiyang''s emotions briefly spun out of control, causing his energy to leak and shake the entire mountain range.


    The vastwork of thousand-mile mineral veins slightly trembled, as fragments of rock and dust fell continuously.


    From the distance within the mine tunnels came bursts of shocked cries, followed by a series of dense footsteps, fleeing towards the outside of the mine.


    Such a disturbance, akin to an earth dragon turning over, prompted the odd-jobber miners inside the tunnels to think of nothing but escaping with their lives at the first instance.


    Mixed with spirit mines,rge chunks of mountain rocks often weighed tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.


    Being buried under these boulders, even a Martial Path Grandmaster with the strength of ten thousand pounds would struggle to survive the pressure from the earth''s veins and would be easily crushed to death.


    Geng Yiyang took a light breath, straightened his back, and a soft firelight shone from his pupils, sweeping inch by inch over theplete skeleton.


    He was trying to use some secret technique to unearth some remaining information from the bones, and wanted to see some truths about the one buried there years ago.


    After tens of thousands of years, the bones still glowed brightly, appearing like a wless and perfect gem under the light, with no imperfections visible.


    The Great Demon, already at the Morphing Realm, had its physique close to the Demon Immortal Realm; one more step, and it could shed the innate shackles of its beast spirit,pletelypleting the transition in the hierarchy of life.


    As his gaze slowly swept across the skeleton, Geng Yiyang''s expression grew darker, and his face, filled with the marks of time, twitched faintly.


    After a while, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid qi, his heart pounding like a strong, forceful bell and drum sounding within the mine, never ceasing, breaking the long-standing silence of this ce.


    Chu Zheng nced at Geng Yiyang, saw his terrifying demeanor gradually recede, and leaned down to touch a segment of the phnx.


    [You Ziyun (Sixth Order), member of the Netherwolf Tribe, former Elder of the Taixuan Sect, Ye Yulou''s wife, her cultivation reached the Transformation Realm, was unguarded and killed by a sneak attack on the battlefield, her Demon Core and all flesh stripped, with a sword wound to the heart, likely from ''Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance'', Primordial Spirit dispersed, irreparable.]


    The information on the panel had changed from thest time, now including a name and some additional details.


    The changes in the panel''s information were still unclear to Chu Zheng, seemingly rted to some information he had encountered.


    It is uncertain whether there was some information about her among the relics of Ye Yulou that Chu Zheng had previously overlooked, or if it was the result of Geng Yiyang''s recent actions.


    Geng Yiyang silently gathered the bones, sat on the ground, his clothes quickly bing dusty, appearing somewhat disheveled, the heavy shadows on his face deepening: "Looking at the skeleton, death was by sword wound, and the sword marks on the bones carried the fluctuations of the Water Element Law."


    "The one who struck was extremely decisive, a thrust through the heart, scooping out her Demon Core, then used a sword technique to strip all her muscles and flesh, leaving no opportunity for her to use her Divine Skills, likely someone she knew well..."


    At this point, under a somewhat dazed expression, Geng Yiyang recalled some past events:


    "Her name was You Ziyun; I had seen her a few times in the past, truly a rare beauty, hailing from the Northern Region of Cangyun, from the Netherwolf Tribe, a paradise for the Demon Race, secluded and rarely interacting with the outside world."


    "Back then, the Cangyun Realm had just undergone a great war, the Heavenly Dao Barrier was unstable, and spatial channels from Alien Realms would often appear, resulting in bloody conflicts every time, with countless deaths, and even Demi Immortals in the Immortal Tribtion Realm frequently falling."


    "The Immortal Alliance was short of manpower, with only one True Immortal stationed there to stabilize the situation while also monitoring changes in the Heavenly Dao, often falling short, leading to negligence in some areas."


    "She was in contact with Brother Ye during those times; it''s unexpected that she met such an end, killed by the hand of someone from our Human Race..."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng fell into deep thought. When he first arrived at the ancient battlefield and pieced together some of the history from the remnants, he had thought that You Ziyun was aligned with those foreign beings.


    Now, it seemed clearly not the case.


    You Ziyun was evidently on the side of the Human Race, but had gone berserk likely due to the destruction of the Condensing Space Bracelet, concerned for Ye Yulou and consequently killed several human cultivators.


    The destruction of the Condensing Space Bracelet was intentional, aiming at either Ye Yulou or the Tai Taixuan Sect behind him, with no need to guess its purpose.


    In a chaotic world, if the Taixuan Sect were to produce a True Immortal first, the pattern of the Southern Region would bepletely rewritten, with the Taixuan monopolizing power. Hence, it wouldn''t be surprising if they were targeted.


    The Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance¡­


    Recalling the hint given on the panel, Chu Zheng temporarily suppressed his thoughts. These pieces of information could not be disclosed to Geng Yiyang, as their sources were unclear.


    Baseless ims would only invite trouble if spoken aloud; he would wait until he could investigate these matters more attentively in the future to know where this Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance originated.


    A sword dance capable of killing a Demon King was certainly not an obscure technique; it wouldn''t be hard to locate.


    Geng Yiyang fell silent for a moment before standing up and saying,


    "Let''s go to the Phantom Spirit Sect."


    The two walked slowly away from the battlefield, isted from the world, brushing past a group of Phantom Spirit Sect cultivators who were entering the mine to investigate.


    Chu Zheng''s trip had been highly fruitful; the entire ancient battlefield was nearly stripped bare, leaving only heaps of bones. These items would be aids to him in the future.


    Geng Yiyang, leading Chu Zheng, soon stepped into the Sect Gate of the Phantom Spirit Sect. Therge formations surrounding the sect seemed virtually inexistent.


    The atmosphere within the Phantom Spirit Sect was very oppressive, faintly exuding a rich herbal fragrance mixed with the scent of bloodshed.


    The sh with the Night Light Pavilion was still ongoing, evidently escting.


    With the guidance of the Life-link Seal, Chu Zheng quickly found Fu Quanliang.


    Upon seeing him, Geng Yiyang immediately lost interest in Fu Quanliang.


    Mediocre talent, unstable foundation, evidently having relied on elixirs to elevate his cultivation, ruining his own future. There was hardly anythingmendable about him.


    Upon appearing, Chu Zheng greeted him:


    "Quanliang."


    Fu Quanliang was slightly startled, looking around to see if anyone was watching, then rxed and said with some disbelief,


    "How did you get in here?!"


    In the midst of their conversation, he nced at Geng Yiyang then looked at Chu Zheng with some confusion, "Who is this old man?"


    His clothes were tattered, and his appearance was hardly presentable, giving off the impression that most of his body was already buried in the soil, as if he might lie down at any moment, unable to catch his next breath.


    "¡­"


    Chu Zheng was somewhat at a loss for words, speaking softly, "Taixuan Holy Land¡­ Old Geng."


    He didn''t divulge Geng Yiyang''s specific identity because Geng Yiyang had never imed to be the Holy Master nor had he ever mentioned his full name.


    In the presence of such characters, Chu Zheng always took extra care to avoid revealing anything he shouldn''t, as even a slight hint could be perceived as a ring w by such crafty old monsters¡ªbetter to speak less and err less.


    "Taixuan Holy Land?"


    Fu Quanliang looked perplexed, "Since when did a Taixuan Holy Land appear in the Southern Region?"

 Chapter 101: Chapter 86: Bloodline

    The Taixuan Holy Land had been closed for ten thousand years, and even to Fu Quanliang, who was usually well-informed, the name was extremely unfamiliar.


    Otherwise, he would have realized the problem the moment he saw the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    "Taixuan..."


    Fu Quanliang chewed on these somewhat familiar characters, his expression suddenly changed slightly as he looked at Chu Zheng, as if seeking confirmation, and asked,


    "The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture?!"


    Chu Zheng nodded, his expression filled with some helplessness. The experiences of these past days had been too intense, and he didn''t know where to start.


    Facing Fu Quanliang, Geng Yiyang did not have the patience that Chu Zheng had, as he rather brusquely captured his mind and directly asked,


    "The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, have you spread it outside?"


    Fu Quanliang shook his head nkly, "No."


    Hearing this, Geng Yiyang withdrew his hand and no longer spoke, taking Chu Zheng and leaving the Phantom Spirit Sect directly.


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture had not been leaked; the rest was just minor details, not worth his concern.


    At this moment, he was in a hurry to chase leads on You Ziyun''s Corpse Bone and didn''t have the mind to waste time on something so useless.


    Fu Quanliang regained his wits, his brows throbbing uncontrobly, his head throbbing with pain:


    "Taixuan Holy Land..."


    His memory still lingered on that moment, and after rifying his situation, he looked at Chu Zheng beside him, his expression momentarily dazed:


    Had he ascended to the heavens in one step and directly entered the Holy Land?


    Even if its fame was not prominent, a Holy Land was still a Holy Land, at the very least having a Pseudo-Immortal of the Tongxuan Secret Realm at its helm.


    This old man moved in and out of the Phantom Spirit Sect as if it were no man''snd; not even a cultivator with Nine Transformations of Divine Infant could achieve this, he had to be a Pseudo-Immortal without a doubt.


    The Holy Land, which many with Middle Quality Immortal Bones could not enter, how had he, with his lowest of the Low Quality Immortal Bones, entered so inexplicably?


    Soon, he realized something, and turned his head to look at Chu Zheng, his gaze gradually bingplex.


    In the normal sects, a leak of cultivation technique would generally result in death, and the rules of the Holy Land were naturally even stricter.


    He was still alive, likely, he thought, thanks to Chu Zheng. For a moment, he was torn, not knowing whether he should be happy.


    Every encounter with Chu Zheng refreshed his understanding; a mere cultivator from the Spirit Spring Realm had already made contact with a Pseudo-Immortal standing at the peak of this world and had even gained his favor...


    What kind of legend was this?


    Seeing Fu Quanliang''s changing expression, Chu Zheng nced at Geng Yiyang and tentatively transmitted a message privately through the Life-link Seal, cursing softly a few times.


    Geng Yiyang did not react at all, and Chu Zheng let out a slight sigh of relief,


    "In the Taixuan Holy Land, cultivate peacefully and don''t think too much. When the time is right, I wille to find you. Help me take care... never mind, just take good care of yourself."


    Chu Zheng had originally wanted Fu Quanliang to keep an eye on Song Lingxue and Li Mingzhou along with other Great Grandmasters, but considering Fu Quanliang''s capabilities, he decided it was better not to mention it.


    "I understand."


    Fu Quanliang''s throat was a bit dry, and he responded slowly, "Thank you."


    Chu Zheng had given him a lot of help, but what he had received in return was miniscule.


    What he could do for Chu Zheng now was very limited; some debts of gratitude would have to be repaidter when the opportunity arose.


    ......


    ......


    "Fellow Daoist, wait a moment!"


    While rushing on his way, a whisper came from the void, and a figure emerged with slow steps. Dressed in a white robe, he was no older than thirty, with a handsome appearance and a slightly paleplexion. He stood upon auspicious clouds, casting a seven-colored auspicious light above in the sky.


    "Fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar. May I ask which holynd youe from?" the man gently spoke, giving his greetings.


    "Taixuan Holy Land, Geng Yiyang."


    "It turns out to be True Lord Yi Yang in person. Please forgive the junior for any disrespect."


    The man in white looked slightly startled and bowed halfway, introducing himself, "Tai Xu Holy Land, Zhou Zili, has seen True Lord Yi Yang."


    When he had entered Tong Xuan, the Taixuan Holy Land had already faded into obscurity long ago, but the title of True Lord Yi Yang was known among the major holynds thousands of years ago.


    A figure who, through the method of extending life, had lived to this era from ancient times.


    In today''s Southern Region, the oldest Pseudo-Immortal, apart from Geng Yiyang, no other exists.


    Geng Yiyang''s expression was utterly untroubled as he said indifferently, "Why do you block my way?"


    Zhou Zili nced at Chu Zheng and another person behind Geng Yiyang, recalling the deductions made within his own holynd previously, his expression suddenly changed, and he asked with some suspicion:


    "May I ask True Lord Yi Yang, few days ago my Tai Xu Holy Land''s envoy Ling Qi suddenly perished in this vicinity. Our elders deduced from the heavens that they saw a divine fire. Do you know anything about this matter?"


    "This man was killed by me."


    Geng Yiyang''s expression was indifferent, "He killed Fang Jiong, the vice head of the Punishment Hall of my Taixuan Holy Land. I therefore left seclusion and acted to end his life, repaying the blood debt."


    Before his words fell, Chu Zheng looked at Geng Yiyang in slight surprise. How had this old man known his thoughts beforehand?


    Although there were some discrepancies, what Geng Yiyang had just said was not too far from what he had initially thought.


    The only difference was that he had previously thought Fang Jiong had killed Ling Qi and then, suffering from severe injuries, had died from them.


    Chu Zheng had not expected that Geng Yiyang would openly acknowledge this matter. Was this act intended to shield him from disaster?


    The bluntness of Geng Yiyang caught Zhou Zili unprepared, and his expression visibly darkened:


    "True Lord Yi Yang... How can I believe merely on your word alone?"


    No longer referring to himself as the junior, his eyes flickered with disfavor.


    Geng Yiyang stood tall, his expression cold, his tone indifferent:


    "Whether you believe it or not, what does it have to do with me?"


    "Today, I uncovered some old affairs. Should I find out that this matter is rted to your Tai Xu, I will boil the Tai Xu River and summon divine fire to burn down the foundation of your holynd."


    Before his words fell, he whispered again, "I have pressing matters. If you block my path again today, I will y you along with the others."


    The regard Geng Yiyang held for Chu Zheng was not without reason.


    From the Lihuo Spear, he had learned that Chu Zheng had attained the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture mere months ago.


    This meant Chu Zheng had stepped onto the path of immortality less than a year ago. Such talent, even Superior Immortal Bone cannotpare.


    Less than a year, and already in thete Spirit Spring Realm. In ten years, at least above Entry Dao Realm, eligible to contest the top ten positions in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    Geng Yiyang cared little for the quality of immortal bones; he himself had only a Middle Quality Immortal Bone, and with a constitution inclined to fire, inherited the previous generation''s Fire Seed, and was still at the Tongxuan Peak today.


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture does not ce high importance on one''s natural quality; having a Middle Quality Immortal Bone is sufficient, High Quality is better, but it''s also fine without it.


    Chu Zheng''s talent justified his current actions.


    Moreover, the sword marks on You Ziyun''s Corpse Bone were of the water element, while Tai Xu Holy Land is particrly proficient in the way of water, which had already been within his suspicions.


    "Geng Yiyang¡­ calling you ''True Monarch'' gives you a touch of courtesy, do you then regard yourself as unbeatable in this world?"


    Zhou Zili''s expression regainedposure, his tone slightly cold:


    "Do you think this is a thousand millennia ago? I indeed wish to see, how a piece of nearly expired dead wood can y me?!"

 Chapter 102: Chapter 87: Half a Cup of Tea

    Zhou Zili''s expression was ice-cold, and he felt not the slightest awe toward the Holy Master who had made a name for himself ten thousand years ago.


    In his eyes, Geng Yiyang was nearing the end of his lifespan, and even though he had reached the peak of the Tongxuan stage, it was already a challenge for him to exhibit even most of hisbat strength.


    Although one level weaker, having recently advanced to thete Tongxuan stage, he was in the prime of his life. Despite having recently burned his blood to offer to the heavens, depleting some of his Essence Yuan, he was still capable of unleashing his fullbat power.


    It was clear at a nce who was stronger and who was weaker.


    Geng Yiyang quietly let go of Chu Zheng and Fu Quanliang behind him and transmitted his voice:


    "Go hide in the Small World for now."


    In a Tongxuan-level confrontation, an area tens of thousands of miles in radius would be affected. Having to spare efforts to protect Chu Zheng and the other would distract him.


    Given that this region was too close to the Tai Xu Holy Land, he needed to kill Zhou Zili in the shortest time possible; otherwise, once reinforcements arrived, he would be at a disadvantage.


    "How long will it take?" Chu Zheng asked subconsciously.


    Being inside the Small World, he was unable to observe the external situation and did not know the specific oue.


    If the battle had not ended by the time they emerged, it would be extremely dangerous.


    "Half a stick of incense."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng did not hesitate. He opened a passage behind him, grabbed Fu Quanliang, and retreated into it.


    Although he was very interested in witnessing beings of this level in action, now was clearly not the time for curiosity.


    "Small World..."


    Seeing the figures of the two merge into the void, Zhou Zili felt slightly astonished.


    Such Small Worlds that could contain living beings were incredibly precious. Only existences above the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm could condense an internal heaven in their bodies.


    When the powerful beings of the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm died, their internal heavens mostly got lost in the spatial turmoil, unless they intentionally stripped the heaven from their bodies before death to preserve it.


    For a moment, Zhou Zili''s expression grew somewhatplex. Taixuan Holy Land, despite its decline, still possessed such a wondrous treasure after all.


    The action of Chu Zheng and the other retreating into the Small World undoubtedly indicated that Geng Yiyang was ready to engage in battle.


    Seeing this, Zhou Zili spoke in a deep voice:


    "Geng Yiyang... you are already near death, why not leave yourself a final shred of dignity? It has not been easy for Taixuan to survive until today..."


    Even as he spoke, mist began to rise beside him, refracting the shimmering spiritual light under the brilliance of the great sun.


    A crisp sword chant rang through the void, and the sword light flickered in and out of visibility.


    Geng Yiyang remained silent, taking a deep breath. His gaunt chest slowly expanded, and a fiery red stream of light emerged from the void, pouring into his body.


    In an instant, the spiritual energy within tens of thousands of miles was drained in a sh, swallowed into his stomach.


    A fierce me appeared out of nowhere, engulfing him, resembling a great sun hanging in the sky.


    Within the ze, Geng Yiyang''s withered skin slowly stretched, his flesh plumped, and blood color surged, transforming his gaunt body gradually upright as his intense Yang energy burst forth from within him, his hair growing past his waist and turning a deep red in an instant.


    "Fire God Transformation..."


    Zhou Zili''s eyes reflected caution; this was the most terrifying technique from the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture that hadn''t been seen in the human world for ten thousand years.


    Boom!


    A chilling sword light suddenly shone, its killing intent ripping the skies apart and igniting a shower of light rain.


    In the blink of an eye, Zhou Zili had already taken the initiative to attack, not intending to give Geng Yiyang any chance to prepare.


    This ancient creature, who had lived for untold years, had countless hidden methods. The best strategy was to cut through the chaos with a swift strike and directly y him.


    Within the mes, a dragon-shaped phantom thousands of feet long emerged, swallowing the sword light in one gulp.


    Boom!


    The dragon phantom exploded on the spot, scattering thousands of divine rays like a meteor shower raining down from the sky, igniting wildfires spanning thousands of miles. In a single encounter, the lives affected numbered more than ten million.


    His strike having failed to take effect, Zhou Zili''s brow slightly furrowed, and ayer of clear light enveloped his body, solidifying into a colossal figure tens of thousands of feet tall that propped up the heavens.


    Sheets of light rain and spirit mist permeated the air, obscuring the celestial signs, as a deep sword chant slowly sounded, simr to a True Dragon''s soft moan.


    A sh of spiritual light, and a four-foot-long sword appeared in Zhou Zili''s hand, with sword flowers cascading down, slender as snakes, resembling a sky full of dancing spirits, casting a glow of thousands of rays.


    As he moved, his Dharma form raised the sword, tearing through the sword wind, and directly shing at the hanging sun.


    An overwhelming ze exploded, the fierce sun shattered, and a crimson spear shadow pierced through the air, shattering the soaring sword light, and in an instant, it punctured through Zhou Zili''s Dharma form!


    ¡ªBuzz¡ª


    Zhou Zili''s figure shook violently, uncontrobly retreating a thousand yards, his face drastically changing. During the sh, he hadn''t noticed even the slightest sign of weakness in Geng Yiyang.


    On the contrary, there was an almost suffocatingly robust vitality.


    This condition surely did not belong to an old man on the verge of death; the splendor bursting forth at the end of his life was the burning of his life span.


    The firelight in the sky grew more and more intense, the heavens and earth turned blood red.


    Geng Yiyang walked out from within the fire, revealing his figure, dressed in golden battle armor, holding a long spear, with crimson hair draped over his shoulders, flowing like zing mes, appearing not older than forty, his skin shimmering with translucent treasure-like radiance, his cheeks covered with fine scales.


    What were once turbid eyes were now brimming with divine light, intense as divine fire.


    Within just a few breaths, he seemed to have reversed his aging, returning to his peak years.


    "I originally had less than fifty years of life left, and now even less, only about twenty years remaining..."


    Geng Yiyang spoke calmly, seemingly leisurely exining.


    Zhou Zili''s expression grew uglier, Geng Yiyang''s demeanor indicating he hadn''t taken him seriously at all.


    ¡ªBoom¡ª


    In the void above, lightning shed and thunder boomed, quickly turning into dark clouds overhead.


    Being at the peak of the Tongxuan stage, Geng Yiyang naturally triggered the sensing of the Heavenly Dao when he gave his all, which was about to bring down an Immortal Tribtion.


    Whenever he wished, he could take this step, but whether the oue would be life or death, no one knew.


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze hardened, clutching the Lihuo Spear in his hand, the scales on his cheeks imbued with traces of divine runes, he looked up at the emerging thunderclouds in the sky, sighing softly:


    "If Zhao Tingxian were in my Taixuan Holy Land, he would have be a Divine Infant in a hundred years; being in your Tai Xu, he is truly a pearl covered in dust."


    Before his words fell, he swung his long spear again, shing across the sky.


    "Let me see once more how far your Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance has progressed."


    Zhou Zili''s face was as dark as water, retreat already on his mind, without a moment''s hesitation, he turned and left.


    He had somewhat underestimated a Holy Master, risking his life to fight with a dying man was indeed too risky.


    In the void, the radiance of the divine fire grew more intense, gradually consuming all the light rain in the sky.


    In an instant, above the vault of heaven, there was only firelight left.


    ......


    ......


    To be on the safe side, Chu Zheng waited for the time of a cup of tea in the Small World before he finally opened the passage and returned to the outside world.


    After all, Geng Yiyang''s condition seemed truly daunting, and Zhou Zili appeared to be in much better shape than him.


    Upon stepping into the passage, he used the Invisibility Technique, taking extra caution.


    The instant he stepped out of the passage, he felt a warmth all around him, the ground full of magma, and everywhere he looked, a sea of fire, leaving him stunned.


    In the void stood a figure in grey robes, back stooped, appearing as if on the verge of decay.


    Chu Zheng looked around, not seeing Zhou Zili''s figure, and puzzled, he asked:


    "Did he flee?"


    "He died."

 Chapter 103: Chapter 88: Hidden Dragon List

    A breeze fluttered by, and Chu Zheng''s expression betrayed a hint of surprise as the panel transmitted some information.


    [Zhou Zili (Sixth Order): A Venerable of Tai Xu Holy Land, in the Late Tongxuan Stage, was murdered by Geng Yiyang using the Fire God Transformation, his soulpletely scattered, beyond repair.]


    A part of Zhou Zili''s body had merged into the breeze and made contact with Chu Zheng.


    A Venerable of a Holy Land, died without aplete corpse.


    Geng Yiyang''s expression was t, showing no joy after the victory, instead, it appeared even more haggard and gloomy.


    He clearly had no intention of speaking more and immediately prepared to leave.


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng''s breathing tightened slightly as he looked at the sea of fire around him, somewhat in disbelief.


    In just the time it took for a short tea break, a Pseudo-Immortal in the Late Tongxuan Stage had perished here.


    And ording to the panel, Geng Yiyang''s current strength was still less than seventy percent of his peak, yet he still possessed the power to y Tongxuan.


    The Tongxuan Secret Realm was powerful enough to uphold a Holy Land and stand at the pinnacle among thousands of Sects, which spoke volumes of its strength.


    Moreover, Zhou Zili was in the Late Tongxuan Stage, not far from the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm, yet now, he had died here.


    Chu Zheng silently observed Geng Yiyang, unable to imagine that such terrifying power was hidden within this frail body.


    Indeed, the old who do not die are crafty; this old man must definitely have some unknown tricks up his sleeve.


    "You need not worry about me."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s look, Geng Yiyang assumed he was concerned, scoffed coldly, "You might even die before me."


    This statement jolted Chu Zheng back to his senses. He no longer spoke, his expression returned to its previous cold detachment, and he followed behind Geng Yiyang without further words.


    Geng Yiyang raised his hand to pick up Chu Zheng, tore through the sky, and disappeared in an instant.


    Soon, the familiar terrain of Giant Marsh appeared before Chu Zheng, with its streams crisscrossing, and he had returned to Giant Marsh.


    "Today I am merely a ferryman, naturally, I will send you to your desired destination. Your wife and those Martial Path Grandmasters, I am taking them away."


    Geng Yiyang signaled for Chu Zheng to open the Small World and soon walked out with Song Lingxue, Fu Quanliang, and several Martial Path Grandmasters including Li Mingzhou.


    He left behind a few people for Chu Zheng, including Song Tonghai and Bai Nian along with several aging Grandmasters; he did not take them.


    ording to him, these people had poor talent and had essentially reached their limits, they would never see the day of Condensing Qi to Aura; taking another person back would mean having to support them, which was simply troublesome.


    As for the people like Li Mingzhou, their talent was decent, and perhaps could be exchanged for some resources from the Martial Hall.


    While entering and exiting the Small World, Geng Yiyang kept holding Chu Zheng''s hand, always maintaining a high level of vignce towards him.


    Chu Zheng was not someone to be judged bymon sense; how much these people weighed in his heart was hard to say.


    If there was a slight oversight, he seriously suspected that this youngster would seize the opportunity to escape and trap him in this Small World until he died of old age.


    After all, he was definitely not going to outlive Chu Zheng, and he did not want to follow in Ye Yulou''s footsteps.


    Song Lingxue''s eyes were filled with worry, concerned about Chu Zheng''s current situation, eager to advise but unable to speak.


    Geng Yiyang did not intend to give them time for farewells, instantly sealing the mouths of the group for some peace.


    "The matter of Ling Qi, I''ve taken care of it for you. Don''te seeking me in Tai Xu in the future, I won''t help you again."


    Geng Yiyang said casually, tossing a jade scroll, then with a flick of his sleeve sent forth a swath of crimson divine light, sweeping up Song Lingxue and the group, and vanishing in a blink.


    Chu Zheng opened his mouth intending to ask, but before he could speak, Geng Yiyang had disappeared without a trace.


    He had wanted to inquire about the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, exactly where it was being held. Without the sun and moon above, he couldn''t even distinguish north from south.


    Before he could think further, the sky suddenly darkened. Chu Zheng instinctively looked up, his breath involuntarily caught.


    Sword blossoms spanned the sky, forming a river of sword Qi that tore through the heavens, heading straight towards the Great Zhou.


    "This is¡­"


    Chu Zheng retracted his aura, waiting for the river of sword Qi to pass before he nced at the jade scroll that Geng Yiyang had tossed to him before leaving, his expression startled:


    "Hidden Dragon List¡­"


    He unfurled it to take a brief look, noting the densely packed names and information that kept changing.


    The information was overwhelminglyplex, and he did not have time to sort through it at the moment, so he decided to set it aside for now.


    With a light sigh, he gathered his thoughts and ording to his original n, began to inquire about the Song Family.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was no ordinary event, and surely all Immortal Path Sects would have information about it; there was no need to rush at this moment.


    The urgent matter at hand was to first enhance his own cultivation, which took precedence. Wasting time traveling was not a wise decision.


    ......


    ......


    In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.


    As the sun set in the west, twilight approached, and the horizon zed like fire.


    The river surface shimmered brilliantly, reflecting the golden light, as a fleet of boats slowly sailed through the myriad of golden scales scattered across the water.


    Inside a sequestered cabin on the main boat, Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on a bed, with surges of spiritual energy swirling around him, constrained to a small area by his side.


    At his Dantian, a hazy golden light filtered through his lower abdomen, as if it were breathing.


    The moment the Five Elements Shaping Pill was repaired, Chu Zheng swallowed it. Its effects were immediate, and he soon experienced the wonder of a Fourth Order elixir.


    This Fourth Order elixir was equivalent to that of a cultivator in the Divine Infant Realm, significantly benefiting even those with Divine Infant Great Ability.


    Coupled with theplete power of the Five Elements in this elixir, Chu Zheng''s Qi Refining''s cultivation advanced exponentially. Within less than ten days, he had made another breakthrough, reaching the peak of the Spirit Transformation Realm.


    The soundproofing of the cabin was poor, and with Chu Zheng''s keen hearing, he often caught snippets of private conversations from the outside world.


    The discussions were about the great wildfire that had impacted dozens of countries, a disaster rarely seen in ten thousand years. Countless mortals and even impacted cultivators and Sects had perished due to it.


    After a while, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and pulled up his panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Peak of Spirit Transformation Realm, Immortal Path: Late Spirit Spring Realm]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Object Control (First Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (First Order), Invisibility Technique (First Order)¡­]


    [Repair Master: Second Order (890/1000)]


    [Remaining Repair Attempts for the Day: 0]


    [Currently Able to Repair: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (65/1000), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/10000)¡­]


    Advancement to Third Order Repair Master was within Chu Zheng''s grasp, and the repair of the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume had been prioritized in his next step.


    Only two hundred days were needed toplete the repair.


    The Upper Volume epassed the cultivation of the Dao Embryo and the methods of condensing one''s Life-bound Golden Core.


    Once he attained the Golden Core, Chu Zheng would be able to begin the practice of powerful Divine Skills. With the branding of Divine Skill imprints upon the Golden Core, he would wield the might to stabilize the seas with a mere gesture.


    At that stage, save for the grand Sects of Immortal Path, there would be very few things in this realm that could pose a threat to him.

 Chapter 104: Chapter 89: The Secret of the Bloodline

    ```


    Chu Zheng''s cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the Spirit Transformation Realm, just one step away from the Jade Bone Realm.


    The efficacy of the Five Elements Shaping Yuan Pill was extremely mysterious, continuously nourishing his body, and even without actively cultivating, the Yuan Qi within his body slowly increased.


    This kind of growth would be negligible for cultivators in the Divine Infant Realm, but for Chu Zheng in his current state, the effect was nothing short of astounding.


    At this rate, it would take him no more than two more months to step into the Jade Bone Realm.


    A Jade Bone in one year ¨C among Qi Cultivators, he was a peerless genius, rarely seen throughout the ages.


    Only those freaks of nature, favored by heaven and earth, could have such speed in their progression.


    Once he stepped into the Jade Bone Realm, Chu Zheng''s physical strength would undergo a qualitative transformation.


    Throughout the Jade Bone Realm, the muscles and bones would continuously mutate, reversing any negative changes caused by postnatal environment, acquired throughout the growth process.


    The shape of his body, his muscles, root bones, and even the way Qi circted, would all regress towards their condition at the time of birth.


    Upon achieving Perfection in the Jade Bone Realm, with his physical body adjusted to an almost perfect state, one could then begin constructing the Dao Embryo.


    And all of this was in preparation for the Golden Core Realm.


    Calming his inner breath, Chu Zheng took out a Jade Scroll from his sleeve.


    [Hidden Dragon List (Third Order): Handed down by the Immortal Alliance, connected to the Heavenly Dao, created especially for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, only a few Holy Lands are qualified to possess it.]


    The Hidden Dragon List that Geng Yiyang left behind ¨C in recent days, Chu Zheng, bybining the information provided by the panel, hadrgely figured out its use.


    Those who participate in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, when they leave their sects, will have a farewell ceremony, where sacrifices are made and blood is offered in a ritual to the heavens.


    During this process, the aura of the cultivating geniuses naturally gets recorded by the Heavenly Dao.


    This privilege is prepared for the true disciples of the major Holy Lands, allowing them to gain an early understanding of their opponents.


    As for Chu Zheng, his name was already on the list.


    [Hidden Dragon List No. 7469: From Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, bone age eighteen, cultivation at thete stage of the Spirit Spring Realm.]


    Geng Yiyang had already helped Chu Zheng enter his information into the Hidden Dragon List in advance.


    Chu Zheng unfolded the Hidden Dragon List, his gaze moving toward the top of the list.


    [Hidden Dragon List No. 1: From Primordial Spirit Holy Land, Shang Zuling, bone age eighty-four, cultivation at the early stage of the Divine Infant Realm.]


    At the age of eighty-four, stepping into the realm of Divine Infant Great Ability, on par with the Supreme Elders of many great sects.


    This speed of progression was truly astonishing.


    Apart from Shang Zuling, the one ranked tenth also possessed the cultivation of Soul Condensing Realm Perfection.


    This year''s Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects,pared to previous ones, was more formidable by not just a small margin.


    In the past, the emergence of a cultivator with Soul Condensing Realm Perfection could likely top the list, but now they might not even make it into the top ten.


    And then there was a monstrous talent who had stepped into the Divine Infant Realm, leaving all others far behind.


    Chu Zheng looked over the list for a moment, then put away the Hidden Dragon List, got up from his bed, and moved towards the corner to push open the cabin window.


    The river breeze brushed across his face, bringing along a slightly fishy and moist scent.


    As they moved deeper into Giant Marsh, the proportion of Water Qi in the air became noticeably higher.


    The territory of Giant Marsh Country was extremely vast, almost more than twice the size of Great Zhou, though due to abundant waterways and numerous inds, its actual poption wasparable to that of Great Zhou.


    With water demons rampant, numerous small sects were scattered throughout the region, and it wasmon to see cultivators passing by.


    Regarding the Song Family, the findings from Chu Zheng''s recent exploration in Giant Marsh had been surprisingly fruitful.


    He had thought it would not be easy to find them, but it turned out he rapidly received news; the ship he was on now was headed for the ind where the Song Family resided.


    The Song Family had a very prominent reputation within Giant Marsh.


    The Patriarch of the Song Family, Song Tongxuan, had one son and one daughter, both of whom possessed an Immortal Bone and had been epted as disciples by Qionglou.


    ```


    The eldest son, Song Lingfeng, had a middle-quality Immortal Bone and upon entry, was immediately epted into the ranks of true disciples.


    The second daughter, Song Lingping, possessed a talent not inferior to others. Although she had a lower-quality Immortal Bone, her constitution was different from ordinary people, with broader meridians, nearly twice as superior to those of regr cultivators, and was exceptionally promoted to the inner sect.


    With two Immortal Seedlings in one family, it naturally caused quite a stir in Giant Marsh.


    ......


    ......


    It took several days traveling by water before finally reaching shore.


    Once onnd, Chu Zheng found a corner and released Song Tonghai from his Small World.


    Given his identity, contacting the Song Family was naturally more appropriate.


    The ind wasn''trge, and the Song Family Head''s mansion was easy to find; in less than half an hour, the two men were standing in front of the grand entrance of the Song Residence.


    After handing over their visiting cards, it took only a moment before a figure quickly approached, striding with the wind, crossing the threshold in an instant, and stood before them.


    The neer looked to be about the same age as Song Tonghai, or even younger, dressed in a dark red robe with hidden patterns, full of vigorous Blood Qi, with a heroic and flourishing appearance, in the prime of his life, his Martial Path cultivation profound, already reaching the realm of a Martial Path Grandmaster.


    Compared to Song Lingqing''s situation then, Qionglou apparently had far fewer restrictive rules.


    Song Lingfeng as well as Song Lingping would often return home, bringing back Spirit Pills from their sect for Song Tongxuan to consume.


    Together with the constant practice of Inner Strength, it was natural that he looked significantly healthier.


    "Little Hai?"


    Seeing the two people in front of him, Song Tongxuan tentatively called out, somewhat unsure. He left home when Song Tonghai was only two years old.


    Decades have passed since then, and the younger brother who had just started to toddle was now a middle-aged man.


    The two brothers had not seen each other since that separation decades ago, with only letters exchanged.


    But blood is thicker than water, and from the simr features alone, the familiarity in their eyes and brows already brought a sense of closeness.


    "Big brother..."


    Song Tonghai called out, his eyes slightly red.


    During the tumultuous times of the Song family, he had almost no one to rely on and struggled to support the family on his own; his emotions were naturally somewhat uncontroble at this moment.


    "Let''s talk inside the house!"


    Song Tongxuan didn''t say much, slightly excited, he turned around to lead the way, calling out loudly:


    "Serve the tea!"


    Soon, Song Tongxuan weed the two men into the mansion.


    Today was different from other days; Chu Zheng was now openly recognized as ate-stage Spirit Spring Realm cultivator, and his actions no longer needed to be secretive.


    This time he visited the Song Residence in the capacity of an Immortal Master, and naturally, he received a great deal of courtesy.


    After entering the Song Residence, Chu Zheng''s purpose was very clear. After greeting Song Tongxuan, he immediately headed to the Mansion''s Treasury and dove right in.


    The frequent birth of Immortal Seedlings with Immortal Bones suggested that there must be some mystery within the bloodlines of the Song family.


    When Song Tongxuan left home years ago, he took many of the Song family''s hereditary foundations with him, which might contain some clues.


    Chu Zheng quickly found some hints among a pile of misceneous items.


    [Family Heritage Blood Jade (Fourth Order/Iplete): A medium to open a Secret Realm, divided into six fragments. Once all are collected andplemented with the Essence Blood of the Song family''s direct lineage, it can open a Secret Realm and can be repaired (0/500)]


    Chu Zheng caressed the Blood Jade at his fingertips, falling into deep thought.


    Great Zhou truly was and of wonders, with both Martial Path legacies and grand family inheritances like the Song Family which hid many secrets.


    Perhaps, he should take the time to return to Great Zhou and browse through the Great Zhou Imperial Family''s Scripture Pavilion. Maybe he would find some gains.

 Chapter 105: Chapter 90: Information on Taoist Orthodoxy, Be on Guard

    The quality of Fourth Order, if it were a magic treasure, would already be considered superior divine weapons, able to exchange for a whole country''s territory.


    Looking at the quality of this blood jade from the Song Family, the secret realm within it is likely no ordinary ce.


    The ancestors of the Song Family must have had a formidable figure among them, but now, it doesn''t hold much significance.


    So many years have passed, and the Song Family has spread unknown generations across the world; the fragments of this blood jade have also drifted to who knows where in this realm.


    Moreover, the so-called gathering of the blood jade has no necessity for Chu Zheng.


    Once the repair isplete, just with this fragment and the Song Family bloodline, Chu Zheng will be able to directly open up this secret realm.


    However, this is an object of the Song Family ancestors, and Chu Zheng is hardly at the point of scheming for another''s ancestral property, and right now, he doesn''t have spare repair counts to share.


    If there''s a chance in the future, after he advances to a Fifth Order Repair Master, he would be very willing to help if the people of the Song Family want to retrieve their ancestor''s inheritance.


    After all, he is somewhat interested in everything from the past.


    Besides this blood jade, Chu Zheng also discovered many interesting items, quite ancient in years, containing many ancient objects from a thousand years ago, faintly revealing the Song Family''s history.


    But among them, what shocked Chu Zheng the most was an iplete anthology of misceneous writings.


    Only about twenty pages, the paper slightly yellowed, exuding an ancient aura of the ages. Judging by the paper alone, it also had a history of at least a thousand years.


    [Nameless Notebook (Zeroth Order/Iplete): Passages excerpted from various scriptures. Most of the original sources are now untraceable. Repairable.]


    After repairing the notebook, Chu Zheng began to read it carefully.


    Initially, he did not pay much attention, but after reading a few pages, he was shocked by a prompt that came to his mind.


    [Seven Precepts of Life Nourishment (First Order/Iplete): Daoist life-nourishing techniques, perfecting it grants an additional one hundred twenty years to one''s lifespan, repairable.]


    [Twelve Minor Circtions Scripture (Fourth Order/Iplete): Taoist All-Epassing Qi Gathering Techniques, includes methods to condense a Golden Core, epassing three great divine skills, initial repair (0/300)]


    ¡­


    [Cold Sky Poetry Collection (Second Order/Iplete): Introductory scroll for the Confucian Path, read through a hundred times, those with exceptional talent may nurture vast righteous qi, repelling all evil, repairable (0/80)]


    ¡­


    [Heavenly Wondrous Bodhi Scripture (Fifth Order/Iplete): Profound Buddhist scripture, upon perfecting, one may achieve nirvana andprehend a trace of life and death''s mystery, initial repair (0/500)]


    These scriptures, with evident traces of transcription, were copied from various other scrolls'' scraps of text, but in the interface, they were finely distinguished.


    This was a manuscript filled with jumbled information, but within it, Chu Zheng saw scriptures of the Daoist, Confucian, and Buddhist Schools he had never encountered before in this world.


    Though there were only fragments, their meanings were entirely different, indicating that this world was not originally as it appears now.


    This world must have once harbored these beliefs.


    After arriving in this realm, Chu Zheng has been to many ces and had never seen Daoist temples or Buddhist monasteries; he hadn''t noticed anything amiss until this moment.


    Throughout his journey, it seems that none of the kingdoms maintain a tradition of worshipping gods.


    Belief in this world seems nonexistent.


    After pondering for a moment, several conjectures gradually formed in Chu Zheng''s mind.


    The first possibility is that just as the Martial Path has been severed, these Taoist orthodoxies also had been passed down in the past, but were mysteriously interfered with andpletely disappeared from the annals of history, perhaps by the doing of the Immortal Alliance.


    Besides that, there''s another possibility: this anthology of misceneous texts may have originated from the hands of someone who had made contact with other Taoist orthodoxies.


    This person hade into contact with the cultivation methods from other worlds, which is why this notebook came into existence.


    After contemting for a moment, Chu Zheng put away the notebook, no longer dwelling on it.


    For the time being, he could not make heads or tails of the situation, and blind guessing was nothing but a waste of time.


    The harvest this time was significant enough; the Divine Skills recorded within the Twelve Minor Circtions Scripture greatly interested him and would be of much use to him in the future.


    Suddenly, Chu Zheng''s ears twitched, and he left the Mansion''s Treasury, heading swiftly towards the front hall.


    He held some caution towards Qionglou and was a bit worried that Song Tonghai might be too rxed, exposing too much information.


    Therefore, while searching for items in the Mansion''s Treasury, he kept an ear out for anymotion in the nearby front hall, catching every conversation.


    Regarding his younger brother, Song Tonghai, Song Tongxuan clearly felt some guilt.


    Only because he was the eldest son, and also tasked with reestablishing the family, when he startedpiling the family genealogy and left home, he took with him most of the Song Family''s trusted elites.


    Otherwise, a Martial Arts Family with a history of three hundred years would not have fallen to the point where only Song Tonghai was left to uphold the family reputation.


    ......


    ......


    Inside the front hall, Song Tonghai and Song Tonghai sat opposite each other, the atmosphere slightly awkward.


    After being apart for so long, even blood brothers felt somewhat constrained in conversation.


    "I received the letter you sent the day before yesterday. I have already arranged for people to respond; you can rest assured," said Song Tongxuan after sipping his tea and cing the cup down gently.


    "If you encounter any difficulties, just discuss them with me. Times have changed. Qionglou holds the Song Family in high regard, and there are over a dozen Outer Sect Disciples stationed in various industries belonging to our family."


    Having forged rtions with Immortal Sect, the Song Family''s status naturally differed from ordinary secr families.


    In recent years, within the entirety of Giant Marsh, the name of the Song Family was even more effective than the bloodline of the Royal Family.


    "I heard some news from Qionglou that my niece, Ling Qing, seems to have encountered some trouble. How is the situation now?"


    Song Tongxuan proactively inquired about Song Lingqing''s wellbeing.


    The main sect of Qionglou was extremely distant from Giant Marsh, and this branch located within Giant Marsh did not pay much attention to the affairs of Phantom Spirit Sect. The information they had was quite limited, and he had only overheard the matter by chance.


    "I''m not too clear on the specifics, but it should be fine," hesitated Song Tonghai for a moment before shaking his head. He did not delve too deeply into the conversation with Song Tongxuan, nor did he mention anything about Song Lingqing.


    Even though the man before him was his elder brother, human hearts are unpredictable, and over the decades, people invariably change.


    The letter Song Tonghai received was one that had been sent nearly a year ago, and the situation had already changed drastically since then.


    The tens of thousands of miles of distance, for ordinary people, was simply too far.


    Now with Ling Qing''s circumstances unclear, rashly using Qionglou to search for her might instead cause her trouble, not worth the risk.


    These days, the only person Song Tonghai trusted was Chu Zheng. At least Chu Zheng was now his son-inw and surely would not harm him. Blood is thicker than water, and he, having weathered the world''s trials and tribtions, naturally understood these priorities.


    His sole hope now was that if Song Lingqing made it to Giant Marsh, she woulde to the Song Family first, allowing for a father-daughter reunion.

 Chapter 106: Chapter 91: Change in the Holy Land, Envoy of the Immortal Alliance

    ```


    The Song Family had previously transported most of their assets to the Giant Marsh in several batches, yet not a single carriage was to be seen now.


    Seeing some worry on Song Tonghai''s face, Song Tongxuan thought he was anxious about the family estate and immediately soothed him:


    "You can settle down here in peace. I''ll have someone inquire about the items you''ve arranged to be sent. There''s no need to worry."


    "Thank you, big brother."


    Song Tonghai didn''t offer any exnation as he stood up to express his thanks, his expression somewhat ashamed.


    Keeping secrets from his blood brother indeed made him feel a bit guilty in his conscience.


    Squeak¡ª


    Chu Zheng pushed open the hall door, stepped slowly over the threshold, and entered the room.


    "Chu the Superior Immortal."


    Song Tongxuan was the first to stand up and greeted him with a smile on his face:


    "How is it, did you find anything to your liking in the Mansion''s Treasury?"


    Since learning that Chu Zheng was a lone Loose Cultivator, he had been extremely warm and cordial with an obvious intention to invite him to join.


    "Thank you, Patriarch Song."


    Chu Zheng expressed his gratitude: "The Song Family Treasury is quite rich in collection, truly an eye-opener for me."


    This wasn''t just courtesy¡ªwithin the Song Family Treasury, there were many Spirit Stones, which indeed surprised Chu Zheng.


    Though Lower Quality Spirit Stones don''t hold much value in the world of cultivation, they are beyond the measure of gold and silver in the mortal world.


    This reflects the barrier between Celestials and Mortals.


    This is likely an unspoken consensus amongst the great Immortal Sects, to prevent Cultivators from interfering too much with mortal dynasties, amassing wealth, and using mortal gold and silver for personal gain, which could influence the selection of Immortal Seedlings and shake the foundations of the Sects.


    After all, controlling mortals is truly effortless for Cultivators.


    "Chu the Superior Immortal is being too generous with his praise. These are just somemon items. If you see anything you like, feel free to take it. We are all family here; no need to stand on ceremony."


    Song Tongxuan waved his hand, appearing very generous.


    A Late Spirit Spring Realm Loose Cultivator, and such a young one at that¡ªif he could be persuaded to stay at the mansion, even smaller sects would have to think twice before speaking to the Song Family.


    Once Chu Zheng stepped onto the path of cultivation, the Song Family could even directly intervene in the affairs of Immortal Sects, making a leap like a fish turning into a dragon. This would provide strong support for the two Immortal Seedlings cultivating in Qionglou.


    Just as Chu Zheng was about to speak, a servant came from outside the hall to report:


    "Patriarch, the young master and young miss have returned."


    "Oh? That was quick?" Song Tongxuan''s eyes lit up, and he gestured, "Bring them here directly!"


    As his words fell, he turned to Song Tonghai: "After you came, I sent a message to call them back immediately. I didn''t expect such a swift return."


    Shortly, a young man and woman stepped into the hall. The man appeared to be in his early twenties, dressed in a blue vestment robe, tall with a stature over eight feet, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, with a countenance as handsome as jade.


    The woman looked slightly younger, around seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a yellow skirt with only a jade hairpin inserted among her soft, lustrous hair that fell down her back, covering her waist, her eyes sparkling and lively, showing a very spirited demeanor.


    The Song Family''s lineage was indeed extraordinary, based on appearance alone, each one was outstanding and presentable.


    Chu Zheng had already inquired about the Song Family information beforehand and recognized the identities of the two immediately.


    Song Lingfeng, Middle Quality Immortal Bone, has been cultivating for more than ten years, his cultivation has reached the pinnacle of the Spirit Spring Realm, on the verge of entering the next level.


    Song Lingping, Lower Quality Immortal Bone, entered Qionglou the same year as Song Lingfeng, but her cultivation was far behind, having just stepped into the Spirit Spring Realm.


    "This is the uncle I mentioned to you before, call him over."


    Song Tongxuan raised his hand to signal.


    "Uncle."


    ```


    Both bowed respectfully and expressed their reverence, not showing any disdain due to Song Tonghai''s mortal status, an evident sign of strict familial teachings.


    In that moment, Song Tonghai was at a loss, as it was customary for an elder to present a meeting gift at their first encounter. Being without anything of value on hand at the moment, he found himself somewhat embarrassed.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng quietly stepped back, took out two palm-sized brocade boxes by conjuring a Blinding Method, and discreetly slipped them into Song Tonghai''s sleeve without a sound.


    "We are all family here, no need for such formalities."


    Song Tonghai felt reassured, a smile appearing on his face as he took out the brocade boxes from his sleeve and handed them to the two.


    "Thank you, Uncle."


    Neither of them declined; instead, they epted the boxes with both hands and put them away without opening them.


    The items Chu Zheng ced within the two brocade boxes were the same: a First Order Spirit Pill, just right for their cultivation levels, neither too precious nor insufficient.


    "And this fellow Daoist is¡­"


    Song Lingfeng turned to look at the somewhat youthful-looking Chu Zheng, his expression uncertain, for someone of Late Spirit Spring Realm had significant strength within the Giant Marsh region.


    "Chu Zheng, merely a Loose Cultivator."


    Chu Zheng nodded and greeted him.


    After some pleasantries, Song Lingfeng''s eyes flickered with an eagerness he could hardly contain as he asked,


    "Observing that fellow Daoist is still young, I''m curious if you n to attend the uing Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects? I intend to gain some exposure at this grand event."


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, apetition held once every century, is an event that many fiery youths aspire to attend.


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng subconsciously made a quick estimate and soon came to a conclusion.


    Song Lingfeng''s ranking should be around eight or nine thousand on the Hidden Dragon List.


    The main reason for his own rank around seven thousand wasrgely due to the words "Taixuan." Beyond him and a few hundred others, the ranks were dominated by those at the peak of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    With such cultivation levels... participating in thepetition could be overly perilous.


    ......


    ......


    In the time following Zhou Zili''s demise, the entire Tai Xu Holy Land was shaken as never before.


    The fall of a Pseudo-Immortal was a heavy blow to any Holy Land.


    Moreover, the murderer did not bother to conceal their tracks, with the aura of Divine Fire lingering for half a month and yet to dissipate.


    There was no need for investigation to know who was responsible.


    Within the Taixuan Holy Land, only Geng Yiyang could dispatch Zhou Zili with such nonchnce.


    When the Tai Xu Holy Land sought an exnation, they were met with a surging sea of fire.


    In response to this matter, the Taixuan Holy Land didn''t even bother to offer an exnation; instead, they boldly announced to the world their ns to reopen their Sect Gate.


    Such an unbridled attitudepletely enraged the Taixu Saint Lord, who summoned the Immortal Treasure of the Tai Xu Holy Land, the Tai Xu Sword, and directed it towards the contiguous Fire Domain of the Taixuan Holy Land.


    He proimed his intention to level Taixuan to the ground, demanding blood for blood.


    The other three Holy Lands, which had previously nned to watch from the sidelines, also grew restless upon learning of Taixuan''s intentions to re-enter the world and sent envoys, issuing joint condemnations.


    This matter swiftly caught the attention of the Immortal Alliance.


    The collective movement of the Five Great Holy Lands was by no means a small matter in the context of the entire Cangyun Realm.


    The Immortal Alliance responded swiftly, dispatching an Immortal Envoy from the inter-realm transport formation to the Cangyun Realm within just a few days.


    The arrival of the envoy led to an immediate assembly of the Holy Masters from all Five Great Holy Lands within the Fire Domain of the Taixuan Holy Land, where a council was held.


    Clearly taking the matter very seriously, the Immortal Alliance sent an envoy who was a Demi Immortal that had stepped into the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm.

 Chapter 107: Chapter 92: Heavenly Dao Judgment, Targeting

    Without rules, there is no square or circle. Once Cultivation has reached the step of the Tongxuan Secret Realm, one can no longer act on their own volition.


    Especially within the Human Race, even if there are private grievances, one ought to restrain and endure, report to the Immortal Alliance, and request the Immortal Alliance''s judgment.


    Every encounter in the Tongxuan Secret Realm is a catastrophe for themon people and even the Cultivation Sects.


    Let alone Tongxuan, the mere act of a Divine Infant Cultivator is enough to shatter mountains and fracture ridges, with consequences too vast.


    Divine Infant Cultivators are bound by the various Sacred Lands, while only the Immortal Alliance has the surplus power to govern Tongxuan.


    This time, the envoy from the Immortal Alliance hails from a star domain far removed, with no ties to the Cangyun Realm, ensuring there are no entangled interests.


    Once affairs involve the Holy Lands, the Immortal Alliance''s way of handling must be impartial, without a trace of personal emotion, or else endless troubles will follow, wasting much unnecessary effort.


    ......


    ......


    In the Southern Region, the far south.


    Above a range of continuous volcanoes, an azure giant sword that covered the sky and sun loomed overhead, with mysterious Immortal Patterns flowing upon it, exuding an indescribable aura of majesty.


    ''Tai Xu Sword,'' a hereditary Immortal Treasure of the Tai Xu Holy Land that suppresses the destiny.


    Immortal Treasures are the foundational heritage of the great Sacred Lands. In the present age of the Cangyun Realm, no True Immortals remain, and the environment has greatly deteriorated; no longer can anyone wield such treasures.


    Each activation consumes a massive amount of resources andes with great limitations, only allowing one or two strikes.


    However, no matter how many restrictions there are, it is still an Immortal Treasure. Even if it is just one strike, it still possesses the might of a True Immortal, the power almost akin to world-ending. iming it could sink half of the Southern Region in one hit is no exaggeration at all.


    Divine brilliance cascades from the edge of the Tai Xu Sword, like an endless waterfall hanging from the nine heavens.


    This divine brilliance, piercing through the dense clouds, turns into a hazy misty rain, gently descending into the sea of magma, sending up billowing smoke.


    This region hasn''t known rain for many years; yet now, this rain is filled with a killing intent.


    As the rain falls, searing mists and thick, toxic smoke follow in its wake. The few mundane realms that exist are affected, with countless deaths, and the air is filled with a pungent smell.


    Not far from the Tai Xu Sword, in the void, a white jade great hall hangs in mid-air, supported by an invisible force.


    Inside the hall, nearly a hundred figures stand distinctly divided into five groups.


    At the center, a Jade Table is ced, and the Holy Masters of the major Sacred Lands are all present, five of them sitting around, leaving the main seat empty.


    Geng Yiyang sitsfortably, sipping tea with his eyes downcast, toying with a piece of red amber in his hand, seemingly unfazed, despite the proximity of the Tai Xu Sword.


    The expressions of the Holy Masters from the other four Sacred Lands are somewhat stiff, their gazes subtly inspecting the red amber in Geng Yiyang''s hand.


    The amber is clear, with azure me within it moving about as Geng Yiyang turns his wrist.


    The Holy Masters present all sense a lethal threat emanating from this piece of red amber.


    Legend has it that deep within the Taixuan Holy Land, an ancient Immortal me has been handed down from Ancient Times, transformed by an Immortal after mastering the ''Fire God Transformation'' within the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture to its pinnacle, possessing the power to burn the heavens, and even the ability to smelt Immortal Treasures.


    Now, it seems the legends held no falsehood.


    Fluctuations ripple through the void, causing the expressions of the Holy Masters to shift as they stand, even Geng Yiyang, who set aside his teacup to rise and greet.


    The Immortal Alliance Envoy has arrived.


    They had all received information about the individual the Immortal Alliance had dispatched.


    Ji Yuyan, patriarch of a major doctrine,manding multiple Star Domains, in thete stages of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, having ovee two Heavenly Tribtions, was just a step away from the True Immortal Realm.


    Momentster, a figure stepped into the hall, around thirty years of age, tall and well-built, with wless facial features and gentle eyes, wearing a wooden crown on his hair, dressed in a in robe embroidered with gilt cloud patterns, every move he made oozed with Immortal light.


    "Immortal Ji," the five Holy Masters bowed in unison.


    "No need for undue ceremony," he replied.


    Immortal Ji Yuyan''s gaze immediately swept towards the amber in Geng Yiyang''s hand, without revealing any surprise, smiled, and spoke slowly:


    "Please, take a seat and we shall talk."


    After everyone had taken their seats, the Taixu Holy Master, d in a ck robe, promptly spoke in a deep voice:


    "Immortal Ji, Geng Yiyang has acted recklessly, relying on his profound cultivation to y Zhou Zili of the Tai Xu Holy Land. His actions affected a hundred nations, causing over a hundred million souls to perish¡ªhis sins are truly immeasurable. We hope the Immortal Alliance will severely punish Taixuan to demonstrate justice."


    "Does the Taixuan Holy Master have any exnation?" Immortal Ji Yuyan''s face lost its smile as he asked dispassionately.


    "He sought his own death, I am not in the wrong, why should I exin?" Geng Yiyang''s attitude was extremely assertive, his tone ice cold:


    "The beings involved in this battle should be the responsibility of the Tai Xu Holy Land, as they were the instigators."


    Immortal Ji Yuyan fell into contemtion and after a long pause, he looked up to the sky and called out softly,


    "Court Immortal, what is your view?"


    In an instant, dark clouds swirled outside the hall and thunder rolled over the edges of the clouds, sending down a muffled heavenly chant.


    Upon hearing the words ''Court Immortal'', everyone from the Tai Xu Holy Land present, including the Taixu Holy Master, visibly rxed.


    After all, Zhao Tingxian had emerged from the Tai Xu Holy Land and, no matter what, was expected to show some bias.


    "I see..."


    After listening attentively for a moment, Immortal Ji Yuyan''s expression turned to one of realization as he nodded, nced at the several Holy Masters, and dered the Heavenly Dao Judgment in a grave voice:


    "Zhou Zili blocked the way and struck first, his reasoning was wed. Geng Yiyang killed him in self-defense, and is not at fault."


    "All losses from the battle shall be borne by the Tai Xu Holy Land. Within ten years, they must offer reparations and soothe the spirits. Should there be any deception, other punishments will ensue."


    Hearing Immortal Ji Yuyan''s words, the various Elder-level Divine Transformation Realm Cultivators of the Tai Xu Holy Land were incredulous.


    This included Wen Lijun and another from Feng Zhou who had followed Zhou Zili to Great Zhou to gather intelligence.


    Back in Great Zhou, Zhou Zili had performed a blood sacrifice to the heavens and received a response from the Heavenly Dao, something they had all witnessed.


    Logically, Zhao Tingxian should have been on their side, but the current oue waspletely unexpected.


    The Taixu Holy Master lowered his head, showing no sign of objection.


    Neither the Heavenly Dao nor the Immortal Alliance were entities that could be questioned,


    for the heart of Heaven is utterly impartial.


    After a moment of silence, the Taixu Holy Master asked in a solemn voice, "Regarding the individual who caused the fluctuations of the Heavenly Dao Laws..."


    The several great Holy Lands had already received the news that Geng Yiyang had brought back a few individuals from the Martial Path to the Taixuan Holy Land; it was no longer a secret.


    "Since Taixuan has found them, let them stay with Taixuan for now," Immortal Ji Yuyan said without much consideration. "The deviation of the Heavenly Dao in the Cangyun Realm hase to a halt. Once this individual is taken away by the Martial Hall, it will naturally begin to recover gradually, without significant impact."


    As he said this, Immortal Ji Yuyan''s expression suddenly became a lot more solemn. He nced at the Holy Masters and said in a serious tone:


    "Recently, an Immortal King of the Immortal Alliance received a premonition that the Immortal Alliance is about to face a great battle. The adversary is unknown. During this critical time, I hope all of you will act cautiously and avoid bringing disaster upon yourselves."

 Chapter 108: 93rd Chapter: Punishment, Rules

    A War?


    Upon hearing Ji Yuyan''s words, the initial reaction of several Holy Masters was one of disbelief.


    The Immortal Alliance, as a behemoth spanning aeons, had existed even longer than the entire ancient history of the Cangyun Realm.


    If there was an enemy within the universe that could make the Immortal Alliance take them seriously, it would only be the Martial Hall.


    But between the Martial Hall and the Immortal Alliance, a Starry Sky Barrier had been established for tens of millions of years. Although there had been frictions, there had not been arge-scale conflict for a long time.


    Moreover, it was not difficult to discern from Ji Yuyan''s words that the Immortal Alliance did not even know who their opponent was, which was somewhat ludicrous.


    "The prophecy given by the Immortal King indicates that this is a dispute over Taoist Orthodoxy, concerning the survival of the Immortal Path. It could be from ''All Heavens,'' or the Taoist Orthodoxy that was expelled to the ''Myriad Realms,'' not excluding the Martial Hall."


    Ji Yuyan''s expression became solemn, and he spoke gravely, "This war involves a wide array, and once it begins, all cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm within the Cangyun Realm will be conscripted; everyone should be prepared."


    The dispute over Taoist Orthodoxy.


    Upon hearing these four words, the hall fell into silence.


    The Cangyun Realm had also experienced such a dispute over Taoist Orthodoxy in the past.


    After the great war, the Martial Path declined, various Taoist Orthodoxy withdrew from Cangyun, and all collected scriptures and scrolls umted over countless ages were burned to ashes.


    Today, not even a trace can be seen, and the cruelty of it is beyond words.


    "This time, indeed, the casualties were heavy. The Court Immortal is very upset, but he is in seclusion, preparing for his final Heavenly Tribtion. He couldn''t spare any effort; otherwise, he would have handled this matter personally."


    "The Immortal Alliance does not wish to see any more needless internal consumption and hopes that everyone can ease their rtions somewhat."


    As the words fell, a smile appeared on Ji Yuyan''s face, his tone softened:


    "What I am conveying here represents the intent of the Immortal Alliance, not my personal demand from everyone, I hope you will bear with us."


    This attitude made the several Holy Masters feel somewhat ttered, and they stood up one after another, making their assurances:


    "Ji Immortal''s words are significant; since it''s a directive from the Immortal Alliance, we will certainlyply."


    "Without the several Immortal Kings resisting the invasion of different Taoist Orthodoxies, how could the Cangyun Realm be stable today?"


    "We of the Heavenly Throne will fullyply with the will of the Immortal Alliance."


    The Taixu Saint Lord and Geng Yiyang did not speak, but they also gave Ji Yuyan a bow as a gesture of respect.


    This matter seemed to be concluded.


    "Thus, from today onwards, if any cultivator above the Divine Infant Realm takes unauthorized actions, the various Holy Lands need not report it but can handle it themselves."


    Ji Yuyan''s smile did not diminish as he spoke softly: "Should anyone involve the innocent, the entire sect will be implicated."


    The atmosphere in the hall, which had just rxed a bit, once again turned tense.


    The expressions of the several Holy Masters were somewhat unnatural, but they could only nod in agreement.


    Only the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord, with a furrowed brow, hesitated for a moment before asking:


    "Ji Immortal, our Primordial Spirit Saint Lord''s Shang Zuling has now entered the Divine Infant Realm. He still has to participate in the uing Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects. How should this be handled?"


    He appeared to be nearly sixty, slim, d in a simple gray-green robe, with signs of aging on his face, having experienced many upheavals, now nearing thetter half of his life.


    "Shang Zuling?"


    Ji Yuyan''s expression changed, his face showing some surprise: "Could this child possibly be... "


    "Correct, he indeed has the bloodline of the Shang Family." The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord nodded.


    "So he is a descendant of the Cangyun Immortal King. With such talent, it is not surprising."


    Ji Yuyan''s expression cleared, he pondered for a moment, then spoke softly, "Let him participate in the finalpetition."


    "To think that in this tournament, there would be such a monstrous figure, not yet a hundred years old, who has stepped into the Divine Infant Realm. Worthy of being from thend of the Immortal King, a generation of prodigies."


    His expression was somewhat moved, and then, exhibiting curiosity, he said: "The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects in the Cangyun Realm is highly praised within the Immortal Alliance, and I have heard of it as well. I wonder if I could take a look at the Hidden Dragon List?"


    "Of course."


    The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord took out the Hidden Dragon List without dy, unable to conceal his pride.


    In this Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Shang Zuling undeniably dominated the rankings, and the Primordial Spirit Holy Land had shown itself off to great effect, which was enormously beneficial to the reputation of the Holy Land.


    In the current Southern Region, where the world is divided into four, although there is no warfare among the Holy Lands, theypete for territories in the shadows.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, observed by Immortal Sects from all ces, regardless of their size or strength, had a profound influence.


    By bringing out a monstrous figure like Shang Zuling, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land could at least ensure its prosperity for the next ten thousand years, leaving the other major Holy Lands significantly weaker.


    Consequently, those sects that were initially undecided, as well as those surviving on trade, would naturally target the Primordial Spirit Holy Land for cooperation and allegiance.


    The Hidden Dragon List slowly unfolded in the void, revealing itself to everyone present.


    [Hidden Dragon List First ce: Primordial Spirit Holy Land, Shang Zuling, bone age eighty-four, cultivation in the early Divine Infant Realm.]


    [Hidden Dragon List Second ce: Heavenly Throne Holy Land, Shang Tianshou, bone age eighty-eight, cultivation at Soul Condensing Realm Perfection.]


    [Hidden Dragon List Third ce: Jinli Holy Land, Yu Wenshao, bone age ny, cultivation at Soul Condensing Realm Perfection.]


    ...


    After ncing at the Hidden Dragon List and pausing for a moment on the names of several major Holy Lands, Ji Yuyan had his spections.


    "Eighteen years old, in thete Spirit Spring Realm, Taixuan this child has decent talent, but it''s a pity he was born at an inopportune time; otherwise, he might have a chance to enter the top ten in the nextpetition."


    He turned to look at Geng Yiyang and smiled as he asked:


    "How old was he when he started Nourishing Power?"


    Upon hearing this, Geng Yiyang nced at the other Holy Masters, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Less than a year ago."


    The eyes of the several Holy Masters instantly focused, locking onto the Hidden Dragon List.


    [Hidden Dragon List 7,469th ce: Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, bone age eighteen, cultivation in thete Spirit Spring Realm.]

 Chapter 109: 93rd Chapter: Punishment, Rules_2

    Less than a year into his cultivation and he''d already reached thete Spirit Spring Realm, even the Superior Immortal Bone seemedcking byparison. Considering the profoundness of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, it''s likely that he harbors a Divine Fire Seed of no low quality within him.


    Hearing Geng Yiyang''s words, Ji Yuyan''s eyebrows moved slightly, his expression turning much more serious, "Superior Immortal Bone?"


    "Perhaps."


    Geng Yiyang replied casually, his gaze sweeping over the several Holy Masters whose thoughts were varied, his expression undisturbed by any ripples.


    As for Chu Zheng''s life and death, he wasn''t too concerned. The nature of this boy was too elusive, not one to stay content in his own lot.


    Having such a person publicly acting as Taixuan''s chess piece to attract the attention of all parties couldn''t be more suitable.


    Young people tend to ck off and need some pressure to urge them to cultivate.


    Moreover, not even two cultivators who had achieved the Divine Infant Seven Transformations could kill Chu Zheng. Now, in the current situation where the Divine Infants couldn''t make a move, he would only be safer.


    The ultimate purpose for Geng Yiyang to leave seclusion, aside from dealing with Fang Jiong, was for that person in the Martial Path. Now that he had achieved his goal,


    by the time the people from the Martial Hall arrive, Taixuan Holy Land would have two Superior Immortal Bones. Combined with the Immortal Fire Seed passed down by his predecessor, he couldy the foundations for Taixuan''s future in an extremely short period of time.


    The words he had initially said to Chu Zheng were offhand remarks. As for how much sincerity they held, not even he himself knew.


    If he truly wanted to cultivate Chu Zheng, he would have taken him back to Taixuan long ago and directly passed down the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire, instead of letting him fend for himself.


    However,


    as to how far Chu Zheng could ultimately grow, Geng Yiyang still harbored some expectations.


    "Where is this child now? Can I meet him?"


    Ji Yuyan became interested. To be in thete Spirit Spring Realm within a year, such a speed of progression was indeed shockingly fast.


    Even within the Immortal Alliance, he had rarely heard of such a prodigy, and he had never witnessed one personally.


    "He''s out gaining experience."


    Geng Yiyang smiled faintly, brushing off the subject without going into detail.


    The methods of locating someone among these Holy Lands were far more numerous than his own. If nothing unexpected happened, the days ahead for Chu Zheng would be quite stimting.


    Seeing that the atmosphere in the hall had grown a bit subtle, Ji Yuyan chuckled lightly, breaking the silence:


    "You need not be envious. The Martial Hall is going to bring at least four people with Superior Immortal Bone, with Taixuan receiving two of them. The rest of you can stillpete using your own methods."


    "If you can present something that satisfies the Martial God, you can naturally take them into your fold."


    Four individuals with Superior Immortal Bone?!


    The gazes of several Holy Masters shifted away from the Hidden Dragon List, as they instinctively took in a cold breath.


    Thest recorded individual with a Superior Immortal Bone in the Cangyun Realm dates back ten thousand years.


    Whether these four can ovee the Immortal Tribtion and be True Immortals is another matter, but at the very least, they are guaranteed to be four Demi Immortals of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, powerful enough to dominate the current era.


    Ji Yuyan nced at the others, then rose to his feet and walked out of the great hall.


    He looked down, observing the mundane kingdoms shrouded in heavy poison mist. A shadow passed through his eyes as he slowly raised his hand.


    A fierce wind brushed through theyers of mist, like an invisible gigantic hand tearing away the thin veil separating heaven and earth.


    "Come."


    A low whisper echoed between heaven and earth, the billowing poison mist and the rain gathered by the invisible wind, converging into his palm and transforming into a ck pearl.


    At that moment, the world became clear, and the divine light emanating from the Tai Xu Sword was also repressed, with the clouds and rain gradually subsiding.


    The next instant, Ji Yuyan pressed his palm downward, and a majestic rain began to fall from the sky again.


    This was not mere dew, but Spiritual Energy transformed, merging seamlessly into the bodies it touched, dissolving without a trace even when falling into the volcanic magma, not stirring up any of the poison mist.


    In just a short while, countless mortals were turned back from the brink of death at Ghost Gate Pass and were thus saved.


    A stream of golden light emerged from the void, descending into the back of Ji Yuyan''s neck, unnoticed even by the Great Saints.


    Ji Yuyan looked at the dark pearl in his palm, walked up to the Taixu Saint Lord, and, before he could react, stuffed the pearl into his mouth.


    In an instant, a billow of poison mist surged out from the seven orifices of the Taixu Saint Lord. In a ghastly scene, a Holy Master was transformed, looking like a fierce ghost, terrifying to the extreme.


    The Taixu Saint Lord''s face twisted ferociously, and with a low roar, he fell to his knees.


    Within the poison fog, the essence of the Tai Xu Sword was mixed, and such a formidable energy could not be assimted even by the strong within the Tongxuan Secret Realm in a short time.


    "The Immortal Bone is granted by heaven for you to shepherd the people on its behalf, not for you to boast of your strength and bully others. Without the Immortal Bone, your life is not necessarily any more precious than theirs."


    In the midst of speaking, Ji Yuyan nced at Geng Yiyang, and the coldness in his pupils caused Geng Yiyang, a man not far from death, to feel a chill in his heart.


    Only a momentter, Ji Yuyan had concealed the emotional fluctuations on his face, and spoke indifferently, "If there is nothing else, I ask that Tai Xu Holy Land withdraw the Immortal Treasure. If an innocent person dies again, there will be another punishment from me."


    The Taixu Saint Lord, kneeling on the ground, took a deep breath and slowly absorbed the poison fog that had scattered back into his abdomen, giving a heavy kowtow, his voice hoarse:


    "Immortal Ji''s teachings are indeed profound; I ept the punishment."


    The several Great Saints all bowed their heads in silence, the same sentence involuntarily springing to mind for each of them.


    Unpredictable, iprehensible.


    In just these brief moments, Ji Yuyan''s mood had changed several times, truly difficult to fathom.


    ...


    ...


    Giant Marsh Country, Wild Goose Wing Ind, Song Residence.


    The moon was high, and midnight was approaching.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged by the riverside, on a boulder two men tall, withyers uponyers of water waves before him, his breathing long and continuous, his chest showing no sign of rising or falling for a long time.


    After quite some time, he slowly opened his eyes, pulled out his panel, and used up all five of the day''s remaining repair chances.


    [Repair Master: Second Order (1000/1000)]


    In the blink of an eye, he had already been in the Song Residence for almost half a month.


    The daily refreshed repair chances were all used on the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, and today, the experience bar of the Second Order Repair Master had finally reached Perfection.


    [You have encountered an obstacle on the path of repair, you have umted enough experience, but your Cultivation limits you, making it hard to break through the bottleneck.]


    A prompt popped up on the panel, but the anticipated promotion message did note.


    Looking at the information appearing on the panel, Chu Zheng fell into thought.


    Before, his Repair Master ranking had never been obstructed; this was actually the first time.


    Recalling the situation of his previous promotions, Chu Zheng had an epiphany.


    His current Cultivation was only First Order; if he were to advance to a Third Order Repair Master, the rank of the Repair Master would already be two major realms higher than his Cultivation.


    There was a certain restriction on the panel, his advancement in Cultivation was somewhat not keeping up with the panel''s upgrade pace.


    ncing at the sky, Chu Zheng''s expression tightened slightly.


    As the bright moon crossed overhead, he once again pulled out the panel, and then let out a long breath.


    [Remaining repair chances for today: 5]


    As long as the daily refreshed repair chances did not change, the rank of the Repair Master had a minuscule impact on him at his present state.


    In just over a month, he would be able to step into the Jade Bone Realm, by that time, the issue of the Repair Master''s rank would naturally solve itself.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.


    Chu Zheng''s status within the Song Family was now extraordinary, and on normal days, barely anyone came to disturb him.


    He once again lived a life simr to the time he spent in the Spirit Beast Garden, where all he needed to do was cultivate, asionally going out to scout for news, with a steady improvement in his Cultivation.


    The sun zed in the sky, the heat steaming above the water surface distorting the vision of living beings.


    Chu Zheng was still sitting cross-legged on the same huge boulder by the riverside, holding a Superior Quality Spirit Stone, drawing upon the power of the Five Elements Shaping Yuan Pills, with the speed of his Cultivation advancing rapidly day by day.


    Under the massive wash of Spiritual Energy, his bones were gradually enveloped in ayer of faint light.


    Crack¡ª


    With a soft click, before Chu Zheng could regain his senses amidst his Cultivation breakthrough, a series of reminders from the panel burst forth.


    [Having expended arge amount of energy and diligently cultivated, you finally broke through the Cultivation bottleneck. As your repair skills improve with your aplishments, you are now a Third Order Repair Master.]


    [As your repair skills grew, you could never mend certain items due to their ipleteness and material constraints. After much contemtion without results, you gained enlightenment and mastered a Divine Skill: Heavenly Divination Technique.]


    [Heavenly Divination Technique (Second Order): Using certain mediums to search for objects or people.]

 Chapter 110: Chapter 94: Reunion

    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Early Jade Bone Realm, Immortal Path: Late Spirit Spring Realm]


    [Cultivation Technique: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Heavenly Divination Technique (Second Order), Object Control (Second Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (Second Order), Invisibility Technique (Second Order)...]


    [Repair Master: Third Order (5/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (375/500), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/7000)...]


    Looking at the panel before him, Chu Zheng closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, pondering.


    As his cultivation rose, the ranks of his divine skills correspondingly improved, and once activated, their might became more astonishing.


    After the rank of Repair Master increased, not only did he gain an additional divine skill, but the number of necessary repairs for cultivation techniques also significantly changed.


    Especially with the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, which had reduced by nearly half, in just over a month, he would be able topletely repair it.


    This was perhaps rted to his own progress in cultivation.


    His current understanding of Qi Refining naturally surpassed that of Spirit Transformation, so this kind of change was normal.


    As for the Heavenly Divination Technique, although it was only a second-order divine skill, it was quite mysterious.


    Heavenly Divination Technique was a branch of a great divine skill of divination, with certain limitations. It could not predict fortunes or disasters but could only locate people and search for items.


    For example, that piece of Blood Jade in the Song Family Treasury, Chu Zheng could vaguely know its general direction through the Heavenly Divination Technique, which undoubtedly greatly reduced the search time.


    If in the future he encountered some fragmented items that were difficult to repair, finding the other fragments could naturally save a lot of repair time.


    Suddenly, Chu Zheng''s eyes twinkled, and he took the remnant piece of the Martial Path into his hand.


    [Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order/Iplete): A Martial God''s lifelong insights are contained within, epassing the cultivation methods of the Xuan Tian Scripture, as well as the fourteen Martial Dao Divine Abilities.


    It retains the aura of the Immortal Path and was once shattered by a True Immortal by hand, breaking into six pieces, after which an Immortal Path Cultivator forcefully erased the traces on it. Repairable (0/5000)]


    This martial relic was first shattered by the hand of a True Immortal and was then forcefully smoothed over by Ling Qi in the Capital of the Great Zhou, making the repair exceedingly difficult.


    Chu Zheng closed his eyes and focused, using this fragment as a medium to perform the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    In an instant, several vague auras appeared in Chu Zheng''s mind, only giving a rough direction. Perhaps due to different distances, the auras varied in strength and were somewhat uneven.


    Indeed...


    This material of the stone barrier was extraordinary and difficult to destroy, which meant that other fragments must still exist in the world.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel excited. He summoned the Heavenly Aura Sword from within his Dantian and performed the Heavenly Divination Technique again, with dense auras converging in his mind, mostly gathering in one ce.


    [Heavenly Aura Sword (Sixth Order/Iplete): Originating from aplete set of Heavenly Aura Sword Array, it is one of the three hundred and sixty Assistant Swords, made from Phoenix Blood Wood, has been initially repaired, but with your current abilities, you cannotplete further repair,cking the necessary materials.]


    Compared to cultivation techniques, repairing high-grade divine weapons clearly had some limitations and was more difficult.


    This Heavenly Aura Sword was just one of the Assistant Swords in a sword array. If he could collect the entire set, its rank would be at least seventh order.


    In other words, this sword array would have the power to y immortals. If he could possess it, it would undoubtedly be of great assistance to Chu Zheng.


    After several consecutive applications of the Heavenly Divination Technique, Chu Zheng felt a sense of emptiness within him, his Yuan Qi was damaged, and he hastily ceased divining.


    Via the repair panel, he swiftly restored his state to its peak condition.


    However, during this repair, Chu Zheng noticed a slight anomaly, a momentary change in the nature''s spiritual energy around him.


    This impact, fading in an instant, returned to normal within a breath''s time.


    Since stepping into the Jade Bone Realm, his sensitivity to his surroundings had increased sharply.


    Even though the change just now was minimal and barely had any impact on nature, the spiritual energy around did indeed momentarily weaken by a fraction.


    After pondering for a while, Chu Zheng once again started experimenting; he took out a long dress from his hand.


    This dress belonged to Song Lingqing.


    Back in the Phantom Spirit Sect, Chu Zheng had obtained Song Lingqing''s Storage Bag, temporarily using it to transfer elixirs.


    Aside from the Spirit Stones, the storage bag contained quite a few articles of Song Lingqing''s clothing.


    With Ling Qing''s residual aura lingering on the clothes, there was no better medium for performing the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, extracted an aura from the clothing, and once again performed the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    A very clear aura emerged, materializing in the northwest direction.


    Chu Zheng snapped back to reality and looked at the dress in his hand, his heart stirring slightly. Judging by the distance, Song Lingqing was not far from him, obviously within the Giant Marsh.


    It seemed he could set out in a few days, locate Song Lingqing first, and at least rify their current situation before nning for the future.


    A wave of emptiness welled up from within, Chu Zheng faltered slightly, exited the divination, and once more used the panel to replenish his Yuan Qi.


    This time, he paid special attention to his surroundings and felt the change more clearly.


    In the moment he repaired his body, a portion of the spiritual energy around him was sucked away by an invisible force.


    Clearly, this was rted to the panel.


    The repair was not without cost, but this cost did not have to be borne by him.

 Chapter 111: Chapter 94: Reunion_2

    ...


    ...


    The sun sliced through the clouds, banishing the night and obscuring the stars that filled the sky.


    Dawn''s light cast upon the river surface, reflectingyers uponyers of golden divine radiance.


    More than ten ships slowly approached the shore, docking at the only harbor of Swallow Wing Ind.


    Merchants disembarked,mencing trade with the ind, and the once tranquil isle suddenly buzzed with activity.


    A figure noiselessly emerged from a cabin, dressed in ragged clothes, with movements revealing him as a young man at a nce.


    He slithered along the side of the ship into the river, cautiously made his way to the shore, and uponnding, carefully began to scout around. After nearly an hour, he found himself in front of the Song Residence.


    Upon seeing the ''Song Residence'' signboard, his body began to tremble slightly, struggling to contain his emotions.


    "Where did this beggare from?"


    The guards at the door immediately frowned, seeing this person drenched and disheveled, and approached him, ready to drive him away.


    At that moment, two streaks of light descended from the sky,nding before the residence gate; the spiritual light faded, revealing a young man and woman¡ªnone other than Song Lingfeng and Song Lingping, the siblings.


    "Young master, young mistress," the guards promptly knelt to greet them.


    Song Lingfeng nced at the beggar and said in a gentle voice, "Get him some food and a change of clothes. It''s hard to avoid difficulties when you''re away from home."


    "Thank you, young master, but there''s no need," the beggar replied.


    Hebed the hair on his head to reveal an unremarkable face and gave a bow:


    "Great Zhou, Song Yun,es to visit."


    "Great Zhou? Surnamed Song?"


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingfeng''s expression tightened slightly. After looking around, he swiftly pulled Song Yun into the residence.


    "Let''s talk inside the house."


    ...


    ...


    The front hall of the Song Residence.


    Having heard the news, Song Tonghai hurried over and pushed the door open.


    "Family head? Howe you are here?!"


    Song Yun, now in clean clothes, saw Song Tonghai and couldn''t help feeling shocked. As he regained hisposure, joy inevitably surfaced in his eyes: "Did you and the youngdy arrive ahead of me?"


    The moment he saw Song Tonghai, the panic and helplessness Song Yun felt from being in a foreignnd vanished.


    "Have you encountered any major problems along the way?"


    Song Tonghai''s expression slightly darkened, but without borating, he turned to ask about Song Yun''s recent situation.


    "There were some twists and turns, but I was not seriously injured."


    Song Yun downyed the dangers he had encountered and simply recounted his experiences over the past half a year.


    Not long after leaving Great Zhou, he encountered robbers, led by a grandmaster-level expert, and only with great difficulty did he escape with his life.


    But since he had not yetpleted the task given by the family head, he could only continue on his journey, gathering information along the way.


    Relying on his Qi Condensing Great Completion skills, he wandered all over, struggling to finally reach Giant Marsh and set foot on Wild Goose Wing Ind.


    "As long as you are alive, it is good," Song Tonghai sighed deeply, ncing around, and upon confirming there were no others present, he quietly shared some recent upheavals.


    Great Zhou''s attack, the envoy from the Holy Land, Chu Zheng''s marriage, the Taixuan Holy Master, the Immortal Alliance, the Martial Hall...


    Song Yun listened for a long while speechless, the tumultuous changes of the past half year far exceeded his expectations, even involving the Holy Land, the contemporary Pseudo-Immortals.


    During his days away from Great Zhou, he had thought his perspective had broadened substantially, hearing of the Immortal Sect and even the renown of the Holy Land. But now, he felt like a mere frog at the bottom of a well.


    Chu Zheng''s growth rate had far surpassed his imaginative capacities; in just a short period, he had influenced not just one country... but the entire Southern Region.


    ...


    ...


    The backyard of the Song Residence.


    Song Lingfeng found Chu Zheng alone and, after some pleasantries and repeated hesitations, he took out a portrait and handed it over to Chu Zheng:


    "Daoist Chu, it seems someone is looking for you. Shouldn''t youy low for a while?"


    Chu Zheng took the portrait, slowly unrolled it, and upon clearly seeing the figure within, his gaze sharpened instantly.


    The person in the painting, by likeness alone, was only somewhat simr to him. However, at a nce, one could recognize that Chu Zheng was the figure depicted.


    The person who had drawn the portrait was of profound cultivation, nearly reaching Tongxuan; he captured the essence of the Spirit Soul, not merely the form.


    This individual may not have even seen Chu Zheng in person, only deduced his aura through conjecture; with his brushwork, he captured both spirit and form.


    Unquestionably, this was the handiwork of the Immortal Sect.


    "Factions have already put out a word inside the sects, iming your head can fetch 30,000 high-quality spirit stones, and even just for information of your whereabouts, one could get 500 high-quality spirit stones,"


    Song Lingfeng''s expression was solemn as he slowly spoke.


    The moment he learned of this news, he too couldn''t help but be shocked.


    He didn''t know what kind of people Daoist Chu had offended, but such a huge reward had already stirred up a storm within Qionglou.


    As time went on, this portrait would inevitably be widely circted, at which time Chu Zheng''s situation would be extremely dangerous, possibly even implicating the Song Family.


    "That much?"


    Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brows, his thoughts whirring rapidly as he sorted through all the troubles he currently faced.


    A momentter, he had already guessed part of the inside story.


    Being a mere cultivator in the Spirit Spring Realm, he couldn''t possibly attract such a level of bounty. The only exnation was the Hidden Dragon List.


    The likelihood was because of the words ''Taixuan Holy Land''.


    However, the Hidden Dragon List had been out for a while now, and with the methods of these Immortal Sect Holy Lands, they wouldn''t be so slow to react.


    The only exnation was that during this period, something he hadn''t foreseen must have happened rted to the Taixuan Holy Land.


    Indeed, troublesome...


    For a moment, Chu Zheng felt in a predicament; he still couldn''t be sure whether the Holy Land had other means of searching for him, aside from this portrait.


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng looked at Song Lingfeng, with a touch of surprise in his eyes, "Daoist Song, why don''t you exchange Chu''s head for this reward?"


    30,000 high-quality spirit stones, when converted into lower-quality ones, would be three million. Ordinary lower-ss Immortal Sects couldn''t bring out so many spirit stones; it was undoubtedly an astronomical figure.


    Even a mighty figure in the Divine Infant Realm would be tempted.


    His rtionship with Song Lingfeng was nothing more than a fleeting acquaintance, not deep enough to this extent.


    "You were brought here by my uncle; of course, you''re considered a friend. Although my Song Family is not a grand n, we cannot do such things as betray a friend for glory,"


    Song Lingfeng shook his head slightly. To say he hadn''t wavered would be a lie, but after weighing his options, he chose to lend Chu Zheng a hand.


    This was not about favors but about his own standard as a person.


    "With such a huge bounty on your head, personally, I would suggest that Daoist Chu find a secluded ind and go into seclusion. Spend a decade or a century, then return to the mortal world."


    Given the current situation, this was without a doubt the best choice for Chu Zheng.


    Facing Song Lingfeng''s kind reminder, Chu Zheng did not refuse, nodding slowly as he said:


    "I will leave tomorrow."


    No matter the reason, he needed to leave this ce temporarily¡ªnot to avoid misfortune for himself, but to spare the Song Residence of disaster.


    If he stayed here any longer, Giant Marsh''s Song Family would only follow in the footsteps of the Great Zhou''s Song Family.


    He was determined that he couldn''t avoid this trouble; in addition to the portrait, the Holy Lands would always have other means to discover his whereabouts.


    Moreover, with the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects imminent, he didn''t have the luxury of time to peacefully go into seclusion and cultivate.


    If he hid away, even after ten years, the peak of his cultivation would at most enter the Dao Embryo stage, and thinking of condensing the Golden Core would be a mere daydream.


    In the current perilous situation, even the cultivation of the Golden Core was far from enough; to confront these Holy Lands directly, he must Refine Spirit Dao Integration or even Molt Mortality and Ascend to Immortality to have a sliver of say.


    Ten years was far from enough.


    "Today, another person came to the door, whom my uncle recognizes, from the Great Zhou. I wonder if you might know him,"


    Song Lingfeng''s words brought Chu Zheng back to focus, causing him some surprise:


    "Who?"


    "The man identifies himself as Song Yun, currently in the front hall."


    "Song Yun?"


    Chu Zheng''s heart stirred, and he immediately got up and headed for the front hall.


    He hadn''t expected to meet Song Yun again so soon.


    ...


    ...


    To the northwest of Wild Goose Wing Ind, tens of thousands of miles away, on a small t boat.


    Song Lingqing was seated at the bow, dressed in ck, her expression cold, her hair casually spread behind her, giving her an unkempt appearance.


    Two streaks of light shed across the sky, stopping above Song Lingqing''s head, with a voice calling out:


    "Where is Daoist friend headed? May we travel together?"


    Song Lingqing silently pressed down on the magic artifact, lifting her head with a smile appearing on her face:


    "Daoist brothers, pleasee aboard for a chat."


    In the past few months, she had gradually gotten used to it. Being a loose cultivator without the backing of a power was inherently dangerous, and being alone made her an even moremon target for robbery and assault.


    With the situation in Giant Marsh in chaos and the need to interact with others to gather information, the troubles she had encountered in just a few months were no less than a dozen times.


    Greed, looting, struggle for resources, power suppression, continuous conflicts... Any interaction with others inevitably involved being dragged into them.

 Chapter 112: Chapter 95: Divine Infant Retreats from the World

    Human hearts are unpredictable. Over this period, Song Lingqing had already suffered several losses in secret, and now, she was extremely cautious with everything rted to the outside world.


    In this world, drifting alone, she could only rely on herself.


    It was exceedingly difficult to make close friends.


    Dudu¡ª¡ª


    Two figures stepped onto the small boat, and the already cramped space suddenly seemed even more suffocating.


    Song Lingqing''s face retained her smile, appearing harmless to humans and animals, seemingly without any defenses, yet her eyes sized up the two men before her from head to toe.


    One wore a blue shirt with a medium build and a schrly demeanor, carrying a long box on his back, while the other was dressed in ck tight-fitting clothes and appeared somewhat lean.


    It was impossible to tell the ages of cultivators from their appearances, but as cultivators of the Spirit Spring Realm enjoyed prolonged life, if one had entered the realm at a young age, they would appear much younger.


    However, the two men before her both looked to be nearly forty, which meant they were at least a hundred years old.


    One was at the Mid Spirit Spring Realm and the other at the Early Spirit Spring Realm, respectable ranks among loose cultivators, but rather unimpressivepared to sect disciples.


    After enduring the many trials of the past half-year, Song Lingqing''s cultivation had improved a level more; she had now reached the Mid Spirit Spring Realm. Handling these two was not too troublesome.


    Song Lingqing slightly rxed, her mana circted within, maintaining vignce as she softly inquired:


    "May I ask how the two Daoist brothers are called, and from which sect do youe?"


    "Cheng Xuan, loose cultivator,"


    said the one carrying the long box, a cultivator from the Mid Spirit Spring Realm, identifying himself and then pointing to the other man in ck:


    "This is Wu Taiyun, Daoist Brother Wu, also a loose cultivator, without a sect or faction."


    After revealing their backgrounds, Cheng Xuan began to subtly probe for information about Song Lingqing:


    "May I inquire which sect the Daoist friend is from?"


    "Loose cultivator, my master passed away early, and afterwards, I was left to cultivate alone, no old acquaintances. Recently, the Spirit Stones left by my master are nearly depleted,pelling me to leave the mountains in hopes of finding a way out."


    Song Lingqing''s smile didn''t diminish, her aura mild, giving off an impression of naivety.


    Cheng Xuan and Wu Taiyun exchanged nces, their expressions indiscernible, as if hiding a smile.


    "We happen to have quite an appealing business opportunity. Would the Daoist friend care to join us?"


    Cheng Xuan extended the invitation and then retrieved a portrait, slowly unfolding it:


    "Finding this person could bring us a great fortune."


    Looking at the portrait in front of her, Song Lingqing who originally nned to find an excuse to leave, paused momentarily, intrigue sparked in her eyes.


    She took the portrait and examined it closely. Although the facial features were somewhat ambiguous, she could tell at first nce, the person in the painting was Chu Zheng.


    "Daoist brothers, may I ask about the origin of this fortune?"


    Song Lingqing looked puzzled, slowly rolling up the portrait in her hands, surreptitiously surveying her surroundings while quietly asking, "What do the two of you want with this man?"


    "His head can fetch us fifty thousand high-quality Spirit Stones, and even mere information can be rewarded with a thousand high-quality Spirit Stones. This is the reward I can procure; others may not receive as much,"


    Cheng Xuan''s lips curved slightly, undeniable greed in his eyes.


    Hearing this, Song Lingqing''s eyes flickered, feigning hesitation, "Such a high bounty must mean that his cultivation is extraordinary, right?"


    "Merely at the Late Spirit Spring Realm, nothing to fear," Cheng Xuan dismissed with a wave of his hand.


    If the cultivator were of a higher caliber, they wouldn''t dare contemte it.


    But given that the cultivation was only at the Late Spirit Spring Realm, this was trivialpared to the promised bounty.


    Fifty thousand high-quality Spirit Stones, if converted to lower-quality, that would be five million¡ªenough to buy a lower-rank sect.


    Such a bounty on the head of a Late Spirit Spring Realm cultivator, was indeed a rare and lucrative opportunity.


    Even a mere piece of information held immense value¡ªundeniably tempting to any loose cultivator.


    Song Lingqing subconsciously clutched the portrait in her hand, a heaviness settling in her heart. She couldn''t understand how Chu Zheng had drawn such massive trouble.


    Upon reflection, she deduced some hints: Chu Zheng, capable of repairing even a shattered Immortal Bone, must possess earth-shattering secrets that likely attracted this deadly intent.


    These people... truly deserved death.


    Suppressing her rising killing intent, Song Lingqing steadied her emotions, her curiosity thinly veiled, "Such generosity with rewards, may I know which faction is issuing this bounty?"


    "The specifics are unclear, but with his head, one can im the reward at various sects. Rumor has it that this is backed by a Holy Land, probably involving them,"


    Cheng Xuan borated calmly. Beside him, Wu Taiyun, who had been silent, seemed somewhat impatient:


    "Brother Cheng, just deliver her to Autumn Water Ind; why waste words with her?"


    Cheng Xuan turned his head towards Wu Taiyun, his expression slightly cold, clearly displeased with his interjection.


    "What is Brother Wu implying?"


    Song Lingqing took a step back, slightly lowering her head, her demeanor visibly flustered.


    "You need not worry, Daoist friend. We''ve been conducting business around these inds and have connections with cultivators from various inds."


    Cheng Xuan turned back, smiling as he reassured, "You mentioned earlier that your Spirit Stones were running low and you were looking for a way out? Autumn Water Ind is a prime location for earning Spirit Stones, an ideal ce for you."


    "No need, I visited Autumn Water Ind a few days ago."


    Song Lingqing spoke lightly, slowly raising her head, a fierce Spiritual Light burning in her pupils as she looked straight into Cheng Xuan''s eyes, the earlier panicpletely reced by indifference.


    The Phantom Spirit Technique was especially proficient in mental illusions, capable of intimidating an opponent''s mind duringbat. In low-grade cultivator shes, it effectively secured the upper hand.

 Chapter 113: Chapter 95: Divine Infant Retreats from the World_2

    Cheng Xuan waspletely unguarded, when suddenly, his mind went nk.


    Song Lingqing was only an arm''s length away from him, within reach. As her wrist flipped over, a long sword appeared in her palm, radiating a bone-chilling killing intent.


    Whiz¡ª


    The sword whistled past Cheng Xuan''s neck, sending his head soaring through the air with blood spurting, eventually rolling to one side.


    In a brief moment of distraction, by the time Cheng Xuan regained his senses, his vision had turned upside down, a world of red. Not far stood a headless corpse.


    Taking the head directly had be Song Lingqing''s habit, simply because she had previously suffered in that regard.


    Not all cultivators have their hearts in vulnerable spots; some, with their peculiar methods, can still fight back even with a damaged heart. She had learned this the hard way, enduring injuries for half a month before she could move freely again.


    Gulp¡ª


    Only when the head hit the ground did Wu Taiyun finally react. His expression changed drastically, and without hesitation, he leaped into the river.


    His cultivation was only at the Early Spirit Spring Realm, far below Song Lingqing. To face her head-on, alone, would only lead to death.


    Once in the river, his figure vanished instantly like a drop of water.


    Song Lingqing soared across the sky on her sword, her senses sharp. She quickly detected a trace of rapidly moving energy underwater.


    Ordinary cultivators mostly need to enter the Dao Realm to manifest Divine Sense, but practicing the Phantom Spirit Technique, one could vaguely develop a semnce of Divine Sense even in the Spirit Spring Realm.


    Song Lingqing''s eyes narrowed. She raised her hand and shed out a sword qi, splitting the water and waves, rushing down to the river surface, and shed again.


    Boom¡ª


    The water churned with a hundredyers of muddy waves, beneath which a hint of red bloomed, yet no corpse surfaced.


    Wu Taiyun had dived into deeper waters, disappearing from Song Lingqing''s perception.


    The difference inbat power between loose cultivators and major sect disciples is immense, whether in the purity and strength of mana or in the difference in martial arts and secret techniques¡ªlike heaven and earth.


    But in one aspect, that of survival tactics, sect disciples are often inferior.


    Song Lingqing did not pursue. The situation underwater was unclear, and with numerous water demons present, delving too deep could easily capsize the situation in a dangerous environment. It was unnecessary to risk her life.


    After looking around, Song Lingqing returned to her small boat, collected Cheng Xuan''s long box and storage bag, then sank the body into the river. She used the flowing river water to wash the blood from her hands.


    This was the advantage of Giant Marsh. Bodies thrown into the water disappeared within moments, consumed by water demons, saving the trouble of destroying the body and erasing traces.


    As she watched the body gradually disappear in the water, Song Lingqing''s brows slightly furrowed.


    She was somewhat concerned about the current predicament of Chu Zheng; even these ordinary loose cultivators had obtained his portrait, not to mention the various major sects.


    Fearfully, Chu Zheng was now besieged on all sides.


    However, if Wu Taiyun escaped with his life, she herself might also face trouble.


    Autumn Water Ind, where she had just passedst month.


    It is a ck market belonging to loose cultivators, filled with all kinds of dealings including assassinations, deceptions, thievery,undering, ve trading, and the only ce with ''Locking Immortal Pavilion'' in the entire Giant Marsh.


    Every transaction that shunned the light could essentially be found there.


    The influence of Locking Immortal Pavilion spans hundreds of countries, obscure in power,parable to the worldly brothels but with one difference¡ªthose entertaining with their charms inside are cultivators.


    Within the Locking Immortal Pavilion, there are both male and female cultivators, each with different backgrounds, including disciples from destroyed sects, wandering loose cultivators, and nobility from fallen powerful families.


    Locking Immortal Pavilion avoids offending others, never participating in power struggles.


    Those who are sold into the Locking Immortal Pavilion, no matter how talented or gifted with high-quality Immortal Bones, never get the chance to turn their fate around, constantly watched by the outside world.


    Their ultimate fate, to be drained of their essence until nothing but a dry husk remains.


    Harvesting yang from females and harvesting yin from males, an age-old widespread path in the cultivation world, albeit one rarely admitted to openly.


    Many cultivators secretly practice this path as,pared to other paths, it''s significantly easier to follow.


    These two people associated with Autumn Water Ind might have other support behind them.


    Song Lingqing regained her senses, smashed the small boat, and without using her sword, walked directly on the waves.


    After covering several hundred li, taking advantage of the perfect position of the sun, she changed her clothes on a small ind, procured another small boat, and continued downriver in search of news.


    In a few days, if she still couldn''t locate her family, she would consider heading towards the Great Zhou to search.


    And Chu Zheng, she had no idea where he was now.


    ...


    ...


    As twilight approached, the harbor of Wild Goose Wing Ind quieted down, gradually sinking into silence.


    Song Residence''s back courtyard.


    Within a secluded courtyard, Chu Zheng met Song Yun.


    Meeting Chu Zheng, Song Yun''s first reaction was that Chu Zheng had changed once again.


    This change was not merely superficial, but also involved deeper elements.


    He opened his mouth to speak, but after a long pause of silence, he bowed respectfully:


    "Son-inw."


    He was born in the Song Family, grew up in the Song Family, and as long as he lived, he would always belong to the Song Family. Chu Zheng''s current identity was now different, and there were certain etiquettes he naturally observed.


    This had nothing to do with strength or weakness, it was about protocol.


    Moreover, Chu Zheng was a great benefactor to the entire Song Family, having saved the young miss from life-threatening dangers several times. This kindness was something he could never fully repay even with several deaths.


    Chu Zheng nced at Song Yun, having traversed hundreds of thousands of miles with a mere mortal body. The hardship involved was not something to be spoken lightly to outsiders.


    He did not ask how much hardship Song Yun had endured during this period but asked directly:


    "Song Yun, are you willing toe with me?"


    Chu Zheng nned to leave the Song Family overnight, but did not intend to take Song Tonghai with him; his current situation was very dangerous, and there was no certainty that he would survive.


    Taking Song Tonghai with him could potentially endanger his life instead.


    As for Song Yun, Chu Zheng wanted to give him a hand; he needed someone from the Martial Path to help verify the martial arts of this world.


    Song Yun''s talent was much stronger than ordinary people, he was about the same age as Song Lingxue, only slightly inferior in martial arts.


    Under normal circumstances, he definitely had a chance to step into the Grandmaster realm before the age of thirty.


    Chu Zheng needed this talent; otherwise, even if that Xuan Tian Martial Barrier were repaired, there would be no one to verify it in the short term.


    "If the son-inw needs me to go, then I will go," Song Yun said without any hesitation.


    Originally, he had said that he would bind himself with a grass ring to repay Chu Zheng''s great kindness; his life was no longer his own.


    Chu Zheng did not hide the dangers involved and said bluntly, "You and I are very likely to die."


    "Being born is leading to death; everyone eventually faces it."


    Song Yun''s demeanor remained unchanged; he had never feared death, dying for the Song Family was a worthy death.


    "Then let''s go."


    Chu Zheng''s face showed a smile, and turning around, he said, "We''ll first look for Ling Qing."


    ...


    ...


    Midnight.


    Chu Zheng bade farewell to Song Tonghai.


    Song Tonghai naturally agreed with Chu Zheng''s decision to leave him behind; he did not wish to be a burden forever.


    Song Tonghai did not say much, only advising Chu Zheng to be very careful. Chu Zheng was like his child now, inevitably worrying him.


    For safety, Chu Zheng also took a drop of Song Tonghai''s essence blood.


    In case of any unforeseen events causing them to get separated again, he could locate Song Tonghai through Heavenly Divination Technique.


    Before leaving, Chu Zheng left Song Lingfeng and his sister Song Lingping two second-order magic treasures each, and several bottles of second-order Spirit Pills, to be delivered by Song Tongxuan as a token of gratitude.


    The magic treasures were one offensive and one defensive,ing from the remnants of that ancient battlefield, enough for the two of them to use until they reached Entry Dao Realm Perfection.


    ...


    ...


    As Chu Zheng left the Song Residence, the outside world was already in turmoil.


    Together with the spread of Chu Zheng''s portrait, there was also an order issued jointly by several Holy Lands.


    All cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm, unless approved by a Holy Land, were forbidden from taking action; any vitions would result in punishment extending to their entire sect.


    This joint decree by the Holy Lands was unprecedented in tens of thousands of years, showing the level of their concern.


    People began to probe the reasons behind this, and those with extensive connections quickly learned the inside story.


    The fall of Tai Xu Pseudo-Immortal, the Five Saints'' meeting, and the Immortal Alliance''s intervention ¨C these pieces of news spread in the shadows, stirring up a storm throughout the Southern Region.


    Sects were as silent as cicadas in winter, bing much more restrained, and asionally observable Divine Infant Great Abilities began to go into hiding.

 Chapter 114: Chapter 96: Taixuan, Chu Zheng

    Divine Infant Cultivators could not make a move, thus the situation changed drastically.


    Most notably, the number of Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators began to increase.


    To strengthen the control of the sects, some Soul Condensation Realm Elders who had been in seclusion were released by their sects to patrol the world.


    The Divine Infants were described as powerful precisely because they possessed a destructive power far beyond that of the Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators.


    Some sects, which havested for thousands of years, depended on one or two Divine Infant Cultivators within their ranks.


    For instance, Qionglou, the current overlord of Giant Marsh, had a significant influence in the region precisely because of ate-stage Divine Infant Supreme Elder within its main lineage.


    The edict from the Holy Land now essentially nullified Qionglou''s biggest trump card.


    With a Divine Infant in residence previously, some middle and lower-ranked sects had to act cautiously, not daring to overstep.


    Now that the Divine Infants were in hiding, it was as though some sects'' foundations were pressed down, greatly weakening their deterrent power.


    Without the strong maintaining order, what sometimes followed was only greater chaos.


    However,pared to Divine Infants shing, which often resulted in the destruction of cities and nations, themon people had much better days.


    After all, causing too much harm to mortals would give those Divine Infant Cultivators a legitimate reason to intervene.


    ...


    ...


    To the northwest of Wild Goose Wing Ind, not less than ten thousand miles away,y a cluster of inds named ''Chang Jian.''


    This ce was home to a small sect called the ''Water Sword Sect''; its strongest member was in the Early Soul Condensing Realm. Their business involved trade, and the sect had Demon Purging Masters adept at handling Water Demons. Cultivators who hunted Water Demons often came here to trade.


    Over time, this ce evolved into an Immortal Marketce, where many sects established their outposts.


    The morning sun lit up the earth, a gentle breeze swept across the river surface, releasing a thin mist, casting hazy shadows.


    In the port along the shore, various boats intermingled, and Flying Boats hovered high in the sky, their gs dazzling.


    A t boat emerged from the fog, slowly entering the port. Song Lingqing took a deep breath, the air heavy with moisture, slightly soothing her throat.


    Once the boat docked, she stepped off in one motion, silently reaching the shore.


    After encountering Cheng Xuan and Wu Taiyun, Song Lingqing had headed straight here, nning to quickly dispose of everything she had obtained from Cheng Xuan.


    The Storage Bag from Cheng Xuan contained numerous materials sourced from Water Demons, which could be exchanged for many Spirit Stones.


    These items, not knowing if they retained any special marks, carried the risk of being tracked, better to liquidate them directly.


    After walking around the marketce, Song Lingqing managed to turn everything, including the Storage Bag, into Spirit Stones.


    The most precious among them was the second-order Flying Sword stored in the long box, sufficient for Entry Dao Realm Cultivators, fetching a high price of seven hundred middle-quality Spirit Stones, exceeding the sum of all other items.


    After offloading her items, Song Lingqing spent quite some time gathering information about Chu Zheng, wanting to learn some details.


    Such a high bounty would move even the powerful, and even though Divine Infants could not move now, it still attracted arge number of Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators.


    Soul Condensation Realm, within a Superior Immortal Sect, could act as Inner Sect Elders, their strength not to be underestimated. With Chu Zheng''s current strength, if noticed, he would be in great danger.


    After casually gathering some information, Song Lingqing did not linger in this ce and quickly left the marketce.


    Just as she was about to reach the shore, her path was blocked by a figure in a ck robe, causing her heart to tense, mana circting, she held onto her Flying Sword.


    Upon a clearer view of the person''s face, she was startled:


    "Chu..."


    Song Lingqing immediately caught herself, swallowed the rest of her words, and cautiously looked around. Seeing no one else was present, she slightly rxed.


    Given Chu Zheng''s currently dangerous situation, she couldn''t help but be cautious.


    "Howe you are here?" Song Lingqing asked softly, "Do you know how many people are looking for you?"


    "Tracked here by your aura."


    Chu Zheng casually tossed the original Storage Bag back to Song Lingqing and then slightly moved the bones in his cheek, changing his face in the blink of an eye.


    On his way here, he had already tried to practice the ''False Form'' Divine Skill, hoping to alter his aura, but had not grasped even the slightest essence, clearly still insufficient in cultivation, only able to change appearances as a disguise.


    Song Lingqing epted the Storage Bag, and upon seeing the items inside, her expression turned slightly embarrassed.


    At the time Chu Zheng wanted this Storage Bag, she hadn''t thought much about it, many items had not been taken out, but fortunately, now it seemed there were no signs of tampering.


    Looking at Song Lingqing before him, Chu Zheng sighed softly in his heart. They were still sisters after all, bearing a slight resemnce around their eyebrows and eyes.


    However, after the turbulent changes, Song Lingqing seemed somewhat unapproachable, cold like a sword, whereas Song Lingxue always seemed more like a warm jade in his presence.


    "What have you heard about me?"


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng inquired about the news concerning himself, as Song Lingqing''s initial reaction had evidently shown her awareness of the bounty.


    He had been in seclusion for the past two months, not keeping up with external news, still somewhat unclear about the situation, needing some information for analysis.


    "I only found out yesterday, and I just inquired about some news. Your bounty seems to involve several Holy Lands. Now, therger part of the cultivation world, and many sects, are searching for you." Song Lingqing said with a slight frown, clearly worried.


    Hearing that several Holy Lands were involved, Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened as he pressed, "What about Taixuan?"

 Chapter 115: Chapter 96: Taixuan, Chu Zheng_2

    "Taixuan... there hasn''t been much activity," he said, "It seems they are preparing to reopen the Sect Gate and recruit disciples recently. Many Loose Cultivators have headed that way, looking to join in the excitement."


    Even though Taixuan had been closed for ten thousand years, it remained a Holy Land, with the Immortal Ascension Method within its walls and an Immortal Treasure stabilizing its fate.


    If there was a chance to join, no Cultivator would refuse, even if it meant being just an Outer Sect Disciple rather than wandering everywhere.


    Song Lingqing recounted some of the changes that had urred during this period.


    Upon learning that the Divine Infant was hiding from the world, a hint of joy shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes, as this was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for him.


    With the Divine Infant unable to take action, once he entered the Dao Embryo and with his Immortal Path Cultivation, he could dominate the world safely, greatly increasing his security and ensuring he would not be in danger every day.


    However, after hearing the news of the meeting among the Five Great Holy Lands, Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed slightly, and he rubbed his temples, falling into deep thought.


    The bounty on him had obviously only spread recently, probably rted to this meeting.


    The other major Holy Lands were targeting him together, yet Taixuan showed no reaction, which was very intriguing.


    If you were to say Geng Yiyang held any regard for him, Chu Zheng himself wouldn''t believe it.


    After meeting Geng Yiyang once, he lost four treasures: his wife, the Heritage Jade Token of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, the Fire Seed of the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire, and the Lihuo Spear.


    And he gained nothing from Geng Yiyang.


    Geng Yiyang imed he was helping him to block a disaster, taking on Ling Qi''s death, but Chu Zheng knew very well that at the moment of Ling Qi''s death, his own cmity had already dissipated.


    From Zhou Zili and Ling Qi''s attitudes, it was evident that the target of Tai Xu Holy Land was indeed Taixuan, not Chu Zheng.


    In fact, if it weren''t for Geng Yiyang''s forced intervention, so many people wouldn''t have died, and those major Holy Lands wouldn''t have noticed Chu Zheng at all.


    Chu Zheng thought hard for a long while but couldn''t grasp any leads; his gaze wandered around, and when it swept over Song Lingqing, a flicker of enlightenment suddenly shed through his mind.


    His current situation was eerily simr to Song Lingqing''s previous predicament, almost exactly the same.


    The reason those major Holy Lands targeted him could be narrowed down to two possibilities: either because of Taixuan Holy Land or because of their wariness.


    Currently, his ranking on the Hidden Dragon List was just over seven thousand, which had barely any presencepared to the geniuses of those Holy Lands.


    On the surface, this wasn''t enough to warrant such an borate focus from these Holy Lands.


    Clearly, some factors rted to Chu Zheng made them uneasy.


    Besides his talent, Chu Zheng couldn''t think of any other possibilities.


    Chu Zheng had a clear understanding of his own cultivation speed. In less than a year, he had advanced from the Nourishing Power Realm to the Late Spirit Spring Realm, a phenomenon undoubtedly extraordinarily fast even surpassing those with Superior Immortal Bone.


    But this news couldn''t possibly be known by those Holy Lands. The only ones aware of this information were those who knew about the Lihuo Spear, which was currently in Geng Yiyang''s hands.


    The answer was quite clear now.


    The only exnation for Chu Zheng''s current predicament was that Geng Yiyang had leaked his information.


    "Heh..."


    Having realized the connection, Chu Zheng clenched his teeth, blood rushing to his head in anger, yet heughed in irony.


    Chu Zheng didn''t want to guess Geng Yiyang''s motives or bother thinking about the reasons. Thanks to this old man, his troubles had indeed increased now, with enemies on all sides.


    "Right, here are your Spirit Stones back."


    Seeing Chu Zheng standing still, Song Lingqing suddenly remembered something and untied her Storage Bag from her waist.


    After traveling for half a year, she had saved a considerable amount, always intent on repaying Chu Zheng''s Spirit Stones.


    Although she didn''t know when she could fully repay the personal debt, returning some of it now would make her feel more at ease.


    "Keep it for yourself; we''re family now, no need to separate it out like this,"


    Chu Zheng waved his hand, pushing the Storage Bag back to her, his attitude much more casual than before.


    Times had changed; having married Song Lingxue, Song Lingqing naturally became his sister-inw. As family, it was only right to look out for each other without being too formal.


    "Family?"


    At those words, Song Lingqing''s expression turned hesitant, the term sounding unexpectedly intimate to her ears.


    Seeing her reaction, Chu Zheng caught on and recounted the recent changes one by one.


    Chu Zheng kept it simple, briefly glossing over the details, but it was enough to leave Song Lingqing somewhat shocked.


    A Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator opposing Holy Lands was something not even rumors could fabricate.


    The storytellers on the streets would never recount such a tale, for no one would believe it.


    The existence of the Hidden Dragon List hadpletely overturned her understanding.


    Above the Hidden Dragon List, Song Lingqing''s name had been present, now ranked at twelve thousand and something¡ªthis was the very end.


    Beyond that were cultivators in the Nourishing Power Realm who participated in the tournament not for rankings, but to see the world.


    If they waited until the next tournament, they would be too old to participate.


    This was their only chance in this lifetime.


    Upon hearing that Chu Zheng had already married, Song Lingqing inevitably felt somewhat dazed.


    However, after being separated for several months, upon meeting again, they inexplicably became family.


    The person before her had be her sister''s husband.


    Regarding Chu Zheng''s words, Song Lingqing had no doubts at all; Chu Zheng had no reason to deceive her.


    After a long silence, Song Lingqing lowered her head to reattach her storage bag to her waist, subconsciously rubbing her forearm, only feeling that the wind blowing from outside the ind had suddenly turned colder, chilling her heart.


    After being lost in thought for a moment, Song Lingqing quietly said, "What are your ns now?"


    Her first thought was the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    From any perspective, Chu Zheng couldn''t avoid this critical juncture.


    With the opening of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, people from the Martial Hall woulde here to take her sister away¡ªthis was inevitable. In order to seek a turning point, they must attend.


    "When the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects begins, I want to see the situation."


    Chu Zheng''s response did not surprise Song Lingqing.


    But in reality, what Chu Zheng was thinking was vastly different from what she imagined.


    In Chu Zheng''s eyes, the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was a way to make contact with powers outside their domain. From the scroll he had obtained before, it was evident there must be other Qi Cultivators in this universe.


    They just didn''t exist in the Cangyun Realm.


    With ten years, relying on his own power to resist the Immortal Path Cultivators of a whole realm was undoubtedly a pipe dream. However, if he could establish contact with outsiders and gain the help of other Qi Cultivators, perhaps there was still a chance.


    At least there was a chance to save his life.


    Currently, his Qi Refinement''s cultivation was still shallow. Encountering a powerful cultivator, he could still dissipate his Dantian''s Yuan Qi and hide it somewhat. Once he cultivated the Dao Embryo and even reached the Golden Core, avoidance would be inevitable, and conflicts would eventually arise.


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing fell silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "I will go with you."


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was also a knot in her heart.


    In fact, if not for Chu Zheng''s intervention, the Song family would have been destroyed long ago, and her Immortal Bone would have beenpletely ruined. Her only value, as the old ancestor of the Han Family, Han Yuanqing, had said, would have been to seek refuge under some noble family''s son and live out her remaining years.


    Even if she were reluctant, the final oue wouldn''t change much without power; she had no means to resist.


    She was always a castaway from the Phantom Spirit Sect. When she and Xiao Yuanqing entered the sect on the same day, her path had already been predetermined.


    How could she be willing to ept this?


    "The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is held in Biluo Country, quite far from here. If you intend to participate, I''m afraid you''ll have to set out soon."


    Song Lingqing had already begun nning their uing journey. A Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator''s speed of travel was, at most, ten thousand miles in a day; covering millions of miles nonstop in a year.


    And Biluo Countryy tens of millions of miles away.


    "I don''t n to participate in the Hidden Dragon Tournament."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, dismissing Song Lingqing''s notion, his expression coldly indifferent.


    "Then what do you intend to do?"


    Song Lingqing was puzzled, not understanding, "Your name is already on the Hidden Dragon List..."


    "I n to ughter the list."


    Chu Zheng''s gaze was indifferent, with a surge of killing intent hidden within.


    All along, he had never nned to participate in the so-called tournament step-by-step.


    Since Geng Yiyang had decided to sit back and watch, Chu Zheng naturally had to find a way to cause him some trouble.


    After all, he was now Chu Zheng of the Taixuan Holy Land.

 Chapter 116: Chapter 97: Town Immortal Mace

    ```


    Regarding the current situation, Chu Zheng''s understanding had be increasingly clear.


    From the attitudes of Zhou Zili and Ling Qi before, one could infer that the circumstances of Taixuan Holy Land weren''t very promising.


    And his current situation, surrounded by enemies on all sides, was also inextricably linked to Taixuan Holy Land.


    The way things had unfolded with Ye Yulou, along with the coboration of several Holy Lands in such a high-profile manner, issuing a bounty to search for someone, all pointed to some telling signs.


    The Hidden Dragon List is only possessed by the Holy Lands.


    Apart from the Holy Lands, most of the other major Sects probably didn''t know that Chu Zheng was from Taixuan Holy Land; they were primarily motivated by the bounty.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, held once every hundred years, what Chu Zheng needed to do now was to ensure that his name would be remembered in Cangyun Realm during the future Hidden Dragon Tournaments.


    After stepping into the Jade Bone Realm, Chu Zheng''s power had vastly surpassed that of before, and with the Immortal Path Cultivation in him, ordinary cultivators in thete stage of the Entry Dao Realm were no match for him.


    If ranked by realbat strength, Chu Zheng''s position would have to be advanced by over six thousand ces.


    Those ranked in the top two thousand mostly possessed high-quality Immortal Bones and had cultivated for decades ¨C considered the mainstay in ordinary Sects.


    As for Chu Zheng, his cultivation journey had only spanned a single cycle of seasons.


    Now that cultivators in the Divine Infant Realm couldn''t make a move, facing those in the Soul Condensing Realm, Chu Zheng only needed to be a bit more careful and keep a safe distance to avoid any significant danger.


    "Plunder the rankings..."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Song Lingqing was momentarily stunned, but once she realized what he meant, she was worried yet couldn''t help feeling a surge of excitement.


    Chu Zheng didn''t seem like a rash person; him saying such things indicated he had some confidence.


    "Now that these people are mostly searching for me, I shall give them an opportunity."


    The Hidden Dragon List recorded the essence of all remarkable talents, and with Chu Zheng now adept in Heavenly Divination Technique, searching for someone covertly or openly couldn''t be any more convenient.


    Giving the Hidden Dragon List to him, as Geng Yiyang had done, was undoubtedly the worst decision.


    Chu Zheng looked up at the marketce not far away and spoke in a gentle tone,


    "First, I need to gather some Spiritual Materials to refine a Magic Treasure."


    This action would undoubtedly have a far-reaching impact, affecting many people, and required thorough preparation in many aspects.


    Having stepped into the Jade Bone Realm, Chu Zheng could now begin to practice Divine Skills and refine a Life-bound Magic Treasure.


    Though he didn''t have methods to cultivate Divine Skills yet, and repairing the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume required more time.


    Currenty, Chu Zheng was preparing to refine his first Life-bound Magic Treasure.


    There''s no limit on the number of Life-bound Magic Treasures one can have, but a Qi Cultivator''s energy is finite; it''s challenging enough to maintain two or three with substantial time investment.


    This was clearly different from the Magic Treasures of cultivators, bearing unique imprints belonging to him.


    Chu Zheng wished to emte the divine whip from ancient legends and refine a weapon targeted at Immortal Path cultivators.


    Mana itself wasprised of Qi; Spiritual Energy entered the body, was absorbed by the cultivation technique, transformed by the body, and became Mana.


    Being an Immortal Path Cultivator himself, as long as he understood theposition of Mana, refining a Life-bound Magic Treasure with special effects was not a difficult task.


    Should he be able to dissolve the Mana of Immortal Path Cultivators during a confrontation, there''s no doubt he would have a tremendous advantage.


    The two of them entered the marketce again to search for suitable Spiritual Materials.


    Chu Zheng was looking for a Spiritually Awakened Precious Jade, the quality of which didn''t need to be too high; as his cultivation improved, he could enhance its level over time with Qi Nourishing.


    The marketce was bustling with a variety of goods for trade, such as Magic Artifacts, Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, Demon Cores, Demon Beast''s Flesh and Blood, and even some rare ancient items.


    Such ancient items held little value in the eyes of cultivators, but due to their rarity and uniqueness, a small number of people liked to collect them, willing to spend Spirit Stones to buy them as curios.


    Giant Marsh wasn''t always as it is seen today; tens of thousands of years ago, this ce had no rivers,kes or seas, but was and of mountains and valleys where many Sects continued the Taoist Orthodoxy.


    One day, a portal from an Alien Realm opened nearby, and overnight, a deluge descended from the heavens, flooding over a million miles, causing countless deaths and destruction.


    This catastrophe''s changes took thousands of years to settle down; now, the water demons and some remaining Alien Species bloodlines in Giant Marsh are relics of that time.


    Beneath these continuous waters, besides water demons, there are many ancient cities, among which are remains from the Martial Path''s Sects. Some cultivators of the Water Element Technique would asionally venture there, hoping to find some hidden treasures.


    Such rags-to-riches tales had really happened. Once, a Loose Cultivator opened a Sect''s treasury by chance.


    The treasury was protected by an Array and remained unaffected by time, preserving countless Spirit Stones and Spiritual Medicines until today.


    That Loose Cultivator secluded himself for years before establishing his Sect, bing an ancestral master.


    Such legends resurface every few millennia, and most cultivators in Giant Marsh are ustomed to them.


    Preserved Sect treasuries are still very few; there are more dangerous water demons beneath the waters.


    Walking past these artifacts, Chu Zheng''s steps involuntarily slowed, he picked them up one by one, yed with them for a while, and then stored them all in his bag.


    Items from tens of thousands of years ago held noticeable differences from contemporary objects, and for Chu Zheng, it was easy to uncover some dust-covered treasures within.


    [Green Frost Sword (Third Order/Iplete): A Martial Cultivator''s warrior weapon, damaged in sessive battles and submerged in the ocean for tens of thousands of years, nearly decayed. It can be repaired (0/100).]


    ```

 Chapter 117: Chapter 97: Town Immortal Mace_2

    ...


    [Void Moon Jar (Third Order/Iplete): Drinking utensil that once held a pool of Spirit Brew. When filled, a bright moon appears within it, capable of autonomously absorbing Spiritual Energy. The longer it is stored, the richer the Spirit Brew bes, can be repaired (0/80).]


    ...


    [Nine Thunder Jade Talisman (Third Order/Iplete): Crafted by a master of the Talismans Path, capable of severely wounding or even killing Third Order beings. It was smashed before it could be used, can be repaired (0/50).]


    ...


    [Cann Star Map (Fourth Order/Iplete): A star map of the Cann Star Domain, essential for navigating the universe. It does not belong to this realm, can be repaired (0/400).]


    Second Order items could now be directly repaired by Chu Zheng; only those of the Third Order and above were worth his careful attention.


    The Cann Star Map had be a piece of tattered cloth resembling silk, torn with threerge holes, its stars faintly outlining a starry sky.


    This was the first time the panel indicated an item not of this world. Chu Zheng pondered for a moment before putting away the star map.


    The vastness of the universe, measured in light-years, makes direction impossible to discern without a map, with the risk of getting lost being too great.


    In this universe, there existed beings that could traverse the starry sky with their fleshly bodies. How strong they must be, Chu Zheng could not yet fathom.


    The alien passages that suddenly appeared tens of thousands of years ago obviously connected to another cultivation world, just one different from the Cangyun Realm.


    Underneath this starry sky, who knows how many worlds like the Cangyun Realm exist.


    All beings must eventually die, even worlds themselves will one day perish.


    A stir touched Chu Zheng''s heart, and he fell into contemtion. Those beings who have transcended their worlds and still seek along the path of Dao, what exactly are they pursuing in their lifetimes?


    Perhaps, only when he reaches that step will he truly understand.


    After strolling through the marketce for a while, Chu Zheng finally found a piece of Earth Spirit Warm Jade over four feet in length and as thick as an adult''s thigh.


    [Earth Spirit Warm Jade (Second Order): A jade stone nurtured by the earth''s vein magma over the years, continuously worn, has the effect of soothing and warming the veins. Having been separated from the earth''s veins for a long time, nearly thirty percent of its Spiritual Energy has dissipated, can be repaired.]


    This piece of Earth Spirit Warm Jade had been mined hundreds of years ago and changed hands several times. It was still priced at five hundred Middle Quality Spirit Stones.


    Its size was somewhat awkward¡ªtoo small for making jade beds or couches, yet too costly for making weapons or magic treasures. There were many better options at the same rank, which is why it had remained unsold.


    For Chu Zheng, although not a perfect choice, the warm jade was suitable enough.


    After paying the Spirit Stones, Chu Zheng put away the warm jade and continued deeper into the marketce.


    Song Lingqing had been following behind Chu Zheng all along, watching him buy a bunch of seemingly useless antiques without asking any questions.


    Seeing Chu Zheng head deeper into the marketce, she couldn''t help but feel puzzled, "Where to next?"


    "Looking for a secret chamber to go into seclusion, until the magic treasures are forged, then we can hit the roads."


    Currently, both Chu Zheng and Song Lingqing had no fixed caves and had to rent secret chambers with Spirit Stones.


    Song Lingqing quickened her pace to catch up to Chu Zheng and reminded, "There is no Fire Seed here; if you want to forge magic treasures, you have to go to ''Barren me Ind''."


    With many waterways, the Giant Marsh was a difficult ce to find a Fire Seed; only Barren me Ind had a few Fire Seeds suitable for alchemy and weapon forging.


    "No need to make it so troublesome."


    Chu Zheng went straight to the resident area of the Water Sword Sect, as the marketce belonged to them.


    In the marketce, no fighting was allowed, and order was maintained by the Water Sword Sect.


    Two secret chambers for four Middle Quality Spirit Stones a day¡ªthe price was far from cheap.


    Back then, at Illusory Spirit City, right under the feet of the Phantom Spirit Sect and adjacent to the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range, staying for a day only cost one Lower Quality Spirit Stone, and the rest of the areas didn''t require any fee at all.


    "One chamber will suffice; I won''t disturb you," Song Lingqing objected with some reluctance.


    As a Loose Cultivator, Spirit Stones were forever in short supply; the ones she had saved were hard-earned and truly difficult toe by.


    "Then just one it is."


    Chu Zheng did not dwell on it too much, as Song Lingqing was not an outsider after all.


    The secret chamber was very spacious, withprehensive facilities. It was divided into three small rooms and even equipped with a Jade Pool, from which warm water flowed continuously for twelve hours.


    Without wasting time, Chu Zheng entered one of the secret chambers, sat down cross-legged, first repaired the Earth Spirit Warm Jadepletely, and then directly stimted the Heavenly Star me within his body.


    Hum¡ª


    In an instant, the temperature within the secret chamber skyrocketed, and the surrounding stone walls turned a glowing red from the searing heat.


    Standing outside the secret chamber, Song Lingqing, despite the barrier of the stone walls, felt a scorching wave of heat assault her, and her body, normally indifferent to extreme temperatures, found this intense heat unbearable.


    Within the chamber, under the scorching of Heavenly Star me, Earth Spirit Warm Jade gradually melted into a pool of Jade Liquid, which began to boil and emit wisps of blue smoke¡ªthe impurities contained within.


    As a Qi Cultivator, one inherently possesses the Divine Skills of Fire Control, yet Chu Zheng at the moment could only manipte Mundane Fire, making the refining of such quality spiritual materials extremely strenuous.


    And the great Divine Skill of Samadhi True Fire, its rank far too high, requires polishing one''s Vitality, Qi, and Spirit to perfection before it can be practiced.


    This is a secret technique that can only be fully mastered in the Refine Spirit Realm, far beyond what Chu Zheng''s present cultivation could ignite within him, leaving him no choice but to use Heavenly Star me in its stead.


    Only when the impurities within the Warm Jade werepletely cleansed, did Chu Zheng who starts to manipte the Primordial Qi within his body to begin shaping the Jade Mace.


    Having burned away the impurities, the volume of the Warm Jade had reduced significantly, to less than a third of its original size.


    Under Chu Zheng''s control, the Jade Liquid slowly took the shape of a Jade Mace, about four feet long, and divided into ten sections.


    An hour and a halfter, the Jade Mace, fully solidified into shape, Chu Zheng started on the next step, imprinting talismanic patterns onto the Jade Mace.


    The most crucial aspect of crafting magic treasures lies in the talismanic patterns imprinted within, simr to the formations inscribed upon Immortal Path magic artifacts.


    Talismanic patterns are the manifestations of the operation pattern of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, capable of activating the Powers of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang, serving as an amplification for the power of a Qi Cultivator.


    The talisman pattern that Chu Zheng wished to inscribe, was a symbol he had created based on his own understanding of the mana structure of Immortal Path Cultivators.


    He wanted to try reversing mana, deconstructing it directly to revert it to its original state as nature''s spiritual energy.


    The operation of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi follows its ownws, and attempting to forge a new pathway, to create a new talisman pattern, is an endeavor thought to be near impossible.


    As for the path of Qi Cultivators, Chu Zheng has always been exploring on his own, not knowing that what he was doing now, is an act against the heavens.


    Chu Zheng was stuck at this step.


    This attempt consumed over half a month.


    Chu Zheng did not give up easily and kept making minute adjustments.


    After tens of thousands of simted adjustments, Chu Zheng finally seeded in imprinting an unprecedented talismanic pattern onto the Jade Mace.


    Although the traces of the pattern were shallow and seemed barely sustainable, his first Life-bound Magic Treasure was ultimately forged.


    Uponpletion of the weapon, Chu Zheng named the Jade Mace, ''Town Immortal''.


    A Divine Weapon crafted solely for the Immortal Path.


    Having finished crafting the magic treasure, Chu Zheng couldn''t wait to test it and impatiently took Song Lingqing out of seclusion, heading straight out of the marketce.


    ...


    ...


    No sooner had the two left the secret chamber than three gazes swept over them.


    Three figures stood on the street not far away, assessing Chu Zheng and hispanion.


    A man dressed in a brocade robe scrutinized Song Lingqing for a moment before speaking softly, "That day, it must have been her who sold the sword."


    Standing in the center, a tall and robust middle-aged man, his cultivation aura apparent, already on the Entry Path, heard the brocade-robed man and with an indifferent expression, looked to Wu Taiyun for affirmation,


    "Is it her?"


    "It''s her."


    Wu Taiyun confirmed with a careful nce and nod.


    "One cannot take action within the marketce, we''ll wait for her to leave the ind," the robust man whispered and slowly followed them.


    "However, she didn''t have that man with her before," Wu Taiyun said, hesitating.


    "Late Spirit Spring Realm, not worth concern."


    Having been on the Entry Path for decades, cultivators at the Spirit Spring Realm seemed insignificant to him, easily killed with a flick of his wrist, not deserving his attention.

 Chapter 118: Chapter 98: Concealing the False Pill, Five Thunder Righteous Law

    The sky was in full afternoon.


    The river roared with surging waves,yer uponyer, and under the reflection of the sunlight, they shimmered with golden brilliance.


    Every now and then, water demons would leap out of the water''s surface, bursting forth with waves dozens of feet high and knocking down the birds in the sky.


    As birds fell into the water, there wasn''t a hint of struggle before they were devoured by the water demons.


    Without cultivators to guard them, mortals could not possibly traverse such river environments.


    Two figures swept across the sky, trailing a conspicuous rainbow behind them that, like a meteor''s me, remained strikingly visible even in broad daylight.


    Chu Zheng looked down upon the Angry River beneath him, his pupils swirling with spiritual light. In his eyes, there were still many spirit veins hidden beneath the waters of the Giant Marsh.


    After all, during ancient times, numerous sects thrived here, a fact likely known to the other sects as well.


    However, the mining was incredibly difficult, and the payoff did not justify the effort, which is why no sects were willing to clear thisnd.


    During his previous days at the Song Residence, Chu Zheng had also heard about changes in the situation of the Giant Marsh.


    The spirit mines recently discovered by the Phantom Spirit Sect in this ce were on an ind, where mining was not very difficult. Otherwise, Qionglou would not have traded a high-quality divine weapon for it.


    The situation in the Giant Marsh was chaotic, and with water demons rampant in the rivers, controlling the area would consume a substantial amount of qi strength. As a vassal, the Giant Marsh had to seek help from the Phantom Spirit Sect, who could not just ignore the plea.


    Missions rted to the Giant Marsh were thus greatly disliked by the disciples of the Phantom Spirit Sect due to the enormous danger they posed.


    This was why the Phantom Spirit Sect had directly handed over this territory to Qionglou in the first ce¡ªit saved them the trouble.


    "It seems like someone is following us."


    Suddenly, Song Lingqing sensed something and her certainty wavered.


    She stealthily nced back and saw utterly nothing but emptiness, no sign of any figure whatsoever.


    "I know."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly, his expression calm, "Two people, one at the mid Entry Dao Realm and one at the early Spirit Spring Realm."


    The moment they left the marketce, Chu Zheng had already noticed the two people following them. He didn''t care what these people wanted; if they were looking for trouble, that was even better.


    "A cultivator of the Entry Dao Realm?!"


    Song Lingqing''s expression tensed. In her mind, those of the Entry Dao Realm were on the level of Outer Sect Elders, with Celestial Foundations condensed within their bodies and mana so profound it utterly outmatched any Spirit Spring Realm cultivator.


    With their current open strengths, dealing with a cultivator at the pinnacle of the Spirit Spring Realm was already somewhat strenuous, not to mention one in the mid Entry Dao Realm.


    Even escaping with their lives would be problematic.


    Regaining herposure, Song Lingqing thought seriously for a moment, her demeanor grave, "This likely isn''t targeted at you."


    Chu Zheng''s Facial Transformation Technique, in her opinion, was mastered to perfection. Unless it was a Divine Infant Realm Great Cultivator who had fully refined Divine Sense, ordinary cultivators simply could not see through it.


    Moreover, among the two pursuers, one was at the early stage of the Spirit Spring Realm, which made her think of Wu Taiyun, who had escaped from her control some time ago.


    It was very likely that the Entry Dao Realm cultivator following them was drawn by the relics of Cheng Xuan that she had dealt with in the past.


    For a moment, Song Lingqing felt a pang of self-me. She had been a bit negligent and should have reminded Chu Zheng to leave thatnd of trouble earlier.


    "Shall we split up? They are probably targeting me."


    Song Lingqing intended to help Chu Zheng make an escape since the trouble was of her own making.


    "Just the mid Entry Dao Realm, nothing to fear."


    Chu Zheng rubbed his face, restoring his true appearance, and after scanning the surroundings to confirm that within a hundred miles there was nothing but barren inds, he stopped.


    Song Lingqing also came to a halt, observing Chu Zheng''s calm expression, yet she still felt unsure.


    She did not doubt Chu Zheng''s talent. To have cultivated to such an extent in less than a year was monstrous, but fighting across such a vast realm was indeed a stretch.


    But in just a few breaths, two streaks of light arrived from the edge of the sky, halting a hundred yards away.


    Chu Zheng looked over the Hidden Dragon List, found none whose aura matched these two individuals, and realized they had no rtion to the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    Song Lingqing held her breath, quietly sizing up the neers.


    One was a middle-aged, stocky man d in a light blue vestment robe and the other was Wu Taiyun, the one she had let slip away the day before.


    Wu Taiyun''s face looked somewhat pale, evidently his injuries had not fully healed.


    His gaze fixed on Chu Zheng''s face, confused, he immediately pulled out a portrait. Afterparing Chu Zheng to it, his expression changed abruptly, filled with joy:


    "Uncle Meng, this is the kid offered a bounty by the Hundred Demons Assembly!"


    The middle-aged man with the surname Meng nced at the portrait. His indifferent expression shifted to one of excitement, "This kid''s head is worth seventy thousand high-quality spirit stones?"


    What stood before them was not a person, but a spirit stone mine. Seventy thousand high-quality spirit stones, if exchanged for lower quality ones, would make seventy million. Even if they sold the entire Giant Marsh, it wouldn''t fetch such a price.


    Song Lingqing''s expression turned, she blurted out, "Wasn''t it fifty thousand? Why has it turned into seventy thousand?"


    More spirit stones meant more powerful experts would be stirred up. Seventy thousand high-quality spirit stones could even make a major sect like the Phantom Spirit Sect thoroughly keen, enough tomit their full resources.


    Chu Zheng was taken aback for a moment, ncing at Song Lingqing with slight surprise, "Wasn''t it thirty thousand?"


    Thirty thousand high-quality spirit stones were the figure he had learned from Song Lingfeng.


    In just a few breaths, three different prices had emerged, with vast differences between them.


    Quickly Chu Zheng came to realize that Song Lingfeng had no need to deceive him, and clearly, the bounty had changed hands several times, naturally leading to considerable markdowns.


    Even the seventy thousand high-quality spirit stones might not be the true value of the bounty.

 Chapter 119: Chapter 98: Concealing the False Pill, Five Thunder Righteous Law_2

    Chu Zheng slightly shook his head, "Damn middlemen."


    However, regardless whether the bounty was thirty thousand or three million, it had nothing to do with him, as he couldn''t possibly behead himself to im the reward.


    Unless he had cultivated the Indestructible Great Mystical Power, decapitating himself and then regrowing his head.


    Chu Zheng had no intention of wasting any more words with the two men before him and drew the Town Immortal Mace.


    Raising the Jade Mace halfway into the air, he suddenly paused, then lowered it and, reversing his hand, pulled out a small notebook, looking towards the Meng-surnamed strong man:


    "What''s your name?"


    As the first Immortal Path Cultivator to die under the Town Immortal Mace, the man deserved to have his name recorded.


    "Such courage."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s calm demeanor, the blue-robed great man let out a coldugh and nced at Song Lingqing:


    "My name is Meng Xian, Cheng Xuan is my sworn nephew. You killed him, out of your ignorance. Bind your own mana, and I''ll leave you a way out."


    "Alright, Meng Xian..."


    Before Song Lingqing could speak, Chu Zheng had already lowered his head, noted down the name, and then spoke:


    "I have a poor memory, sometimes easily forgetful. Have you anything else to support you,e on, tell me all."


    "It''s time for you to be on your way."


    However, Meng Xian had no intention to idle talk, and he directly raised his hand, summoning a ring-shaped de with serrated edges like razor-sharp teeth, stained with blood. Its sinister aura signified it had drunk the blood of many lives.


    Whirr¡ª


    The ring-shaped de, enwrapped in a bloody light, whizzed through the void, tearing a sharp wind, and strived straight for the throat of Chu Zheng who, inparison to Song Lingqing, was deemed more valuable because of the seventy thousand high-quality spirit stones he carried.


    Chu Zheng put away the notebook, a sudden smile appearing on his face as Meng Xian made his move. He sensed the fluctuations of the tribtion aura beside him.


    For someone of his cultivation, to consider this man a significant threat was unexpected, yet a delightful opportunity to dissipate some tribtion Qi.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze turned ice-cold, mana surged around his body, he drew the Jade Mace, and activated the talismanic patterns on it, smashing it down heavily.


    ng¡ª


    In that instant, divine light shone upon the Jade Mace, shattering the blood light encasing the round de, sting it a thousand feet away.


    Thump¡ª


    The next moment, the talismanic patterns on the Jade Mace cracked open, bursting with a dull sound, as though struggling to endure the Qi cirction method.


    Meng Xian''s expression drastically changed, his figure streaked through the void, pulling up a whistling wind, rushing back to the round de.


    Secondster, he re-grasped the round de, stood a thousand feet away, staring at the Jade Mace in Chu Zheng''s hand, his fingertips trembling slightly, his eyes betraying a hint of solemnity.


    A moment ago, the mana attached to his magic treasure was scattered in an instant, nearly going out of control, almost losing connection.


    Chu Zheng did not give chase but furrowed his brows slightly and looked down at the Jade Mace in his hands.


    On the wless body of the mace, a crack nearly an inch deep had appeared, and the previously engraved talismanic patterns had also copsed.


    [Town Immortal Mace (Second Order): The first life-bound magic treasure you personally forged. It still has many shorings and is only a semi-finished product. The talismanic patterns failed to sustain the ''Law Breaking'' effect during the battle and thus copsed. Repairable.]


    Looking at the crack on the Jade Mace, Chu Zheng''s eyebrows tightened, and he immediately chose to repair it.


    After all, it was newly forged and had not yet been tempered with mana, which made it somewhat fragile.


    The crack was instantly mended, and the talismanic patterns reemerged.


    These patterns still had much room for improvement, but they indeed had an effect just then.


    Chu Zheng did not waste time pondering further, stepped forward, and reached Wu Taiyun in an instant, with no hesitation, lifting the Jade Mace in his hand.


    In haste, Wu Taiyun could only barely muster his mana, forming a light shield in front of him.


    The talismanic patterns on the Town Immortal Mace flickered, and the mana-made light shield instantly copsed, offering no resistance whatsoever.


    Thud!


    With one strike of the mace, Wu Taiyun''s head, along with his entire upper body, burst into a shower of blood, and his remains fell into the river, disappearing in a moment.


    Chu Zheng slowly withdrew his hand and casually tossed Wu Taiyun''s storage bag to Song Lingqing, then turned to look at Meng Xian.


    Meng Xian''s gaze remained intently fixed on the Town Immortal Mace in Chu Zheng''s hand, his expression wary.


    Under the overwhelming pressure of a higher realm, he did not feel inferior to Chu Zheng; it was merely that the wonderous treasure in Chu Zheng''s possession was somewhat troublesome to deal with.


    Chu Zheng put away the Jade Mace, feeling no need to waste more time on Meng Xian. The noise from their recent scuffle might attract the attention of other cultivators. A quick battle and a swift departure from this ce was the wisest strategy.


    In the future, there would be plenty of opportunities to test further.


    Buzz¡ª¡ª


    In an instant, Yang Qi surged within Chu Zheng''s body as he activated the Fire God Transformation. His body seemed to ignite with divine mes, his hair rising upwards, aze with a red hue.


    Simultaneously, his essence blood began to burn, unleashing the Xuan Tian Seal and stimting all the potential within his body.


    Buzz¡ª¡ª


    The round de, wrapped in blood light, struck again, Meng Xian''s figure closing in to within a few yards of Chu Zheng.


    The moment Chu Zheng stored the Jade Mace, Meng Xian had already boldly made his move, seizing the fleeting chance to engage at close quarters, relying on his robust mana to forcefully attempt a kill.


    Bang!


    Chu Zheng slowly extended his hand, capturing the round de in his palm. No matter how Meng Xian urged it, the de could not advance even an inch, blocked by a thinyer of divine me in his palm.


    Seeing this, Meng Xian''s expression drastically changed, he stopped in his tracks, wanting to retreat. The mere act of barehandedly intercepting the magic treasure he was wielding was enough to prove that Chu Zheng''s current strength was far above his own.


    However, just as he took two steps back, Chu Zheng had already moved faster, stepping heavily onto his chest.


    With the enhancement of dual secret techniques, Chu Zheng, even if facing an Entry Dao Realm Perfection from a Holy Land, had the power to fight.


    Meng Xian was but a mere loose cultivator. The quality of his mana and vital essence was far inferior to Chu Zheng''s, and now under the absolute crushing superiority of cultivation realms, he was like dry straw.


    Crack¡ª¡ª


    Apanied by the crisp sound of snapping bones, Meng Xian''s chest was crushed under Chu Zheng''s foot, his internal organs shattered. A bundle of divine me enveloped his remains which, before even falling into the great river, had already turned to ash in mid-air.


    Looking down at the water demon drawn by Wu Taiyun''s blood and flesh, Chu Zheng restrained his aura, his face expressionless as he once again took out his diary and began to write slowly.


    [New Calendar Year One, first trial of my life-bound magic treasure, felt slightly apprehensive, fortunately, the power is still considerable, the talismatic pattern still needs improvement, gained some insights after the battle.]


    Next to him, Song Lingqing, almost holding her breath subconsciously, stared at Chu Zheng, her eyes growing brighter, filled with uncontroble excitement.


    In just one year, killing an Entry Dao Realm cultivator as if reaching into a bag, such a monstrous figure, in the history of the Cangyun Realm, likely has never been seen before.


    At least since she had stepped onto the path of immortality, she had never heard of such a thing, not even Shang Cangyun, the winner of the first Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, boasted such terrifying progress in his youth.


    ...


    ...


    Several dayster, inside the Small World.


    The disturbance causedst time by the Lihuo Spear killing Fang Jiong was huge; the Small World now appeared quite barrenpared to before.


    The environment was worse than initially, not evenparable to the secret chambers in the marketce which at least had a Spirit Gathering Array.


    Now that the life-bound magic treasure had been forged, Chu Zheng''s next step was to prepare to master a significant mystical power.


    During his seclusion in the marketce, the Great Circtory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume had been fully restored, offering several mystical powers for him to choose from.


    Chu Zheng took some time selecting from the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, finally picking a mystical power suitable for his current cultivation.


    Five Thunder Righteous Law.


    Thunder, the punitive force of heaven and earth, born from the friction and merging of Yin and Yang dual qi, a destructive energy.


    The path of a Qi Cultivator is the process of merging with heaven and earth; mastering the Thunder Method is to master the punitive force of heaven and earth.


    In the eyes of a Qi Cultivator, the human body is like heaven and earth. With profound cultivation, they can control creation, reverse the cosmos, stir heaven and earth, startle gods and ghosts,mand the wind, rain, thunder, and control all things as soldiers.


    The process of cultivation is a process of interaction with heaven and earth. The higher one''s cultivation, the closer the connection with heaven and earth. With the power of one person, one can harness the forces of heaven and earth for personal use, control the powers of the Five Elements and Yin and Yang, andmand the wind and thunderstorm.


    The Five Elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, correspond to the five organs of the human body: lung, liver, kidney, heart, and spleen.


    Containing the Five Qi within, transforming Yin and Yang, one can control the Five Thunder Technique.


    This great mystical power, originally necessitating Chu Zheng to condense a Golden Core, to reach the state of Five Qi Towards Yuan, could only be started then.


    However, presently in his Dantian, with a Five Elements Shaping Pill, he could use it to condense a false pill ahead of time, absorb the qi of the Five Elements, refine his organs, and thereby unleash part of the power of the Five Thunder Righteous Law.

 Chapter 120: Chapter 99: Taixuan Holy Land, Chief Disciple of True Transmission, Chu Zheng

    The cultivation of the Five Thunder Righteous Law was not going smoothly for Chu Zheng, as his internal organs were struggling to cope with the Five Elements Primordial Qi.


    Each breath he took felt as if his heart was scorched by fire and his lungs were cut by knives, causing considerable damage to his organs.


    Although his organs gradually toughened after repairs through the interface, the pain reached deep into his bones.


    Sweat poured from Chu Zheng''s forehead like a spring; soon, a puddle formed beneath him.


    The five-colored spiritual energy flowed in and out of his nostrils, entering his Dantian and then reaching his organs where it slowly refined the Five Elements Qi.


    Through constant repairs, Chu Zheng distinctly felt the changes in the spiritual energy of the surroundings;pared to the outside, the fluctuations of spiritual energy inside the Small World were more noticeable, gradually bing sparse.


    After stepping into the Jade Bone Realm, the energy required to repair his body soared. With only one spirit vein in the Small World to cultivate spiritual energy, which still needed time, signs of strain quickly became apparent.


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed...


    Having undergone continuous repairs and strengthening, Chu Zheng''s organs had finally met the basic requirements to operate the Five Elements.


    Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid Qi. The Five Elements Qi in his body circted, reaching his limbs and converging in the palms of his hands to disy Yin and Yang.


    His left hand gathered Yin, ck as ink; his right hand wielded Yang, zing like the sun.


    Taking a deep breath, Chu Zheng solemnly activated a portal, arriving atop a deste ind in the outside world, his hands forming a Dao Seal.


    In an instant, the Yin Yang Dual Qi merged, evolved into two instruments and then Chaos.


    Snap¡ª


    A wisp of faint blue lightning suddenly appeared and in the blink of an eye transformed into a dazzling thunderbolt.


    Boom!


    The thunderbolt, like a giant dragon plunging downward, brought a sweeping gale, crossing miles across the ind, which violently shook; vegetation was uprooted, rocks and dirt flew about, and dust rose a thousand feet into the air.


    In an instant, the ind was split apart,rge sections ofnd copsed and fell into the raging Angry River. After a short duration, the remnants had disappeared without a trace, hidden beneath the waves.


    With one strike, the ind before him had been sunk by Chu Zheng, the faint blue lightning spreading across the water''s surface to more than ten miles away.


    Suddenly, water demons overturned the river, and the surface floated ayer of white bellies.


    Chu Zheng''s face was pale, his fingertips trembling uncontrobly, his body nearly hollowed out.


    As the interface operated, hisplexion soon returned to normal. Looking at the various types of fish and water demons floating on the water, he fell into deep thought.


    Barely managing to summon a burst of the Thunder Method, the Primordial Qi within him had been drained. If it weren''t for the presence of the interface, using it against enemies would be somewhat forced.


    This divine skill primarily used his own strength to trigger the power of heaven and earth, yet Cangyun Realm''s heaven and earth had just refrained from lending him power.


    The underlying reasons were unclear to Chu Zheng, who decided not to ponder it momentarily.


    The power of the Five Thunder Righteous Law hadn''t disappointed Chu Zheng; as long as he nurtured his organs and practiced diligently, this Thunder Method, as a trump card, was entirely sufficient.


    Chu Zheng heaved a sigh of relief and, adhering to a principle of not wasting, began to gather the various river delicacies and several unconscious water demons on the river surface.


    In the process of cultivating this divine skill, he had absorbed quite a lot of energy from the Five Shapes Yuan Pills, and his cultivation improved further, nearing the Mid-Stage of the Jade Bone Realm.


    Even his Immortal Path Cultivation had risen, experiencing a transformation and was about to step into the peak of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    This too was an unexpected gain.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng had finished cleaning up and returned to the Small World.


    The Small World now felt rather cold, inhabited only by Song Lingqing, Song Yun, Bai Nian, and Chu Zheng himself.


    The rest had been left by Chu Zheng at the Song Residence; those Grandmasters left over by Geng Yiyang were mostly older, half a step into the grave, and keeping them by his side, which would divide his attention, was somewhat inconvenient.


    Chu Zheng sent a message to the others, then transformed a portion of Primordial Qi and ignited a Mundane Fire to start processing the ingredients.


    Having not eaten in a long time and seeing so much river fare, he momentarily felt a desire to indulge, seeing no need to resist.


    Bai Nian, who was closest to where Chu Zheng was, arrived first. Seeing the ground covered with water demons and various river delicacies, he picked up a silver fish weighing at least a hundred pounds, his eyes filled with astonishment.


    There were norge rivers around Illusory Spirit City, at most some mountain streams, and he had never seen such arge fish in his life.


    Chu Zheng spared him a nce, sighing inwardly.


    Bai Nian''s talent in cultivation was meager;cking the Immortal Bone, his training in the Martial Path was also slow.


    Chu Zheng had once thought about having him try other methods, like the perfectly restored "Cold Sky Poetry Collection."


    This was the only Confucian Path scroll found from that notebook.


    Second Order in quality, reading it a hundred times would nurture Vast Righteous Qi, easily warding off evils for those with exceptional talent.


    But after some deliberation, Chu Zheng decided to temporarily abandon this idea.


    After all, in the Cangyun Realm, the fate of those on the Heretic Path was most likely death.


    Chu Zheng''s own path forward was still uncertain, and there was no need to drag another down with him.


    He had brought Bai Nian out of Illusory Spirit City to give him a chance to live, not to hasten his death.


    Song Yun and Song Lingqing arrived almost simultaneously.


    "My son-inw."


    Song Yun first bowed in greeting, then turned towards Song Lingqing, his expression calm, and greeted her as well,


    "Second Miss."


    He had never been close to Song Lingqing since childhood, and this had remained the case even after she went to the Immortal Sect.


    Song Lingqing''s talent in martial arts was not high, and her nature had been somewhat reclusive as a child, rather distant even from Song Lingxue.

 Chapter 121: Chapter 99: Taixuan Holy Land, Chief Disciple of True Transmission, Chu Zheng_2

    ```


    Before Chu Zheng entered the mansion, Song Lingqing seldom even spoke.


    Song Lingqing nced at Song Yun, nodded slightly with a touch of coldness, and took a seat by herself.


    The term "son-inw," for some reason, always seemed somewhat grating to the ears.


    Song Yun practiced very diligently, and with the help of elixirs, his progress was noticeable within just a few days, almost reaching the Grandmaster realm.


    In the Martial Path, he indeed possessed some exceptional talent.


    Song Yun consciously stepped forward and began to help Chu Zheng clean up the ingredients with swift movements.


    Song Lingqing, on the other side, seemed somewhat hesitant; she had spent a long time in Giant Marsh and often heard rumors of Water Demons eating humans, so she couldn''t help feeling a bit resistant now.


    "Water Demons eating humans, humans eating all sorts of demons¡ª it''s all just part of the natural cycle; there''s no need to think too much about it."


    In the eyes of Qi Cultivators, whether human or demon, including themselves, they were all just a part of this world.


    Just like how cultivators absorb Spiritual Energy into their bodies, on a universal level, it''s simply one form of energy flow.


    Chu Zheng saw what was on her mind and, without much concern, picked a shrimp nearly the length of an arm from the fire and devoured it in a few bites.


    Such arge shrimp would be exceedingly rare elsewhere but was not an umon sight in Giant Marsh.


    The shrimp was smooth, tender, and filled with a surge of Spiritual Energy.


    The flesh of these Water Demons contained substantial Spiritual Energy, and consuming it regrly could benefit one''s cultivation.


    While eating, Chu Zheng pulled out a te and nced at it.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Early Jade Bone Realm, Immortal Path: Late Spirit Spring Realm]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Heavenly Divination Technique (Second Order), Object Control (Second Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (Second Order), Invisibility Technique (Second Order)...]


    [Repair Master: Third Order (170/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 0]


    [Currently Repairable: Lower Section of Great Circtory Qi Guideline (0/2000), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/7000)...]


    The upper section of the Great Circtory Qi Guideline was already enough for Chu Zheng to use for a long time; he used all of the recent repair opportunities on the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman he had purchased from the marketce.


    [Nine Thunder Jade Talisman (Third Order/Iplete): Crafted by a master of the Talismans Path, capable of severely injuring or even killing Third Order beings. It was smashed before it could be used, repairable (40/50)]


    Third Order beings were equivalent to cultivators in the Soul Condensing Realm of the Immortal Path.


    In other words, with this talisman, Chu Zheng could, unexpectedly, severely injure or even kill a grandmaster of the Soul Condensing Realm, making it the perfect protective trump card.


    Currentlycking means of self-protection, talismans like the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman were the most suitable items for Chu Zheng.


    Seeing Chu Zheng thoroughly enjoying the meal, Song Lingqing tentatively took a bite and her eyes instantly brightened.


    The moment it reached her mouth, she realized that this food was beneficial for her cultivation.


    She observed Chu Zheng cautiously for a moment, then began to eat with restrained movements.


    Chu Zheng didn''t eat much.


    After peeling around a dozenrge prawns, grilling a couple hundred-pound silverfish, and consuming half of a millstone-sized ancient softshell turtle, he stopped.


    After all, these things contained some impurities; a taste was enough.


    Song Lingqing''s attention had been on Chu Zheng the whole time. Seeing him cease eating, she somewhat reluctantly put down the half-eaten grilled fish, cleaned her hands quietly, and sat up straight with proper etiquette.


    "Have you ever heard of the Hundred Demons Assembly?"


    Before she could speak, Chu Zheng asked first.


    He remembered the name mentioned earlier by Wu Taiyun and, with a thoughtful expression, had some ns in mind.


    "I have heard of it."


    After pondering for a moment, Song Lingqing nodded and said,


    "Its power surpasses that of the Phantom Spirit Sect. They raise hundreds of demons within their Sect and once had a Demon King that had taken human form. Their cultivators are ordinary in their own techniques, but the Magical Beasts they raise are extremely powerful inbat. It''s rumored that they also have some connections to the Northern Region."


    "The Northern Region..."


    Chu Zheng rubbed his fingertips, lost in thought. The Northern Region was a paradise for the Demon Race. Before the Immortal Alliance reached the Cangyun Realm, there were frequent wars between humans and demons, leaving deep-seated resentment.


    The reason why the Immortal Alliance did notpletely eradicate the Demon Race within the Cangyun Realm was simply that the Immortal Alliance also included cultivators from the Demon Race.


    Demon Immortals are also immortals, and among the leaders of the Immortal Alliance, there are Immortal Kings from the Demon Race.


    The arrival of the Immortal Alliance could not directly erase the existing enmity. Associating with the Demon Race was still regarded with contempt by the Cangyun Cultivators.


    This could be seen from the fact that even Taixuan, a Holy Land in its own right, had been forced into sealing its Sect Gate and withdrawing from the world.


    ```


    And what the Immortal Alliance could do was merely to demarcate territories and govern them, striving to ensure that the two races did not infringe on each other''s waters.


    Chu Zheng took out the Hidden Dragon List and flipped through it, his gaze sharpening.


    [Hidden Dragon List No. 3567: Hundred Demons Assembly, Qiu Shi, bone age seventy-three, cultivation at the early stages of the Entry Dao Realm, demon tamer: Spirit Shadow Lion,te stages of Entry Dao Realm.]


    As a sect of demon tamers, the spirit beasts they tamed were also considered part of their own battle power; otherwise, with Qiu Shi''s cultivation at the early stages of the Entry Dao Realm, he wouldn''t be able to squeeze into the top five thousand of the Hidden Dragon List.


    Within a breathing span, Chu Zheng had made his decision and stood up to open a spatial pathway.


    "Where are you going?"


    Seeing Chu Zheng take out the Hidden Dragon List, Song Lingqing felt something was amiss, and she was momentarily surprised by his actions.


    "Looking for someone."


    Chu Zheng casually uttered and stepped into the spatial pathway.


    The moment he exited the pathway, his Heavenly Divination Technique operated, quickly capturing a trace of Qi.


    Fortunately, the distance was not far.


    Upon entering the Jade Bone Realm, Chu Zheng''s speed in covering distances was iparable to before; even if he could only disy half of the power of Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist, traveling tens of thousands of miles in a day and night was a mere trifle, especially since he did not have to worry about the consumption.


    ...


    ...


    More than two hundred thousand miles southwest of Giant Marsh Country.


    The moon hung high in the sky.


    In the wilderness amongst the deste woods, a man and a liony sprawled across the wilds.


    The human figure appeared to be in his early twenties, very young, dressed in green robes.


    The lion lying behind him had fur that rippled like water, radiating a lustrous jade-like sheen.


    All of a sudden, the jade lion rose to its feet, issuing a low growl from its throat.


    The blue-robed cultivator sitting cross-legged in front of it slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.


    In the center of the silver moon stood a ck-robed figure.


    "I heard the Hundred Demons Assembly wants my head."


    Chu Zheng looked down at the man and lion below, not in a hurry to make a move. Instead, he revealed his true form and asked:


    "Do you want my head?"


    Upon seeing Chu Zheng''s face clearly, Qiu Shi''s eyes narrowed, a frown creasing his forehead, showing impatience, and he muttered:


    "Eat him."


    Roar¡ª


    The Spirit Shadow Lion coiled behind him roared, and amidst the sound of wind and thunder, it opened its gaping maw and charged straight for Chu Zheng.


    "Evil beast!"


    Cold lightning shot from Chu Zheng''s eyes as he let out a fierce shout, his voice thundering across the wilderness, imbued with the majesty of thunder.


    The Spirit Shadow Lion shuddered, halting its charge, unable to advance further. It shook its massive head; its mane subtly fluttering, uncertainty flickering within its beastly pupils.


    Qi Cultivators refine their bodies with the Yin Yang Dual Qi, naturally resulting in a purer aura, and the Qi within their bodies follows suit.


    Those with profound cultivation do not need to lift a finger; their presence alone can subdue Auspicious Beasts and attract spirits of nts and trees.


    Majestic beasts have innately keen spiritual perception, and the Spirit Shadow Lion had already sensed a tremendous threat emanating from Chu Zheng, as well as a trace of affinity.


    Watching the actions of the Spirit Shadow Lion, a hint of a smile shed across Chu Zheng''s eyes, and he slowly extended his hand:


    "Come."


    For a moment, the Spirit Shadow Lion hesitated, ncing back at Qiu Shi.


    "Bastard, do you know who is your master?!"


    Qiu Shi''s face underwent a drastic change, sensing that something was amiss, and he shouted urgently, "Eat him!"


    The Spirit Shadow Lion looked left and right but ultimately chose to sit down to one side, making no further movements.


    "Remember this."


    Chu Zheng withdrew his gaze, standing tall above the nine heavens, divine mes billowing behind him, turning the night sky for miles around crimson, as his voice carried far:


    "My name is Chu Zheng, Chief Disciple of True Transmission from the current generation of Taixuan Holy Land."


    The Taixuan Holy Land had not admitted disciples for ten thousand years, and Chu Zheng considered himself to be a True Disciple now that he possessed theplete Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, believing that there should not be any issues.


    As for Fu Quanliang, at best he could be considered number two.

 Chapter 122: Chapter 100: The Struggle for Destiny

    "Taixuan Holy Land... Chief Disciple of True Transmission..."


    Qiu Shi''s expression slightly altered, and he nced at the Spirit Shadow Lion beside him, hurriedly speaking up:


    "Daoist Chu, there might be some misunderstanding here, I wasn''t aware of your identity before..."


    The cultivators of the Hundred Demons Assembly, mostly concentrated their efforts on the magical beasts they nurtured.


    Connecting with beasts, borrowing the power of magical beasts, and integrating human intelligence, with the Spirit Shadow Lion beside him, Qiu Shi wasn''t afraid even of cultivators who had achieved Perfection in the Entry Dao Realm.


    But once there was a problem with the magical beasts, his strength would be greatly discounted, and he might not even match a cultivator in the Mid Entry Dao Realm.


    "I had already asked you earlier if you wanted me to leave a way out for you."


    Chu Zheng surveyed his surroundings, spotting some cultivators approaching from a distance, he slightly shook his head and drew out the Town Immortal Mace:


    "You weren''t willing to back off when there was still room behind you, now there''s no way forward and you want to turn back? Where in the world is there such an easy deal."


    Qiu Shi''s submission was merely because he lost the powerful aid of the Spirit Shadow Lion, and had little to do with his identity.


    This point, Chu Zheng understood perfectly well.


    Qiu Shi''s eyes turned fierce, his gaze swept towards the Spirit Shadow Lion, and he ced his hands behind his back, secretly forming hand seals.


    The Sect that tamed magical beasts had their own set of suppression methods, but using such forceful control usually meant that it was time to rece the magical beast.


    However, before the spell could be cast, Qiu Shi suddenly saw darkness before his eyes as heat waves assaulted him, and a figure appeared before him.


    Hum¡ª


    The Jade Mace fell, wrapped in a burst of clear light, instantly dissolving the mana-condensed protective aura, shattering Qiu Shi''s skull, along with his unformed Divine Soul, reducing everything to ashes.


    Chu Zheng had been consistently observing the fluctuations of Qi within Qiu Shi''s body. Sensing something amiss, he had instantly acted without giving him a chance to reveal his techniques.


    In the instant he killed Qiu Shi, Chu Zheng''s gaze intensified.


    In his perception, the Qi within the surrounding environment once again altered, and the speed of Qi cirction within his body increased slightly.


    The world''s recognition of him had increased.


    This had nothing to do with Immortal Path Cultivators; previously, Meng Xian, who was much higher in cultivation than Qiu Shi and had also died by his hand, didn''t trigger such a change.


    The only difference between them was the Hidden Dragon List.


    Chu Zheng had now gained some understanding of the invisible Heavenly Fate governed by the world.


    He quickly deduced the causes and consequences, his eyes brimming with divine radiance.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects wasn''t just as simple as it seemed on the surface; it was about feeding one person with the fate of many exceptional talents.


    Channeling the resources of the entire world into one person, to ultimately nurture the most dazzling Immortal blossom.


    Those who participated in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects had a farewell ceremony before leaving their sects, sacrificing animals and offering their blood to the heavens.


    In this process, they were essentially handing over their fate to the Heavenly Dao of this world.


    From the perspective of the Immortal Alliance, absorbing fresh energy in such a way was undoubtedly the most efficient and effortless method.


    A hundred Tongxuan does notpare to a single Demi Immortal.


    "Dammit!"


    A furious roar came from the sky as an Ink Flood Dragon d in ink scales shot out from the void afar, heading straight for Chu Zheng.


    Atop the Flood Dragon''s head stood a middle-aged man, crowned with gold and dressed in bright yellow vestment robe embroidered with dragon patterns, his expression furious.


    His aura was overwhelmingly powerful, clearly a Great Cultivator in Soul Condensing Realm, even within the Soul Condensing Realm, he could be considered a formidable being.


    The aura of that Ink Flood Dragon was even more terrifying, almostparable to Han Yuliang, who had broken through to Divine Infant Realm on the battlefield that day, achieving Soul Condensing Realm Perfection.


    Most of the prodigies participating in the Great Tournament had Protectors.


    An hour ago, Chu Zheng had arrived and been hiding in the void, waiting for an opportunity to strike.


    The brief moment when the Flood Dragon was out hunting had been his chance.


    Tribtion Qi began to surge around him, yet Chu Zheng couldn''t help but crack a smile.


    Indeed...


    This contest of Hidden Dragons might just be the greatest opportunity for him.


    To monopolize the Heavenly Fate of an entire realm, for a Qi Cultivator, there was no faster path.


    Chu Zheng looked up at the sky, with Qi coursing through his organs, then immediately a sh of thunder light emerged in his palm, charging directly towards the Ink Flood Dragon.


    Five Thunder Righteous Law!


    Boom¡ª


    The blinding electric light, thunderous rumbling before the sound reached, the electricity had already struck beside the Flood Dragon, like a heavy hammer hitting its nk.


    Ang¡ª


    The Ink Flood Dragon roared in pain, its scales under the belly cracked open, muscles tightened, blood flowed like a fountain, with threads of electricity crackling.


    Even amidst the immense gap in cultivation, the punitive force of nature still took effect.


    Seizing the moment the Ink Flood Dragon stiffened, Chu Zheng nced at the Spirit Shadow Lion nearby.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Chu Zheng abandoned the idea of stuffing it into the Small World, decisively turning around and beginning his escape.


    After all, it was a magical beast, and only momentarily deterred, it had reined in its ferocious nature. Rashly cing it in the Small World could cause harm.


    A magical beast in the Late Stage of the Entry Dao Realm was not worth the risk.


    This event had further validated the influence of a Qi Cultivator over magical beasts, and the gains were substantial enough.


    A streak of firelight shot straight into the sky, splitting the night like a shooting star, heading south.


    Before making his move, Chu Zheng had already figured out the location of the Hundred Demons Assembly.


    As the Hundred Demons Assembly was situated to the north of the Southern Region, he ran in the opposite direction to maximize his chances of escaping the trap.


    Now invoking Fire God Transformation and the Qi Cultivator''s divine ability to Ride the Clouds and Drive the Mist, his escape speed was as fast as lightning, far surpassing the limits of an Entry Dao Realm cultivator, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 123: Chapter 100: Battle of Luck_2

    The cultivator standing atop the flood dragon had an icy expression, his hands forming seals, instantly stopping the gushing blood from the dragon''s fissured wound and began healing it.


    Then, he lifted his head, looking at the fleeing figure of Chu Zheng, silent as he spurred the flood dragon to follow.


    In his view, a Spirit Spring Realm cultivator capable of instantly killing an Entry Dao Realm cultivator and possessing such swift escape speed must have used some secret technique.


    Such methods of burning one''s own origin to increase strength surely could notst for long.


    Taixuan Holy Land... Chu Zheng...


    Recalling the words he had just heard, the middle-aged cultivator''splexion grew increasingly ugly.


    Even if Chu Zheng belonged to the Taixuan Holy Land, he still had to capture this person''s head; otherwise, he would have no way to exin himself upon his return.


    Now, the bounty for Chu Zheng was known to all, clearly pushed by several holynds behind the scenes. Even if he killed Chu Zheng, there would likely be no consequences.


    As a Protector, having a Spirit Spring Realm cultivator kill a true disciple right under his nose...


    If word of this spread, his reputation would be ruined, let alone his sect would surely have severe punishments in store for him.


    In the chase between the pursuer and the pursued, half a day passed in a blink of an eye.


    As time moved on, the expression on the middle-aged cultivator riding atop the flood dragon grew uglier and uglier.


    Every time he was close to catching up with Chu Zheng, he would be met with a bolt of thunder striking down, and the flood dragon was somewhat fearful of the thunder, repeatedly hindering its advance.


    This method of wielding thunder to attack far exceeded the scope of the Spirit Spring Realm, and even an Entry Dao Realm cultivator would find it rather forced.


    In the middle-aged cultivator''s eyes, Chu Zheng definitely couldn''t keep using such powerful techniques continuously; he must have relied on some Fu Lu or other methods, and there woulde a moment when they were expended.


    The more this was the case, the less he could let Chu Zheng escape.


    Taixuan Holy Land is, after all, a holynd, and even though it has declined, it should not be underestimated.


    The current situation had firmly established a mortal feud; if Chu Zheng managed to escape and rise in powerter, the entire Hundred Demons Assembly would likely face a great disaster.


    Before long, the sun rose and set, and two days and nights passed.


    The flood dragon was foaming at the mouth, its eyes seeing stars, while the middle-aged cultivator was also pale, panting like an ox.


    Moving at such an extreme limit, even a Soul Condensation Realm cultivator would have to stop to recover for a moment, yet Chu Zheng showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.


    After a long while, the middle-aged cultivator had no choice but to halt, watching the figure of Chu Zheng growing distant.


    Watching Chu Zheng''s figure disappear, the middle-aged cultivator''s face was livid. After a moment of contemtion, he reached a decision.


    The best option at this moment was to report back to the sect and mobilize all Soul Condensation Realm cultivators to kill Chu Zheng with all their might, eradicating the cmity at its root.


    ...


    ...


    Seeing the persistent pursuit of the flood dragon vanish behind him, Chu Zheng took the opportunity to enter the Small World, temporarily shaking off the chase.


    The moment he entered the Small World, hey back on the ground, gasping for air uncontrobly.


    After two days of extreme fleeing, he was exhausted to the extreme. The panel could restore his physical condition, but the mental torment was inescapable.


    While being pursued, Chu Zheng had thought about turning around and using the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman to strike down his pursuer in their weakened state.


    But after pondering for a moment, he gave up on the idea.


    He only had one Nine Thunder Jade Talisman; using it would mean one less trump card.


    More importantly, with one human and one beast behind him, the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman could only kill one of them.


    It was better to save it to deal with those geniuses who had stepped into the Soul Condensation Realm¡ªthat was what truly mattered.


    Right now, the gap between him and a being of the Soul Condensation Realm was still toorge; that Ink Flood Dragon had endured nearly a hundred of his Thunder Methods without harm.


    If not for the magical beast''s natural fear of thunder, he wondered how long he would have had to run.


    Through this battle, his mastery of the Thunder Method had indeed improved significantly.


    The Soul Condensation Realm was equivalent to a powerhouse of the Secret Realm of Dao Embryo Qi Refining, an entire major realm higher, and to fight against such adversaries was to overestimate his abilities.


    After resting for a while, Chu Zheng got up and walked over to Song Lingqing and the others.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s actions that day, Song Lingqing had been somewhat restless these past two days, staying in the same ce.


    Now, seeing Chu Zheng return safely, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and got up to approach him:


    "Who did you go to find?"


    "A friend," Chu Zheng replied casually.


    Song Lingqing didn''t press further, quickly noticing the fatigue hidden between Chu Zheng''s brows, and asked subconsciously, "Is there any problem?"


    Chu Zheng shook his head. With the panel''s repair, his physical condition was as normal as could be, just a bit tired mentally.


    "Next, I n to look for a few things. What are your ns?"


    Chu Zheng inquired about Song Lingqing''s ns going forward.


    After pondering for a moment, Song Lingqing shook her head, "Just find any country and let me off there," she said.


    She wanted to travel with Chu Zheng, but now that Chu Zheng didn''t need her help, apanying him would simply be more about receiving his care.


    This debt of gratitude would only growrger.


    "Alright."


    Chu Zheng didn''t insist. Life in this Small World was indeed dull; no normal person would enjoy it.


    He intended to next collect fragments of the Martial Barrier and incidentally challenge the prodigies on the Hidden Dragon List.


    With the Heavenly Divination Technique, finding the fragments of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier wouldn''t be difficult.


    After gathering the fragments, the repairing process would be much easier and wouldn''t take too long.


    Within the next ten years, he had to consider the martial path for Song Lingxue.


    Otherwise, with Song Lingxue''s talent, wasting these ten years would be a real pity.


    ...


    ...


    At the edge of the Taixuan Holy Land, there was a Spirit Peak with rugged cliffs, three sides featuring sheer drops of a thousand zhang, and the path to the summit extremely steep.


    Surrounded by volcanoes, the rising heat made the temperature at the top unbearable; an ordinary person couldn''t survive there.


    The scorching sun hung high.


    Between the dark mountain paths, a figure carrying a giant stone weighing hundreds of thousands of jin climbed upward, their heavy breathing incessant.


    "Huff¡ª"


    Song Lingxue lifted her head slightly, looking towards the peak that was now in sight, her muscles taut, and sweat poured down her forehead, dripping onto the scorching rocks beneath her, emitting puffs of green smoke.


    This path was cracked from her footsteps, with pits as deep as calf-high clearly visible. The weight of hundreds of thousands of jin concentrated under her feet could easily crush steel or iron tes.


    In this world, nobody could help her with whaty beyond the martial path; she had to fumble through it on her own.


    After stepping into the Yuan Aura Realm, the Yang Yuan that Chu Zheng had left in her body was almost entirely depleted, and the growth of her cultivation had visibly slowed down.


    Now, she could only try these clumsy methods, exerting ten times the effort to toughen her physical body forcefully and enhance her physique, hoping for a breakthrough in her martial path.


    In the past years, she had never craved power as much as she did at this moment.


    If she had enough strength, her current predicament wouldn''t be so difficult.


    After a while, she finally reached the summit, disregarding the scorching rocks and copsing to sit, breathing heavily, inhaling the hot mist. The long-term high temperatures around her had be somewhat familiar.


    Thankfully, the Taixuan Holy Land was notcking in Spiritual Springs. Bathing was convenient, with the water boiling hot. Long-term immersion not only greatly improved her physique but also served as a refinement for her cultivation.


    In this short period of rigorous practice, her cultivation was about to advance another step.


    Coming back to her senses, she noticed a figure sitting not far away, dressed in a gray robe, looking frail and decrepit.


    "Holy Master."


    Song Lingxue wiped the sweat from her forehead, nodded as a greeting, her expression stoic and calm.


    This was her first encounter with Geng Yiyang after entering Taixuan.


    "The Immortal Alliance has sent a message, the deviation of the Heavenly Dao has increased again," Geng Yiyang said slowly. "The other Holy Lands have asked me to remind you not to overexert yourself in cultivation."


    "Is that so..."


    At these words, Song Lingxue''s eyes flickered, and she bowed her head to hide the joy in her eyes.


    Chu Zheng had told her that changes in the Heavenly Dao originated from him; this change was enough to indicate that Chu Zheng had grown stronger.


    "You don''t realize just how powerful your talent really is," Geng Yiyang sighed, his gaze somewhatplex. "In the worlds under the Immortal Alliance''s control, the speed of cultivation for other paths is not even a tenth or twentieth of the outside world."


    "In other words, once you leave this realm, your speed of cultivation will surge by more than tenfold," he added.


    Song Lingxue''s eyes shone faintly as she fell silent.


    The real prodigy was her husband.


    This secret was known to her alone.


    It seemed that she now had to cultivate even harder; otherwise, if she couldn''t keep up with Chu Zheng''s pace, she would eventuallye under suspicion.


    As for the so-called realms beyond, Song Lingxue did not have much desire, but she was already ndestinely nning that if the people from the Martial Hall really wanted to take her away, she would try to take her family out of this realm.


    Once she left, Chu Zheng would inevitably be exposed. No matter what, after the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, she must leave Cangyun Realm with Chu Zheng.

 Chapter 124: Chapter 101: Fluctuations on the Hidden Dragon List

    The deste peak, Song Lingxue slowly raised her head, looking up at the sky.


    The zing sun hung high in the void.


    The firmament seemed like an immense sheet of dark blue silk, which under the searing heat, subtly twisted in leisure.


    Behind this silk canvas,y the vast and boundless universe.


    The term universe was something she learned after entering Taixuan Holy Land.


    Chu Zheng once told her that books contained much wonder, and that he learned many principles from them; thus, beyond cultivation, she had spent a lot of time reading the ancient tomes and scrolls stored within the Taixuan Holy Land.


    Indeed, the worlds within books proved to be boundlessly profound, condensing the efforts of past generations; often, she made discoveries and gained tremendously.


    The Cangyun Realm, which once seemed so vast in her eyes, now had apparent boundaries.


    The four territories and five seas, the sky round and the earth square.


    It is said, worlds like the Cangyun Realm are umon throughout the universe, which instead is moremonly filled with stars scattered like pearls, lost in the directionless cosmos.


    Some stars, too, host living beings.


    Most stars are not veryrge, some with diameters less than ten thousand miles, drifting aimlessly through the universe.


    These tiny stars cannot nurture life, but their interiors may conceal numerous valuable minerals, of extreme worth.


    In those texts, the entire universe is a colossal mine, its bounds even a True Immortal cannot fully discern.


    Returning to her senses, Song Lingxue nced at Geng Yiyang and, seeing no intention of him leaving, couldn''t help but feel perplexed:


    "Holy Master, did youe today with other instructions?"


    Geng Yiyang slightly turned his palm and took out a battle robe, dark red all over with golden formation patterns spread across, radiating with red divinity like a burning Divine Fire, shining brightly.


    "I had it made specially for you, it''s imbued with a wisp of Fifth Order Divine Fire, meant for refining the physique, and it''s quite effective."


    Before his words had fallen, Geng Yiyang pushed the battle robe towards Song Lingxue and then continued:


    "The method you thought of is truly cumbersome, more effort for less gain. With this battle robe, refining your physique will yield ten times more than what you achieved before."


    Song Lingxue''s brow slightly furrowed, she nced at the battle robe and moved her gaze away, looking at Geng Yiyang with some confusion:


    "What is your intent, Holy Master? Please speak inly."


    She naturally wanted the battle robe that could help her grow stronger faster, but for a moment, she couldn''t understand the reasons behind Geng Yiyang''s help.


    If there were certain conditions attached, she would need to be more cautious.


    Although she wasn''t clear on the exact agreement between Geng Yiyang and Chu Zheng, so long as nothing extraneous happened, there wouldn''t be a mistake, and being cautious had no downside.


    Compared to herself, she was more concerned about causing unnecessary trouble for Chu Zheng.


    "Taixuan is never short of Artifact Refiners, it''s just a battle robe, nothing noteworthy."


    "You currently are in Taixuan, and your situation is far stronger than if you were in any other Holy Land, this much, you must understand."


    "I have said it before, your talent far exceeded your own imagination."


    Geng Yiyang, expression unchanged, continued, "You''ve entered the Martial Hall, and in the future, you might have the opportunity to vie for the Holy Martial Practitioner''s revered position. I wish to make a good connection with Taixuan Holy Land so that when the dayes that I seek aid, I hope you''ll lend a hand."


    Although the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall have not yet started a dispute, it is uncertain that trouble won''t arise someday in the future.


    Just as the Immortal Alliance Envoy mentioned during recent discussions, even the mighty Immortal Alliance is on the verge of a great war, let alone the Cangyun Realm.


    It is inevitable that one day Taixuan Holy Land may fall into peril, and should they receive aid from a Supreme Being, even a small effort could provide a glimmer of hope for survival.


    This is for the future of Taixuan.


    The information about Song Lingxue has already been handed over to the hands of the Immortal Alliance, just waiting for the Martial Hall toe for her.


    In other words, Song Lingxue''s entry into the Martial Hall is already a done deal.


    To bestow favor now, there''s still time; once in the Martial Hall, a battle robe of this Quality would not even be epted by her.


    "You overstate your case, Holy Master."


    Song Lingxue''s heart was not greatly stirred; she didn''t have much confidence in her talent, but neither did she intend to exin.


    The more attention she received, the safer Chu Zheng would be, which was more than desirable.


    Rejecting Geng Yiyang''s battle robe would seem ungrateful, she thought.


    With this in mind, Song Lingxue slowly extended her hand and took the battle robe into her hands.


    Crack¡ª


    As she touched the battle robe, web-like cracks spread more than ten yards out from beneath Song Lingxue.


    The battle robe, which seemed quite light, was surprisingly heavy, easily rivaling the weight of the huge boulder she had carried before.


    Looking at the battle robe in her hands, Song Lingxue raised her head with some confusion: "Holy Master, did you not say that I shouldn''t cultivate too quickly?"


    "That''s what they think, what does it have to do with me?"


    Geng Yiyang chuckled: "How many more years can I live?"


    He was unconcerned with how fast or slow Song Lingxue''s cultivation progressed, and he had no interest in how it might shift the Heavenly Dao.


    He was pushing heaven''s limits with only a little over twenty years of life remaining. When Song Lingxue left the Cangyun Realm, everything would naturally reset to its original state.


    By then, death would not be far for him.


    A momentter, Geng Yiyang withdrew his smile and spoke softly, "I have another matter to discuss, regarding Chu Zheng."


    Instantaneously, Song Lingxue raised her head, her calm demeanor changed: "What happened to him?"


    "There has been movement on the Hidden Dragon List, Chu Zheng killed a major sect''s true disciple in front of a Soul Condensation Realm Cultivator and then made his escape, rising by more than five thousand ranks."

 Chapter 125: Chapter 101: Changes in the Hidden Dragon List_2

    Geng Yiyang''s expression grew solemn, and he spoke with gravity, "Since the creation of the Hidden Dragon List, such an event has never urred."


    In past tournaments, there were indeedte bloomers who continuously climbed the rankings on the Hidden Dragon List and ultimately broke into the top ten contenders.


    But this always required a gradual process. A breakthrough in cultivation that instantly pushed someone up by a hundred ranks was already considered difficult.


    Chu Zheng, however, leapfrogged over more than five thousand names in one go. With the cultivation of the Late Spirit Spring Realm, he wedged himself among a group of cultivators at the Late Stage of the Entry Dao Realm, spanning an entire major realm, which was far too conspicuous.


    The Hidden Dragon List is extremely mysterious. Relying on external objects to kill an opponent does not alter one''s ranking in any way.


    Now that Chu Zheng has risen over five thousand ces at once, it means that in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, he relied solely on his own strength to kill Qiu Shi.


    This implies that the Heavenly Dao of the Cangyun Realm had severely misjudged Chu Zheng''s strength before!


    What astonishing implications does this contain?!


    In just one year, he was already capable of striking down an enemy in the Late Stage of the Entry Dao Realm and escaping from the hands of a Soul Condensation Realm Cultivator. What would he be if he had ten more years?


    Not long after the other great sacrednds received the news, they dispatched many Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators, including those prodigies who had achieved Soul Condensation within their ranks, to frantically search for Chu Zheng''s whereabouts.


    This inevitably made Geng Yiyang somewhat restless. He had not anticipated Chu Zheng''s talent to be so exceedingly monstrous.


    Fang Jiong and Ling Qi''s deaths were due to Chu Zheng''s reliance on the Lihuo Spear, which could be considered outstanding poise, but his talent still fell within Geng Yiyang''sprehension.


    Yet now, with the power of the Late Spirit Spring Realm, he had crossed a whole major realm and, under the noses of Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators, in cultivators from the Entry Dao Realm before safely withdrawing. Such an act could be called contrary to the natural order!


    At this thought, Geng Yiyang couldn''t help but sigh lightly. Chu Zheng''s brilliance was too intense; in such a short time, he had caused such a greatmotion.


    Geng Yiyang had some expectations of how far Chu Zheng could grow.


    ording to what he had originally thought, even with the great sacrednds, and with the Divine Infants in hiding, it was not an easy task to look for someone with just Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators.


    As long as one understood some techniques to change appearance and conceal one''s aura, it was not difficult to elude detection by Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators. With Chu Zheng''s cunning, he shouldn''t be in too much danger.


    The hefty bounty could also give Chu Zheng some sense of urgency, ensuring he wouldn''t ck in his cultivation.


    Now, during his killings, Chu Zheng made a spectacle and revealed his identity.


    Chief disciple of the Taixuan Holy Land''s true transmission.


    When Geng Yiyang heard this news, he almost immediately understood Chu Zheng''s intent.


    The message was meant for him; Qiu Shi was not thest one, but merely the beginning. This youngster would kill even more people.


    The act was nothing more than an attempt to drag Taixuan into the same plight as himself, making them universal enemies.


    But Taixuan''s current situation was not looking good; the other four great sacrednds had already begun to subtly join forces.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was essentially prepared for Shang Zuling alone. There was not much conflict between them; it was more of a formality.


    Suppressing Taixuan Holy Land was their primary priority.


    The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, disregarding Immortal Bones and relying on the Fire Seed to forcefully elevate the talent of the practitioner, was simply too defiant of the heavens.


    With just a few Immortal mes, Taixuan could thrive perpetually. Over time, it would inevitably grow stronger and stronger.


    If another Fire Spirit Body were to emerge and bring forth a True Immortal, it would be a certainty.


    If Taixuan were to continue developing, the Southern Region and even the entire Cangyun Realm would be Taixuan''s domain.


    "Making a hasty move only to shoot oneself in the foot."


    After realizing Chu Zheng''s current predicament, Geng Yiyang sighed deeply again, the sigh meant for both himself and Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng''s risky move was driven by him, but now, it had dragged him into an even greater trouble.


    Upon learning of Chu Zheng''s perilous situation, Song Lingxue''s expression shifted slightly, and she couldn''t help but plea, "Holy Master, can''t you lend a helping hand?"


    Even with her confidence in Chu Zheng, facing so many sects and sacrednds alone, the gap was simply too vast.


    If during this process, other Taoist Orthodox techniques were exposed, provoking action from the Immortal Alliance, that would be truly a situation of certain death.


    "I can''t help him now."


    Geng Yiyang shook his head with a dim gaze, "With the Divine Infant in seclusion, Taixuan does not have any Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators at the moment, and reopening the sect gate will take time."


    There are no Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators who can live for ten thousand years. Today''s Taixuan Holy Land starts with the Divine Transformation Realm, all of them old antiques.


    If he were able to take action, he would not be so worried, as he could simply bring Chu Zheng back to Taixuan.


    Nowadays, the surroundings of Taixuan are filled with spies from the other great sacrednds. If he dares step out of Taixuan for even a moment, Taixuan would face a catastrophe.


    Ji Yuyan is unpredictable, and it''s impossible to gauge whether he would tolerate a second vition of the rules.


    ```


    The implicating of the entire sect was not merely an empty threat; one moment of angering the Immortal Alliance could see the Taixuan toppled overnight.


    Now, Geng Yiyang could only hope that Chu Zheng would rein himself in somewhat, doing his best to avoid the sharp edges of various factions and preserve his own life.


    This Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, if Chu Zheng could survive until the end and truly make it into the top ten, what then could he do with the foundation of Taixuan?


    Seeking fame? Wasn''t the title of Taixuan Holy Master enough?


    However, Geng Yiyang knew in his heart that this was wishful thinking.


    Given Chu Zheng''s unpredictable nature, causing an even biggermotion was just a matter of time.


    ...


    ...


    The disturbance on the Hidden Dragon List only shook the Four Great Sacred Lands, with little impact on the other sects.


    But Qiu Shi''s death had caused an unprecedented earthquake within the Hundred Demons Assembly.


    For a sect with tens of thousands of years of heritage, Qiu Shi''s death should not have been a big deal.


    At worst, they would wait for the next grandpetition; a mere hundred years was but a moment, and the century toe would still see geniuses not inferior to Qiu Shi.


    Yet the death of Qiu Shi was filled with mysteries.


    Chu Zheng killed Qiu Shi, but the Spirit Shadow Lion he tamed was left unscathed, having not defended its master.


    And on the body of the Spirit Shadow Lion, no traces of forceful maniption could be detected.


    In other words, Chu Zheng possessed some means to make their magical beasts lose control, or even turn on their master.


    To a sect that raises magical beasts, this information was too frightening to contemte.


    Just a few days after Qiu Shi''s death, Soul Condensing Realm cultivators from the Hundred Demons Assembly, along with arge number of high-grade magical beasts they raised, swarmed out.


    Starting with Giant Marsh and its surrounding dozens of countries, they initiated a carpet search for traces of Chu Zheng.


    The actions of the Holy Lands were more conspicuous; Tai Xu Holy Land even employed yet another Immortal Treasure to forcibly deduce Chu Zheng''s whereabouts through the recorded essences on the Hidden Dragon List.


    This move indeed worked, yielding a vague location: Giant Marsh Country.


    The prodigies ranked in the top hundred of the Hidden Dragon List were stirred by the news, nearly half appearing near the Giant Marsh, aiming to use the mutual attraction between their destinies to flush out Chu Zheng''s tracks.


    Theirbat abilities far surpassed ordinary Soul Condensing Monks and possessed some methods beyond the imagination of normal sects; their appearance caused many unusual incidents.


    ...


    ...


    Great Zhou Dynasty, Wuyang County, Luofeng City.


    The former residence of the Song Family, after several storms, had be ake overgrown with weeds, the thousand zhangnd around it sealed off by the Great Zhou Imperial Court.


    For the Great Zhou Royal Family, this ce held extraordinary significance; it was the site where their ancestors had revealed their spirit.


    As for the original inhabitants of this ce, the Song Family... they were now seldom mentioned.


    With Immortals appearing in the human realm and wars erupting, the Great Zhou Dynasty maintained its detachment, a message far more attention-grabbing than the now vanished Song Family.


    Among the surrounding nations, many had begun trying to migrate into the Great Zhou, and numerous small sects wished to take refuge within the Great Zhou to avoid cmity.


    Two figures silently infiltrated the sealed area, making their way to thekefront.


    "This is far enough."


    Gazing at theke before her, Song Lingqing''s eyes were profound: "I want to walk this path again from the beginning."


    The path of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects started here, and she wanted to start afresh.


    "That seems appropriate."


    Chu Zheng nodded: "Take good care of yourself."


    Everyone has their own thoughts and paths they want to take, and Song Lingqing had her own ideas and her own journey to pursue.


    Chu Zheng, not liking to be arranged by others, simrly would not meddle forcibly in another person''s life.


    "Where are you heading next?"


    Song Lingqing was somewhat curious about Chu Zheng''s next ns.


    "To the Imperial Capital of the Great Zhou, to stay for a while."


    ```

 Chapter 126: Chapter 101: Eastern Region, Noble Families

    ```


    Chu Zheng had always had some interest in the Mansion''s Treasury of the Great Zhou Royal Family.


    Great Zhou was a magicalnd, home to the Martial Path heritage as well as hidden lineages such as the Song Family with many secret inheritances.


    Its Scripture Pavilion must certainly be hiding some surprises.


    Now that the outside world was in great turmoil, it was a good time for him toy low and cultivate in peace for a while.


    The midday sun sprinkled over theke, shimmering on the surface, with wild grass thriving on the shores.


    Life was breeding within theke, marked by the asional ripple on the water''s center.


    No one would have imagined that less than a year prior, a centuries-old household had stood where theke was now.


    All the stories that had taken ce there werepletely buried, leaving not a single trace behind.


    After a hundred years...a thousand years, no one will remember any of it.


    Chu Zheng stood on the shore, gazing long and hard at theke before him, silent and motionless, his ck robe fluttering in the breeze that met him head-on, and for a moment, he felt somewhat moved.


    It was as if for an instant, he witnessed the power of time.


    Suddenly, Chu Zheng''s expression shifted slightly, and he raised his hand to activate the Invisibility Technique, concealing both his and Song Lingqing''s figures.


    A figure descended openly from the sky, stopping above theke.


    He appeared to be a young cultivator in his teens, holding apass, dressed in white with a wooden crown and jade belt, his features handsome and his attire unassuming yet exuding nobility at a nce.


    His cultivation was quite strong, with a Celestial Foundation formed within him, already at the Entry Path.


    This was thend where the ancestors of the Great Zhou Royal Family had manifested their divine presence, and Imperial Secret Guards were stationed in all directions.


    Such a brazen act naturally attracted the attention of many Secret Guards, and in an instant, the area surrounding theke was surrounded by people.


    "I am the Commander of the White Tiger Imperial Secret Guards, Town Garrison Command of Great Zhou. May I inquire which Superior Immortal you are from?"


    A leader d in silver armor stepped forward politely, paid his respects and asked respectfully.


    His robust Blood Qi revealed he was at the level of a Martial Path Grandmaster.


    The youth did not answer his question but instead looked around and announced loudly:


    "I''ll ask you, is there anyone here with the surname Song?"


    Upon hearing this question, Chu Zheng''s brow furrowed, his eyes narrowed slightly. In the eyes of the public, the Song Family was already annihted; how could someonee looking for them now?


    Song Lingqing, who beside him was still marveling at the miraculous Invisibility Technique, also showed a hint of surprise in her expression, with a cloud of suspicion forming in her eyes.


    The Song Family had never been involved with Entry Dao Realm cultivators, and this person''s sudden arrival almost certainly spelled trouble.


    Hearing the young cultivator''s question, the leader in silver armor seemed hesitant, pondered for a few moments, and then replied truthfully:


    "To report back to the Superior Immortal, there are no people with the surname Song here, although there used to be a Song Family."


    "Where is this Song Family now?"


    "It has been annihted."


    "Annihted?"


    On hearing these two words, the young man immediately frowned, a hint of displeasure surfacing in his expression: "Who did it?"


    "I am not privy to the details. I beg the Superior Immortal''s forgiveness," the leader in silver armor shook his head.


    Even if he knew some of the truth, he couldn''t just say anything rashly. Affairs between the Immortal Sects should be handled by themselves.


    Gurgle¡ª


    The young man''spass emitted a strange noise, he immediately looked down at thepass in his hand, and after a light exmation, his head turned sharply in the direction of Chu Zheng and the others.


    "Did he see us?" Song Lingqing asked, slightly startled.


    "Impossible."


    Chu Zheng shook his head decisively. As he had stepped into the Jade Bone Realm, his Invisibility Technique had already be a Second Order Divine Skill.


    Even a cultivator at the Soul Condensing Realm would need to carefully inspect for a while to break the Invisibility Technique, and a casual nce would definitely not reveal anything.


    The cultivation of this young cultivator was only at the Mid Entry Dao Realm; he certainly did not have such capabilities.


    Chu Zheng looked at thepass in the youth''s hand, nced at Song Lingqing beside him, and seemed to havee to a realization.


    To confirm his guess, Chu Zheng immediately grabbed Song Lingqing and shot into the sky, making a beeline for the city outskirts.


    The young cultivator standing in mid-air watched hispass vibrate chaotically, looked up at the empty void, and couldn''t help but look puzzled.


    After hesitating for a while, he didn''t follow thepass but insteadnded beside theke.


    "Superior Immortal, if you have no business here, please leave this ce. After all, thisnd is where the Zhao n ancestors manifested their divinity and is not suitable for outsiders to linger," the leader in silver armor reminded him sinctly.


    "Zhao n?"


    The youth looked puzzled and then asked, "The surname of the Royal Family here?"


    "Indeed."


    "How dare a mere surname of an Imperial Dynasty call itself a n?"


    Seeing the leader in silver armor nod, the youth sneered, parted the waves with a gesture, and walked into theke.


    The leader in silver armor''s mouth twitched slightly, opting not to say anything further. After bowing with a fist, he stepped aside.


    Beyond Great Zhou, the Sects had already begun to sh in earnest, with Superior Immortals often falling in skirmishes, yet Great Zhou remained tranquil, which proved the deterrent power of the Zhao ancestors.


    He didn''t know where this youngster hade from, but he didn''t want to risk his life unnecessarily.


    A short whileter, the young man emerged from theke looking somewhat dejected. He took out thepass again, soared into the sky, and followed thepass''s direction towards the city outskirts.


    Looking at theke, the leader in silver armor fell into deep thought. He signaled for a messenger toe:


    "Report this to His Majesty, saying that others are still searching for the Song n bloodline."


    ...


    ...


    Thirty miles outside Luofeng City, atop a low peak,


    Chu Zheng dispelled the Invisibility Technique and slightly shifted his facial features, transforming into a middle-aged cultivator around thirty years of age.


    He first applied a disguise to himself, to avoid shes due to his appearance, since he had some questions to ask that person and didn''t wish to act hastily.


    ```

 Chapter 127: Chapter 101: Eastern Region, Noble Families_2

    "What do you want to do?" Song Lingqing was somewhat puzzled.


    "Just wait a moment, that person should being to find us soon,"


    Chu Zheng contemted for a moment, then spoke calmly, "This person wasn''t able to see through the Invisibility Technique, but instead relied on some other tracking method, which might be rted to your bloodline. We''ll probe into itter."


    "My bloodline?"


    Song Lingqing was somewhat surprised; she had never felt there was anything special about her bloodline.


    As for the bloodline of the Song Family, Chu Zheng had been able to guess a few things from the Family Heritage Blood Jade earlier.


    The Song Family was definitely hiding many secrets, and from this person''s mouth, they should be able to extract some useful information.


    A whileter, a shadow streaked across the sky and stopped above the low peak, none other than the young cultivator they had encountered earlier.


    He looked down at the two of them, checking thepass, and after a span of time enough to drink a cup of tea, he finally descended slowly.


    "Are you of the Song Family?"


    The young man walked up to the two of them, ignoring Chu Zheng, and looked towards Song Lingqing.


    "Yes."


    Song Lingqing nodded slightly, then her brows slightly furrowed, "Who are you?"


    "Direct line of the Song Family, Song Xian."


    The youth introduced himself briefly, and pride undisguised showed in his expression when mentioning the Song name.


    Song Lingqing was somewhat baffled and subconsciously nced at Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng didn''t speak but took a step back, signaling her to continue asking.


    "Which Song Family?"


    Upon hearing this, Song Xian gave a faint smile and said with a deep voice, "The noble family of the Eastern Region, the Song n that once had four True Immortals as ancestors."


    "The Eastern Region?!"


    Song Lingqing was slightly taken aback; the Eastern Region and the Southern Region were separated by the Rift Valley Sea, an extremely distant expanse. Even an Entry Dao Realm cultivator crossing it would take at least a year.


    "It''s normal that you haven''t heard of us."


    Seeing Song Lingqing''s face full of surprise, Song Xian was not surprised and promptly gave a brief and simple ount of the origins of the Song n.


    Chu Zheng, listening by the side, gradually rified some threads of thought.


    If it could be said that in the Southern Region there were numerous sects, then the Eastern Region was truly ruled by noble families.


    There were also ns in the Southern Region, but most ns relied on sects for survival and rarely did independent cultivator families exist.


    For ordinary cultivators, relying on bloodline to reproduce and giving birth to Immortal Bones was really unstable, hard to maintain prosperity for long, and after a few generations, they often gradually faded into obscurity.


    The Eastern Region, in terms of expansive territory, did not match the Southern Region, having only two thirds of its size, overseen by three major ns, one of which was the Song n.


    A family that had given birth to True Immortals naturally had mystical and unusual bloodlines.


    Within the families of True Immortals, every few generations, there would always appear one or two exceptionally talented individuals to take over the reins of the family, and this had be the norm.


    The Song Family originally was not from the Eastern Region, but had migrated from the Southern Region.


    When they moved, it was to avoid cmity; at the time, the Cangyun Realm still saw the continuance of other Taoist Orthodoxy, with the Southern Region being thest battleground, where earthshaking wars often took ce.


    After enduring continuous wars, with their numbers diminishing within the n, the direct lineage reluctantly migrated eastward, leaving only a few branches in the Southern Region to continue to flourish, in hope of rebounding in the future.


    However, as time passed, within the migrated direct lineage''s bloodline, there were those who ascended to the True Immortal Realm and were taken in by the Immortal Alliance, returning to the world''s pinnacle.


    Meanwhile, these several branches in the Southern Region kept silent for a long time, wandering in the times of chaos, progressively weakening, and gradually, they lost contact.


    The ancestral homnd of the Song Family was indeed near Great Zhou, and after the great wars, a branch recalled their roots and returned to this region, their bloodline gradually took root, branching out, and that led to the scene witnessed today.


    Song Xian''s tone was rather nonchnt, but Chu Zheng heard a lot of difficulties within.


    The battle for Taoist Orthodoxy was extremely cruel; even True Immortal families were forced to migrate far away, the Southern Region''s living environment at the time must have been incredibly harsh.


    The few branches left behind in this region, in order to continue their bloodline, clearly did everything possible, just like the iprehensible family rule of the Song Family encountered earlier.


    Within one family, there must not be two sons coexisting.


    ```


    Looking at it now, this rule seems to have been an act of helplessness, but it was precisely because of this that the Song Family bloodline was able to be passed down and continue to this day, after sacrificing the glory of being a True Immortal family.


    Chu Zheng had previously thought the Song Family bloodline was extraordinary, but he had never expected it to be so exaggerated as to be rted to True Immortals.


    Observing Song Xian before him, Chu Zheng fell into deep thought. The current Song Xian had expended so much effort to traverse the Rift Valley Sea; it clearly couldn''t be simply for the sake of finding kin¡ªthere must be other reasons.


    Without waiting for him to think further, Song Xian suddenly took out a piece of silk from his bosom and slowly unfolded it.


    On the silk, a piece of jade wall was drawn with blood, divided into exactly six segments.


    "Have you ever seen anything simr to this jade?"


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing looked at it carefully for a long while and, after recalling for a moment, shook her head slightly:


    "No."


    For a moment, Song Xian''s face was filled with disappointment, but he still somewhat persisted, "Take another close look."


    After Song Lingqing confirmed repeatedly, she denied it once again: "Definitely not."


    The instant Chu Zheng saw the silk, he immediately understood¡ªthis Song Xian, or rather, the Eastern Territory Song n, their ultimate goal was for the Family Heritage Blood Jade.


    Or rather, it was for the Secret Realm connected by the Blood Jade.


    "What is this?" Seeing Song Xian''s enormous reaction, Song Lingqing couldn''t help but be curious.


    "This is the Family Heritage Blood Jade, connected to a Secret Realm. The foundation of the Song n lies within it."


    Song Xian put away the silk and his eyebrows were slightly furrowed with irritation as he casually exined a few sentences, rifying the cause and effect.


    During the time of the congration in the Southern Region, the Rift Valley Sea was also fraught with peril, and there were many heretic cultivators lurking within the sea, making their final desperate attempts.


    With the power the Song n possessed at that time, it was quite a stretch to safeguard the direct lineage across the Rift Valley Sea; it necessitated the call of the majority of the pirs of support from various branches of the n to escort them.


    In order to make a promise to the other branches, the Song n''s direct lineage would one day surely return to the Southern Region, so the jade wall was then divided into six pieces.


    Using the entire Song n''s foundation as coteral, the various branches finally agreed to lend their people.


    With that departure, naturally there was no looking back.


    In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of years had passed, and when the Song n''s direct lineage once more produced a True Immortal, the Southern Region had already seen the rise of Holy Lands and the establishment of hundreds of sects.


    In such a situation, the prospect of returning was no longer an easy task, and moreover, with the emergence of a new True Immortal, the formerly so-called modest foundation no longer held much importance.


    After putting away the silk, Song Xian,cking enthusiasm, said casually:


    "You will follow me from now on. Once the Blood Jade is found,e back to the Eastern Region with me. With your talent, if you try hard, you might have a chance to enter the direct lineage in the future. If you can awaken your bloodline, you might have the hope of reaching the Tongxuan."


    His attitude, from beginning to end, was condescending, carrying a trace of benevolence from on high.


    "I don''t need it." Song Lingqing spoke indifferently, her expression impassive.


    Song Xian had not bothered to ask Song Lingqing''s own opinion, naturally leading to her refusal.


    Suddenly faced with rejection, Song Xian appeared taken aback, his face a picture of disbelief: "Do you realize the magnitude of the opportunity you are rejecting?"


    The Song Family, although not as powerful as in the past, was still one of the three major ns in the Eastern Region, with more than one powerful individual in the Tongxuan Secret Realm within the n.


    "That''s enough."


    Chu Zheng spoke, his first words drawing this meeting to a close.


    He had already collected enough information.


    "Who are you?"


    Song Xian, already in a bad mood, was now like a barrel of gunpowder, ignited in an instant as he spoke in a cold voice: "Is this your ce to speak? Do you seek death?"


    He had nced at Chu Zheng when he arrived, who seemed to have reached middle age with only the cultivation of the Late Spirit Spring Realm, not worthy of his attention at all.


    p¡ª


    Chu Zheng stepped forward with a forceful and heavy p thatnded fiercely on Song Xian''s face.


    Song Xian had not expected Chu Zheng to suddenly strike. Furthermore, Chu Zheng''s moves were too fast; caught off guard, Song Xian was unable to defend in time and was instantaneously sent flying a hundred yards away, crashing heavily into the rugged mountain path, his head spinning and unable to get up for a moment.


    "Since you bear the Song surname, I''ll spare your life today."


    "If you seek revenge, let your elderse to Taixuan Holy Land to find me. My name is Chu Zheng."


    ```

 Chapter 128: Chapter 102: Secrets of Great Qian

    Whish¡ª


    Song Xian picked himself up from the fragmented rubble, shook his somewhat groggy head, and looked around.


    He could no longer see the figures of the two people from earlier.


    He sat down on the spot, his expression somewhat unsettled. In just a moment, he had walked through Ghost Gate Pass.


    The p from earlier could have smashed his skull if it hadn''t been held back; the person had shown restraint.


    In the Eastern Region, conflicts between ns were extremely bloody. Compared to the sects, ns were more united. That was why, once a n member was hurt or killed, escting the conflict and intensifying the battleground was the norm.


    Death and injury were nothing out of the ordinary. Being able to return alive this time, he felt nothing but relief.


    "Taixuan Holy Land... Chu Zheng..."


    Song Xian rubbed his cheeks and frowned, sinking into thought. Having recently arrived in the Southern Region, he did not quite understand the overall situation there.


    Taixuan Holy Land, as he recalled, had been isted from the world for a long time and had only recently reopened its sect gates.


    Could it be that Taixuan Holy Land was also targeting the Song family''s legacy?


    Thinking of this, Song Xian became restless.


    The Song Family in the Immortal Alliance hadn''t heard from a True Immortal for thousands of years, and the situation for the Song direct line in the Eastern Region was not optimistic.


    Otherwise, the Song n wouldn''t have sent many members back to the Southern Region.


    The Family Heritage Blood Jade connected to the secret realm was very important for the Song Family now.


    Whether the Song Family could once again support a True Immortal depended entirely on this secret realm.


    He needed to ry this message back to his family as soon as possible. Taixuan, fallen as it was, remained a Holy Land that once produced True Immortals and had a long heritage in the Southern Region; it demanded caution.


    ...


    ...


    Two days after leaving Luofeng City, Chu Zheng had returned to Giant Marsh with Song Lingqing.


    Now, chaos reigned within Giant Marsh, and cultivators at the Soul Condensing Realm could be seen everywhere.


    Even Qionglou had be subdued, recalling its disciples and not daring any major actions.


    Behind these Soul Condensation Realm cultivators were either major Immortal Sects or Holy Lands, even the main lineage of Qionglou could not provoke them.


    Chu Zheng stealthily entered the Song Residence with Song Lingqing without alerting anyone, and took the Family Heritage Blood Jade.


    This piece of Blood Jade, buried under a pile of misceneous items in the Mansion''s Treasury, would not have been so casually ced if Song Tongxuan knew the importance of this jade.


    Clearly, due to the extreme age, some key information had been lost, and whether Song Tongxuan even remembered the jade was questionable.


    Arguing with Song Tongxuan to exin the whole cause and effect was troublesome and would expose their tracks, so it was better to temporarily entrust the Blood Jade to Ling Qing for safekeeping.


    She was a member of the Song Family too, and Song Tongxuan was her great-uncle, with her direct lineage being the closest rtion.


    From Song Xian''s attitude, it seemed that the Eastern Territory Song n was determined to get the secret behind this Blood Jade.


    It would be somewhat unfair if the Blood Jade, having been passed down in the Southern Territory for so long, were to be taken away by the Eastern Territory Song n so easily.


    The resources within this secret realm should rightfully include a share for the Southern Territory Song n, not just Song Tongxuan''s lineage, but the entire Southern Territory lineage of the Song family should have a part in it.


    At the very least, Chu Zheng needed to ensure resources for both Song Lingxue and Song Lingqing.


    After getting the Blood Jade, Ling Qing nced from a distance at Song Tonghai, wanting to show herself and meet him, but the previous precedents in the Song Residence made her dare not take such a risk again.


    A lesson learned through experience is invaluable; one must always progress.


    Furthermore, Song Tonghai''s days in the Song Family were temporarily carefree; generally, no one would bother him, especially since the Song Family was too insignificant in the eyes of those Immortal Sects.


    The only trouble might be if one day, the Eastern Territory Song n decided toe knocking.


    However, going by Song Xian''s earlier attitude, the Song Family was not yet desperate enough to strike at their own kin.


    Chu Zheng quickly left with Song Lingqing without lingering for long in Giant Marsh.


    The area around Giant Marsh was now constantly chaotic, with cultivators often erupting into conflicts and engaging in blood battles, with many being drawn here by the rumors.


    These rumor-led cultivators were not aware of the existence of the Hidden Dragon List, nor did they know who Chu Zheng was, but hearing that many cultivators were gathering here escted the rumors wildly.


    Some said that Ancient Ruins had emerged in Giant Marsh, and there were even rumors that a True Immortal Cave Mansion had appeared, naturally attracting numerous cultivators hoping toe across an opportunity.


    These rumors, ignited by a Loose Cultivator who coincidentally unlocked an ancient sect''s treasury, spread rapidly across the Southern Region.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng regarded these rumors as a light breeze beside his ear, showing no intention of joining the excitement, and headed straight back to the Great Zhou Dynasty.


    At the border of Great Zhou, he parted ways with Song Lingqing and entered the Imperial City alone.


    In less than half a day, Chu Zheng had entered the Capital of the Great Zhou. After employing the Invisibility Technique, he faced no obstructions at all as he stepped into the heart of the Imperial Pce.


    As night fell, the stars twinkled faintly.


    The silhouette of the Imperial Pce under the moonlight appeared even more majestic, and the night wind brushed gently across the city walls, bringing a hint of cold.


    The guards in front of the crimson pce gates were already dressed in thick cotton armor, and the spears and battle halberds glistened with a cold light.


    Chu Zheng stood atop the pce wall, looking at the thousands of lights in the cold night, and let out a soft sigh.


    Another winter had arrived.


    The Great Zhou Royal Family had continued using the old capital from the previous dynasty; this Imperial Pce, upon careful consideration, had a history of several thousand years and was extremely ancient, causing Chu Zheng to momentarily feel bewildered.

 Chapter 129: Chapter 102: Secrets of Great Qian _2

    Having snapped back to reality, Chu Zheng stepped into the depths of the Imperial Pce.


    The moment he delved into the pce, he immediately noticed many anomalies.


    Within this worldly Imperial Dynasty, there were more than a few cultivators hidden, among them even those in the Entry Dao Realm.


    The Entry Dao Realm was a position that, even within arge sect like the Phantom Spirit Sect, could serve as an Elder of the Outer Sect, which was rather exaggerated for a secr Imperial Dynasty.


    Zhao Tingxian...


    Chu Zheng recalled the name Fu Quanliang had mentioned to him before; the state that the Song Residence had ended up in seemed to be this person''s doing as well.


    It seemed that the Great Zhou Royal Family might indeed be hiding quite a few secrets.


    After a careful examination for a short while, Chu Zheng found the Scripture Pavilion.


    The Scripture Pavilion was heavily guarded, with two Great Grandmasters outwardly standing watch, and secretly there was ate Spirit Spring Realm cultivator, equal in cultivation to Chu Zheng''s current level.


    After a moment of thought, Chu Zheng quietly approached the hiding spot of the Spirit Spring Realm cultivator.


    Inside the Quiet Room, a figure was seated cross-legged on the couch, clutching two spirit stones, engrossed in cultivation.


    This cultivator appeared to be about forty, robust in build, attired in a bright yellow vestment robe, wearing a golden crown, a jade belt around his waist, his facemandingly stern without disying anger.


    Like a wisp of breeze, Chu Zheng floated into the room, slowly pulling out the Town Immortal Mace, without a word, and thrust it right into the cultivator''s lower abdomen.


    After several skirmishes, Chu Zheng had already made some refinements to the talisman seal on the Town Immortal Mace; its effect was even better than before.


    In confrontations with Dao Realm cultivators, the Town Immortal Mace was prone to damage, yet it was overwhelmingly dominant against Spirit Spring Realm cultivators.


    The cultivator on the couch abruptly opened his eyes, and before he could even get up, the mana within his dantian dispersed in an instant.


    He wasn''t even able to put up an effective resistance before being knocked out by a chop of Chu Zheng''s hand, who then lifted him up single-handedly and stuffed him straight into the spatial passage.


    ...


    ...


    In a Small World.


    Above the barrennd, Chu Zheng observed the middle-aged cultivator beside him, the spiritual light swirling in his pupils as he watched his mana recovery.


    This would help him further improve the ''Law Breaking'' Talisman Seal.


    Just now, through the panel, Chu Zheng had learned the identity of this person.


    [Zhao Liangguang (First Order): Lower Quality Immortal Bone, the fifty-eighth Emperor of the Great Zhou, father of the present Great Zhou Emperor, his mana dispersed by ''Law Breaking'', capable of recovery.]


    The former Great Zhou Emperor, no wonder he seemed extraordinary.


    It took nearly half a day before Zhao Liangguang''s mana began to slowly recover, and he gradually opened his eyes.


    Upon seeing Chu Zheng in front of him, his expression changed, and he suddenly got up; Chu Zheng immediately raised his hand and prodded his dantian once more.


    Zhao Liangguang immediately weakened, gasping for breath, and managed to speak with difficulty, "May I ask which fellow Daoist you are, and when have I offended you? Please speak directly."


    "Zhao Liangguang, the current Great Zhou Emperor is your son, am I wrong?"


    Chu Zheng began to verify the identity of the person in front of him to avoid any oversight.


    Zhao Liangguang, filled with trepidation, nodded his head.


    "I''ll borrow your identity for a while; I''ll set you free after some time. Just staycent, and I won''t harm your life."


    Chu Zheng smiled satisfactorily, took a piece of Demon Beast Tendon, firmly tied it around him, stripped off his outer garments, took his Storage Bag, and put it on himself.


    Zhao Liangguang was still of great use; after getting some general information, he coulde back and ask him.


    As an Emperor of the Great Zhou, he must surely know some secrets not known tomoners.


    After doing all this, Chu Zheng left the Small World and returned to the Quiet Room. His face and stature changed, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into the likeness of Zhao Liangguang.


    The sky outside was already bright, and the morning light, filtering through the windowttice, spilled into the room, bringing with it the fresh Yang Qi of the new dawn, refreshing to the soul.


    Chu Zheng walked straight out the door and headed towards the Scripture Pavilion with big strides.


    If he was going to look, he might as well do so openly. Sneaking around would sooner orter leave traces, and could even bring other troubles; wearing another skin saved much more trouble.


    He nned to stay in the Great Zhou for a while, toy low and also to quietly cultivate for some time.


    The external environment was too dangerous; it would be difficult to find a second sanctuary as tranquil as the one in Great Zhou.


    "Retired Emperor."


    Upon seeing Chu Zheng, the guards in front of the Scripture Pavilion, including the two Great Grandmasters, knelt to the ground one after another to perform the ritual obeisance.


    Chu Zheng gave a slight nod, his gaze steady, as he directly stepped into the Scripture Pavilion.


    With the identity of Zhao Liangguang, no matter what actions he took, no one here would dare to question him; their role was to harbor doubts while guessing his intentions.


    Chu Zheng entered the Scripture Pavilion and looked at the vast array of books before him, a trace of joy in his eyes.


    He quickly scanned the bookshelves and soon picked out arge pile of books, starting to flip through them.


    Now, his reading speed was extremely fast, and the rate at which his mind filtered information,pared to when he was a mere mortal, had undergone a qualitative change. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he could finish a volume three fingers thick.


    This sensation of absorbing a great deal of information gave Chu Zheng an indescribable pleasure.


    Meanwhile, he could even multitask, not neglecting his cultivation practice.


    ...


    ...


    The gains from the Great Zhou''s Scripture Pavilion far exceeded Chu Zheng''s expectations; he not only discovered many secrets of previous dynasties but also found several methods for martial cultivation.


    Although they were iplete, this was no trouble for Chu Zheng.


    Before the Great Zhou was established, this region was governed by the Great Qian Dynasty.


    The Great Qian Dynasty had a prevailing martial culture, once flourished greatly with Great Grandmasters emerging one after another, and even boasted invincible powers beyond the level of Great Grandmasters.


    However, over one night, a huge change urred; the Great Qian Royal Family was exterminated, seemingly with the involvement of Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Afterward, due to Zhao Tingxian entering the Tai Xu Holy Land, the Zhao Family rose to power, leading to the establishment of today''s Great Zhou Dynasty.


    The fact that Zhao Tingxian entered Tai Xu Holy Land seemed to have some connection with the Great Qian as well.


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    As dusk fell, Chu Zheng was buried in a sea of books, when a figure quietly walked in, greeting softly,


    "Father Emperor."


    "Hmm... Hmm?!"


    Chu Zheng, engrossed in his reading, replied instinctively, then looked up after realizing who was there.


    Not far away stood a man in dragon robes, about fifty years old, with slightly graying hair at his temples, appearing older than Zhao Liangguang.


    From the recent form of address, it wasn''t hard to guess the identity of this person.


    The current Great Zhou Emperor, Zhao Yunan.


    "What is it?" Chu Zheng calmed his emotions and asked softly.


    "News from Wuyang County indicates that someone is still secretly searching for the Song Family bloodline, Your Majesty. Do you think we should report this to the Fourteenth Imperial Great Uncle?"


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained unchanged as he fell into contemtion, calcting the days. Indeed, news of Song Xian should have reached the Imperial Capital by now.


    From the information Zhao Yunan provided, it appeared the Great Zhou Royal Family was also in search of the Song Family bloodline, which was somewhat unexpected to Chu Zheng.


    Could it be that the Great Zhou Royal Family already knew about the Family Heritage Blood Jade of the Song Family?


    "How has your search for the Song Family bloodline been progressing recently?"


    Instead of answering Zhao Yunan''s question, Chu Zheng countered with a question of his own. He was not Zhao Liangguang; the more he answered, the more mistakes he could make. It was better to gather some information and ask Zhao Liangguang directly afterward.


    "I have been doing my best to search, but the situation around Great Zhou has be overlyplicatedtely, making it difficult to make any progress."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s question, Zhao Yunan bowed his head slightly with a hint of apprehension.


    "Put more effort into it."


    Chu Zheng offered a nonspecific admonition and waved his hand,


    "Come back and report to me when you have specific news."


    "Your son takes his leave."


    Zhao Yunan, without suspecting anything, bowed and slowly exited the Scripture Pavilion.


    As he watched Zhao Yunan leave, Chu Zheng immediately entered the Small World, found Zhao Liangguang, and after a series of inquiries, he finally learned the full story.


    The Zhao line had uncovered some secrets of the Song Family, knowing there was a treasure left by a True Immortal within the family, but the specific nature of this object was still being explored.


    Regarding the secrets of the Song n, they had very little information. They were unaware of the Song Family in the Eastern Region and the Secret Realm connected by the Family Heritage Blood Jade.


    Nevertheless, years of investigation had led them to sense something unusual about the bloodline of the Song Family.

 Chapter 130: Chapter 103: Zhao Clans Heritage, Celestial Foundation

    From the Retired Emperor of Great Zhou, Zhao Liangguang, Chu Zheng learned of many secrets.


    The sudden visit by the Great Zhou Emperor brought him many questions, all of which were now answered.


    The strength of the Zhao Family was much more formidable than Chu Zheng had previously anticipated.


    The Fourteenth Imperial Great Uncle mentioned by Zhao Yunan turned out to be a powerful being who had reached Divine Infant Perfection and was on the verge of Divine Transformation.


    Divine Infant Perfection¡ªin a grand sect like the Phantom Spirit Sect, the supreme leader of the entire sect would hold such cultivation.


    This Fourteenth Imperial Great Uncle was currently active in the northern part of the Southern Region and had be a high-ranking member of a great sect, holding an extraordinary status.


    Content from m-vl|emp,yr


    Yet the Zhao Family''s heritage was far more profound than this.


    The most crucial secret lied with Zhao Tingxian himself.


    Before Zhao Tingxian''s birth, the Zhao Family was nothing special¡ªmerely amon mortal household. But now, almost every generation would have several Immortal Seedlings born with varying degrees of talent.


    Those with lesser talent usually stayed within the Great Zhou Royal Family, while those with exceptional gifts often left Great Zhou to join the Great Immortal Sects in search of their own path.


    Since Zhao Tingxian''s time, the Zhao bloodline had undergone some peculiar transformation.


    This inevitably led Chu Zheng to specte that, much like the True Immortal Noble Family of the Song n, it wasn''t the bloodline that created a True Immortal but rather the True Immortal that had created the bloodline.


    It was highly possible that Zhao Tingxian''s cultivation had reached the True Immortal Realm, and his bloodline power had influenced his entire family.


    This intery between bloodlines was truly mysterious; one person had changed an entire family, a miracle that drastically lowered the difficulty forter generations to enter the Immortal Path.


    Just from this aspect alone, should a True Immortal exist in the world for a long time, the might of a noble family would be greatly magnified, even surpassing that of the Sects.


    In terms of close-knit connections, there are few rtionships in this world that transcend blood ties.


    The Zhao n of Great Zhou indeed took the art of silently ruing wealth to the extreme. Who would have thought that a small mundane dynasty could evolve into a True Immortal noble family, growing drastically through subtle and profound influences?


    Over a thousand years, Zhao descendants have quietly infiltrated various Immortal Sects, and now most of them have made substantial progress in their cultivation.


    Even Zhao Yunan, the Son of Heaven, had no idea how strong the Zhao Family truly was; Zhao Liangguang himself wouldn''t have been privy to this information had he not possessed the Immortal Bone.


    ...


    ...


    After digesting all this information, Chu Zheng exited the Small World, resuming his previous state.


    He continued his secluded cultivation and casually perused some texts.


    The Scripture Pavilion contained numerous ounts of the Martial Path; Great Zhou had retained arge collection of Martial Arts Techniques from the previous dynasty''s heritage.


    There was no shortage of techniques at the First and Second Order of Quality.


    Records even showed that at one point in the shadows, the Zhao Family had boldly attempted to let offspring without Immortal Bones research the Martial Path.


    This path was not without risks, and due to its extreme difficulty, the venture was gradually shelved.


    From these martial texts, Chu Zheng could vaguely discern some differences between the Martial Path and the Immortal Path.


    The Immortal Path also involved Nourishing Power, but from the Soul Condensing Realm onwards, the focus would gradually shift, with more effort being put into the Divine Soul.


    By resonating between the Divine Soul and the heavens and the earth toprehend the Laws, Immortal Path Cultivators could exert terrifyingly powerful spells.


    The ultimate goal of refining the body in the Immortal Path was to make it capable of sustaining a robust Primordial Spirit and Spirit Soul.


    Once reaching the standard to nourish the Primordial Spirit, further efforts in strengthening the body would not be pursued, unless one possessed extraordinary talent and chose to focus on Body Refinement.


    However, even the most formidable Body Refinement practitioner still had a considerable gappared to a Martial Cultivator.


    The most orthodox path of Martial Cultivation initially involves the conditioning of the body, passing through the stages of Muscle Transforming, Strengthening Veins, Skin Refining, Bone Forging, and Blood Changing, before entering the Qi Condensing Realm.


    Thenes Gathering Qi into Aura, Grasping Aura into Pill, where Pill is shattered to meld with the hundred meridians, leading to a transformation in the existence of life, innate divine power arises, ascending to the Martial God Realm.


    The current Martial Path practices in the world have somewhat deviated from the proper way of cultivation; the path has already gone askew.


    Song Lingxue''s situation is incredibly unique.


    Had it not been for the exceptional Quality of the Song Family''s Cultivation Technique, coupled with the Yang Essence bestowed upon her by Chu Zheng and harmonizing with her own Yuan Yin essence, filling her with Innate Essence Qi, she would have faced a winding journey to achieve Yuan Aura.


    The Martial Arts Techniques in the Mansion''s Treasury were vastly inferior to the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier. After weighing the options, Chu Zheng decided to temporarily put them aside, not eager to have Song Yun try them out.


    Zhao Liangguang''s Storage Bag contained a plethora of cultivation resources, certainly more affluent than what is typically avable to average Spiritual Spring Realm disciples in ordinary Sects.


    This was clear evidence that despite being detached from the mundane world, many Zhao descendants were still supporting their family, providing ample assistance to rtives who remained within Great Zhou.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, a month had passed with the rising and setting of the sun.


    At dusk, the slowly burning afterglow of the setting sun painted the skies red, and the oblique rays poured into the Quiet Room, casting a pale golden hue.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on the couch, with a Spirit Pill in his mouth and two Superior Quality Spirit Stones in hand, cultivating with his eyes closed.


    In these days, his cultivation routine had be extremely regr; during the day, he would cultivate the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    At night, he performed the Great Cirction Refining Qi, harnessing the Yin Qi of the moonlight to temper the fiery nature of the Divine Fire and further enhance the Yuan Qi within his body.


    Cultivating in both these methods didn''t affect his progress in slightest; it might have even hastened it.


    Humm¡ª


    Suddenly, a surge of Qi erupted, and Chu Zheng''s aura changed; the Mana in his Dantian surged, enhancing his Immortal Path Cultivation by a margin, ascending to the pinnacle of the Spirit Spring Realm.

 Chapter 131: Chapter 103: Zhao Clan Heritage, Celestial Foundation_2

    Outside the quiet room, stars gradually began to rise. After a while, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and sighed deeply.


    What is the pinnacle? No further progress possible. He had reached the end of the Spirit Spring Realm and was within reach of entering the Dao.


    The time Chu Zheng spent cultivating the Immortal Path, strictly speaking, was just over half a year. With the boost from the Heavenly Star me and the continuous consumption of Spirit Pills, his advancement in cultivation was terrifyingly rapid.


    Entering the Dao in less than a year, this pace, even for a monster with a Superior Immortal Bone and a special Spiritual Body, was unmatched.


    At the peak of the Spirit Spring Realm, the next step was to prepare for entry into the Dao and to condense the Dao Foundation.


    This step was of utmost importance. As the saying goes, "A tall building rises from the ground." Entering the Dao is the foundation of bing an immortal.


    Building a threeyer Celestial Foundation is low-grade and can at most step into Soul Condensing, with no hope for the Divine Infant.


    Those who build a sixyer Celestial Foundation are considered mid-grade and can undergo the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant, with the possibility of reaching Tongxuan.


    Above the seventhyer is considered high-grade, possessing the qualifications to be an immortal.


    Constructing a Celestial Foundation doesn''t rely on external items, but the higher the grade of the Immortal Bone, the stronger the foundation. This is an undisputed fact.


    A Celestial Foundation constructed from a High-Quality Immortal Bone typically has sixyers, with a small portion exceeding sevenyers; those are the cream of the crop among High-Quality Immortal Bones.


    Those with poor talent can use Spiritual Objects to potentially enhance the quality of their Celestial Foundation, presenting an opportunity to change their fate.


    Even those with Lower Quality Immortal Bones, given sufficient support from Spiritual Objects, can hope to condense a Mid-Quality Celestial Foundation. There have been rare examples of this in the Cangyun Realm.


    In the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, constructing a Celestial Foundation has little to do with the grade of the internal Fire Seed, and depends more on the Immortal Bone.


    However, as cultivation grows deeper, the extraordinary nature of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture will gradually emerge; it can enhance an already established Celestial Foundation.


    In the Divine Infant Realm, refining Immortal mes offers a chance for transformation and the opportunity to push one''s Celestial Foundation to the eighthyer, which qualitatively assures True Immortal aptitude.


    However, this process involves many risks, as the Immortal me already contains a True Spirit.


    In the process of refining, if one is backfired upon by the Fire Seed, they will be burnt to ashes, which has happened to many.


    With the Five Elements Shaping Pill avable, at least until reaching the Golden Core, Chu Zheng does not need to spend too much effort on Qi refining; he can continue his cultivation as nned. Stay connected with m|vl|e|mp|y|r


    The most pressing matter now facing Chu Zheng is to prepare for the condensation of his Celestial Foundation.


    He possesses no Immortal Bone. ording to orthodox Immortal Path cultivation, he simply should not be able to cultivate immortality, so whether he can condense a Celestial Foundation ispletely unknown.


    Chu Zheng unfolded the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and after observing it back and forth in his mind for a long while, a sh of inspiration suddenly crossed his mind, bringing forth an extremely audacious idea.


    His current rate of cultivation was all thanks to the Heavenly Star me. If he wanted to further elerate his cultivation on the Immortal Path, he would have to switch Fire Seeds.


    Fire Seeds cannot coexist; if one wishes to refine a new Fire Seed, in addition to stripping away the existing one, it means overpowering the weaker with the stronger, and the grade of the Fire Seed does not change because of this.


    Just as a Divine Infant Cultivator consuming first or second order elixirs, no matter how many are consumed, they only add impurities to the body and barely increase cultivation.


    What Chu Zheng wanted to try was to merge these Divine Fire Seeds by consolidating them with Samadhi True Fire, seeking a transformation.


    Samadhi converges to be fire, and disperses to be Qi; fundamentally, it''s not the same thing as a Seed of Divine Fire, but perhaps there is something worthwhile in the method of merging.


    With Chu Zheng''s current perspective, trying to adjust aplete Immortal Ascension Method was indeed a bit too demanding; he could only make some attempts.


    Cultivating various paths and learning from analogous disciplines is the right way. Chu Zheng seeks a result where one plus one is far greater than two.


    Constantly devouring Fire Seeds and merging them is not impossible.


    Contemting for a moment, Chu Zheng stood up and walked out of the quiet room.


    He nced at the Scripture Pavilion, quickly withdrawing his gaze.


    More than ten days ago, that pavilion had already lost its allure to him, as he had exhausted its useful information.


    The rest was mostly dross, like some emperor of a certain dynasty favoring someone or the various verbal skirmishes among officials at court meetings¡ªsuch meaningless historical records were hardly worth mentioning.


    In another ordinary world without the intervention of supernatural powers, Chu Zheng might have been interested in the historical evolution of the Great Zhou.


    He might even have sought to verify how many concubines the former emperors of the Great Zhou had and how these concubines had been involved in overt and covert struggles due to factional conflicts in the court.


    But now, these matters no longer attracted Chu Zheng''s interest.


    For one thing, under the influence of supernatural powers, not much had changed between the Great Zhou and its predecessor dynasties.


    From the structure of the entire dynasty, for ordinary mortals, there was always a pathway to rise, but it was limited to the secr world, bing a Martial Path Grandmaster or pursuing a bureaucratic career to a position of high authority, that was the pinnacle.


    For a dynasty, in the event of continuously extending lifespans, over a thousand years, for Chu Zheng as of now, could no longer be called ancient history.


    The lifespan of someone in the Jade Bone Realm had exceeded a thousand years, and the changes brought about by this prolongation of lifespan were far from as simple as they seemed on the surface.


    At this moment, standing within the Great Zhou Imperial Pce, through these ancient books in the Scripture Pavilion, Chu Zheng, at a nce, had already seen the secrets from the birth of Great Zhou beingpletely unearthed.


    A dynasty without a long lifespan, for Chu Zheng, was gradually losing its allure, much like a tasteless dish.


    Time seemed extended in his eyes, yet history was gradually shortening.


    After a soft sigh, Chu Zheng employed the Invisibility Technique, transforming into a breeze, drifting towards another corner within the pce.


    This ce was the imperial treasury, storing the most precious treasures of Great Zhou.


    Previously, Chu Zheng had little interest in this ce, but Zhao Liangguang''s storage bag changed his mind; there might be many cultivation resources here.


    The security of the treasury was not very strict, only because that cultivator in the Entry Path Realm was cultivating not far away, able to sense even the slightest rustling of grass in an instant.


    However, he clearly had not noticed Chu Zheng''s presence, cultivating earnestly, not even dispersing his Divine Sense.


    Chu Zheng silently passed through the treasury''s main gate, and upon seeing the inside of the treasury, he nced around once, then began to transfer everything into his Small World, collecting everything indiscriminately.


    Before leaving, he wrote a promissory note, then released Zhao Liangguang after applying certain measures to make sure he would sleep for a few days, long enough for him to get far away.


    ...


    ...


    When Zhao Liangguang awoke, the storage bag at his side was already empty, with the Spirit Stones, Elixirs, and Magic Artifacts all having vanished.


    Within the Imperial Treasury as well, it was utterly empty, having beenpletely plundered.


    In a corner next to the treasury''s door, a note was stuck.


    [Consider it borrowed; when free, go to Taixuan Holy Land and mention my name; my name is Chu Zheng.]


    "Taixuan Holy Land... Chu Zheng..."


    Seeing these words, Zhao Liangguang''s scalp tingled, having long received news of the majormotion outside.


    No matter how deste Taixuan Holy Land was, it still remained a holy ce, there was no way he could dare to demand those items back.


    After pondering for a moment, Zhao Liangguang decided to temporarily withhold the information regarding Chu Zheng.


    Great Zhou held too many secrets, attracting that much attention was not ideal.


    ...


    ...


    Although Zhao Liangguang did not n to escte matters, but within just a few days, the news of Chu Zheng appearing in Great Zhou had already spread uncontrobly.


    Even if the surrounding nations had been turned upside down, not a single Soul Condensing Monk dared to step into Great Zhou.


    The more powerful the sect, the more they dreaded Great Zhou.


    After all, the sky above was still ruled by the Zhao''s.


    They say the heavens are utterly impartial, but as long as there are humans, true fairness is impossible, as it goes against human nature.


    But now, the situation had changed.


    The confirmed news of Chu Zheng''s appearance forced them to set foot on thisnd.


    ...


    ...


    The news about his own appearance in Great Zhou, naturally, was released by Chu Zheng himself, aiming to stir the waters to facilitate his own movements.


    When a host of geniuses from the Hidden Dragon List flocked towards the Great Zhou Dynasty, Chu Zheng had already stealthily returned, making his way back to Giant Marsh.


    He nned to pass through this area and continue exploring eastwards, seeking Spiritual Objects that could elevate the quality of his Celestial Foundation.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 132: Chapter 104: Reopening the Sect Gate, No One Can Stop Us

    Chu Zheng''s breakthrough in cultivation inevitably led to changes in the Hidden Dragon List.


    His ranking climbed once more, leaping forward by over a hundred ces, nearly aligning with those prodigies at the Perfection of the Entry Dao Realm.


    All the major Holy Lands had designated watchers constantly monitoring the Hidden Dragon List.


    The moment Chu Zheng reached the pinnacle of the Spiritual Spring, this news spread rapidly within the inner circles of several Holy Lands, naturally causing quite a stir.


    The pinnacle of Spiritual Spring is just one step away from the Entry Path.


    In the eyes of the major Holy Lands, Chu Zheng''s talent was at least on par with those possessing a Superior Immortal Bone, and once he constructed his Celestial Foundation, it would be no less than Eightfold.


    This is the quality of a Celestial Lord.


    The Entry Path represents a qualitative change; once a Cultivator constructs their Celestial Foundation, their strength will undergo a tremendous transformation, with their magical prowess increasing more than tenfold.


    Currently, at the Spiritual Spring, Chu Zheng was already capable of escaping from the hands of Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators. Once he enters the Entry Path, even those at the Perfection of the Entry Dao Realm might not prove to be his match.


    Given Chu Zheng''s pace of cultivation, his ascent into the Entry Path was only a matter of time. Should he be given more time to progress within the Entry Dao Realm, even ordinary Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators might no longer pose a threat to him.


    By that time, the difficulty of killing Chu Zheng would greatly increase, and hopes of doing so would be increasingly slim.


    The most critical point is that there are still a full nine years until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, and it is highly possible that within this period, Chu Zheng could transcend the Entry Dao Realm and step into Soul Condensing.


    Ten years to reach Soul Condensing, is that possible?


    Of course, it is, and it''s not the first time this has happened in the Cangyun Realm.


    Looking back, Shang Cangyun, the champion of the first Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, was just fifteen years old when he entered Soul Condensing.


    More recently, Ye Yulou from the Taixuan Holy Land entered Soul Condensing at barely twenty years of age. He started cultivating at nine, and it only took him eleven years.


    With the Divine Infant Cultivators unable to take action, Chu Zheng undoubtedly sent out an extremely terrifying signal.


    If this opportunity is missed and those Taixuan elders are there to protect him, no one would be able to stop Chu Zheng''s rise.


    Urgent orders, like falling snowkes, kept drifting into Great Zhou, rushing the hunt against Chu Zheng.


    But this action achieved very little.


    After all, Soul Condensing was just Soul Condensing, and the gap between it and Divine Infant Cultivators was too vast, making it difficult to find any traces in a short period of time.


    ...


    ...


    The evening shadows deepened.


    Against the cold river reflecting the moon, at the center of the rushing rapids,y a solitary ind spanning dozens of miles.


    Deep into the night, the ind remained brightly lit, with treasures gleaming in all directions, and figures of Cultivators rising and falling across it.


    In recent times, the rivers,kes, and seas within Giant Marsh had almost been upturned from their roots, and most parts of the Ancient Ruins hidden beneath the waters had been excavated.


    This was all in an effort to locate Chu Zheng, to prevent him from hiding and cultivating in some unseen corner of the world.


    Against the majority of Cultivators who were at the Soul Condensing Realm, these Water Demons had no power to resist whatsoever.


    Several Divine Infant Realm Great Demons had appeared but dared not cause significant harm. To avoid the harassment of many Cultivators, they even abandoned theirirs and hid in farther waters.


    These high-level Magical Beasts, with wisdom no different from humans, and some even more astute and well-informed than ordinary Cultivators, knew well that most of these arriving Cultivators had mighty backers. Should they wreak havoc, within half an hour, powerful beings would arrive to suppress the turmoil and take the opportunity to strike.


    It could be said that the various Sects were only too eager for these Great Demons to stir up trouble so that the powerful experts within the Sects would have an excuse to step in, resolve the chaos swiftly, and stabilize the situation once and for all.


    With arge number of Ancient Relics unearthed, naturally, they were apanied by various Ancient Relics, some of which still retained unspent Spiritual Energy and held considerable value, leading to looting by Cultivators.


    Within Giant Marsh, many temporary Marketces had sprung up, providing for the exchange of goods among numerous Cultivators, with bustling trade.


    For Loose Cultivators and the majority of small and medium-sized Sects, nothing was more critical than High-Grade cultivation techniques.


    The most precious of the unearthed relics were the Cultivation Techniques, which were in high demand and short supply.


    A suitable Cultivation Technique could save one from much detour and greatly enhance one''s potential, even raising the ceiling for the entire Sect.


    Such Cultivation Techniques sold for exorbitant prices without exception, and many small and medium-sized Sects spent their entire Sect''s foundation for a chance at a legendary Cultivation Technique.


    Compared to Cultivation Techniques, the next most valuable were Magic Treasures. Many retained quite intact from the ruins, and although they had lost much of their Spiritual Energy, if kept within one''s body for long-term nourishment, there was still hope for their restoration.


    As for the broken fragments of Magic Treasures, almostpletely devoid of any potential for reforging, they still held some utility space for some small Sects.


    Taking a lot of time to smelt and purify, they could extract some usable Spirit Mines, albeit with extremely low efficiency. But since their time wasn''t particrly valuable, this method proved more economicalpared to purchasing with Floral Spirit Stones.


    The least valuable were those Elixirs that had lost all their Spiritual Energy. Only a few Alchemists would spend Spirit Stones to purchase them, hoping to gain some inspiration from the Elixirs''ponents and thus master new Pill Recipes.


    However, very few Alchemists reaped any benefits through this method, as theponents of these Spiritual Energy-depleted Elixirs were barely distinguishable. These Alchemists were mostly taking chances, hoping to find some inspiration.

 Chapter 133: Chapter 104: Reopening the Sect Gate, Nobody Can Stop Us_2

    Under the moonlight, a figure cloaked in silver light gentlynded on the edge of the ind, concealed beneath a pitch-ck robe was an unremarkable face, that of a man nearing forty.


    Originally, Chu Zheng had not nned to stay long in Giant Marsh, but the treasures scattered all around the ce had now made it quite difficult for him to leave.


    In these past days, he had disguised himself dozens of times, wandering around the marketce, acquiring a staggering number of ancient relics at extremely low prices.


    Iplete magic treasures and weapons, elixirs with their spiritual energy dissipated¡ªmany of these items were of Lower Quality and Second Order, and arge portion of them, once restored by Chu Zheng, were immediately resold, all exchanged for spirit stones.


    Right now, what Giant Marshcked the least was buyers. Selling inrge quantities, the umtion turned substantial. Chu Zheng''s wealth grew at an astonishing rate.


    One could say that the value of the spirit stones Chu Zheng now possessed wasparable to the foundation of some of the Immortal Sect''s great sects.


    Even so, he was still not satisfied. He needed to prepare for purchasing spiritual objects.


    The spiritual objects that could enhance the quality of one''s Celestial Foundation were often immensely valuable.


    For cultivators with exceptional talents, such objects held no value, but for the powerhouses whose offspring and descendants did not possess outstanding Immortal Bone, these objects were priceless.


    The ind before him was the marketce with the highest level within Giant Marsh. Those who came and went were primarily Great Cultivators above the Entrance Dao Realm and the Soul Condensing Realm, with those at the Spirit Spring Realm being a rare sight.


    The reason he hade here was that Chu Zheng had received news that the kind of spiritual object he needed was here.


    He was practicing the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture. The spiritual object best suited for building his foundation should be a fire-attribute spiritual material.


    On this ind, there would be an auction in a few days.


    This auction was specifically held for the variousrge sects, so that they could gather arge amount of spirit stones in a short time to buy what they needed.


    Most of the items up for auction were treasures from the bottom of the boxes of the variousrge and small sects and were extremely valuable.


    What Chu Zheng needed was one of them, the Red Magma, a type of spiritual liquid refined from the Earth Core Magma, which could greatly benefit cultivators practicing fire-element cultivation techniques.


    If consumed during the construction of the Celestial Foundation, there was a certain chance to raise the quality of the foundation by one level.


    None of the other items in the auction could attract Chu Zheng''s interest, and he was not willing to wait a few more days to waste his time at an auction.


    The auction would be too lively, and with his peak Spirit Spring Realm cultivation, still being alone on the ind, he somewhat stood out. Competing with various cultivators in the auction would easily draw scrutiny.


    If he encountered some troublesome issues, it would further waste his energy. Chu Zheng now did not need to go out of his way toplicate matters.


    Right now, what he leastcked was spirit stones, and he had methods to take shortcuts.


    After arriving on the ind, Chu Zheng strolled around the marketce, buying some ancient relics that were not highly priced; then he directly sought out the location of the auction.


    It was a treasure hall that had clearly been moved here from somewhere else, hundreds of yards long and more than ten yards high, very conspicuous.


    The entire hall was cast from jade stones, like a dazzling pearl embedded in the center of the ind, inscribed withyers of arrays, emitting a hazy light of five-colored ze, chasing away the night.


    Chu Zheng cast a nce around and went straight into the treasure hall.


    The hall was very quiet, with a dozen people standing sparsely, no oneing up to greet him.


    This was not a ce for doing business but a temporary construct. Chu Zheng looked around and soon approached a cultivator who seemed to be in charge.


    After spending some spirit stones, he quickly found the auctioneer who would preside over the auction.


    This person turned out to be a Great Cultivator at the perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm, seemingly not that old, under forty,ing from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, known here as "True Person Bai Qing."


    True Person Bai Qing''s demeanor was originally quite indifferent, but after taking the spirit stones Chu Zheng passed him, his attitude softened considerably.


    Even people from the Holy Land would not find too many spirit stones excessive; besides, Chu Zheng was well-mannered.


    "True Person Bai Qing, I would like to negotiate with the owner of the Red Magma, and directly purchase it with spirit stones, I hope you can facilitate this."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s purpose, Bai Qing nodded slightly and said indifferently, "That won''t be difficult."


    After speaking, however, he said no more.


    Chu Zheng, who knew how to act appropriately, once again presented a storage bag containing exactly one thousand high-quality spirit stones.


    Bai Qing took the storage bag, nced inside without a change in expression, and nodded slightly: "How should I address you? Which sect are you from?"


    Chu Zheng kept aposed face and bowed, "Disciple of Phantom Spirit Sect, Fu Quanliang."


    "Phantom Spirit Sect... I''ve heard of it."


    True Person Bai Qing pondered for a moment and nodded, "I will be staying in Giant Marsh for some time, should you encounter any trouble, feel free to seek me out."


    "Thank you, True Person."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng bowed again, and couldn''t help but feel a bit moved; Bai Qing was indeed a person of his word, a thousand high quality spirit stones for the protection of a cultivator from a holynd, the price was quite fair indeed.


    Though he knew he would likely never have the chance to make use of this rtionship in the future.


    True Person Bai Qing left soon after facilitating the connection. Half an hourter, Chu Zheng met the seller.


    A cultivator d in simple clothing, in the mid-stage of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    As for their specific identities, Bai Qing had kept them confidential.


    The seller was quite straightforward; they were auctioning off the red magma to exchange for spirit stones, and since getting their hands on them earlier than expected, and at a price higher than anticipated, naturally there was no reason to refuse.


    In the end, Chu Zheng sessfully bought the tub of red magma for a price three times higher than the starting bid.


    Having achieved his goal, Chu Zheng did not linger any longer in the area; after bidding farewell to True Person Bai Qing, he left straight away.


    He stayed on a deserted ind for half a day to recuperate and then took out the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier, utilized the Heavenly Divination Technique, and after determining the position of one of the fragments, he hurried to it at full speed.


    Now, with many promising talents scouring Great Zhou, Chu Zheng''s journey was unobstructed, and in an instant, he hadpletely escaped the search area.


    ...


    ...


    In thend to the far south.


    The intense heat roasted the earth, the void slightly distorted, and all that met the eye was a vast and deste expanse.


    The station of Taixuan Holy Land, seen from high above, resembled a divine bird, with a slightly sleek body and full wings.


    The entrance to the holynd was a gorge, with sheer cliffs a thousand feet tall on both sides.


    At the mouth of the valley was a ck-red boulder over forty zhang tall with a surface as smooth as a mirror; it was like a piece of ck jade, swallowing up all the sunlight cascading down from the sky.


    At this moment, outside the valley was a hubbub of voices; at a nce, countless cultivators had gathered, no fewer than a million in number.


    These cultivators had alle because of the news that Taixuan Holy Land was reopening its gates, most bringing the younger members of their families.


    Thest time Taixuan opened its gates was ten thousand years ago, so the vast majority of cultivators alive today were actually quite unfamiliar with Taixuan Holy Land.


    But even if it was fallen, it was still a holynd of legend, and moreover, Taixuan Holy Land did not judge disciples by the quality of their Immortal Bone.


    Even those with lower quality Immortal Bone had a chance of being epted.


    Compared to the other unattainable holynds, Taixuan was undoubtedly much more approachable.


    A figure sat high atop the ck-red boulder, dressed in a red vestment robe with a pattern of a golden me on the chest, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old with regr features, not very tall, but with a broad back. He was looking down at the multitude of cultivators below, his expression slightly lost.


    Fu Quanliang had never imagined that he would have such a moment, seated high above, looking down on these great cultivators that he could only look up to in the past.


    Among the cultivators below, there were those in the Spirit Spring Realm, the Entry Dao Realm, and even arge number of Soul Condensing Realm cultivators.


    This reversal of status made him feel somewhat unable to adapt for a moment.


    Because of Chu Zheng, after entering Taixuan Holy Land, Fu Quanliang''s fortunes had soared as he encountered the greatest opportunity of his life.


    Within Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng''s identity as the Chief Disciple of True Transmission was now fully acknowledged.


    And due to Chu Zheng, Fu Quanliang became the first Inner Sect Disciple among his generation of disciples in Taixuan Holy Land.


    Even a Supreme Elder took action to help him refine a Fire Seed of such quality that it reached Fourth Order.


    Now his talent was no different from those with a middle quality Celestial Foundation.

 Chapter 134: Chapter 105: The Ancient Sky Rift

    ```


    The cultivation speed of a Middle Quality Immortal Bone, coupled with Fourth Order Divine Fire, meant that Fu Quanliang''s previously almost inevitable dead-end future had changed.


    For those with Lower Quality Immortal Bones, reaching Soul Condensing was already quite difficult, yet now he possessed the qualifications to step into the realm of Divine Infant, or even higher realms.


    Ever since the changes to the Hidden Dragon List, the attitude of the Taixuan Holy Land towards Chu Zheng had undergone a drastic transformation.


    This was a genius whose talent did not pale inparison to, and might even surpass, that of Ye Yulou, and his importance to Taixuan Holy Land had now exceeded that of one with a Superior Immortal Bone.


    Even if one possessed a Superior Immortal Bone, it didn''t guarantee they could, like Chu Zheng, bepatible with the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, a rarity in ten thousand years.


    In the current state of disarray, once Chu Zheng''s cultivation had progressed, he could extend the lifeline of Taixuan, buying a very long period of time, enough for Taixuan to gradually recover its vitality.


    Looking at the sea of people below, Fu Quanliang subconsciously turned his head, ncing toward the entrance of the canyon behind him.


    At the entrance, several elders in the Divine Transformation Realm and a Mid-Stage of Tongxuan Realm Pseudo-Immortal stood atop the cliff.


    This Pseudo-Immortal, surnamed ''Gong'' and named ''Ru Long'', was not only exceptional in cultivation but was also the highest-skilled alchemy Grandmaster within the sect, capable of producing Semi-Immortal Pills desired even by the powerhouses of the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm.


    Gong Ru Long, dressed in in robes with white hair and beard, seemed close to his seventies, yet stood straight-backed and spirited, his gaze sweeping over the crowd not far away with a slightlyplex expression.


    In his time, he was thest generation of disciples of Taixuan, with his master and the elders of that time long since passed. Now, in this vast Holy Land, there were no more than a hundred people.


    He had almost thought he would not live to see the day of Taixuan''s resurgence.


    When it came to recruiting disciples, Geng Yiyang, as the Holy Master of Taixuan Holy Land, wouldn''t personally interact with these cultivators.


    As the master of a Holy Land, in the entire Southern Region, the only person who could freely see him was Ji Yuyan from the Immortal Alliance.


    The elders now standing at the entrance, including Gong Ru Long, were only there to provide support.


    Originally, it was only a few elders of the Divine Transformation Realm who were present; Gong Ru Long was there to select a few disciples to inherit his legacy.


    In the current Taixuan Holy Land, there was mostly a group of old antiques, on the verge of death, like Fang Jiong, the youngest among them, was also in thetter part of his life.


    Whether they could pass on their life''s umtion before their death had almost be a chronic worry for these elders.


    The huge stone beneath Fu Quanliang was called the ''Sacred Shadow Stone'', akin to the Stepping Stone of Immortality of the Phantom Spirit Sect in effect, capable of determining a cultivator''s Immortal Bone grade, and filtering out Immortal Seedlings inclined towards the Fire Attribute.


    Now, as the person of the lowest cultivation within Taixuan Holy Land, it naturally fell upon him, Fu Quanliang, to undertake the task of recruiting disciples.


    In Chu Zheng''s absence, he was currently the only bridge between Taixuan Holy Land and the outside world.


    Seeing Fu Quanliang nce over, Gong Ru Long on the precipice above slightly nodded his head and raised his hand to signal Fu Quanliang to begin.


    Fu Quanliang took a deep breath, steadied his spirit, and slowly rose, leaping down from the Sacred Shadow Stone. He looked at the sea of people before him and loudly dered:


    "I am Fu Quanliang, an Inner Sect Disciple of Taixuan Holy Land."


    The moment he spoke, the crowd instantly fell silent, hushed and speechless.


    Seeing this, Fu Quanliang''s heart steadied, calming his increasingly fervent heartbeat, and he spoke again:


    "This time, Taixuan opens its Sect Gate; no matter the grade of your Immortal Bone, only the following three conditions are required."


    "Being under the age of ten." On


    "Having never Channel(ed) Qi into the body."


    "After entering the sect, severing all ties with your blood rtives and n within a hundred years."


    "Those who meet the three conditions and wish to join Taixuan, step forward!"


    After stating these three rules, Fu Quanliang felt somewhat uneasy; in his view, the rules were somewhat strict.


    Immortal Path Sects generally do not like their disciples to be too deeply entangled with the secr world, as it not only distracts from their cultivation but also brings a lot of trouble.


    Mundane people are unlike Immortal Path Cultivators; if they are protected and reproduce without restraint, giving rise to a generation every decade or so, in several hundred years, that amounts to a spontaneous increase of hundreds of thousands of people.


    This is just one disciple; if there are hundreds or even thousands of disciples...


    In no time at all, just the numerous blood rtives of the disciples alone will number hundreds of millions, and the sects cannot expend energy on this multitude of people.


    Even thergest territories would not suffice to sustain so many families of cultivators.


    An increase in poption means an increase in troubles. Any slight involvement of descendants may implicate the cultivator, leading to conflicts with other powers, increasing the chances of conflict and adding unnecessary losses.


    Thest rule of Taixuan Holy Land, to cut off from blood rtives and n within a hundred years, could not be clearer in its intent.


    These disciples are being cultivated for Taixuan Holy Land.


    Children of ten may have just begun their enlightenment. Leaving their parents'' side, a hundred years hence, it''s almost certain whether the disciple will be closer to Taixuan or their n and parents.


    Ordinary Immortal Sects, although they have some restrictions, do not overly bind their disciples; at most, they provide a few years of quiet time to avoid worldly disturbances.


    In a few years, if the disciples still wish to take care of their own ns, the Immortal Sects generally do not interfere.


    Because as time goes by, most cultivators, as their parents and close kin pass away, will naturally focus on the path of cultivation, their hearts belonging to the sect.


    Simrly, if trouble arises due to a disciple''s rtives, generally, sects will not care about the life and death of the disciple''s kin. For the survival of the sect, when necessary, they may even abandon the disciple along with their family.


    ```

 Chapter 135: Chapter 105: Ancient Sky Rift_2

    ```


    This was a choice made from the perspective of maintaining the traditions of the sect.


    For ordinary mortals, several years were enough for significant changes to ur.


    After Fu Quanliang by chance took an oath with Phantom Spirit Sect years ago, he hadn''t returned home for many years. When he finally had the chance to go back, all that was left were ruins.


    Not long after he had left to cultivate, there came a three-year drought. Crops failed, and starving corpses littered thend. His parents and siblings had no way to send word and all starved to death; even weeds didn''t grow atop their graves.


    In just a few short years, everything had changed beyond recognition.


    The fate of the Song Family from Great Zhou was actually among the better ones for many cultivators who joined the Immortal Sects.


    The saying that when one person gains the Dao, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven is, after all, just a legend. In most cases, chickens and dogs remain chickens and dogs.


    Thinking of this, Fu Quanliangughed at himself. Now, he too had benefitted from Chu Zheng''s favor, and upon reflection, perhaps there was some truth to that saying.


    Before Fu Quanliang could collect his thoughts, the sea of people nearby suddenly became raucous. Many children were led by their elders, who scrambled to present them to him.


    "Daoist Friend Fu, quickly look at my great-grandson! He is only six this year, a born prodigy. I haven''t even passed on the methods of cultivation to him! Can he be admitted?"


    "Could you make an exception? My child has just turned ten, and he channeled Qi earlier this year. If it really won''t work, we''re willing to disperse his energy and begin cultivation anew!"


    "My grandson is nine this year, clever from a young age. Daoist Friend Fu, please take a look, can he join Taixuan?"


    Fu Quanliang''s ears were suddenly filled with all manner of questions, and for a moment, he was stunned in ce.


    For many cultivators, the three rulesid down by Taixuan were not much different from having none at all.


    Fu Quanliang had vastly underestimated the influence of the term ''Holy Land''. Within a Holy Land, there are methods for bing an Immortal; to be admitted into one is the unimaginable fortune that countless people dream of.


    When Chu Zheng passed on the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture to him, he did so with such ease that Fu subconsciously overlooked the frightening aspects of the Immortal Ascension Method.


    It was only a matter of not seeing each other for a hundred years, after all. Paving the way for their descendants'' paths of cultivation was a bargain for these sects and loose cultivators.


    "What are you dazing for?"


    Gong Rulong, standing not far away, transmitted a message that snapped Fu Quanliang back to his senses.


    Fu Quanliang took a deep breath and, seeing several cultivators not far off with somewhat ingratiating looks, he cleared the pathway to the Sacred Shadow Stone, allowing the bewildered children to step forward in turn.


    Several elders were there to support from behind, ensuring the disciple recruitment process was free from chaos.


    The recruitment of disciplessted for three full days and nights, during which none of the other Four Great Sacred Lands came to observe the ceremonies.


    Taixuan, after a gap of ten thousand years, was almost indiscriminate in epting these Immortal Seedlings. Anyone who met the age criteria was taken in.


    Forty-seven children induced a reaction from the Sacred Shadow Stone, among whom neen possessed High Quality Immortal Bones. The rest had bodies inclined to the fire attribute and were thus suitable for practicing the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    These forty-seven individuals were directly epted into the Inner Sect.


    The remaining Middle and Lower Quality Immortal Bone candidates, totaling over two thousand four hundred individuals, were temporarily designated to the Outer Sect, to be further ssified after admission.


    The distinction between Middle and Lower Quality Immortal Bones needs to be determined by the speed of Qi intake into the body and cannot be discerned by the human eye for the time being.


    As the recruitment of disciples drew to a close, the number of cultivators in the vicinity didn''t decrease but, on the contrary, started to increase incrementally.


    Even some cultivators began to build cities, erect buildings, and pces outside the Taixuan Holy Land, preparing to settle down here for good.


    The reopening of the Taixuan Sect Gate was not an overnight affair. In the near future, thend beneath a sacrednd would inevitably be a ce of umon prosperity in the Southern Region.


    Now, without the need to spend Spirit Stones, in a few decades, it would likely cost a considerable fee just to get close to this ce.


    "Taixuan is also in need of a batch of Soul Condensation Realm cultivators to serve as Guest Elder for the Outer Sect for a period of ten years. After this period, Taixuan will bestow ten Third Order Spirit Pills and two Middle Quality Magic Treasures!"


    After sending thest child into the Holy Land, Fu Quanliang suddenly turned and, with a loud shout, once again drew the attention of many cultivators:


    "Those who are interested, step forward!"


    This was the top priority affair, specifically instructed by Geng Yiyang, aside from the recruitment of disciples.


    With enemies on all sides, Chu Zheng''s Taixuan could not afford to have its elders leave the Holy Land even for half a step. They urgently needed to recruit a batch of Soul Condensation Realm cultivators to help alleviate the crisis, or at least ease the pressure of the manhunt.


    The reward offered by Taixuan Holy Land was exceedingly generous.


    ```


    Ordinary Soul Condensation Realm Loose Cultivators usually use Lower Quality magic treasures, and Middle Quality treasures are already considered the heritage treasures of many small sects.


    Moreover, Taixuan has now given two of them.


    As for those ten Third Order Spirit Pills, they are worth a fortune and can significantly enhance the cultivation realm of a Soul Condensation Realm Cultivator.


    Alchemists capable of refining Third Order Spirit Pills are few and far between in the Southern Region, except in the Holy Lands and major sects guarded by Divine Transformation Realm powerhouses, and their avability is nearly monopolized.


    The asional ones that do enter the market have an inted price, with a severe markup. Even so, there is still more demand than supply.


    This kind of generous offer almost effortlessly shattered the psychological defenses of many Loose Cultivators, and in no time, responders were as numerous as the clouds.


    ...


    ...


    On the border of Giant Marsh Country.


    The bright moon hung high, and in the vast void above, Aura winds howled sharply like knives, capable of rawly scraping away flesh and blood.


    Enshrouded in Spiritual Light stood a figure in a ck robe, riding the winds high above, standing atop the ninth heaven, now looking somewhat hesitant.


    [Immortal Patterns¡¤Seal Boundary (Eighth Order/Iplete): An extremely powerful set of Immortal Patterns that blocks off space, created by a True Immortal. As time goes by, some wear and tear have appeared,cking materials, irreparable.]


    [Spatial Passage (Eighth Order): A passageway leading to the world beyond, blocked by a powerful ancient seal. After many long years, the seal has begun to show signs of damage.]


    Chu Zheng was merely passing by this ce when he suddenly sensed a change in the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, and detected an extremely distinct scent.


    This aura, since arriving in the Cangyun Realm, was something he had never felt before¡ªit was like biting into something hard while eating, a strange feeling to the extreme.


    After pondering for a moment, he gradually came back to his senses.


    In ancient times, Giant Marsh suffered a sky-rending event that resulted in a passageway to another realm, leading to the present situation where vast waters inundate thend and Water Demons are rampant.


    This Spatial Passage might be the same one from back then. Now, after tens of thousands of years, the seal left by the True Immortal has also worn down.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged, looking down at the Giant Marsh Country, his brow slightly furrowed.


    Based on the information he knew, once the passageway to another realm is open, it often means that a fierce battle is imminent, with many casualties.


    Compared to Cultivators,moners will be the ones to suffer more deaths.


    But if the Immortal Alliance were to be informed about the damage to the seal, perhaps a major disaster could be avoided altogether.


    After pondering for a long while, Chu Zheng eventually returned to within Giant Marsh Realm, discreetly spreading rumors.


    He did not mention the seal, only released some fake news about the reemergence of the passageway to another realm.


    Since a Spatial Passage once appeared in Giant Marsh, this news might attract some attention from the Holy Lands.


    Now, all Chu Zheng could do was just this much.


    He hoped these rumors would catch the attention of the powerful and be reported up to the Immortal Alliance.


    True Immortals have practically disappeared from the current Cangyun Realm; only the Immortal Alliance has the power to repair this seal.


    No matter what grievances he had with the Holy Lands and the Immortal Alliance, in the face of a cmity that could affect the entire world, everything could be temporarily set aside.


    If the disaster could be averted, that would be for the best. Fewer deaths would always be a good thing.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than a month has passed.


    The impact of the reopening of Taixuan Holy Land''s Sect Gate has intensified, and Chu Zheng''s name, as the Chief Disciple of True Transmission, has almost spread across all the realms and nations.


    The Four Great Sacred Lands were no longer discreet, and the bounty on Chu Zheng was raised once again, reaching as high as five hundred thousand High Quality Spirit Stones, equivalent to fifty million Lower Quality ones.


    Even an ordinary Spirit Vein¡ªif it were to be exploited to the utmost, without leaving anything behind, for more than a dozen¡ªmight not produce as many Spirit Stones. This is not a small sum for the Sacred Lands.


    At this price, even Chu Zheng himself was tempted.

 Chapter 136: Chapter 106: Grandmaster of Alchemy, Tai Xu True Transmission

    Before they knew it, more than two months had passed since the Supreme Profound Holy Land had reopened its sect gate.


    The few rumors about the foreign realms circting within the Giant Marsh had not garnered much attention since they were quickly quelled.


    The Holy Land had sent a Pseudo-Immortal to investigate and found nothing amiss, ultimately dismissing the news as mere rumors.


    It had been tens of thousands of years since a foreign realm passagest appeared, and the cultivators of the Cangyun Realm now generally regarded it as an ancient legend.


    Besides, even if a foreign realm passage were to appear, there was no need to fret since the Holy Lands and the Immortal Alliance were there to handle matters overhead.


    Until the knife was at their throats, most people remained unaware of the danger.


    The activities of the Supreme Profound Holy Land had be the most attention-grabbing news in the Southern Regiontely.


    The four Great Sacred Lands jointly offering a bounty to assassinate the chief disciple of the Supreme Profound Authentic Transmission certainly caused a huge uproar in the Southern Region.


    This was tantamount to dering war, but with the Five Saints'' Conference beforehand, many astute individuals had already anticipated such developments.


    Facing the bounty of the four Great Sacred Lands, the reaction of the Supreme Profound Holy Land was equally direct.


    By investing a vast amount of resources and recruiting nearly a thousand Soul Condensation Realm monks as guest elders, the Supreme Profound began searching for Chu Zheng''s whereabouts while also issuing a hefty bounty on the true disciples of the other four Great Sacred Lands.


    The head of a Chief Disciple in the Entry Path Realm could be exchanged for a high-quality Divine Weapon and a Fourth Order Spirit Pill.


    The head of a Chief Disciple in the Soul Condensation Realm could even be exchanged for a top-quality Magical Treasure.


    A top-quality Magical Treasure, a weapon used by cultivators in the Divine Transformation Realm, was no more than that. One step further, and it was a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure.


    The best alchemists and artifact refiners in the Southern Region were all in the Supreme Profound Holy Land, and with the dwindling poption of the Supreme Profound, there simply weren''t enough people to make use of these resources.


    Having closed its sect gates for ten thousand years, the one thing the Supreme Profound Holy Land did notck was a variety of spirit pills and magical treasures. Rare spirit pills and magical treasures from the outside world piled up like mountains in the Supreme Profound Treasure Vault, which now undoubtedly came in very handy.


    Compared to spirit stones, the magical treasures and spirit pills offered by the Supreme Profound Holy Land were clearly more enticing, especially since the true disciples of the four Great Sacred Lands were much easier to locate than Chu Zheng.


    Don''t miss chapters on m v l e m p y r


    From the moment the Supreme Profound''s bounty was issued, the changes in the Hidden Dragon List became extremely dramatic; aside from the prodigies ranked within the top hundred, true disciples in the Entry Path and even Soul Condensation Realms began to die frequently.


    The strength of loose cultivators, one-on-one, was definitely not a match for these true disciples of the sacrednds, but, like a fierce tiger struggling against a pack of wolves, these loose cultivators used every cunning and ruthless tactic at their disposal.


    Most of these fallen prodigies died from assassination.


    Originally, some sects were still wary of the majesty of the sacrednds and dared not act.


    But as many died and no powerful figures from the Great Sacred Lands stepped forward, the courage of these powers gradually increased.


    Apart from loose cultivators, monks from various sized sects also began to make covert moves.


    This chaotic situation onlysted for less than half a month before yet another change urred.


    All the Soul Condensation Realm monks from the Four Great Sacred Lands who were out and about all went into hiding, switched identities, and began operating under the banner of the Supreme Profound Holy Land.


    With so many monks mingling in one ce, whether real or fake, it was difficult to discern.


    Their aim could not be more clear: apart from blurring the lines between friend and foe, they also aimed to lure Chu Zheng into revealing himself, killing two birds with one stone.


    ...


    ...


    In the eastern part of the Giant Marsh, hundreds of thousands of miles away, therey a special region spanning tens of thousands of miles, known as the ''Immortal Emerald Continent,'' located at the junction of several Immortal Sects.


    In ancient times, a piece of Immortal Emerald was unearthed here and was acquired by a True Immortal from the Heavenly Throne Holy Land, who refined it into an Immortal Treasure.


    During that era, the Immortal Emerald Continent once attracted the exploration of several sects and even cultivators from the Holy Lands.


    But apart from that Immortal Emerald, no other Wonderous Treasures were found, and as time passed, the region gradually quieted down, evolving into a chaotic territory inhabited by small sects and loose cultivators.


    Emerald Light City is the most prosperous area in the Immortal Emerald Continent, sprawling nearly a hundred miles, and is mostly inhabited by cultivators.


    As there are many loose cultivators, the connections in this area are exceedinglyplex.


    Loose cultivators usually need to venture out to gather resources themselves and are, therefore, broadly informed, making this ce a hub of information.


    Recently in Emerald Light City, a piece of news spread: a Grandmaster of Alchemy had arrived in the Immortal Emerald Continent, with unfathomable mastery over the Alchemy Dao.


    No matter the quality of the Waste Elixirs brought to him, he could determine the cause of the elixir''s failure at a nce and provide guidance.


    In less than a month, dozens of alchemists had received his advice, significantly advancing their alchemical skills.


    The talent requirements for an alchemist are high, and cultivators possessing such talent are often recruited by sects, making alchemists that operate independently extremely rare.


    However, precisely because of their rarity, news among alchemists spreads incredibly fast.


    The news of a Grandmaster of Alchemy appearing in Emerald Light City is now discreetly circting among various major sects.


    In the realm of alchemy, being referred to as a Grandmaster implies that one has the ability to concoct at least Semi-Immortal Pills, and a master''s expertise goes above and beyond this.


    Upon hearing this news, alchemy masters within the various Immortal Sects cherished the desire to visit him.


    However, with the outside world in disarray and travel deemed extremely perilous, such visits must temporarily be put on hold while sending their Soul Condensation Realm monks to investigate the situation in Emerald Light City first.


    For a time, Emerald Light City became busier, with the figures of Great Cultivators often seening in and out of the city''s south side.


    In front of a mansion in the southern city, the scene was bustling with activity.


    A number of Soul Condensation Realm Great Cultivators stood guard outside, their Divine Sense sweeping around ardently, eyes vignt.

 Chapter 137: Chapter 106: Grandmaster of Alchemy, Tai Xu True Transmission_2

    Alchemists were considered treasures in various factions, whose importance spoke for itself; it was crucial that nothing go awry.


    The alchemists who, having heard the news, came seeking guidance, generally brought escorts.


    Alchemists hardly had any time to study killing spells, nor had much experience inbating others.


    Compared to cultivators of the same realm, they were significantly weaker. Coupled with the chaotic external situations, a slight carelessness could lead to fatal risks.


    In the inner courtyard of the mansion, there was a pond with an elderly man sitting by it. His hair and beard were all white, his face marked with the channels of age; he wore a white robe, embodying an immortal''s aura.


    There was no fluctuation of cultivation emanating from the old man, but a single nce was enough to know he was no ordinary person.


    Not far from the old man stood a middle-aged man, almost fifty, who approached respectfully with a few elixirs in his hands:


    "I followed every step in the pill recipe, yet I still cannotplete the pill. I seek the master''s wisdom to resolve my confusion."


    Chu Zheng gently stroked his beard and casually epted the few waste elixirs the middle-aged man handed him. Instantly, a prompt appeared in his mind.


    [Soul Solidifying Pill (Third Order/Iplete): A spirit pill to stabilize the divine soul and speed up the gathering of the soul. An error in the amount of Soul Gathering Grass slightly reduced its potency, making it nearly a waste product. Repairable (0/8)]


    After examining the waste elixirs for a moment, Chu Zheng said gravely:


    "There''s an issue with the amount of Soul Gathering Grass, hence the pill formation failed. Go back and reconsider the dosage."


    Chu Zheng did not rify further, instead leaving room for thought.


    After all, he was merely quoting what the prompt provided, barely understanding the properties and contraindications of the spiritual medicines, let alone alchemy.


    In these days, after interacting with these alchemists, Chu Zheng noticed something fascinating.


    Sometimes, he only needed to make a vaguement, and these alchemists would act as though they had received significant insight, leaving profusely thankful before departing.


    Although he was unclear about their realizations, with generous gifts and high-grade elixirs offered, he naturally weed all.


    Alchemists had substantial resources, often generous in their dealings, which even surprised the already affluent Chu Zheng.


    "Soul Gathering Grass..."


    Hearing what Chu Zheng said, the middle-aged man fell into deep thought. After a while, his eyes brightened, and he bowed deeply:


    "Thank you, senior, for your guidance!"


    Before the words had settled, he produced a storage bag, bowing as he ced it beside Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng didn''t look at the storage bag but casually pocketed the waste elixirs and nodded:


    "Keep these waste elixirs with me. Once you''ve refined new ones, bring them for me to see. You show goodprehension; your future is boundless."


    "Thank you, senior!"


    Upon hearing this, joy overflowed in the middle-aged man''s eyes as he bowed again.


    Such guidance from a high expert was not something ordinary individuals could receive.


    Sometimes a few words could save them years or even decades of hard work, and greatly enhance their prowess in alchemy.


    "Junior takes his leave."


    Watching the middle-aged man depart, Chu Zheng flicked his sleeves and discreetly picked up the storage bag, ncing inside.


    It contained a few Third Order spiritual medicines and five thousand middle-quality spirit stones¡ªa generous offer indeed.


    Besides these items, there was also a long box in the storage bag, made of Sky Fire Wood.


    Upon seeing this long box, Chu Zheng let out a soft exmation, flipped his hand to open it.


    A deep purple Fire Seed gently pulsed within.


    [zing Purple Spiritual me (Third Order): A rtively rare type of Fire Seed, mostly preserved from ancient times, born from inside Purple Spirit Jade, has suffered considerable loss. Repairable (0/20)]


    Nowadays, the cost of seeing Chu Zheng was not low, requiring at least a Third Order spiritual object as a gift for the meeting.


    During these days, many had brought spiritual objects, magic treasures, spiritual medicines, and spirit stones. This was the first time someone had brought a Fire Seed.


    Apparently, the person couldn''t produce a spiritual object at the moment and had to make do with this Fire Seed.


    After examining it for a moment, Chu Zheng temporarily stored the Fire Seed and pulled up the panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refinement: Mid-Stage of Jade Bone Realm, Immortal Path: Pinnacle of Spirit Spring Realm]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist (Second Order), Heavenly Divination Technique (Second Order), Object Control (Second Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (Second Order), Invisibility Technique (Second Order)...]


    [Repair Master: Third Order (580/1000)]


    [Remaining repair attempts for the day: 0]


    [Currently avable for repair: Lower Volume of Great Circtory Qi Guideline (350/2000), Phantom Spirit Technique (0/7000)...]


    Under the relentless nourishment of the Five Elements Shaping Pill, Chu Zheng''s Qi Refinement''s Cultivation was in a period of rapid progress.


    In just a few months, his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation had advanced another step, entering the mid-stage of the Jade Bone Realm.


    As his cultivation increased, mana and Yuan Qi gradually became somewhat crowded in his Dantian.


    After all, his cultivation was limited, and his Dantian had not been fully developed, besides practicing two paths concurrently; such a situation was only to be expected.


    Chu Zheng had anticipated this, and in recent days, he had already been attempting to open his Middle Dantian.


    In the Qi Refining arts, there are three Dantians: upper, middle, and lower; the middle Dantian, beneath the heart at the Golden Pce, is the Middle Dantian.


    The Middle Dantian, a treasury of Qi, was originally to be opened during the Dao Embryo stage, serving as a reserve for storing Yuan Qi in preparation for condensing the Golden Core.


    Now, Chu Zheng needed to open it ahead of schedule to alleviate the pressure on the Lower Dantian.


    As for the external chaos, he had heard of it but simply could not be bothered with it.


    At the very least, he would wait until he had condensed his Dao Embryo and forged his Celestial Foundation before he wouldpete in life and death with those in the Soul Condensing Realm.


    Before his strength sufficed, he needed to calmly cultivate for a period.


    The cultivators recently recruited by Taixuan Holy Land, no matter how much effort they expended in finding him, Chu Zheng would not risk making contact with these people.


    In these days, the changes in the Hidden Dragon List did not go unnoticed by him, watching the geniuses of the Great Holy Lands fall, he was not in a hurry.


    Unseen fortuitous destiny did not dissipate but converged onto the remaining geniuses on the Hidden Dragon List.


    Recently, he had noticed a significant increase in his own invisible fortuitous destiny, and the speed of his Qi Refining had elerated, amounting to reaping the benefits of others'' efforts.


    Regarding his own Celestial Foundation, Chu Zheng also had some ideas; constructing a Celestial Foundation, there is no rule that states there can be only one.


    He wanted to try to construct five Celestial Foundations ording to the cycle of creation and restraint of the Five Elements, connecting them into a self-sustaining cycle.


    In doing so, his foundation would naturally surpass that of ordinary cultivators significantly.


    Even if he had feweryers, he could still prevail through quantity.


    This was just an attempt; if it ended fruitlessly, he could always rebuild his Celestial Foundation from scratch, merely wasting some time.


    Currently, his reliance was Qi Refining; the Immortal Path was just an alternative for when Qi Refining reached an impasse.


    The only trouble was the massively increased number of Spiritual Objects required, which were hard to gather all at once.


    Originally, Chu Zheng hade to Immortal Emerald Continent following the aura of a fragment of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier.


    After finding that fragment, troubled by the cumbersome search for Spiritual Objects, he pondered and then ended up in the current situation.


    Initially, he only intended to deceive some Spiritual Objects and leave, but these pill masters were overly generous.


    The rare and various Spiritual Objects of the world came into his hands without him even searching for them.


    At this rate, it wouldn''t be long before Chu Zheng could gather the Five Elements Spiritual Objects and begin his attempt to build the foundation.


    The temptation was indeed too great, and it was worth taking some risks for Chu Zheng now.


    Knock, knock¡ª


    As Chu Zheng was lost in thought, the courtyard door was knocked on once again.


    "Enter."


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and sat up straight.


    The person with the highest level of cultivation he had ever met was Geng Yiyang.


    These days, he had been mimicking the demeanor of that old fellow during their first meeting, remaining calm andposed amidst turmoil, as stable as an angler calmly fishing amidst a storm.


    It proved to be somewhat effective.


    A figure slowly walked into the courtyard, appearing to be a woman in herte twenties.


    As she approached Chu Zheng, her features gradually changed.


    In a blink of an eye, she transformed into a young woman around seventeen or eighteen, with a beautiful face and a radiant gaze.


    "Tai Xu Holy Land True Transmission, Miao Luan, greets the senior."

 Chapter 138: Chapter 107: Divine Skills Creation

    Tai Xu True Disciple...


    Gazing at the woman before him, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered slightly.


    He was well aware of his burgeoning reputation in the surrounding areas, but he had never anticipated that he would so quickly catch the attention of a Holy Land True Transmission.


    Miao Luan...


    The fluctuations of aura around Miao Luan had already surpassed the Entry Dao Realm, marking her as a Great Cultivator of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    Early Soul Condensing Realm cultivators, capable of ranking among the top four hundred on the Hidden Dragon List, are all exceptional beings with High Quality Celestial Foundations, and have the potential for the Nine Transformations of the Divine Infant.


    Such individuals, numbering less than a hundred within the major Holy Lands, belong to the first tier of prodigies.


    Seeing Chu Zheng remaining silent, Miao Luan spoke again, "The outside situation is chaotic, necessitating the concealment of my true appearance. I hope the elder understands."


    "What brings you here?"


    Chu Zheng averted his gaze and closed his eyelids. He did not wish to disrupt his current situation. He stillcked many resources for his foundation building and did not want to add unnecessary trouble.


    "Tai Xu Holy Land is missing a person of your caliber. I am here on behalf of the Holy Land, hoping that you will join our Tai Xu Holy Land."


    Miao Luan was straightforward and got straight to the point, then proceeded to make an offer:


    "If you join our Tai Xu Holy Land, you will be revered as a Supreme Elder, your status within the sect second only to the Holy Master. In your pursuit of alchemy, all necessary Spiritual Medicines and Pill Recipes will be procured by Tai Xu Holy Land for you."


    The cultivation techniques of Tai Xu are aligned with the Water Element and are not skilled in alchemy or artifact refining. Thus, most alchemists and artifact refiners within the Holy Land are recruited from the outside.


    Naturally, with the sudden emergence of such a Grandmaster of Alchemy, they are somewhat eager.


    "Time is nearly up."


    Chu Zheng did not open his eyes but spoke softly, "If there is nothing else, leave the Spiritual Object and go."


    Joining the Tai Xu Holy Land was naturally out of the question.


    Although Miao Luan was not here to seek answers about alchemy, Chu Zheng would still collect what should be collected. That was the rule.


    Miao Luan''s visit did indeed allow Chu Zheng to breathe a bit easier, at least indicating that the current major Holy Lands still had no means of tracking him.


    Hearing this, Miao Luan''s brows furrowed slightly, wanting to persuade further but also somewhat worried about provoking the unfathomable old monster before her. Eventually, she only spoke softly,


    "If you have any other demands that fall within our capability, Tai Xu willply with them all. I hope you might reconsider."


    After saying those words, she no longer spoke, turned over her hand to take out a Storage Bag, ced it next to Chu Zheng, and slowly exited the courtyard.


    Chu Zheng nced at the tightly shut gate, pulled out the Hidden Dragon List, and quickly came across Miao Luan''s information.


    [Hidden Dragon List Rank 346: Tai Xu Holy Land, Miao Luan, Bone Age Eighty-Six, Early Soul Condensing Realm.]


    Among the young prodigies of the Early Soul Condensing Realm, Miao Luan ranked rtively high. This proved her strength and that she was not far from advancing to the Mid Soul Condensing Realm.


    There were further opportunities before the officialmencement of the Hidden Dragon Grand Competition.


    Currently, Chu Zheng stood no chance in a head-on confrontation, but with a Nine Thunder Jade Talisman for a sneak attack, he might be able to kill.


    After pondering for a while, Chu Zheng reached out and took the Storage Bag into his hand.


    The Storage Bag was rather empty, containing only a Jade Box with a blood-red pill the size of a dragon''s eye inside it, covered with blood vessel-like threads.


    [Dragon Blood Bone Fish Inner Pill (Fourth Order): Contains the True Dragon Bloodline of an alien species, can greatly enhance Water Element affinity, contains a strange Qi for tracking and locating.]


    The Dragon Bone Fish''s inner pill had been tampered with. Tai Xu Holy Land could use it to determine Chu Zheng''s location.


    Obviously, Tai Xu Holy Land was not nning to give up easily.


    Chu Zheng took the inner pill into his hand, a rich water-type essence rushed toward him.


    Although it had ulterior motives, being a True Transmission of a Holy Land, their generosity was undeniable. A Fourth Order Spiritual Object was more than sufficient to forge a Celestial Foundation.


    This reminder of the True Dragon Bloodline made Chu Zheng recall another item he had obtained earlier. He flipped his palm and took a Jade Bottle into his hand.


    [True Dragon Blood Pill (Fourth Order/Iplete): Crafted with True Dragon blood as the main ingredient, this Treasure Pill can greatly enhance one''s root bone and vitality, and increase Blood Qi. Having been consumed and refined, a fragment remains, repairable (0/100).]


    This was what Chu Zheng had acquired on the battlefield between the Phantom Spirit Sect and the Night Light Pavilion. With further advancement in the level of the Repair Master, the number of repairs required had greatly reduced.


    Extracting the True Dragon Blood Essence from it could further spur the function of the Dragon Blood Bone Fish Inner Pill.


    The visitors seeking advice were mainly alchemists, and the Spiritual Objects they provided were primarily botanical and of the Fire Element.


    With the inner pill provided by Miao Luan, Chu Zheng had finally gathered the spiritual objects required for the Water, Fire, and Wood Celestial Foundations.


    He onlycked those of the Earth and Metal elements.


    In some time, he could attempt to start constructing the Five Elements Celestial Foundation.


    ...


    ...


    Outside the courtyard, Miao Luan waited for a moment and, seeing no disturbance, quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    This meant that this Grandmaster of Alchemy had not noticed the issue with the inner pill.


    As long as she kept track of his whereabouts, there might still be a chance to invite him to the Holy Land in the future.


    Lost in thought, Miao Luan sensed several gazes sweeping over her, and her expression changed slightly.


    She was not used to concealing her traces when outside, and having focused all her attention on the movements within the courtyard just now, she had forgotten to change her appearance again.


    For a moment, Miao Luan felt absurdly cautious, needing to be so careful even though she was a True Disciple of a prominent Holy Land.


    With rising anger, Miao Luan coldly scanned her surroundings and, no longer hiding her features, walked directly toward the city''s outskirts.


    She wanted to see just how capable these Loose Cultivators, who were at most in the Soul Condensation Realm, really were.


    Seeing Miao Luan leave, a few Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators exchanged nces and silently followed her.


    ...


    ...


    As dusk fell and the moon rose into the branches,


    Chu Zheng closed the door and stopped receiving visitors. Several Soul Condensation Realm Cultivators had already spontaneously helped him guard the door.


    asionally offering a third-order Spirit Pill, plenty of Soul Condensation Cultivators were willing to be at his behest.


    Such was the status of an Alchemist.


    However, Chu Zheng had no intention of learning Alchemy himself. It was too draining on his energy.


    Keeping a group of Alchemists at hand was the best choice.


    Chu Zheng had harbored this idea long ago, but implementing it brought many issues, ultimately due to inadequate strength.


    Capturing a few low-grade Alchemists was pointless as they would lose their utility before long.


    The growth of alchemical skills required time and a huge amount of spiritual medicine. Chu Zheng wasn''tcking Spirit Stones, but he didn''t have the time to collect spiritual medicine around the world, nor to wait for these Alchemists.


    The idea of building a force had already begun to sprout in his mind.


    ncing at the silver moon above, Chu Zheng took a deep breath and pulled out two stone tablets.


    [Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order/Iplete): Insights of a Martial God containing the Xuan Tian Scripture''s cultivation methods and fourteen Martial Dao Divine Abilities, imbued with Immortal Path Qi, personally shattered by a True Immortal into six pieces. You now possess two, repairable (0/2000)]


    This fragment was significantlyrger than the one from Great Zhou, nearly double the size, with a moreprehensive diagram of the cultivation path recorded on it.


    Chu Zheng had excavated this fragment from deep within a mountain range, buried several meters underground, untouched by any marks.


    Clearly, after the Martial Barrier was shattered, this fragment had spanned a million miles to appear here.


    The power of a True Immortal was evident.


    Chu Zheng had always been interested in the Martial Dao Divine Abilities recorded on the Martial Barrier. He had already experienced the effects of the Xuan Tian Seal.


    The Divine Secret Skills of a Qi Cultivator were essible ording to one''s cultivation. Most major divine abilities required the use of natural forces.


    Besides major divine abilities like the Five Thunder Righteous Law, smaller divine skills like the Invisibility Technique would grow more powerful with Chu Zheng''s increasing cultivation level.


    Most minor divine abilities were branches of major ones.


    For instance, Transmute Stone to Gold originated from the major divine ability ''Heaven and Earth Creation.''


    This was a genuine Creation Technique. The Great Circtory Qi Guideline only mentioned it briefly, without detailing any cultivation methods.


    This type of Creation Technique, when cultivated to a profound level, could use spiritual energy to spontaneously transform spiritual medicine, Immortal Gold, or even create living beings.


    The Martial Dao Divine Abilities were more akin to the development of the body''stent potential, possessing unique and formidable aspects.

 Chapter 139: Chapter 108: Five Elements Foundation Completed, Yin Yang Spirit

    Atop the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier, the Xuan Tian Scripture''s cultivation methods were recorded, along with the Fourteen Martial Arts Supernatural Powers, of which the Xuan Tian Seal was merely one.


    The fragment discovered in the Immortal Emerald Continent was significantlyrger than the one in Great Zhou, nearly twice as big.


    The engraved patterns on it were even clearer.


    Having obtained this fragment andbining it with the previous stone barrier''s rubbings, Chu Zheng had already acquired nearly half of the cultivation route map, naturally triggering a response from the interface.


    "Xuan Tian Scripture (Sixth Order (Iplete)): Aprehensive martial cultivation method, when cultivated to perfection, connects martial path to divinemunication, initial repairspleted, repairable (0/1000)"


    The preliminary repairs of the Xuan Tian Scripture only needed ten days. The moment it reached his hands, Chu Zheng began the repairs. A few days prior, he had already obtained theplete introduction of the Xuan Tian Scripture.


    The introduction contained the cultivation methods for the Five Bodies Realm, Qi Condensing Realm, Yuan Aura Realm, and the Grasping Aura into Pill technique.


    Due to the suppression of the Heavenly Dao, the martial path in this world had decayed to its weakest state. ording to the description in the Xuan Tian Scripture, the Embracing Pill Realm was supposed to be equivalent to the Immortal Path''s Soul Condensing.


    Song Lingxue, who was currently at the Yuan Aura level, should correspond to the Entry Dao Realm level of cultivation. Yet now, she was merely equivalent to a cultivator at the Spirit Spring Realm, a difference of dozens of times indeed.


    It was foreseeable that, were she to leave the Cangyun Realm, Song Lingxue''s strength would undoubtedly undergo a tremendous transformation due to the change in the heavenly and earthly environment.


    As for the Xuan Tian Scripture, Chu Zheng had no intention of practicing it because he truly had no dantian to harbor the martial qi. Currently practicing dual cultivation systems, he was already forced to open his Middle Dantian prematurely.


    The Upper Dantian is the ce of nurturing the spirit. Whether in the Immortal Path or the Qi Refining lineage, the ultimate energy would converge there, and it should not be lightly disturbed.


    Besides, the martial path in the Cangyun Realm was a very challenging one.


    It wasn''t just theck of cultivation methods, there was also suppression between heaven and earth.


    Chu Zheng''s path of Qi Refining was the same, and yet it was different.


    Having survived a major cmity, the recognition he received from heaven and earth had elevated to a considerably high degree.


    Moreover, in the current Cangyun Realm, apart from Chu Zheng, there was no second Qi Cultivator, so the heavenly fate allotted to the Qi Refining path was now being enjoyed solely by him.


    The disparity was enormous.


    After initially repairing the Xuan Tian Scripture, Chu Zheng had Song Yun start from scratch with martial practice from the Five Bodies Realm.


    As for Bai Nian, he had no such inclination himself. He was very aware of his own capabilities; his talent in martial arts was truly poor, unable to make any achievements, so he decided not to waste too much energy on it.


    Aside from his fixed daily practices, Bai Nian spent the rest of his time reading. The books and scrolls gathered by Chu Zheng during his free time were mostly stacked in the Small World, enough for him to pass the time.


    Bai Nian''s father, whose life or death was still unknown, was the next step nned by Chu Zheng after collecting the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier fragments: to look for the remaining Assistant Swords of the iplete Heavenly Aura Sword Array.


    Even if only a small part of the Heavenly Aura Sword Array could be assembled, for Chu Zheng at his current state, it would still be his greatest trump card. Without the Divine Infanting out, there would be no one who could threaten him.


    ...


    ...


    As time passed, the reputation of Chu Zheng, Grandmaster of Alchemy Dao, spread far and wide.


    People from the Four Great Sacred Lands, excluding Taixuan, sessively visited to pay respects. They were equally generous, far surpassing those Pill Masters.


    A Saint Heir from Jinli Holy Land personally brought a Golden Sword Herb, a type of spirit object grown in spirit mines, inherently wooden yet brimming with metallic essence¡ªquite rare, of Fourth Order quality.


    A true disciple from Primordial Spirit Holy Land brought an Earth Elemental Spirit Embryo, a top-grade spiritual object among those of the earth attribute.


    With these two spiritual objects to supplement, aided by the medicinal power of the Five Elements Shaping Pill, Chu Zheng was ready to begin attempting to condense his Celestial Foundation.


    To avoid external disturbances, Chu Zheng released news that he would leave Emerald Light City for a period, with an uncertain return date.


    Then he closed his doors and directly entered his Small World to begin a closed-door cultivation session.


    Several dayster, after adjusting his state to optimal, Chu Zhengmenced his first attempt.


    Sitting cross-legged on the somewhat barrennd, Chu Zheng breathed steadily, suddenly raising his hand, he popped a Fire Seed into his mouth, and then took out a gourd of Red Magma that he had previously obtained and drank it in one gulp.


    His own cultivation was of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, and coupled with the High Grade Fire Seed within his body, it was most fitting to start with a Fire Element Celestial Foundation.


    The scorching temperature rose within his body, warming every limb and bone.


    The abundant Fire Element Spiritual Energy surged within his body, and the speed at which the Five Elements Shaping Pill breathed in Spiritual Energy suddenly elerated, further refined by Chu Zheng.


    A crimson mana circted to his dantian, and under Chu Zheng''s deliberate control, it graduallypressed on one side beneath the Five Elements Shaping Pill, starting to take shape.


    A hazy Dao Foundation appeared intermittently and only stabilizedpletely several hourster.


    The moment the Dao Foundation formed, Chu Zheng''s aura changed as he stepped into the Initial Stage of the Entry Dao Realm.


    The fiery red Dao Foundation was divided into sixyers, better than what Chu Zheng had anticipated in advance.


    Off to a good start, Chu Zheng steadied his mind and immediately began shaping the other Celestial Foundations.


    Under the heavenly fire, all things turn to ashes, therefore fire gives rise to earth.


    The second step, starting with an Earth Element Celestial Foundation, was most fitting.


    Chu Zheng took out the Earth Elemental Spirit Embryo, directly refined it into his body, and began attempting to shape the second Dao Foundation.


    The greyish-yellow earth element mana circted to his dantian, he repeated the earlier method, and began condensing the Dao Foundation again.


    Crack¡ª


    The greyish-yellow Dao Foundation had just formed when it suddenly exploded, causing Chu Zheng''s body to react as well, tearing open a foot-long wound, from which blood gushed like a fountain, soaking his clothes.


    Chu Zheng was slightly startled inside, quickly calming down, he pulled up the repair interface, restoring his own injuries, and began attempting again.


    After more than ten attempts, the second Dao Foundation still showed no progress.


    Chu Zheng temporarily ceased his cultivation and fell into contemtion.


    The inability to form the Dao Foundation was likely due to the difficulty in bncing the power of the Five Elements; fire can produce earth, but earth cannot reciprocate, making it difficult to mutually generate.


    After pondering for a long while, he closed his eyes again and began to try another method.


    This time, he didn''t prioritize and swallowed the remaining types of spiritual objects, beginning to shape four Dao foundations simultaneously.


    Just as Chu Zheng had guessed, the reaction in the Dantian wasn''t as intense as at the beginning. Because the Five Elements wereplete, it instead became somewhat more stable.


    However, when it came to condensing the Dao foundations, Chu Zheng still faced numerous obstacles, and the foundations were continuously difficult to form.


    After repeated failures, Chu Zheng finally figured out some key issues.


    It rted to the method of cultivation.


    The method of condensing Celestial Foundation in the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture was not applicable to the other foundations.


    Not all Celestial Foundations could be condensed using the same method. A slight deviation could lead to greater errors. This distinction was even more evident on the path of cultivation and required Chu Zheng to explore on his own.


    In the process of condensing, Chu Zheng''s Dantian exploded multiple times, almostpletely ruining his cultivation. If it weren''t for innate repair abilities, his own Fire Element Foundation would have been affected and could even have directly copsed.


    Chu Zheng repeatedly tried, maintaining the bnce between the Five Elements foundations through continuously activating the medicinal power of the Five Elements Shaping Pill.


    After endless attempts, Chu Zheng finally managed to forcefully establish the other four foundations.


    However, apart from the Fire Element, the other four foundations were uneven, merely one or twoyers thick and seemingly on the verge of copse.


    This was rted to theck of methods to condense the foundations. But now, this was the best Chu Zheng could do.


    With the Fire Element dominating within the Dantian, Chu Zheng could only try, by means of Qi-refining techniques, to heavily extract the Fire Element Qi to barely maintain the bnce of the Five Elements.


    This extracted Fire Element Qi, a part of it merged with the fire seed of the Heavenly Star me, while the other part, Chu Zheng used to nurture the Heavenly Aura Broken Sword and the Town Immortal Mace.


    Only then did the situation within the Dantian gradually stabilize.


    But this was just a temporary measure. Once the medicinal power of the Five Elements Shaping Pill was exhausted, the current bnce would still copse.


    Before that happened, Chu Zheng needed to find a new method to strengthen the other foundations.


    After the Five Elements foundations were formed, they also gave Chu Zheng a great surprise. At the center of the Five Elements foundations, the Yin Yang Dual Qi had subtly begun to emerge.


    In the future, when deploying the Thunder Method, he could save a lot of effort and directly control the thunder through the foundations.


    Moreover, once the Five Elements foundations reached perfection, he could even directly use the Yin Yang Dual Qi to condense the Soul, having the chance to advance further and nurture a Divine Infant in the Soul Condensing Realm ahead of schedule.


    ......


    ......


    Above the vast sky, fierce winds howled, and the air filled with dense clouds, hinting at an impending storm.


    A figure cut through the sky, its escape light conspicuous, Miao Luan''s robe soaked with blood, her Divine Sense scanning all directions, her expression extremely unsightly.


    During this period, five Soul Condensing monks had died at her hands, but these loose cultivators hadn''t given up in the slightest, relentlessly pursuing her with endless tricks.


    Moreover, these people clearly had many informants constantly tracking her movements, continually trapping her within the Immortal Emerald Continent, and not giving her a chance to seek help.


    At this step, Miao Luan had to admit that she had severely underestimated the difficulty of these cultivators.


    The only good news was that with thebat power of these cultivators, they still couldn''t detain her, at least she was safe for now.


    All of a sudden, several streaks of escape light appeared ahead, Miao Luan''s expression tightened, and she immediately became extremely cautious.


    A few breathster, as the escape light approached, a female cultivator appeared in the lead, her body covered in wounds, nearly naked, with two Soul Condensing monks chasing her, the situation dire.


    After a brief hesitation, Miao Luan grit her teeth, a faint blue light shing in her hand, she shed out several sword lights.


    The blossoms of sword lights streaked across the sky, interrupting the actions of the two Soul Condensing monks, aiding the woman out of the dangerous situation.


    Even though she was in danger herself, she still extended a helping hand, as she also needed assistance at this moment.


    "Thank you, fellow Daoist."


    The woman came to Miao Luan''s side, adjusted her torn robe covering her chest, her face filled with gratitude.


    "No need."


    Miao Luan shook her head slightly, her gaze vigntly sweeping around. If there were others apart from these two Soul Condensing monks, her situation could be extremely perilous.


    In her tense state of mind, she did not notice that the nearly naked female cultivator was now less than three feet away from her.


    When the distance closed to within two feet, the female cultivator suddenly looked up, her eyes chillingly cold, a ck short dagger, over three inches long, suddenly appeared in her previously empty palm.


    Shick¡ª


    The next instant, the ck dagger was deeply plunged into Miao Luan''s Dantian, then swiftly sliced upward, nearly splitting her openpletely.


    Miao Luan''s expression drastically changed, murderous intent surging in her eyes, her palm flipped, releasing a faint blue water light from her sleeve.


    The gentle droplets, yet as heavy as a thousand jun, exploded with a piercing screech in the void.


    Miao Luan''s counterattack was so fierce it was frightening. The female cultivator hadn''t even reacted when her upper body exploded like a ssh of water, scattering a bloody aureole, instantly dying on the spot.


    Kaboom¡ª


    A sh of lightning streaked through the sky, several bolts tearing the heavens, and in an instant, a heavy rain poured down.


    In a blink, Miao Luan was surrounded by a faint blue light, her figure blending into the rain like a droplet, and she vanished in an instant.


    A barely perceptible glow broke through the void, heading straight for the direction of Emerald Light City.


    This ce was too far from Tai Xu Holy Land, but if she could make it back to Emerald Light City, she still had a chance of survival.


    Being a Grandmaster of Alchemy in terms of cultivation achievement, her level wasn''t merely that of divine transformation, but at least that of a Great Saint.


    That senior, whose depth was unknown, might not lend a hand to help her, but should at least give her a chance to catch her breath and seek help.

 Chapter 140: Chapter 109: Thunder Method

    Above the azure sky, it seemed like a crack had formed from which torrents of rain cascaded through the clouds, sttering into countless water droplets upon hitting the puddles below.


    A faint blue light tore through the curtain of rain and crashed into the heart of Emerald Light City, like a meteorite plunging straight into a courtyard.


    In the blink of an eye, courtyard walls copsed and rainwater surged into ponds, forming little streams.


    The pitter-patter of the rain became increasingly dense, shattering the silence.


    Miao Luan struggled to prop herself up, taking in the familiar surroundings of the courtyard with a slight ease of spirit. Her head began to feel involuntarily dizzy, and the wound on her abdomen continued to ooze blood.


    The poisoned dagger in the hands of that female cultivator was lethal. The fact that Miao Luan had managed to make it this far was no small feat.


    An overwhelming drowsiness surged over her, and just before losing consciousness, Miao Luan faintly discerned a blurry figure approaching.


    Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brows as he watched Miao Luan, who had fallen from the sky before him, and then looked upwards.


    Four figures stood in mid-air not too far from there, disying expressions of panic upon seeing Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng''s reputation was at its peak, and even among these four people, two had once received spirit pills from Chu Zheng and had guarded his door for a while.


    Just as the group was about to defend themselves, their expressions suddenly turned quite strange.


    Chu Zheng had just made a breakthrough not long ago, his aura fluctuating and hard to disguise, especially noticeable to a crowd of great cultivators of the Soul Condensation Realm. As such, his early-stage cultivation of the Dao Entry Realm wasid bare for all to see.


    Upon recognizing the fluctuations in Chu Zheng''s cultivation, all four disyed interesting reactions, as no one had anticipated that a grandmaster with such profound expertise in the Alchemy Dao was merely an early-stage Dao Entry Realm cultivator.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng''s eyebrows knit slightly, letting out a soft sigh. Once his cultivation level was exposed, he knew he couldn''t stay here any longer.


    For a Dao Entry Realm cultivator, these sect''s loose cultivators wouldn''t have as many scruples in their actions, and were very likely to force him intopliance.


    Chu Zheng gave them a nce and then looked towards Miao Luan who was not far away, his expression shifting:


    "Did you few ept a bounty from Taixuan Holy Land?"


    "Reporting to the master, that is indeed the case,"


    One of the Soul Condensing Monks who had once received a spirit pill from Chu Zheng stepped forward, his speechcking the previous respect and not even offering a salute.


    With the cultivation of the Entry Dao Realm, even if one''s alchemy skills are strong, they are significantly limited, and such cultivation isn''t enough tomand high-grade Divine Fire.


    "Master, please move aside and let us take this woman''s head first, and then we will invite the master over to our residence for a chat,"


    Obviously, they intended to coerce Chu Zheng into leaving with them by force.


    Miao Luan, after all, was a true disciple of the Holy Land, and besides them, no others were allowed to know of this incident; otherwise, if Tai Xu Holy Land were to take action in retaliation, they would all suffer the consequences.


    Chu Zheng remained silent for a while, then revealed his true nature.


    "You are Chu Zheng?!"


    The Soul Condensing Monks all disyed expressions of shock, their eyes filled with disbelief.


    Today, Chu Zheng''s portrait had already spread throughout the Southern Region, and any cultivator slightly keen on current affairs would have seen it.


    "Since you all have epted a bounty from Taixuan, we are essentially on the same path,"


    Chu Zheng spoke calmly: "There''s no need to spoil our rapport."


    After all, he had no enmity with these Soul Condensation Realm cultivators and saw no need for violence.


    Moreover, Chu Zheng didn''t want to openly conflict with Taixuan Holy Land.


    No matter what, Song Lingxue was currently in Taixuan Holy Land, and he was, after all, the Chief Disciple under the direct lineage of Taixuan.


    No one responded to him, and the gazes of the Soul Condensation Realm cultivators simultaneously turned towards a middle-aged man standing among them.


    The middle-aged man had a sturdy build, his features sharply defined, dressed in a ck robe with red patterns, exuding an extraordinary presence.


    The cultivator''s cultivation was the highest among the four, already in the mid stage of the Soul Condensation Realm, and it was clear that the others regarded him as the leader.


    "Chu Zheng..."


    The middle-aged man nced at Chu Zheng, withdrew his gaze, looked at the other three, and spoke in a deep voice:


    "Kill them together, and I''ll take Chu Zheng''s head to im the rewardter, you take Miao Luan''s head to Taixuan."


    In an instant, the void was filled with murderous intent, and the cold rain was like knives, chilling to the bone.


    The middle-aged man''s action was nothing if not bold, taking on two bounties at the same time, which was undoubtedly the best choice for the four of them.


    They would get spirit stones and magic treasures, and could present themselves to both Holy Lands at the same time, ensuring at least one way out, no matter which Holy Land ultimately benefited.


    Chu Zheng stood below, quietly listening, with not a hint of surprise in his expression. If it were him, standing in their position, he would likely make the same choice.


    An Entry Dao Realm cultivator, for four Soul Condensation Realm cultivators, was as easy to kill as cutting Miao Luan''s head off, not even taking much more effort.


    "Since I came to Emerald Light City, today is the first time it has rained..."


    Raising his head and looking at the tumbling thunder above the clouds, Chu Zheng sighed lightly:


    "It seems... it is your fate to face this cmity."


    Once the thunder was born, even if the heavens and earth were unwilling to lend their power, it was already toote.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    Chu Zheng''s figure disappeared on the spot, the rain falling in the courtyard came to a standstill, then was swept up by a powerful gust, reversing its course, rolling back up into the canopy of the sky.


    The next instant, his figure had already appeared amidst theyers of thunderclouds, with blinding thunder light surging in his palm, the might of heaven permeating.


    This was different from Chu Zheng himself using the Thunder Method to invoke the divine thunder of the nine heavens; with thunderclouds backing him, even a Soul Condensation Realm cultivator at Great Perfection would only meet death.


    The terrifying aura tumulted through the void, and the four Soul Condensation Realm cultivators standing in mid-air all changed their expressions dramatically, their body hair standing on end as they sensed the imminent threat of death.


    Without the slightest hesitation, they turned and fled in different directions.


    Chu Zheng had no intention of giving them that chance. He poured all his mana into the Condensing Space Bracelet and activated the Space Condensing Art.


    Even though his cultivation was only at the early stage of the Entry Dao Realm, and his Five Elements Foundation was not yet perfected, Chu Zheng''s mana was still many times more vigorous than that of cultivators of the same realm.


    Exerting all his strength to activate the Space Condensing Art, even the great cultivators of the Soul Condensation Realm were significantly affected, their movements as if mired in mud, drastically slowing down, making it difficult for them to escape in time.


    Rumble¡ª¡ª


    Blinding thunder light filled the firmament, and the thunder within the clouds was emptied by Chu Zheng in an instant. For that moment, he seemed like a true god wielding the power to punish from the heavens.


    Boom! Boom!


    Several explosions sounded one after another, and the Soul Condensation Realm cultivators stood no chance of resistance. Not even their corpses were preserved, and along with their vestment robes, they turned to ash in an instant. Their storage bags were reduced to flying ash, leaving not a trace behind.


    Chu Zheng swept a nce with slight regret, then returned to the courtyard,nding beside Miao Luan.


    [Miao Luan (Third Order): A true disciple of the Tai Xu Holy Land, severely poisoned, the Dantian seriously damaged, nearly dying, can be repaired (0/20)]


    Looking at the information provided on the panel. Chu Zheng pondered for a while, estimated Miao Luan''s injuries, and used the repair function twice to barely bring back Miao Luan''s consciousness.


    After all, she was a true disciple, and perhaps there was more valuable information to be uncovered.


    Chu Zheng bent down, pulled out the Town Immortal Mace, and pressed it against Miao Luan''s cheek.


    Just as Miao Luan regained consciousness, she suddenly felt a chill on her cheek, and heard a question beside her ear:


    "Do you have something valuable to save your life?"

 Chapter 141: Chapter 110: Great Void Scripture, Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance

    Drip-drop¡ª


    The cold rain beat against her face as Miao Luan''s thoughts gradually became clear.


    Struggling to raise her head, she looked at the boy in front of her who appeared to be no more than fourteen or fifteen years old, and quickly recognized him:


    "You are... Chu Zheng? What are you doing here?"


    A momentter, her expression slightly stunned as she sensed the aura emanating from Chu Zheng''s body, her eyes suddenly shing a trace of disbelief:


    "You''ve entered the path?!"


    Before the words had finished, she curled up in agony due to the severe paining from her dantian, gasping for breath, with cold sweat mixing with the rainwater and seeping into the muddy puddles beneath her.


    But the pain coursing through her body was nothingpared to the shock rising in her heart.


    Information about Chu Zheng had long been ryed to her by the Tai Xu Holy Land, and the person before her, having stepped onto the Immortal Path for barely a year, had already entered the path!


    This was too inconceivable; searching through the entire existing history of the Cangyun Realm, one would not find such a person.


    A Superior Immortal Bone definitely did not possess such speed; Chu Zheng must have some special physique unknown to others, or he might even be a Celestial Lord reincarnated to cultivate anew.


    Otherwise, Chu Zheng''s abnormal cultivation speed was simply inexplicable.


    "If you have nothing to exchange for your life, you can start preparing for your next one already."


    Chu Zheng''s tone was t as the Town Immortal Mace slowly rose, pressing against Miao Luan''s forehead.


    With a swing of his mace, he could make Miao Luanpletely disappear from this world, annihting both her form and spirit.


    "What do you want?"


    Miao Luan tried her best to maintain a calm demeanor, speaking slowly, "Spirit Stones? Elixirs? Or Magic Treasures and Divine Weapons? Everything I have can be given to you."


    "Right now, you have nothing."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, denying Miao Luan''s words, and directly reached out to take the silver bracelet off her wrist.


    [Flowing Light Jade Ring (Third Order): A space magic treasure, containing a minute universe within, crafted with delicate techniques, engraved with two arrays, possessing the effects of ''Gathering Spirit'' and ''Dust Avoidance''.]


    Chu Zheng extended his Divine Sense to sweep over it; as a cultivator with the Holy Land True Transmission, Miao Luan''s assets did not seem very rich. In fact, they seemed rather meager.


    One High-Quality Magic Treasure, two Middle-Quality Magic Treasures, a few Elixirs, and the sum of Spirit Stones barely amounted to about a hundred thousand Lower-Quality Spirit Stones, which, when converted to High-Quality, amounted to less than a thousand.


    Unsurprisingly, Chu Zheng did not find any traces of Martial Arts and Secret Techniques. Obviously, the Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of the Tai Xu Holy Land, being an Immortal Ascension Method like the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, required the transmission through a Jade Token.


    Miao Luan keenly noticed the flicker of disappointment that crossed Chu Zheng''s face, chilling her heart.


    After a brief inventory, Chu Zheng looked at Miao Luan again and reminded her:


    "The things you have on you are now my spoils of war, including the clothes you are wearing; they belong to me too. What I want now is something from your mind."


    Today, Miao Luan had caused quite a bit of trouble for Chu Zheng. Had it not rained, facing so many Soul Condensing Monks, he would have had to use quite a few techniques to escape, not to mention counter-killing.


    He, at least, wanted to find a way to recoup his losses.


    "You want the Great Void Scripture?!"


    Miao Luan''s face changed slightly, instantly grasping Chu Zheng''s intention. The most valuable thing in her mind was undoubtedly the Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of the Tai Xu Holy Land. Upon realizing this, she couldn''t help but wonder:


    "You already have the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture; what use would you have for the Great Void Scripture?"


    "Recite it so I may listen."


    Chu Zheng was not inclined to exin to Miao Luan, taking out a Jade Talisman, ready to start recording.


    He wasn''t worried about Miao Luan lying; the truth or falsehood would naturally be revealed by the tablet.


    Seeing this, Miao Luan did not resist and immediately began to recite the opening mantra of the Great Void Scripture:


    "The Great Void, its energy flows through the universe, elusive and unfixed; among all things in this world, only water has no constant form. Cultivation should be like flowing downstream, finding strength in softness, like the vast and surging clouds, braving the rapids with courage..."


    If she didn''t heal her injuries quickly, even if Chu Zheng didn''t kill her, she would die from the severity of her wounds. Even if she didn''t die, it would leave hidden dangers for her future cultivation.


    She didn''t want to die here. Her path to bing an Immortal had just begun; if she were to be buried here, she would die with regrets.


    Miao Luan took a deep breath and chanted for a moment before finally stopping.


    [Great Void Scripture (Eighth Order/Iplete): Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of Tai Xu Holy Land, extremely suitable for cultivators associated with water, when cultivated to the pinnacle, one can be a True Immortal. With your current ability, it cannot be repaired.]


    "That''s it?"


    Looking at the prompt on the panel, Chu Zheng slightly frowned. The cultivation technique Miao Luan reported only went up to the Tongxuan Secret Realm; she hadn''t revealed even a bit of the next two levels of the Immortal Ascension Method.


    "The part I have ess to only goes up to this point. All true transmissions are like this."


    Miao Luan nodded with some difficulty, her pale face seeking confirmation: "Is this enough to trade for my life?"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng fell into contemtion.


    For the purpose of repairing the panel, the Seventh Order seemed to be a threshold that blocked many things.


    This was true for the Great Void Scripture, and it was the same with the Damaged Immortal Bone found in that ancient battlefield. Once the quality surpassed the Seventh Order, the repair seemed entirely different, with significant limitations.


    After a long moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng came back to his senses, put away the Jade Token in his hand, and nodded: "This is enough to trade for your life."


    Before joy could appear on Miao Luan''s face, Chu Zheng spoke again:


    "You owe me three lives in total; this only buys you one. You still owe me two lives."


    Miao Luan''s expression froze, her voice trembling a bit: "How do I owe you so much?"


    Chu Zheng had always been a reasonable person; his words were not meant to bully Miao Luan in her dire situation.


    He immediately stretched out his hand, counted on his fingers, and began to straighten out Miao Luan''s thoughts:


    "You were supposed to die at the hands of those cultivators today. I saved you; that''s one life."


    "Secondly, you brought trouble to me. I repaid your malice with kindness, not only saving you but also killing those cultivators for you. That''s the second life."


    "Thirdly..."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes turned cold as he spoke:


    "Some time ago, you tampered with that inner alchemy. I didn''t kill you for that, and that is the third life."


    Miao Luan listened, dazed. As she came to her senses and looked around at the courtyard reduced to ruins, the expression on her face became even more splendid.


    Before passing out, her consciousness was already somewhat unclear, and only now did she realize that Chu Zheng and the Grandmaster of Alchemy were the same person.


    With such formidable cultivation and profound aplishments in the Alchemy Dao, Miao Luan was growing increasingly suspicious that the man before her was an old monster who had lived for who knows how long.


    After a long silence, Miao Luan spoke in a deep voice:


    "Now that I am all alone, with only this broken body left, if you ask forpensation, I..."


    "I am already married, and furthermore..."


    Before Miao Luan could finish, Chu Zheng shook his head again and again and then sized up Miao Luan for a while before saying softly:


    "Do you think I would be up for anything?"


    As these words reached her ears, Miao Luan''s palm tightened, and her fingertips dug deep into the earth, her teeth clenching tightly with a grating sound.


    She tried her best to calm her thoughts and took deep breaths for a while before falling into contemtion again.


    A momentter, Miao Luan spoke again: "Apart from the Great Void Scripture, the only thing I have left to pass on to you is the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance."


    "Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance?"


    Upon hearing this name, Chu Zheng''s gaze suddenly sharpened.

 Chapter 142: Chapter 111: Water Attribute Dao Foundation, Yin and Yang Together

    The name "Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance" was not unfamiliar to Chu Zheng.


    Previously, the Demon King of the Netherwolf Tribe, the former owner of the Condensing Space Bracelet, You Ziyun, was suspected to have died at the hands of the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance.


    As Miao Luan recited the incantation, Chu Zheng''s mind quickly resonated with a prompt.


    [Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance (Eighth Order): Immortal Path Divine Ability, Water Element Sword Technique, originating from a Sword Dao True Immortal. The cultivation requirements are extremely demanding, with high talent prerequisites. One with High-Quality Immortal Bone may grasp its form, only those with Superior Immortal Bone mayprehend its essence.]


    The Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance is not a cultivation technique but a sword technique,plementary to the Great Void Scripture and simr to Divine Skills, with immense power.


    For a cultivator like Miao Luan, at the Soul Condensing Initial Stage, even if she only understood a fraction of it,mon monks at the Mid Soul Condensation Realm would struggle to threaten her, and in a one-on-one encounter, could even be in by her.


    An Eighth Order technique is already a significant progression in the Immortal Path, with the sword technique naturally carrying a powerful Immortal Path Qi. The prerequisites for talent are particrly stringent.


    High-Quality Immortal Bone is merely the threshold to cultivate this sword technique.


    After sensing for a moment, Chu Zheng quickly came to a conclusion. His cultivation was already considerable, with numerous Divine Skills with him, and having seen two authentic Immortal Scriptures, he knew at a nce whether he could cultivate a Divine Ability.


    For him, cultivating the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance was currently an impossible task.


    Hecked an Immortal Bone, and that alone barred him from entering.


    Chu Zheng felt no regret about this, for there is no perfection in the world. Having obtained the Great Void Scripture was already more than enough.


    "With your talent, you should find it easy to cultivate this sword technique," Miao Luan said, forcing herself to speak, her voice soft, "Is this enough to exchange for my life?"


    "It''s sufficient," Chu Zheng replied.


    Although he could not cultivate the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance himself, Chu Zheng did not question its value. It was more than enough to exchange for the life of a Soul Condensing monk.


    "Has the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance always been the exclusive sword technique of Tai Xu Holy Land?" Chu Zheng regained hisposure, his eyebrows slightly raised. He seemed to have discovered some secrets not known to others. The death of You Ziyun might be connected to Tai Xu Holy Land.


    "It has always been so since ancient times," Miao Luan answered, her voice trembling slightly as the intense pain from her Dantian grew stronger. Despite her resilience, it was bing unbearable.


    Hearing this, a hint of understanding shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes as he calmly said, "There''s still onest life remaining."


    He was somewhat expectant of whether Miao Luan could offer him any more surprises.


    "The Immortal Scriptures I practice are only these two; the rest are minor tricks, not worth mentioning," Miao Luan took a deep breath after a long while, then abruptly propped herself up with effort and said deliberately, "This life, I shall owe to you. In the future, I will repay you twofold. If you are unwilling to loan, you may take my head now, and end it quickly."


    She looked directly at Chu Zheng, her eyes resolute. Regardless of the oue, she wanted to retain her dignity before death.


    "I can put it on the tab," Chu Zheng stated seriously, "But we need coteral for an empty promise. What will you pledge?"


    He did not wish to kill Miao Luan. As a true disciple of the Tai Xu Holy Land, she was more valuable alive than a corpse¡ªperhaps very useful in the future.


    "Having leaked the Great Void Scripture, even as a true disciple, death is the only path left for me, and my life is already in your hands," Miao Luan said, her spirit brightening at the glimpse of a chance to live, her voice gaining some strength, "What do you want?"


    From Geng Yiyang''s attitude, Chu Zheng had already discerned the significance of Immortal Scriptures to these Holy Lands¡ªone leak, and Miao Luan would surely die.


    But that alone was far from enough.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng nodded and said, "Hand over your Life Soul, and your life will temporarily be recorded in my ount."


    The Life Soul is something that monks above the Soul Condensation Realm can cultivate, representing the essence of the Divine Soul.


    For a cultivator, the Life Soul is extremely important, almost as vital as the Immortal Bone. If destroyed, they risk death, and even if they survive, they suffer a sharp decline in mental acuity and their entire cultivation could dissapate, reducing them to dust.


    Miao Luan hesitated for a moment but did not overly deliberate, nodding in agreement. A point of Spiritual Light emerged from her brow.


    The moment the Spiritual Light appeared, it began to devour the surrounding Spiritual Energy at a vast rate. In a few breaths, it gradually took shape, turning into a jade sliver as long as a finger, thin as a cicada''s wing, pale green in color, with ayer of shimmering water light.


    With her Life Soul departing her body, Miao Luan''s form sagged once again, devoid of strength, as her consciousness plunged back into darkness.


    The power of the thunder in the air was exhausted, and the clouds and rain quickly dispersed. The sunshine of the great day tore through the thousands of miles of cloudyers, shining into the courtyard.


    Bathed in warm sunshine, Chu Zheng surveyed his surroundings.


    The disturbance had attracted the attention of some cultivators, but due to the earlier disy of thunderous might and the special nature of this ce, they dared not approach to investigate just yet.


    Looking at Miao Luan on the ground, Chu Zheng took out a Spirit Pill, ced it in her mouth, and used up the remaining repair opportunities. Then he picked her up and stepped out, leaving Emerald Light City.


    His transformation technique had not yet been mastered, and concealing his aura was imperfect. Moreover, his Five Elements Foundation was imbnced, which made it easier for his traces to be discovered.


    Even if Miao Luan hadn''te, his identity as a Grandmaster of Alchemy would not have held up much longer.


    ...


    ...


    Half a dayter, Chu Zheng had left the Immortal Emerald Continent and entered a verdant mountain range.


    He casually found a cave to settle down in, and after cing Miao Luan''s Life Soul in his Dantian to monitor it, he immediately began to attempt to improve his Water Attribute Dao Foundation.

 Chapter 143: Chapter 111: Water Attribute Dao Foundation, Yin and Yang Together_2

    The crafting of the Celestial Foundation in the Great Void Scripture is starkly different from that in the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, with many variations, yet in terms of their profundity, they''re equally matched.


    In Miao Luan''s storage bag, there were numerous Spirit Pills, a considerable part of which were used to enhance her own cultivation; their nature was of the Water Attribute, perfectly suitable as a supplement for the Celestial Foundation.


    Due to the fact that in her previously, the Fire Attribute Dao Foundation was the most potent, the Water Element Qi within Chu Zheng''s body was the most suppressed.


    The Dao Foundation had barely condensed, but it was only a pitiful singleyer.


    Now, having switched to a different foundational method, the effect was immediately noticeable; under the nourishment of the Spirit Pills, the initially shaky Water Attribute Dao Foundation stabilized in the blink of an eye.


    A few dayster, the Spirit Pills were quickly consumed, elevating the original oneyer Dao Foundation by twoyers.


    For ordinary cultivators, increasing theyers of a Dao Foundation is an extremely arduous task, especially after the Dao Foundation has been established, where each elevation requires rare spiritual objects.


    Although the Spirit Pills on Miao Luan were precious, they were far from the level of spiritual objects and should not have had such miraculous effects.


    The problemy within Chu Zheng himself, who did not have these limitations. The enhancement of his Dao Foundation did not require much effort, as natural as water flowing into a channel.


    Although the Water Attribute Dao Foundation was now stable,pared to the sixyer high Fire Attribute Dao Foundation, it still seemed quite weak and had ample room for improvement.


    But Chu Zheng had already used up the Water Attribute spiritual objects he had.


    Just at this moment, a fluctuation emanated from the Life Soul in the Dantian, indicating signs of Miao Luan waking up.


    Over these few days, Chu Zheng had mostly healed her injuries; her awakening was expected.


    Chu Zheng slowly ended his cultivation and then promptly knocked Miao Luan unconscious again with a raise of his hand.


    His gaze fell on Miao Luan, and his eyes suddenly flickered with joy.


    Miao Luan practiced the Great Void Scripture, and her Mana inherently carried a strong Water Element Qi which, for the current Chu Zheng, was precisely the right supplement.


    Forcing the absorption of others'' Mana was seen as impossible by ordinary cultivators due to the resistance from the Dao Foundation, making integrationpletely unfeasible.


    Forced integration would result in only one oue: irreparable ws in the Dao Foundation, utterly destroying the Immortal Path.


    However, Chu Zheng had no such concerns. He directly reached out towards Miao Luan, forcibly extracting the Mana from her Dantian.


    Afterward, he operated his Qi-refining Technique, directly refining the Water Element Qi from Miao Luan''s Mana, drawing it into his Dantian.


    This was the most fundamental energy between heaven and earth; all impurities had been stripped away, creating no rejection with the Dao Foundation.


    The previously stagnant Dao Foundation began growing again; just after elevating by oneyer, Miao Luan''s Dantian was already dry.


    Chu Zheng immediately pulled up the panel, repaired her condition, and replenished her Mana.


    Thump¡ª


    Miao Luan''s eyelids trembled lightly, barely about to awaken when she was once again knocked unconscious by Chu Zheng.


    Repeated several times, until the Sixth Layer of the Water Attribute Dao Foundation was established, Chu Zheng finally noticed the existence of a bottleneck.


    The Sixth Layer was the limit; higher levels required even rarer spiritual objects for elevation.


    This clearly corrted with his Fire Attribute Dao Foundation, which also had only sixyers.


    This undoubtedly informed Chu Zheng of good news: the enhancement of the remaining three Celestial Foundations would face little obstruction before reaching the sixth level.


    The moment the Water Attribute Foundation stabilized, Chu Zheng immediately felt a strange change; the Yin Yang Dual Qi nurtured at the center of the five Dao Foundations abruptly grew much stronger.


    Fire and Water, essentially opposing elements within the Five Elements, one Yin and one Yang, now together andplementing each other, caused Chu Zheng''s cultivation to surge fiercely,pletely stabilizing at the Initial Stage of the Dao Entry Realm.


    This phenomenon shed a spark of enlightenment in Chu Zheng''s mind, and he thought of Zhao Tingxian.


    He knew little about Zhao Tingxian, only that he had High Quality Immortal Bone and was endowed with a Fire Spirit Body; by a twist of fate, he entered the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    The nature of the Great Void Scripture being Water, was supposed to counteract Zhao Tingxian''s Fire Spirit Body; logically, he should not have grown so rapidly, yet he had already stepped into the True Immortal Realm.


    Perhaps, Zhao Tingxian had already deciphered the secrets of Yin and Yang, finding the bnce between his body''s nature and the Great Void Scripture, thus entering the Immortal Sect.


    Thinking of this, Chu Zheng was somewhat moved; his numerous ideas were entirely due to the enlightenment from the Qi-refining Technique and the numerous trial-and-error opportunities afforded by the repair panel, which made implementation possible.


    Lacking any of those elements, the five Dao Foundations currently in his Dantian would not exist.


    If he had been in Zhao Tingxian''s situation, with his physical constitution and cultivation technique in conflict, he would most likely have chosen to take a different path.


    This person possesses extraordinary talent, which has nothing to do with the Immortal Bone.


    Choosing the right path is difficult; if it weren''t for theck of an Immortal Bone within him, Chu Zheng might not have chosen the path of a Qi Cultivator.


    His current predicament, where he is caught between two difficulties, isrgely due to the existence of the Qi-refining Technique.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, looking at Miao Luan who was lying unconscious on the ground, with a slight frown between his brows, knowing his future path would be increasingly difficult.


    On the surface, without the persistent pressure from Tai Xu Holy Land, Phantom Spirit Sect wouldn''t have considered taking risky strategies, Song Lingqing wouldn''t have be a discarded pawn, and the Song Family wouldn''t have faced such great disasters.


    Nor would Chu Zheng have entered the Phantom Spirit Sect through Fu Quanliang, nor would he have gotten involved with Taixuan Holy Land due to the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, triggering a series of troubles thereafter.


    But ultimately, after encountering Ling Qi, the series of events were the result of differences in Taoist orthodoxy.


    In this world, practicing the Qi-refining Technique as a cultivator of the Immortal Path meant he was marked for death.


    For heretic cultivators, practicing in this realm is extremely difficult; Tai Xu Holy Land yed the role of merely an instigator.


    Chu Zheng had once thought about changing this world through the Qi-refining Technique, thereby leaving his name renowned through the ages, but as his horizons broadened, his initial idea undoubtedly seemed somewhat ludicrous.


    This present world, in the entirety of the universe, is simply insignificant, and perhaps one day, the entire Cangyun Realm will cease to exist.


    Even if Chu Zheng practiced the Great Circtory Qi Guideline to its utter pinnacle, achieving Refining Spirit Dao Integration, it would still merely be the pinnacle of humanly attainable paths, while Immortals would remain above.


    He knew that his path ahead was fraught with thorns.


    At this thought, Chu Zheng cut through the chaos in his mind, stood up straight, and his expression regained its calmness.


    A path is made by walking; to hesitate or stop due to thorns is merely a wasteful way to spend time, idly passing the years.


    ...


    ...


    When Miao Luan woke up again, only dark mossy cliff faces surrounded her, emitting a stale and rotting smell from not seeing the sun for too long, which was nauseating to smell.


    The cool sensation on her skin made Miao Luan instinctively lower her head, and then her expression slightly changed as she was suddenly taken aback and clenched her teeth:


    "Chu Zheng..."


    Only at this moment did she realize that the words Chu Zheng had previously said were not a joke; he had truly taken her vestment robe as his own.


    The original vestment robe on her body had disappeared without a trace, leaving only her undergarments barely covering her body, revealing her graceful figure and delicate bones underneath.


    Her abdomen was wless. The ferocious wound at the Dantian had healed as if new, without leaving any traces behind, except for the absence of the Life Soul within her body, and a faint sense of unease lurking deep within her soul, there were no other abnormalities.


    Regaining herposure, Miao Luan clenched her fists, her expression somewhat dazed. She was unsure whether to feel joy or anger, experiencing a sense of being a survivor of a catastrophe from another lifetime.


    After a while, she gathered her thoughts, circted her mana, and waved her hand gently towards the mouth of the cave.


    Countless fallen leaves rushed into the cave, crushed by mana, woven into brocade, mixing with the streams pouring out from the void, and in a few moments, they transformed into a long green water-patterned dress.


    It could only cover her body, with no protective effect.


    While manipting her mana, Miao Luan was somewhat surprised to find that her mana had seemingly increased slightly, as if she had undergone several exhaustive heavyweight battles.


    Miao Luan donned the dress, decided not to think further, and slowly walked out of the cave.


    ...


    ...


    Dayster, Miao Luan found a Sect under Tai Xu Holy Land and made contact with Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Only then did she learn that during the time she was missing, several major Holy Lands had once again experienced upheaval.


    On the Hidden Dragon List, Chu Zheng''s ranking had once again leaped forward, crossing over a thousand ces to break into the top five hundred,


    ranking alongside the Pride of other Holy Lands in the early Soul Condensing Realm, with his cultivation in the early Dao Entry Realm.

 Chapter 144 : 112: Song Family Upheaval, Whereabouts

    To be ranked among the top 500 on the Hidden Dragon List, one had to be at least at the Early Soul Condensing Realm.


    These people were generally either the true disciples of major Holy Lands or some highly skilled loose cultivators, meticulously nurtured and honed like precious jades.


    Such individuals usually possessed high-grade Immortal Techniques and secret techniques, capable of defeating enemies from higher realms. Ordinary monks in the Mid-Stage Soul Condensing Realm would be swiftly swept aside by them.


    With Chu Zheng being in the Early Entry Dao Realm, ranking among the top 500 meant that he possessed the strength to defeat enemies from significantly higher realms.


    This was something unprecedented.


    Soul Condensing Realm would already qualify one as a Great Cultivator, with a Divine Soul formed. Their capabilities were notparable to that of an Entry Dao Realm cultivator; moving against the current in such a manner was exceedingly unbelievable.


    No one doubted the fairness of the Hidden Dragon List, which had never made a mistake throughout thousands of years.


    Upon learning this news, Miao Luan was greatly shocked.


    When Chu Zheng struck, she had already fainted and waspletely unaware of what had happened.


    She thought that those Soul Condensing monks had taken on a bounty from Taixuan and hence did not confront Chu Zheng. She never considered it could be due to Chu Zheng''s own strength.


    Such monstrous talent had already caught the attention of the Immortal Alliance.


    Having digested this news, Miao Luan concealed her tracks all the way and quickly returned to the Sect Gate of Tai Xu Holy Land.


    The first thing she did after returning to the Sect Gate was to find her mentor and admit her fault.


    In the somewhat vacant hall, Miao Luan, dressed back in the vestments of a True Disciple, knelt on the ground, her breathing heavy and distinctly audible.


    Sitting cross-legged about two yards in front of her was a figure d in blue, her posture graceful with a veiled face, making her features unclear, her eyes shimmering with a hint of spiritual light.


    The peak of Nine Transformations of Divine Infant, from Tai Xu Holy Land, Yu Ling True Monarch, Zuo Lingzhi.


    Miao Luan felt a surge of nervousness, having lost all her magic treasures, which was no trivial matter.


    A single high-quality magic treasure could exchange for a country. Even ordinary Divine Infant Cultivators typically had only one such treasure with them.


    If not for her exceptional talent and her master''s favoritism, she would not have been entrusted with such treasure.


    "Who was responsible?" Zuo Lingzhi''s voice was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.


    "Disciple is ipetent. Unable to recognize the assant, I was knocked unconscious, and upon waking..."


    Miao Luan dared not lift her head, fearing that her expression might betray even a hint of abnormality.


    "That is indeed strange."


    Zuo Lingzhi''s eyes flickered slightly, "Your person, in Taixuan, is quite valuable. To rob you yet spare your life, is this person friend or foe?"


    The cultivators whomit robbery seldom show mercy. Not only was Miao Luan''s life spared, but even her Yuan Yin remained intact, which was rather peculiar.


    "This... Disciple truly does not know."


    Miao Luan felt bewildered. Her master''s demeanor was far different from what she had anticipated; she had braced herself for punishment before arriving.


    "Regardless, being spared your life is fortunate. I see that your Divine Soul is unstable, likely from the shock. Here is a bottle of Calm Spirit Pill; take it and heal yourself in seclusion."


    Zuo Lingzhi sighed softly, taking out a jade bottle and passing it through the air to Miao Luan.


    "This... Master, I am unworthy of this."


    Miao Luan was somewhat overwhelmed by such favor. Losing a high-quality magic treasure was indeed a significant error, and not being punished was fortunate enough.


    "In recent days, thirteen of our Tai Xu true transmission have perished, so be extra cautious for a while."


    Zuo Lingzhi''s eyes showed a hint of helplessness. Previously, she might have been inclined to me, but now, simply having her student return safely was a relief.


    "Thirteen people..."


    Miao Luan''s heart jolted. Her ordeal was not an isted case; the other true disciples had not been as fortunate as she.


    For a moment, she couldn''t help but feel somewhat fortunate; at least she was still alive.


    "Now, the losses of the Four Great Sacred Lands are significant; they are recalling their true disciples to avoid further cmities."


    Zuo Lingzhi shook her head, observing the current situation. In the first round of conflict with Taixuan, the Four Great Sacred Lands werepletely defeated.


    The true disciples who had fallen from variousnds added up to several dozen, not to mention the many elders who had died protecting these disciples.


    And that chief disciple from Taixuan Holy Land had been extremely active and was even making significant ranking advances on the Hidden Dragon List.


    Thinking this, Zuo Lingzhi casually asked,


    "During your time outside, did you hear any news about that Chu Zheng?"


    Miao Luan was slightly surprised but kept her voice steady, "Not at all."


    "That Chu Zheng has now caught the attention of the Immortal Alliance. Unless something unexpected happens, he should soon be picked by the Alliance, like Zhao Tingxian was before, and go to the Minor Immortal Realm to cultivate."


    Zuo Lingzhi''s gaze turned grave, "This person will indeed be a remarkable individual in the future."


    "Does master hold Chu Zheng in such high regard?"


    Miao Luan couldn''t help but stir inwardly.


    "Whether I regard him highly is no longer relevant. The bounties from the Four Great Sacred Lands couldn''t kill him, and now he is only one step away from transforming into a dragon."


    Given the talent Chu Zheng had shown, stepping into the Soul Condensing Realm before the start of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was a certainty.


    Being in the Early Entry Dao Realm, he could already rival Great Cultivators in the Soul Condensing Realm. Once Chu Zheng entered the Soul Condensing Realm, it seemed unlikely anyone besides Shang Zuling could threaten him.


    After the bounty was issued, everyone in the Tai Xu Holy Land believed Chu Zheng wouldn''t survive. Many Inner Sect Disciples even thought they could easily take Chu Zheng''s life.


    Now, such talk was no longer heard.


    In just a few months, the gap had be unbelievably wide. Chu Zheng''s growth rate was terrifying, truly extraordinary.


    Zuo Lingzhi remained silent for a long time, and the hall fell into quiet.


    After a while, Miao Luan quietly looked up at her mentor, who was lost in thought, and bowed deeply.

 Chapter 145 : 112: Song Family Misfortune, Whereabouts_2

    ```


    "Master, I shall take my leave first."


    Zuo Lingzhi slightly nodded, closing her eyelids.


    Miao Luan stepped out of the great hall at a leisurely pace, her mind slightly rxed, the stronger Chu Zheng was, the safer her Life Soul would be.


    The only thing she worried about now was how she could repay Chu Zheng double for this life in the future.


    Chu Zheng had arge appetite, and was insatiably greedy, definitely not someone easy to satisfy.


    In the past, he did not even want to leave her a vestment robe; from this, one could see his character.


    ...


    ...


    In Giant Marsh Country, on Wild Goose Wing Ind, at the Song Residence.


    In the main hall of the mansion, a few scattered silhouettes stood, Song Tongxuan, Song Tonghai, and the siblings Song Lingfeng and Lingping, all were present.


    At the moment, several people were looking at a young man standing not far away, all with somewhat solemn expressions.


    Clothed in ck, the man appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, very young, but his cultivation was not to be underestimated, having already reached Soul Condensing.


    "This one... how should we address you?" Song Tongxuan''splexion was slightly flushed, seemingly somewhat excited.


    "Song Li."


    The man spoke indifferently, his gaze lingering on the bodies of Song Lingfeng and his sister for a moment, his expression became gentler:


    "We are all closely rted by blood; there is no need to be overly formal."


    "True Immortal noble family... is it a mistake?"


    Song Tonghai spoke with a hesitant tone, starkly different from the reaction of Song Tongxuan next to him.


    ustomed to caution, the sudden arrival of this person led to his first reaction being one of doubt about the truth of his ims.


    He had also heard some details about Ling Qing and Lingxue''s current situations from Chu Zheng and was worried that this person''s intentions were not as simple as seeking kin.


    After all, he had never heard from his parents or elders about the supposed Song Family''s Main Lineage.


    "Tonghai, no need to worry excessively. With the cultivation of this... fellow n Superior Immortal, how could there be a mistake?"


    Song Tongxuan waved his hand, his eyes betraying undeniable excitement:


    "When I was young, I heard father mention that the Song Family had produced an Immortal before. Over the years, I didn''t give it much thought, assuming it was an Immortal Seedling, but to think it is actually a True Immortal!"


    True Immortal Noble Family, what a glorious status.


    He had spent so much effort over the years, just to make connection with a branch sect of Qionglou; however,pared to a True Immortal Noble Family, even the main sect of Qionglou could not hold a candle.


    The difference was self-evident.


    Hearing this, Song Tonghai''s eyes flickered slightly, and he said no more.


    Less said, less mistake; it was better to quietly observe. This Song Li, the current Song Family could not afford to provoke.


    "I will not make a mistake, the blood purity of those two is very high, Ancestral Return has already urred, they are undoubtedly of the Song Family bloodline."


    Song Li pointed towards Song Lingfeng and his sister, and said slowly, "Returning to the n, through the sacred Secret Techniques of our ancestors, their aptitudes can be further improved."


    At these words, both Song Lingfeng and Lingping took a deep breath.


    Further improvement in aptitude determined the ultimate height of one''s path to immortality; no cultivator could remain calm in the face of this.


    At the words, Song Tongxuan''s joy deepened, and he tentatively asked:


    "Then... when can we return to the main lineage?"


    "No rush."


    Song Li gave a slight shake of his head, then took out a piece of silk cloth, on which there was a section of Blood Jade Wall divided into six parts:


    "I am here in the Southern Region for a task. Have you seen anything simr to this Jade Wall in your home? It should be a piece of Remnant Jade."


    "This..."


    Song Tongxuan carefully examined it for a long while, speaking uncertainly, "There seems to be a trace of memory, like I have seen it."


    "Where?"


    Song Li''s eyes narrowed, the tranquility in his demeanor showing a slight ripple.


    Seeing this, Song Tonghai next to him couldn''t help but have a thought; perhaps this person''s true purpose was for this jade and not to seek kin.


    "I can''t quite recall at the moment."


    Song Tongxuan furrowed his brow in deep thought, then after a long pause shook his head and sighed lightly,


    "Over the years, we''ve been disced and lost many things; even if I have seen it, I don''t know if it''s still there now. Is this object very important?"


    "Family Heritage Blood Jade, naturally it is important."


    Song Li frowned slightly, then spoke again:


    "Think about it carefully again; if you can find this piece of Remnant Jade, their status in the Song Family will change considerably, and their path to cultivation will benefit from it, gaining substantial support within the n."


    Just as Song Tongxuan was bing anxious, Lingping, who had been staring at the silk cloth, suddenly spoke,


    "I have seen it in the Mansion''s Treasury."


    ```


    Song Tongxuan''s face brightened slightly, "Is that true?"


    Song Li''s reaction was even more direct, as he asked inly, "Where is the Mansion''s Treasury?"


    "Follow me."


    Song Tongxuan did not dare to dy and immediately turned to lead the way.


    The group soon arrived in front of the Mansion''s Treasury. Song Li circted his mana and took out all the items inside the treasury to examine them one by one.


    After a while, he withdrew his hand, a hint of disappointment in his eyes, "Not here."


    Song Tongxuan also felt a bit downhearted, turning to look at Song Lingping:


    "Lingping, could it be that you remembered wrong?"


    "Impossible."


    Song Lingping shook her head vigorously, "My memory isn''t that poor. The year beforest, when I was looking for spiritual medicine in the Mansion''s Treasury, I saw it. I couldn''t have mistaken it."


    A cultivator would not have such a poor memory.


    "Bring the treasury''s transaction records."


    Song Tongxuan immediately turned back and called for the steward.


    The steward hurried over and presented the detailed ounts of the Mansion''s Treasury.


    The treasuries ofrge noble families all have stringent record-keeping. Each transaction is detailed.


    Furthermore, every year the treasury is tallied by a dedicated person to ensure there is no discrepancy, not even by a single silver coin.


    Song Tongxuan flipped throughst year''s ounts,paring them to the items in the treasury, and soon made a discovery.


    "There is indeed one piece of jade missing that doesn''t match any withdrawal record."


    Upon hearing this, Song Li''s gaze narrowed slightly, "Has anyone outside been in the treasury during this time?"


    "No..."


    Song Tongxuan replied subconsciously, then his expression changed, "Only Chu the Immortal, but he didn''t take anything."


    "A cultivator?"


    Song Li''s gaze instantly grew sharp, "Where is this person now?"


    If it was a cultivator, it was indeed possible that he had noticed the uniqueness of the Blood Jade, since it was the key to opening the Secret Realm, and the jade itself was a Spirit Jade.


    "He left some time ago."


    Song Tongxuan responded and looked towards Song Tonghai, frowning slightly, "Tonghai, did that Chu the Immortal tell you where he was going?"


    "This..."


    Song Tonghai felt a chill in his heart but managed to show a troubled expression:


    "I am not acquainted with this Superior Immortal. We met by chance and journeyed together. However, I believe he would notmit such theft."


    Song Li, clearly not intending to dwell on this matter, looked at Song Tongxuan and spoke inly, "Do you have a portrait of this person?"


    "A portrait..."


    Song Tongxuan''s expression changed and he immediately said, "I will find an artist now!"


    "There''s no need, I have one."


    Song Lingfeng took out a portrait with a slight sigh,


    "This person has already been pursued with a bounty for his crime. It seems he was not of good repute to begin with. Previously, out of consideration for my uncle, I didn''t make it difficult for him and let him go."


    At this moment, he felt a hint of regret. If he had known that Chu Zheng''s rtionship with his uncle was ordinary, he would have gathered some fellow disciples that day to keep the man behind.


    Upon seeing the portrait, Song Li momentarily eximed in shock:


    "Chu Zheng?!"


    He had ess to information channels that were far broader than those of the Song family.


    Recently, Song Xian from the n, while searching for Song n blood rtions in Great Zhou, encountered Chu Zheng from Taixuan Holy Land impeding his progress; this had already spread within the Song family.


    Chu Zheng''s encounter with a bounty and the involvement in the dispute over the Holy Lands were also known to Song Li,


    "Do you know of this man?" Song Lingfeng was somewhat surprised.


    In the past few days, because of the Spirit Pill given by his uncle, he had been in closed-door cultivation, unaware of the outside world''s changes, and still unknowing of Chu Zheng''s true identity.


    "This person is the Chief Disciple of Taixuan Holy Land''s True Transmission."


    After calming down, Song Li''s gaze flickered.


    Again, Taixuan Holy Land...


    It seemed that now, they must ask the n elders to make a trip.


    Chu Zheng, as the Chief Disciple of one of the Holy Lands, was somehow involved with the Song family of the Southern Region, a family not well known.


    Aside from that Secret Realm, Song Li could think of no other motive.


    This man had survived so far despite being bounty-hunted by several Holy Lands together; certainly, he was no benevolent character, and his own strength was far from sufficient.

 Chapter 146: Chapter 113: The New Display of the Martial Dao Divine Ability

    "Is this person a Holy Land True Transmission?"


    Upon hearing Song Li''s words, Song Tongxuan was slightly startled.


    Having dealt with the Immortal Sect for over twenty years, he was very clear about the status of the Holy Land in the Southern Region, which was akin to the sky above the region.


    After recovering from his surprise, Song Tongxuan quickly realized the importance of that piece of Blood Jade.


    An object of great use even to True Immortal noble families was definitely out of the ordinary. The true reason behind Song Li''s sudden visit was probably connected to it.


    "This jade matter is of great significance; I must report back to the n first. Regarding the matter of returning to the main branch, please rest assured and wait for the news,"


    During the conversation, Song Li took out amunication Jade Talisman and handed it to Song Tongxuan:


    "If there is any news about that Chu Zheng, or if assistance is needed, you can directly contact me. From today onward, you and I are family."


    In addition to searching for the Blood Jade on this trip back to the Southern Region, replenishing fresh blood for the n was equally a top priority.


    Song Tongxuan had some doubts in his heart but showed none on his face as he escorted Song Li out of the estate.


    "Big brother, I feel that we should consider this matter more carefully,"


    As soon as Song Li had left, Song Tonghai immediately spoke, pondering for a few moments before slowly stating:


    "If it''s beneficial for the two children''s future, then going there shouldn''t be a problem."


    "I have a n in mind,"


    Song Tongxuan nodded and then said:


    "Since this person was able to find us, it won''t be difficult to locate Lingxue and Ling Qing either. Perhaps you''ll soon have your family reunited."


    "Maybe,"


    Song Tonghai''s mouth twitched slightly as he was very aware of his daughters'' situations.


    With several Holy Lands involved, even a True Immortal noble family might not have a say in front of them.


    After all, the Song n was far in the Eastern Region, beyond the reach of their influence.


    ...


    ...


    In the Southern Region, a myriad of sects stood tall, and the number of mortal kingdoms was vast, like a boundless sea, countless in bothrge and small sizes.


    To the east of Immortal Emerald Continent, over two million li away, there was a kingdom named ''Blue Pearl.''


    In its territory grew a peculiar variety of m, which produced pearls that were as brilliantly blue as the boundless azure sky and incredibly splendid.


    A thousand-year-old m Demon, with its pearls possessing the power to avert water and calm rivers, often attracted cultivators from othernds to hunt for ms and obtain their pearls for refining magic treasures.


    Over time, this ce gradually developed into an Immortal Marketce.


    The scorching sun hung at its zenith, shedding its zing brilliance, causing the jade tiles at the end of the street to glow with a dazzling golden light.


    At noon, the streets were bustling with people, mostly cultivators, with a few mortals in sight.


    These mortals were clearly of extraordinary status, each apanied closely by cultivator bodyguards.


    Immortal Bone Heavenly Grant, when cultivators have children, there''s also a certain chance they will be mortals, enjoying no more than a hundred years of glory, with each passing day another day less of life.


    The sight of white-haired people sending off the ck-haired is all toomon in the Cangyun Realm.


    Therefore, aside from cultivator families, the lineage of Loose Cultivators is often sparse, and once they have progeny with Immortal Bone blood descending into the world, they usually opt not to continue proliferating offspring.


    The pain of personally saying farewell to one''s flesh and blood is a heavy blow even for cultivators seasoned by the storms of life.


    Chu Zheng, having altered his appearance, assumed the form of a young cultivator in his early twenties and strolled through the marketce.


    As he looked at the array of shops teeming with a variety of goods and heard the hustle and bustle around him, his mood inexplicably improved, and the Yuan Qi within him grew more vibrant.


    His experiences up to now were but a speck in the vastness of the world.


    Although his cultivation had risen sharply these days, the change in his mind cultivation was rtively slow.


    Without the ordeal of real-world experiences, secluded cultivation, after all, can hardly reach the pinnacle of cultivation.


    Chu Zheng slowed down his pace, walking leisurely, and after a while, he stopped in front of a small stall.


    The stall owner was a middle-aged cultivator with slightly dark skin and Mid Spirit Spring Realm cultivation, coarser-looking than the average cultivationmunity.


    "Fellow Daoist, take a look, there might be something suitable for you,"


    Seeing Chu Zheng looking over, the stall owner immediately smiled, disying the many treasures on his stall.


    A few magic artifacts, several low-level Demon Cores, some jewelry made from m Pearls, and various scattered blue m Pearls.


    A ne strung with blue pearls was very pretty; the m Pearls had aged, giving off Spiritual Energy and could be considered a magic artifact.


    After a brief hesitation, Chu Zheng purchased two of them, thinking of giving them as giftster on.


    Along the way, Chu Zheng bought many misceneous items. The level of this marketce wasn''t high, and items beneficial to his current level of cultivation were rare.


    In the Entry Dao Realm, one would already be at the level of an Elder within arge sect, and could even establish their own faction outside.


    In the entire marketce, those with higher cultivation than Chu Zheng could be counted on one''s fingers, and none could surpass him in actualbat strength.


    After a while, Chu Zheng traversed most of the marketce and stopped in front of a five-story pavilion.


    "Locking Immortal Pavilion..."


    Looking at the inscription above, Chu Zheng''s forehead creased slightly. He had heard of this power; it spanned hundreds of nations.


    Legend had it that a Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortal presided over it, engaging in nothing but underhanded businesses.


    Chu Zheng held no disdain for Dual Cultivation; the path of Yin and Yang Dual Cultivation was also a legitimate cultivation route. However, Locking Immortal Pavilion was only concerned with one-sided exploitation, which went against the harmony of heaven.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng once again activated the Heavenly Divination Technique to sense the aura of the Martial Path Remnant Wall.


    After some time, he confirmed that indeed, a fragment of the Martial Barrier was inside.


    Hearing the sounds of mirth andughter from within the pavilion, Chu Zheng found a corner and cast the Invisibility Technique, walking straight in.


    Entering Locking Immortal Pavilion required paying with Spirit Stones, and each stone should be treasured for its hard-earned value; it was best to save where one could.


    Stepping inside, the scenery dramatically shifted. Chu Zheng nced around, unmoved, merely feeling that the varietypared to his former life was still somewhatcking.

 Chapter 147: Chapter 113: New Display of Martial Dao Divine Ability_2

    Chu Zheng followed his senses through doors and halls, quickly entering a narrow courtyard.


    Inside the courtyard stood a three-zhang-tall ancient tree, lush and verdant with its canopy like a shade, castingrge mottled shadows.


    Beneath the tree, there was a stone table and stone benches. Next to one of the benches, a ck stone was casually ced, half-buried in the soil, with footprints faintly visible on it, obviously used as a footrest.


    Chu Zheng crouched down, dug out the stone barrier, and slowly wiped the dust off of it.


    [Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order/Iplete): A Martial God''s lifelong enlightenment, shattered into six pieces, you have already obtained over half, repairable (0/1500)]


    Chu Zheng explored the patterns above, and suddenly his eyes brightened¡ªa Divine Skill was on top of the broken barrier, almost entirely intact, missing only a corner.


    [ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique (Sixth Order/Iplete): A Martial Dao Divine Ability, consumes demon beast''s flesh and blood, umtes Blood Fiend for body refinement, reaching great achievement allows one to capture dragons single-handedly, repairable (0/100)]


    As Chu Zheng recorded the Divine Skill, the panel immediately provided a prompt.


    It was quite simr to the Method of Qi Absorption among Qi-refining Techniques, the only difference being the need for demon beast''s flesh and blood.


    Martial Dao Divine Abilities generally focus on ughtering and refining the physical body, almost the opposite of Immortal Path cultivation.


    Including Xuan Tian Scripture, during cultivation, one would yearn for battle frenzy, eager to fight enemies and show off one''s abilities.


    Even those with a timid and weak nature would gain an added fierceness from cultivating the Martial Dao.


    From the perspective of a Qi Cultivator, this was a sign of rising Yang Qi, already affecting one''s temperament.


    If disregarding Magic Artifacts and other external objects, a Martial Cultivator who cultivates Xuan Tian Scripture tends to be stronger than an Immortal Path Cultivator who practices the Immortal Ascension Method, under the same realm.


    The paths of their cultivation are different.


    Regaining hisposure, Chu Zheng stored the barrier and was about to leave when he faintly heard cries from within the courtyard.


    The aura inside was quite chaotic; Chu Zheng concentrated and sensed for a moment, and his brow suddenly twitched.


    He walked slowly forward and pushed open the inner courtyard door.


    The room inside was spacious, scattered with more than ten iron cages, each only three to four feet wide and high; even a semi-grown youth could only crouch curled up inside.


    The people imprisoned in the cages were both male and female, of various ages; the oldest being over twenty and the youngest around twelve or thirteen.


    Above each cage hung a paper tag detailing some information about these people, along with a price.


    Some of them obviously possessed not weak cultivation levels, their Dantians had been opened, nurturing Spiritual Springs, but now their mana was restricted, and their expressions were visibly wilted.


    Two Spirit Spring Realm cultivators guarded the room; hearing the door, they turned their heads, only to see emptiness, which filled them with confusion.


    Chu Zheng passed by the cages, his fingertips brushing over each cage, and his mind quickly received a series of prompts from the panel.


    [He Zhaoxing (First Order): Middle Quality Immortal Bone, former Inner Sect Disciple of Moon Shadow Lodge, captured after the sect''s destruction, cultivation locked, repairable.]


    ...


    [Feng Wenfu (First Order): Middle Quality Immortal Bone, former true disciple of Green Islet Valley, sect destroyed in internal strife,ter sold by fellow disciples into the Locking Immortal Pavilion, cultivation locked, repairable.]


    ...


    [Yan Xue (Zeroth Order): Lower Quality Immortal Bone, Loose Cultivator, sold into Locking Immortal Pavilion after being plundered, cultivation locked, repairable.]


    Most of these imprisoned youths had some backgrounds,


    Momentster, Chu Zheng stopped in front of one of the cages.


    [Zhang Shiyi (Second Order): Middle Quality Immortal Bone, Outer Sect Elder of the Golden Cauldron Sect, captured severely wounded during a main sect battle,ter sold into Locking Immortal Pavilion, cultivation locked, repairable.]


    Chu Zheng entered because of this person.


    This person''s body had an astonishing concentration of Gold Element Qi, and the Cultivation Technique he practiced was of not a low grade and belonged to the Gold Element series, which was greatly useful to him.


    With a n in mind, Chu Zheng immediately knocked out the two guarding cultivators and revealed his form.


    The sudden change instantly awakened everyone in the cages. No one made a sound; they leaned against the edges of their cages, eyes wide with hope, watching Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze flickered as he looked at Zhang Shiyi not far away and got straight to the point,


    "Daoist Zhang, hand over the Cultivation Technique you practiced to me, and I will help you escape. How about it?"


    The sudden turn of events momentarily stunned Zhang Shiyi. Aftering to his senses, he said with a bitter expression,


    "The sect is no longer, it''s just a Cultivation Technique; take it if you want, but as for escaping..."


    As he spoke, Zhang Shiyi shook his head,


    "All of us have been branded by the Locking Immortal Pavilion, even if we escape now, we will still be caught and sent back, it''s merely a waste of effort."


    As his voice faded, he directly recited the mantra of the cultivation technique.


    A momentter, a prompt emerged from the panel.


    [Golden Cauldron Mantra (Fifth Order): The sect-defending secret scripture of the Golden Cauldron Sect, capable of cultivating to the Tongxuan level.]


    "I hope Daoist friend can find someone to pass down the technique, so my Golden Cauldron Sect will have sessors and not sever the lineage," he said.


    Regarding his escape, Zhang Shiyi clearly harbored little hope and appeared somewhat disheartened.


    Chu Zheng remained silent for a moment before turning around and leaving.


    The young boys and girls locked in the cage all had dim eyes and curled back up, not uttering a word.


    The hope that had just arisen was crushed once again, which was indeed difficult to bear.


    ...


    ...


    A few stepster, Chu Zheng had already reached the exterior of the Locking Immortal Pavilion.


    He casually tossed down two spirit stones, entered the gate, and found the manager of this Locking Immortal Pavilion.


    Everyone in the Locking Immortal Pavilion had a price, merely differing in amount.


    After some haggling, Chu Zheng spent three thousand high-quality spirit stones to buy Zhang Shiyi and the others.


    This price was naturally somewhat inted, but Chu Zheng did not hesitate.


    Some things, if he deemed them worth it, then they were worth it.


    Moreover, this price was still influenced by the fact that these people had no powerful backing, and theycked Immortal Bone of high quality; otherwise, the price could have been ten times higher, and they still could not have taken them away.


    The variables with high-quality Immortal Bone are too many, having hopes of reaching Tongxuan, even the Locking Immortal Pavilion could scarcely control it.


    And for middle-quality Immortal Bone, even with many adventures and special physiques, the highest they could reach was the first or second transformation of Divine Infant. In front of an enormous entity like the Locking Immortal Pavilion, they were not a threat at all.


    Even if one disdained the Locking Immortal Pavilion, its threat could not be ignored, and Chu Zheng had no intention of making enemies, especially when saving everyone thoroughly.


    Saving them directly now could indeed ensure their safety temporarily, but Chu Zheng could not protect them forever.


    Eventually, if they were captured by the Locking Immortal Pavilion again, only more terrible fates would await them.


    Since he was going to act, he wouldn''t leave any loose ends; a swift decision was best to resolve the matterpletely.


    Chu Zheng now had enough formidable enemies, and there was no need to add the Locking Immortal Pavilion to the list. After all, this ce was merely a business venue.


    Zhang Shiyi and the others had not been captured by the Locking Immortal Pavilion either.


    Not until he walked out of the great doors of the Locking Immortal Pavilion did Zhang Shiyi''s expression still seem dazed.


    He turned his head to look back at the Locking Immortal Pavilion, his eyes still filled with disbelief.


    Originally, his fate was to be harvested day and night by a group of female cultivators until death, his bone marrow extracted. Now, however, he had a chance for a new life.


    From ancient times to the present, few people had walked out of the Locking Immortal Pavilion, and those willing to spend arge amount of spirit stones for redemption were even fewer.


    "This Daoist friend..."


    Zhang Shiyi''s voice trembled slightly, suppressing his inner excitement, hesitating to speak: "May I ask how many spirit stones were spent for our redemption? I shall repay the amount in the future."


    "I merely bought a cultivation technique. There is no connection between you and me, and these people were just incidental. There will be no further association in the future, let us part here," he replied.


    Chu Zheng shook his head, clearly distancing himself, and disappeared at the end of the long street after a few steps.


    The more entanglements one has, the more troubles one has. Chu Zheng already had enough troubles of his own to attend to.


    ...


    ...


    Taixuan Holy Land.


    A pathway opened from the void, and several figures slowly emerged.


    Each person wore a jade pendant at their waist, inscribed with the character ''Song'' in a bold and flowing script, seemingly imbued with immortal majesty, extremely eye-catching.


    The leader, nearly fifty years old, tall with a purple dragon robe and a golden silk jade belt, his temples slightly gray and his expression solemn, radiated an aura of authority without anger.


    Surveying the continuous volcanoes in the distance, he spoke in a deep voice:


    "Is this ce Taixuan?" he asked.

 Chapter 148: Chapter 114: The Five Elements Converge, The Flawed Spiritual Root

    Over the deste mountain range, crimson clouds tumbled in the sky, resembling eternal Flood Dragons intertwining and lying across the nine heavens.


    Everywhere, one could see fiery magma flowing slowly, sending up waves of golden mes.


    The mountain and river veins spread like Divine Birds spreading their wings, and invisible Formation Patterns sealed the void, covering hundreds of thousands of miles.


    The man in purple robes leading the group stepped forward slowly, his hair fluttering in the breeze, radiating the aura of the Tongxuan Secret Realm unmistakably. He slowly raised his hand and sent out a beam of Spiritual Light, triggering the grand formation surrounding the Taixuan Holy Land.


    In the blink of an eye, two Great Mysterious Elders appeared before the group, both dressed in red robes and appearing to be over sixty years of age.


    Both had attained the pinnacle of the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant, only a step away from the Tongxuan Secret Realm.


    Sensing the fluctuations in the aura of the man in purple, one of the Elders narrowed his eyes and demanded in a stern voice,


    "Who goes there?"


    "Eastern Territory Song n, Song Shengming, here to pay respects to the Taixuan Holy Master," said the man in purple.


    No sooner had he spoken than a fiery red stairway emerged from the depths of the Holy Land, bridging the distance and reaching across the sky.


    Song Shengming''s eyes shifted slightly as he stepped forward, ready to ascend the stairway. His followers tried to keep up but were held back by an invisible barrier, its meaning clear without words.


    "Wait here for me," he said offhandedly.


    Just as Song Shengming was about to leave, an urgent message suddenly came from behind:


    "Third Elder, within Taixuan Holy Land lies someone of our Song n bloodline, with a purity of blood that rivals our direct lineage!"


    "What?!"


    His face changing slightly, Song Shengming knew it wasmon for people with Song n bloodline to enter Taixuan, given its ubiquity.


    But the timing was too coincidental¡ªif Taixuan Holy Land truly had designs on the ancestralnds of the Song Family, this person would be the most dangerous unknown factor.


    He no longer hesitated, ascended the stairway, and in the blink of an eye, his figure disappeared along with the stairway.


    ...


    ...


    A momentter, the stairway had carried Song Shengming across more than a hundred thousand miles, bringing him to the belly of a volcano.


    Heat waves surged, and not far away, the intense magma tumbled, asionally emitting a dragon-like roar. The flickering firelight illuminated heaven and earth.


    Song Shengming surveyed his surroundings, his eyes reflecting a trace of gravity. To transport someone over a hundred thousand miles in an instant¡ªsuch skill was beyond his reach.


    After a while, a figure slowly emerged from the magmake sea.


    d in gray robes, bent with age, he walked slowly and with difficulty, and his cheeks were covered with dragon scales that gradually faded away.


    "Forgive my dy," Geng Yiyang spoke slowly, exhaling a breath of Divine Fire that extended several yards before it gradually dissipated.


    "The Holy Master is too kind. It was I who arrived without notice, and I hope you will overlook my intrusion," Song Shengming said, stepping forward without bowing and sped his hands:


    "I am Song Shengming of the Eastern Territory Song n. I havee to see the Taixuan Holy Master."


    "Spare the formalities. Tell me why you''re here," Geng Yiyang coughed softly, seating himself on a volcanic rock, looking extremely frail, as if death was but a step away.


    "Lately, our n intends to retrieve some kin from the Southern Region, along with our family treasure. During this time, there seems to have been some misunderstanding between Chu Zheng, a disciple of your Holy Land, and our Song n." Song Shengming spoke gravely, "Is Taixuan Holy Land aware of this matter?"


    At that, Geng Yiyang''s gaze flickered. Merely from these two sentences, he understood that this youngster had once again stirred considerable trouble.


    After a moment of silence, instead of answering Song Shengming''s question, he changed the subject, "No need for beating around the bush. State your purpose directly."


    "Although the Song n is not as it once was, our family treasure must not remain lost," Song Shengming replied forthrightly, his expression serious, "I would like to ask Chu Zheng to return our family treasure."


    "The issue, I presume, is but a misunderstanding between Chu Zheng and our Song n and should be irrelevant to Taixuan Holy Land. I hope the Holy Master will judge fairly."


    "And if it is not returned?" a trace of amusement flickered in Geng Yiyang''s eyes.


    Hearing this, Song Shengming''s heart sank; this was what he had feared the most.


    Taixuan Holy Land might truly be interested in the ancestralnds of the Song Family.


    After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and said slowly,


    "Even in decline, the Song n remains a True Immortal Noble Family, and you, Holy Master, are more aware of Taixuan''s current predicament than I am. Why make an enemy?"


    "True Immortal Noble Family?" Geng Yiyang nced at Song Shengming and let out an ambiguous chuckle:


    "Heh..."


    Observing Geng Yiyang''s strange expression, Song Shengming''s brows furrowed slightly, "If the Holy Master has something to say, please speak inly."


    "Making enemies? A ''True Immortal'' noble family that maintains face with only an Iplete Immortal Treasure dares to make such bold statements?"


    Geng Yiyang emphasized the words "True Immortal," his smile growing more yful:


    "Even if I had been unaware of this matter, if Chu Zheng truly desired your Song n''s so-called family treasure, then Taixuan would help him obtain it."


    "Presently, he is the Chief Disciple of Taixuan Holy Land and the Taixuan Holy Son as well. His actions are the stance of Taixuan Holy Land."


    Song Shengming watched Geng Yiyang, his expression shing, speechless for a long time; he hadn''t expected Taixuan Holy Land to be so blunt.


    The importance of Chu Zheng to Taixuan must be far greater than he had imagined.


    After a while, he spoke softly, "If that''s so, let''s discuss this matter further another time."


    Without the Song n bloodline, even with aplete Blood Jade, it would be impossible to unlock the Secret Realm. The initiative ultimatelyy with the Song n; there was no need to rush into conflict.


    "There''s no need for further discussion," Geng Yiyang said, and then slowly closed his eyes:


    "If there''s nothing else, Holy Master will take no further notice."


    "There is one more matter. The Song n is returning to the Southern Region, seeking to retrieve kin of our bloodline," Song Shengming added.

 Chapter 149: Chapter 114: The Five Elements Converge, The Flawed Spiritual Root_2

    Song Shengming spoke again, his gaze firmly fixed on Geng Yiyang''s tree-like face, carefully observing his changes in expression:


    "To my knowledge, there is currently a member of the Song n within Taixuan, and I hope the Holy Master will do me the favor of letting them leave with me, to acknowledge their ancestors and return to the n."


    This statement was also a test; he wanted to know whether this Geng Yiyang was truly unaware of the Song n''s bloodline being able to unlock the secret realm or if he was feigning ignorance.


    "Oh?"


    Geng Yiyang opened his eyes, and a sudden brilliance spilled forth from his murky ones:


    "That person is of the Song Family bloodline?"


    At that moment, Geng Yiyang was truly surprised. In the small world of Great Zhou, many outstanding individuals had indeed emerged over the years.


    Heretic Path geniuses, those with a Fire Spirit Body, descendants of True Immortal noble families, and monsters like Chu Zheng.


    Coming back to his senses, he couldn''t help but chuckle lightly, "I would like to hand over this person to you, but I''m afraid you wouldn''t dare ept."


    "Please speak clearly, Holy Master." Song Shengming''s brows furrowed slightly.


    "The recent disturbance in the Heavenly Dao, and the decree from the Immortal Alliance, was to find this heretic cultivator. He''s the one."


    Geng Yiyang rolled up his sleeve, revealing his bony, skinny arm, and chuckled, "Is the Song n intending to defy the Immortal Alliance and protect a heretic cultivator?"


    A killing intent spread through the void, and the next sentence could determine Song Shengming''s life or death.


    "This..."


    Song Shengming''s face changed dramatically, and he waved his hands in quick session, "Absolutely not!"


    Defying the Immortal Alliance meant death even for a True Immortal, let alone the now declining Song n.


    Song Shengming unconsciously clenched his fist, cold sweat seeped from his back. He bowed and, without another word, turned and left.


    After a few steps, he returned to the front of the grand formation.


    Seeing Song Shengming emerge, several cultivators of the Song n gathered around, silent, waiting for him to speak.


    "For now, leave Chu Zheng be. Deploy all of the n''s elite forces to find the other fragments as soon as possible."


    Calming the fluctuations in his emotions, Song Shengming whispered:


    "Taixuan Holy Land should be unaware of the secret realm, so there''s no need to panic. Once the fragments are collected, I will visit the other Holy Lands, join forces to pressure Taixuan, and have Chu Zheng personally deal with this matter."


    If Chu Zheng truly knew about that secret realm, they could simply share some resources with him; how greedy could a cultivator in the Entry Dao Realm be?


    As long as Taixuan Holy Land had no interest in it, there was still room for maneuver.


    Thinking thus, Song Shengming looked back at Taixuan Holy Land, his eyesplex. He had not expected a heretic prodigy to emerge from his own Song Family.


    It was a pity, such heretic blooms outshone even those with Superior Immortal Bone and were exceedingly rare; this should have been a stroke of great fortune.


    If the True Immortal of the n were still around, he would have definitely been able to find a way out for him in the world beyond, and under the dome of stars, he would have written a new chapter for the Song n''s bloodline. But now...


    How fate ys with us.


    ...


    ...


    Night descended, moonlight fell, and the world was draped in ayer of silver gauze.


    Under the starlit sky, a majestic Spirit Peak stood in the midst of the vast Great Desert, its summit enshrouded in clouds and mist, gathering the radiance of the stars to illuminate the night for miles around.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged at the peak, all the pores on his body open, absorbing the starlight, refining his physique.


    The Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique, his pace in cultivating was only normal. Compared to the speed at which he increased his mana and cultivated qi refining, it was even slower.


    In the realm of body refinement, Chu Zheng had little natural talent; he was not one born with exceptional root bone and could only progress step by step.


    The ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique he had already begun to practice, any method that could increase his strength, he would not miss out on.


    The only pity was that in the Southern Region, where sects stood in great numbers, magical beasts that grew in the wild were umon, making it difficult to find resources to supplement his strength.


    Approaching midnight, Chu Zheng slowly ceased cultivating and took out two magic treasures, cing them in front of him. He activated the Method of Qi Absorption and slowly drew out the Gold Element Qi contained within.


    Finding Gold Element spiritual objects was not an easy task, and Chu Zheng could only resort to this method to supplement his Gold Element Dao Foundation.


    After their essence had been drained, these magic treasures would instantly turn to ash, not even the repair panel could reverse their fate, undeniably a great loss.


    This was different from mere damage; to be more precise, these treasures hadn''t disappeared but had be a part of him.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes were tightly closed as he concentrated and operated the Golden Cauldron Mantra, constructing the Celestial Foundation within his body. In his Dantian, nourished by the Gold Element Qi, his Dao Foundation began to ascend gradually.


    At the break of dawn, his Gold Element Dao Foundation reached the sixthyer, hitting a bottleneck. His mana surged once more, and he was not far from reaching the Mid Entry Dao Realm.


    After reaching the sixthyer of the Gold Element Dao Foundation, Chu Zheng did not cease his efforts, taking out a bottle of Spirit Pills instead. Abundant Wood Element Qi poured into his body instantly.


    Subsequently, a jade token appeared in Chu Zheng''s palm, and streams of information entered his mind.


    [Ancient Pine True Technique (Sixth Order/Iplete): The Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of the Ancient Pine Sect, after the destruction of the sect, it was sold along with some of the Ancient Pine cultivators to the Locking Immortal Pavilion. You have only mastered the first three levels, restoration required (0/3000).]


    This cultivation technique was also obtained from the Locking Immortal Pavilion.


    After purchasing Zhang Shiyi and others, Chu Zheng visited several more Locking Immortal Pavilions, searching for disciples of major sects of the past, hoping to find a few more cultivation techniques to construct his own Celestial Foundation.


    After a few interactions, he learned that the Locking Immortal Pavilion''s business was far from limited to flesh trade; they dabbled in cultivation techniques, elixirs, magic treasures, and divine weapons, though they were not very well known and their prices were marked up significantly.


    As for the price, Chu Zheng was not too concerned, using spirit stones as necessary. To save some spirit stones, he only purchased the first three levels of the technique. As long as it included the method for constructing a Celestial Foundation, it was sufficient for his current stage.


    Besides the Ancient Pine True Technique, Chu Zheng also purchased another cultivation technique with a bias towards the Earth Element, named the Earth Spirit Technique, also of the Sixth Order, and it included a side branch of Divine Skills such as Spirit Seeking and Meridian Stabilizing.


    With this, he possessed aplete set of Five Element cultivation techniques. Although their grades varied, he finally had methods for foundation construction.


    As he encountered more cultivation techniques, Chu Zheng developed a new doubt: Immortal Bones do not differentiate in properties, but the constitutions of people do differ among the Five Elements, which is why cultivation techniques gradually became diverse.


    Constitutions like the Fire Spirit Body, within the Immortal Path, do not seem to have a special standard for assessment.


    In Chu Zheng''s view, even if having the same Fire Spirit Body, different individuals should have varying affinities towards the Fire Attribute, it could not bepletely identical.


    Just like those with Lower Quality Immortal Bones, some cultivators'' ultimate achievements far surpass the average limit of the Lower Quality Immortal Bone, there will always be some exceptional cases.


    The concept of the Immortal Bone Heavenly Grant always seemed somewhat wed to Chu Zheng, just like with Song Lingqing; before she had appeared, no one expected that she was a descendant of a True Immortal Noble Family.


    Now, those cultivators born in ordinary families yet possessing Immortal Bones, perhaps had ancestors who had been cultivators. Over time, the transmission of information within the ns broke down, leading them to fall into the mundane world.


    In a certain generation, their bloodline reawakened, and they underwent Ancestral Return, giving rise to Immortal Bones, which seemed like a much more likely possibility.


    Rather than being innate, it was more akin to a hereditary bloodline.


    The Immortal Path, perhaps, is not limited to just the Immortal Bone as the sole path; there might be another path of cultivation.


    Utilizing these two techniques, along with the Spirit Pills he had collected before, Chu Zheng smoothened the process of Dao Foundation advancement.


    After staying at the summit of the Spirit Peak for a full half month, when thest Earth Element Celestial Foundation reached the sixthyer, Chu Zheng''s Dantian suddenly trembled, and the bottleneck shattered. His cultivation naturally progressed further, reaching the Mid Entry Dao Realm.


    By now, his Immortal Path Cultivation was on par with his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation.


    Before Chu Zheng could gather his senses, the mana formed from the bnce of the Five Elements surged to the back of his head, causing a slight change in his body.


    At the location of his Immortal Bone, towards the back of his head, a tender bud started to sprout.


    The prompt from the panel rang out instantly.


    [wed Spiritual Root: A spiritual root condensed from the Five Elements Qi, capable of absorbing Five Element Spiritual Energy into the body. Due to ws in the Celestial Foundation, it is iplete but can be restored.]

 Chapter 150: Chapter 115: Superior Immortal Bone, Top Rank Capturing Dragon

    ```


    wed Spiritual Root?


    Chu Zheng''s heart stirred, and without hesitation, he immediately chose to repair.


    Crack¡ª


    Behind his head, a searing heat suddenly red up, the newly grown bone buds rapidly expanded, creating an opening and revealing what had been a tightly sealed part of his iput.


    A surge of extremely overwhelming Spiritual Energy rushed in instantly, taking the ce of the medicative power of the Five Elements Shaping Pill and began to nourish the five Dao Foundations.


    In a moment, Chu Zheng involuntarily straightened his body, stretched his limbs, and exhaled deeply, as if shedding ayer of shackles, feeling immensely liberated.


    He quickly noticed the odd changes happening within his body.


    Initially, when he practiced Immortal Law, he had to forcibly pull Spiritual Energy into his body to cultivate.


    After refining the Fire Seed, Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed on the Immortal Path greatly elerated; the Fire Seed reced the Immortal Bone and became his medium to connect with the heavens and the earth.


    Now, when this opening appeared at the back of his head, his cultivation speed on the Immortal Path once again underwent a startling change, increasing more than tenfold.


    The efficiency of converting Spiritual Energy had improved manifold, and the speed of mana recovery had increased dramatically.


    When two cultivators sh, if their cultivation levels are close, unless the battle is decided in a sh, the gap caused by the Immortal Bone will widen indefinitely over time.


    The speed at which Lower Quality Immortal Bone recovers mana is more than tens of times slower than that of a High Quality Immortal Bone, and a Superior Quality one is hundreds of times faster.


    For Chu Zheng, what''s more important is that now, without the need for the medium of the Divine Fire''s Fire Seed, he could still practice cultivation.


    The panel conveyed another change, Chu Zheng slowly ceased his practice and pulled up the panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Mid-Stage Jade Bone Realm, Immortal Path: Mid Entry Dao Realm]


    [Root Bone: Five Elements Celestial Foundation (Superior Quality)]


    [Cultivation Technique: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Void Scripture (Eighth Order/Iplete), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Iplete), Ancient Pine True Technique (Sixth Order/Iplete), Earth Spirit Technique (Sixth Order/Iplete), Golden Cauldron Mantra (Fifth Order), Heavenly Star Body Refining Technique (Fifth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique (Sixth Order), Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist (Second Order), Heavenly Divination Technique (Second Order), Object Control (Second Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (Second Order), Invisibility Technique (Second Order)...]


    [Repair Master: Third Order (1000/1000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 5]


    [Currently Repairable: Later Chapters of Great Circtory Qi Guideline (730/2000), Ancient Pine True Technique (0/3000), Earth Spirit Technique (0/3000)...]


    The experience points for a Third Order Repair Master had long been filled, just like before when Chu Zheng was still at the Spirit Transformation Realm, restricted by his own cultivation levels.


    He would have to wait until he cast a Dao Embryo or achieved Soul Condensing before he had a chance to reach the Fourth Order.


    Looking at the panel before him, Chu Zheng''s gaze lingered on the newly added Root Bone category, his breathing slightly tense.


    Superior Immortal Bone!


    The additional piece of bone at the back of his head confirmed one of Chu Zheng''s earlier conjectures.


    Immortal Bone... can be cultivated acquiredly.


    All along, the information he received had put the cart before the horse.


    It was not because of the Immortal Bone that there were cultivators, but rather, it was the cultivators who brought about the existence of Immortal Bone.


    Just as the first person to practice Immortal Path wasn''t naturally capable of drawing in Spiritual Energy into their body, but instead came to understand cultivationter.


    A path is ultimately carved out by people themselves.


    No matter which cultivation path one takes, whether it''s pursuing immortality or striving for power that covers the ster rivers, the ultimate goal is to seek the evolutionary leap in one''s own life level, different paths leading to the same destination.


    The Immortal Bone path is merely a trail left by someone who has walked it before, and that''s why there were followers.


    With a readily avable path, expending a significant amount of effort to explore a new path bes meaningless, and as time goes on, in this world, Immortal Bone has be the stepping stone to the Immortal Path.


    Without the existence of the repair panel, as Chu Zheng''s cultivation level soared, the Immortal Bone at the back of his head would also have grown topletion gradually.


    The panel simply expedited this result.


    The first person who possessed an Immortal Bone must have gone through a lengthy evolution to reach today''s rudimentary form.


    Chu Zheng looked up at the sky, where the stars shone brilliantly against the thick night.


    He stepped forth, rising high into the ninth heaven, thunder rippling from his palm, Five Elements transforming into Yin and Yang, once again attempting to borrow the power of heaven and earth.


    Boom¡ª


    In an instant, dark clouds gathered, and lightning swirled like a flood dragon.


    The blinding lightning burst forth from Chu Zheng''s palm, brilliantly tearing through the thousand miles of sky.


    This time, heaven and earth did not refuse him, lending him a vast amount of Spiritual Energy, which was transformed through the Five Elements Celestial Foundation into world-ending lightning.


    Before Chu Zheng could rejoice, his Spiritual Perception suddenly sent out a warning, the Tribtion Qi around his body skyrocketed, swirling violently.


    In that moment, a chill went down his spine, as if a harbinger of death was imminent.


    In haste, he was unable to locate the source of the crisis, but unwilling to doubt his intuition, he immediately opened a spatial channel and entered the Small World.


    A few moments after the spatial channel closed, the heavens churned with thunderclouds, opening a pair of giant eyes dusty from travel, scanning in all directions.


    After a while, the dark clouds above slowly dissipated, leaving no trace.


    ...


    ...


    Out of caution, Chu Zheng spent several days in the Small World before tentatively opening the channel and returning to the Cangyun Realm.


    The outside world showed no abnormalities, as if the earlier warning of Tribtion Qi was merely an illusion.


    Clouds of doubt filled Chu Zheng''s mind, but he couldn''t find any clues for the time being.


    Reflecting on his actions, he couldn''t help but wonder if it was his borrowing of the power of heaven and earth that had triggered some terrifying event.


    ```

 Chapter 151: Chapter 115: Superior Immortal Bone, Dominating the Rankings, Capturing Dragon_2

    Struggling to find any clues, Chu Zheng could only temporarily put them to the back of his mind, sensing the Five Elements Immortal Bone at the back of his head, a trace of a smile appeared on his lips.


    With this Immortal Bone, his situation was about to undergo an earth-shattering reversal, and the identity of a Qi Cultivator was given an almost perfect shell.


    Five Elements into Yin and Yang, Chu Zheng''s current mana was of an extraordinarily high quality, far exceeding that of cultivators in the Entry Dao Realm and was on par with Soul Condensing Monks.


    If before, in the face of a Soul Condensing Realm Cultivator, he still needed to rely on heavenly might, now there was no longer any need for that.


    Now that he had the Immortal Bone, Chu Zheng had a way out, at this moment he truly could walk under the sun and no longer needed to hide his presence and conceal his shape like before.


    By this moment, he finally had some means to protect himself.


    ...


    ...


    In the eastern part of the Southern Region, there was a cultivation kingdom, with middle to high-quality Spirit Veins spread throughout its underground, jointly controlled by threerge Immortal Sects.


    Behind these great sects stood the Heavenly Throne Holy Land, one of the Five Great Holy Lands; each year, seventy percent of the city''s taxes were submitted to Heavenly Throne, and the remaining thirty percent was equally divided among the three great sects.


    The Immortal Marketce was bustling and vibrant, extremely splendid and prosperous.


    In a tavern, over ten young cultivators were gathered in an elegant room chatting idly, most of them of exceptional status, and a few donned the garb of Holy Land disciples, exuding an indescribable noble air.


    A young man in blue sat in the ce of honor, his well-defined fingers fidgeting with a Jade Cup, his expression indifferent, not involving himself in the conversations around him.


    "These days, that Chu Zheng seems to have be much quieter, no news of him, probably out of fear of the great Holy Lands, hiding somewhere and cultivating in peace."


    "The man is indeed of monstrous talent, truly a freak of nature. Given time, he is bound to be a major figure, though it''s a pity he might not live long enough to see that day, he will be rooted out sooner orter."


    "There''s a rumor within the Holy Lands that his cultivation, although just entering the Dao, can already contend with Soul Condensing Monks, even those of the Mid-Stage Soul Condensing Realm may not be his match."


    In the midst of idle talk, several cultivators turned the topic to the recently famous Chu Zheng.


    An unexpected rise always attracts attention, especially when the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was fast approaching.


    During the conversation, the gazes of several naturally drifted toward the man in blue in the ce of honor, and they asked with a hint of curiosity:


    "Senior Brother Shen, what do you think of this person?"


    Tap¡ª


    The Jade Cup tapped on the tabletop, making a crisp ringing sound.


    "Mid-Stage Soul Condensing, also has disparities."


    The blue-robed cultivator said in a calm and unhurried tone, "Under my hand, he won''tst three rounds and would be in."


    For a Soul Condensing Monk of his Holy Land background, fighting against someone of the same realm and killing loose cultivators from the outside world was as easy as reaching into a bag, even without having to use his trump card techniques.


    In his eyes, no matter how strong, they were still just Entry Dao Realm cultivators at the end of the day, merely relying on some tricks topete with loose cultivators.


    "Chu Zheng?!"


    Before he finished speaking, an exmation sounded not far away.


    The blue-robed man cast his gaze in that direction, his annoyance blending in, and upon clearly seeing the scene below, he couldn''t help but be momentarily stunned.


    In the middle of the long street, there was a throng of people, yet arge open space was cleared at the center.


    In the center of the open space, a ck-d youth stood, appearing to be no more than fourteen or fifteen years old, with a lean figure, bright eyes, his hair untied and casually draped over his back, jet-ck and glossily sharp, brimming with vibrant youthful energy.


    Looking at the tavern in front of him, Chu Zheng nced over the Hidden Dragon List and said slowly:


    "Hidden Dragon List number three hundred seventy-five, from Heavenly Throne Holy Land, Shen Chuanjiang, are you here?"


    Feeling the gazes from all around, Chu Zheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid Qi, and it was as if only now did he truly step into the sunlight for the first time.


    Basking in the sunlight and feeling everyone''s eyes on him, his heart was indescribably exhrating, and the bottleneck of the Jade Bone Mid-Stage seemed to have loosened slightly.


    For the first time, he stood up openly and announced his name to the people of this world.


    All around silence ensued, no one responded, no one anticipated that under the external circumstance of being wanted like rain, Chu Zheng would dare to appear so brazenly in the marketce, even to the point of calling out one of the prides of the Holy Land.


    "Is that man Chu Zheng?"


    "Why does he still look like a child?"


    A group of young cultivators above the tavern were the first to react, discussing among themselves, but none responded to Chu Zheng.


    No matter what the external circumstances were, Chu Zheng remained the Chief Disciple of True Transmission from the Taixuan Holy Land; in terms of status and identity, the only person present who could respond to him was Shen Chuanjiang.


    For anyone else to rashly interject would be disrespectful to Shen Chuanjiang.


    Feeling everyone''s gaze upon him, Shen Chuanjiang''s eyes flickered, and in the next instant, his figure appeared on the long street.


    Chu Zheng sized up the young man before him, whose appearance was like polished jade, and spoke in a calm voice, "You want to kill me?"


    As sensitive as the spiritual perception of a Qi Cultivator was, Shen Chuanjiang sensed the killing intent on Chu Zheng the moment they met. Although it was faint and fleeting, he still caught it.


    "Mid Entry Dao Realm... Have you had another breakthrough?" Shen Chuanjiang''s gaze hardened, and a trace of shock crossed his eyes.


    The news of Chu Zheng''s foundation in the Entry Path was, at most, only a few months old, and now upon meeting again, he had already made another breakthrough.


    Moreover, a tower rises from the ground; one needs to put forth their greatest effort to solidify their Dao Foundation in the Entry Dao Realm.


    Even the most monstrous geniuses would spend decades in this realm to polish their Dao Foundation; no cultivator would forcibly advance their cultivation at this stage. Most advances came naturally.


    Chu Zheng did not look like a fool who would ruin his own prospects, so this kind of speed was even more rming.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Shen Chuanjiang barely suppressed the shock and suspicion in his heart and spoke in a deep voice, still somewhat unclear about Chu Zheng''s purpose.


    "Suppressing the list, Capturing Dragon," Chu Zheng said calmly, "I randomly chose one, and you were the closest to me."


    Now his cultivation was sufficient to undertake these actions.


    "With just the cultivation of Mid Entry Dao Realm, you think you can make a move against me?"


    Shen Chuanjiang could not help feeling a surge of annoyance. Throughout his cultivation journey, no peer had ever looked down on him like this openly seeking to capture him:


    "Fine, since you''re courting death, today I''ll conveniently dispatch you as a gift upon returning to my sect, proving that I haven''t wasted this period of time."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng no longer spoke, turning away silently and stepping out of the marketce.


    A piercing sonic boom tore through the sky, pulling along a tremendous wave of white Qi, and quickly receding into the distance.


    It was an unwritten rule not to fight within the marketce, as shing here gave an excuse for Divine Infant Great Abilities to intervene.


    Hundreds of escaping lights rose to follow Chu Zheng into the sky.


    "What impressive speed of escape!"


    A few breathster, some cultivators realized something was wrong. The group of Entry Path cultivators didn''t even catch a glimpse of Chu Zheng''s shadow before being left far behind.


    Within the flying lights, Chu Zheng looked back and saw that only a few Soul Condensing Monks could barely keep up.


    Even before entering the Dao, his full-throttle flight was no less swift than that of a Soul Condensation Realm Great Cultivator, and now he was even more at ease.


    Shen Chuanjiang''s eyes were coldly determined, stubbornly chasing after Chu Zheng. Soon, he was the only one still in pursuit.


    Suddenly, Chu Zheng''s figure vanished into the void. Shen Chuanjiang hastened to follow, finding himself falling into a quagmire.


    "Spatial pathway..."


    By the time he realized it, it was already toote. When Shen Chuanjiang came to his senses again, he was already in a deste Small World.


    Fighting in the outside world involved too many variables and would quickly attract reinforcements, which would be disadvantageous for Chu Zheng.


    By luring Shen Chuanjiang here, Chu Zheng had another purpose: he wanted the Immortal Ascension Methods from Shen Chuanjiang.


    Passing on Immortal Laws was the lifeline of all sects.


    For Chu Zheng to seek these cultivation techniques was equivalent to forcibly plucking the scales from the sects.


    But Chu Zheng was not afraid to court this trouble now. He needed the Immortal Ascension Methods; he needed Spiritual Objects to solidify his foundation.


    Even if it meant seizing scales, he was now ready to rip off a few to wrap around himself.

 Chapter 152: Chapter 116: Ranking Changes, Exposure

    Shen Chuanjiang surveyed his surroundings, eyeing the heaven and earth before him with an undisguised look of astonishment.


    Between the deste heaven and earth, devoid of sun and moon, there were only two Stars, suspended in the firmament, casting a dim faint light.


    The world was deathly silent, with no sound of the wind, and besides Chu Zheng not far away, he could sense no other presence.


    "A Small World... No wonder so many cultivators seek you and fail to find a trace, there is indeed such a wondrous treasure."


    Once he had gathered his thoughts, Shen Chuanjiang''s gaze became focused, and his expression revealed a touch of realization.


    No wonder the outside world has searched in vain for so long; hiding within such a Small World would make it impossible to find someone, even if one were to turn the entire Cangyun Realm upside down, not just the Southern Region.


    Small Worlds like this also exist within the Heavenly Throne Holy Land, known as the Heavenly Throne Qiankun Realm, which boasts dense spiritual energy bettering the outside world many times over, a cultivation Holy Land created solely by concentrating Spirit Veins.


    The cultivation environment within the Heavenly Throne Qiankun Realm is very close to the legendary Minor Immortal Realm, where only Saint Heirs are qualified to enter for cultivation, and even the true sessors fall far short.


    "I assume you have help."


    Shen Chuanjiang calmly surveyed his surroundings and lightly called out, "There''s no need to hide. Show yourselves!"


    The appearance of this Small World warranted utmost caution from him; Chu Zheng dared to confront him head-on, so there must be reliance behind him.


    In recent times, more than one true sessor from the Heavenly Throne Holy Land has perished, leaving him momentarily unsure of exactly how many people Chu Zheng had brought with him, causing his mind to be increasingly agitated.


    "It''s just me here,"


    Chu Zheng spoke slowly, "You are eighty-three this year, and it has not been easy to practice cultivation until now. Hand over the Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture and your Life Soul, and I''ll let you go."


    Beforeing for Shen Chuanjiang, Chu Zheng had already sent Song Yun and Bai Nian to a small city for temporary settlement, preparing to turn this ce into a battlefield.


    He had not nned to target those on the Hidden Dragon List so soon, only preparing to take action after reaching the Golden Core Realm and mastering the ''False Form'' Divine Skill.


    Once he acquired False Form, he would be able to disguise himself as a true Immortal Path Cultivator, leaving no ws exposed.


    But ns never keep up with changes, and the Immortal Bone grew out ahead of schedule.


    If before the Immortal Bone congealed, Chu Zheng still needed to restrain himself, worried about exposing his Qi Cultivator identity,


    Now, he no longer needs to consider those factors and can act much more boldly.


    With the Immortal Bone, he is an Immortal Path Cultivator, without any doubt.


    Not to mention a Pseudo-Immortal, even if a True Immortal were toe, he wouldn''t worry at all; the Immortal Bone is his best Protective charm.


    Without this greatest threat, the threat posed to him by these geniuses who are at most in the Soul Condensing Realm is rapidly diminishing.


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Shen Chuanjiang did not get angry. His expression remained calm as his Divine Sense swept inch by inch around him.


    Only after confirming that indeed no one else was around did his gaze suddenly freeze, as his Mana surged.


    Without any further ado with Chu Zheng, a dazzling divine light burst from his third eye, his Soul stepped forward in great strides, turning into a ray of rainbow light, tearing through the void, heading straight for the forehead of Chu Zheng.


    The biggest difference between the Soul Spirit Realm and the Entry Path Realm lies in the Spirit Soul.


    Among the Five Great Holy Lands, the Heavenly Throne Holy Land has the deepest understanding of the Divine Soul; even in terms of the Spirit Soul Divine Infant created, the Heavenly Throne is considered the strongest.


    The Divine Souls of Entry Dao Realm cultivators are still frail, and if they encounter a strong impact from a Spirit Soul, they will instantly disintegrate, causing their soul and spirit to scatter. In minor cases, it leads to imbecility, while in severe cases, it results in death.


    In the blink of an eye, the Spirit Soul closed in to less than two zhang from Chu Zheng. Shen Chuanjiang''s lips curled slightly; he had already foreseen Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul copsing.


    Once that happened, he would take this Small World for himself and then directly extract all secrets from Chu Zheng''s mind, including the Taixuan Holy Land''s Immortal Ascension Method, Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture!


    If he offered up the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture to his sect, he would surely be handsomely rewarded, and he might ev§Ö§ß be permitted to cultivate within a Small World.


    "Departing Spirit from body is a path to self-destruction."


    Gazing at the Spirit Soul that was nearly within reach, Chu Zheng remained unmoved, and with a light sigh, a streak of lightning emerged in his palm.


    Crackle¡ª


    An eye-blinding, fierce electric light suddenly rose up, silver radiance reaching to the heavens, apanied by thunderous roars.


    Boom!


    Thunderous roars echoed between heaven and earth, as if the void momentarily solidified, the interwoven light turning into whips, like whistling fabric, fiercelyshing atop the Spirit Soul.


    Bang¡ª


    Upon contact with the lightning whip, the Spirit Soul''s brightness dramatically faded, covered in cracks, and it was flung back toward Shen Chuanjiang''s third eye, massively damaged from the initial encounter.


    He staggered, plummeting from midair, and was presently unable to stand up, his head filled with tumultuous noise, his soul on the brink of dissolution.


    The soul pertains to Yin, the body to Yang; the Thunder Method purges evil and banishes wickedness, representing the ultimate in Yang force. Against entities like the Yin God, it naturally possesses a formidable restraining power.


    Even a Divine Infant would not dare to resist the might of heavenly thunder directly; it must use the body as armor, otherwise just one encounter would reduce it to ashes.


    Chu Zheng''s current mastery of the Thunder Method was far from the might of heavenly thunder, but it was still greatly damaging to the Spirit Soul.


    Shen Chuanjiang intended to use his Spirit Soul against his enemy, aiming to exploit the suppression of his cultivation realm for a quick and decisive oue, but evidently, he had miscalcted this factor.


    The reason why thunder represents the power of heavenly punishment is precisely because it is difficult for cultivators to control.


    Apart from a few cultivators with unique constitutions, the use of thunder generally relies on Fu Lu or magic treasures. Summoning thunder out of thin air is not something ordinary cultivators can achieve,


    Unless achieving absolute bnce in both body and soul, generating Yin Yang Dual Qi from within, but reaching this level is undoubtedly as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

 Chapter 153: Chapter 116: Ranking Changes, Exposure_2

    If Shen Chuanjiang hadn''t sacrificed his Spirit Soul, Chu Zheng would have had to expend quite some effort to take him down, but now it had be much easier.


    On the gloomy expanse of earth, Shen Chuanjiang sat with crossed arms, hugging his knees, rolling on the ground, his eyes overflowing with blood and tears, his features twisted.


    His soul was damaged, and his body could no longer control itself; his limbs were uncoordinated, flipping over randomly, unable even to pinpoint the source of the pain.


    Chu Zheng bent down, reaching out to hold him down.


    [Shen Chuanjiang (Third Order): High Quality Immortal Bone, bone age eighty-three, Cultivation at the peak of Early Soul Condensing Realm, practices the Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture, Spirit Soul damaged by lightning, mind lost, can be repaired (0/30)]


    After a brief thought, Chu Zheng used up today''s repair attempts, suppressing the injuries within Shen Chuanjiang''s Spirit Soul.


    After a long while, Shen Chuanjiang gradually stopped struggling, opening his blood-red eyes, staring straight at Chu Zheng, his voice hoarse, "When did you activate the talisman?"


    Even at this moment, he didn''t believe that it was Chu Zheng''s doing.


    The legendary Thunder Spirit Body, which had long since disappeared from the world, had not been seen for many years.


    Lightning had almost be synonymous with the Heavenly Dao.


    Chu Zheng did not open his mouth to exin; squatting in front of Shen Chuanjiang, he removed the Storage Spirit Ring from his finger, looking into his blood-veined eyes, he spoke slowly:


    "I can give you another chance, hand over the Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture..."


    No sooner had he spoken than Chu Zheng fell into thought, before changing his mind:


    "Forget it, I''ll leave you some dignity before you die, I''ll not force you to betray your sect, I''ll find it myself."


    Humm¡ª


    The void trembled, the Town Immortal Mace appeared in Chu Zheng''s hand, and without hesitation, it smashed down heavily.


    Bam!


    In an instant, Shen Chuanjiang''s head shattered, and he died soul extinguished.


    Offhandedly digging a hole, he buried the body, then Chu Zheng sat beside it, starting to search through the Storage Ring.


    The reason he changed his words was that at a nce just now, inside the Storage Ring, there had already appeared what Chu Zheng wanted.


    [Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture (Ninth Order/Iplete): A Refine Spirit secret technique handed down from ancient times, holds unique insights into the Divine Soul path, from the hands of an Immortal Venerable, beyond your current ability to repair.]


    The name of the cultivation technique was not the widely known Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture but was called Creation and Transformation.


    The quality of Yanshen Scripture was so high, it even surpassed both the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and the Great Void Scripture of Immortal Ascension Method.


    This was the first time Chu Zheng hade into contact with something of the Ninth Order since he stepped onto the path of cultivation.


    Simrly, precisely because of this, the Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture was currently beyond Chu Zheng''s capability to repair, either far exceeding his current realm or missing some crucial elements.


    From this name, it seems likely that even the Heavenly Throne Holy Land might not possess aplete Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture, and perhaps its founding elder established this Holy Land based on the heritage of this technique.


    The part from Shen Chuanjiang''s Storage Ring contained only the first fiveyers of the Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture, adequate for cultivating up to the Nine Transformations of the Divine Infant.


    As for these true transmissions of outstanding talents from various Holy Lands, there is clearly some reservation, worrying about the sublime scriptures of suppressing Sects leaking out.


    Apart from the Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture, Shen Chuanjiang''s Storage Ring also contained two Middle Quality Magic Treasures, three Lower Quality Magic Treasures, some elixirs, and cultivation resources.


    As Chu Zheng was searching, his expression suddenly changed, and he took out a scroll.


    [Cangyun Secret Realm Map (Third Order): Heavenly Throne Holy Land expended long years, exploring the Cangyun Secret Realm, perfected countless times, to obtain this map.]


    This Cangyun Secret Realm, Geng Yiyang once mentioned to Chu Zheng, stating that after reaching the Soul Condensing Realm, one might try to explore the secrets of bing an Immortal within it.


    Obviously, this secret realm is far more than just Taixuan Holy Land in its exploration.


    The map in Shen Chuanjiang''s hands was far moreplete and detailed than the one Chu Zheng had previously found among Ye Yulou''s legacy.


    After all, so much time had passed, the exploration of the secret realm had always been ongoing, with changes happening, which was normal.


    From this name, this secret realm was also closely linked to that Immortal King, the Heavenly Judge, and Shang Cangyun within the Immortal Alliance.


    After a long silence, Chu Zheng took out a diary and began to write.


    [New Calendar, second year, April, first appeared in the eyes of the world, walked under the broad daylight, heart at ease, spiritual energy clear, in the Heavenly Throne Holy Land''s true heir ''Shen Chuanjiang'', obtained the Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture, various resources, the cultivation journey is long and full of obstacles, must be vignt and self-reflective every day.]


    Closing his diary, Chu Zheng exhaled deeply, his eyebrows gradually rxing.


    Shen Chuanjiang was the first Holy Land true heir he had personally killed, and deserved a mention in history.


    ...


    ...


    The moment Shen Chuanjiang died, the Hidden Dragon List changed.


    Shen Chuanjiang''s name gradually faded, and Chu Zheng''s name appeared in his ce.


    [Hidden Dragon List, Rank 375: Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, Bone Age eighteen, Mid Entry Dao Realm.]


    This change instantly attracted the attention of various Holy Lands, especially the Heavenly Throne Holy Land.


    Such a sudden shift meant only one possibility, Chu Zheng had killed Shen Chuanjiang and taken his ce.


    Soon, it was widely known that Chu Zheng had boldly appeared in the marketce, luring Shen Chuanjiang into the wilderness, after which both disappeared.


    Putting the pieces together, the truth was self-evident.


    There had already been several true transmissions lost from various Holy Lands before, and Shen Chuanjiang was neither the first nor the most talented or powerful.


    However, the significance was now entirely different.


    Because it was Chu Zheng who had killed Shen Chuanjiang, this young cultivator who had stepped onto the Immortal Path just over a year ago, already had the strength to kill a True Transmission of the Soul Condensing Realm face-to-face, and he was only eighteen this year.


    The major Holy Lands reacted swiftly, recalling their true transmissions and dispatching elders at the Perfection of Soul Condensing Realm to drop all other pursuits and search for Chu Zheng''s whereabouts.


    It was well-known that Chu Zheng had dered his intention to dominate the rankings and capture Hidden Dragons; Shen Chuanjiang would not be hisst target.


    The Hidden Dragons of all the major Holy Lands could potentially be his targets.


    ...


    ...


    Taixuan Holy Land.


    At the summit of the majestic Divine Peak, a new pce of red crystal had been built.


    In front of the pce, there was a martial arts tform.


    At this moment, the tform overflowed with formation patterns, spewing out fierce Aura Qi that rampaged unchecked.


    A figure floated amidst the harsh Aura winds, asionally sttered with blood.


    The void churned, and slowly, a figure emerged, walking to the edge of the martial arts tform.


    Lingxue sensed something unusual, immediately ceased her cultivation to stabilize her Qi and blood, and greeted:


    "Holy Master."


    Geng Yiyang took a few nces and spoke slowly, "Are you ustomed to using this martial arts tform?"


    The entire tform was a High Grade Magic Treasure specifically crafted for Song Lingxue.


    "Thank you, Holy Master, it is quite suitable."


    Song Lingxue''s face showed a slight smile; with this martial arts tform and the battle armor she wore, her cultivation speed had increased significantly, and she had now reached the fourth level of the Yuan Aura Realm.


    "The drift in the Heavenly Dao has increased again... but your cultivation has not undergone such a major change."


    Geng Yiyang, seemingly casual, made a remark that caused Song Lingxue''s heart to sink, unintentionally retracting her smile a bit.


    "The heretic cultivator being sought by the Immortal Alliance... is not you, right?"


    Although it was phrased as a question, Geng Yiyang''s tone was filled with certainty.


    The very thing Song Lingxue had been most worried about had finally happened.


    Chu Zheng''s growth rate was simply too fast; even though she was cultivating day and night, she still couldn''t keep up with his pace.


    As the Holy Master of a Holy Land, it was extremely difficult for her to hide any secrets from such an old being, far beyond her ability.


    "Is it Chu Zheng?"


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze was deep; there were no traces of the Martial Path on Chu Zheng, which left only one possibility¡ªhe was cultivating a different Taoist Orthodoxy.


    The rapid changes in the Heavenly Dao matched Chu Zheng''s anomalously rapid growth too closely, making it impossible for him not to be suspicious.


    "I don''t quite understand what the Holy Master means."


    Song Lingxue shook her head, neither exining nor conceding, her mind tense to the extreme.


    To exin would seem even more suspicious, and she couldn''t possibly bepletely honest with Geng Yiyang, so she acted ignorant.


    "During the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, there will be members of the Immortal Alliance present; I can''t intervene."


    Geng Yiyang''s murky gaze shed with a gleam of sharp light:


    "At that time, if the Immortal Alliance decides to kill him, I won''t be able to stop them."

 Chapter 154: Chapter 117: Transformation of the Immortal Bone, Immortal Law and Divine Skills

    The Immortal Alliance was extremely hostile toward Heretic Cultivators, otherwise, the Cangyun Realm wouldn''t have only the Immortal Path remaining today.


    The exception of the Martial Path was also merely because Song Lingxue caught the best opportunity.


    If it weren''t for the fact that there would be attendees from the Martial Hall to witness the ceremony, Song Lingxue would have had to die, whether fifty years earlier orter.


    Nowadays, Geng Yiyang wished more than anyone for Chu Zheng to survive until the end.


    The speed of Chu Zheng''s cultivation advancement was indeed abnormally fast, but the Immortal Path Cultivation listed on the Hidden Dragon List couldn''t be faked.


    Even if he were truly a Heretic Cultivator, his talent in the Immortal Path was still unparalleled and extraordinary.


    Such a monstrous talent, if allowed to mature, would inevitably bring Taixuan to new heights.


    In his view, what path of cultivation one followed was insignificant, a concern only for the Immortal Alliance.


    His end was near, and aside from Chu Zheng, inside Taixuan, there was ack of sessors; the elders were also nearing the end of their lifespans.


    The young generation that had just been recruited into the sect were still children, and even after the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, with the addition of two Superior Immortal Bones, it would still take at least a few hundred years before they could catch their breath.


    If Chu Zheng were not there to support them during this period, Taixuan would have to close its Sect Gate again, waiting for these children to grow up once more.


    But the current situation was growing increasingly dire; without Tongxuan presiding over the Holy Land, the other major holynds would likely act immediately to eradicate Taixuan and eliminate future troubles.


    The few Sect-Defending Immortal Fires within Taixuan were in fact close to withering, unknown to the outside world.


    The burning of the Divine Fire also required the consumption of the source, and there was bound to be a day when it would be exhausted. Without the supply of immortal power and relying on the meager Spiritual Energy, it was simply not enough to support these Immortal Fires burning eternally.


    Without the replenishment of new blood, the decline of Taixuan was inevitable and unavoidable.


    To Chu Zheng now, it was like a bridge still under construction, with the hope that he could help Taixuan smoothly ovee this significant hurdle.


    With all of Taixuan''s resources poured into nurturing him, ording to his current pace, Chu Zheng would surely undergo a Divine Transformation within a hundred years, and there was a high chance for Tongxuan within a little more than two hundred years.


    By then, if Chu Zheng could control Taixuan for another three hundred years, there was hope for Taixuan Holy Land to extend its lifespan and fully recover its Yuan Qi.


    However, the prerequisite for everything now was that Chu Zheng could find a way to deceive the Immortal Alliance''s scrutiny and survive the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    There was no turning back in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects. Once started, participants must go to the end, unable to withdraw midway.


    During the fiercepetition, conceding was allowed; however, the Heavenly Fate carried by one would still be snatched away by the Hidden Dragon List.


    This was all about nurturing a single individual with collective Heavenly Fate to cultivate a True Immortal Seed, a matter that concerned the interests of the entire Immortal Alliance.


    The first Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects cultivated a peerless Immortal King, whose potential, in the eyes of the Immortal Alliance, was undoubtedly precious.


    Among the many Great Realms, the Cangyun Realm was far from the strongest, but the number of True Immortal Seeds that had appeared was consistently at the forefront.


    Ordinary Great Realms would find it difficult to produce a True Immortal every several thousand years, while the Cangyun Realm almost consistently nurtured a True Immortal Seed every hundred years, and a Celestial Lord emerged every thousand years or so.


    Not all Great Realms could, like the Cangyun Realm, pour a hundred years of a region''s Heavenly Fate into raising an Immortal Seedling.


    As a result, the Cangyun Realm progressively weakened. In Ancient Times, there were True Immortals in the realm, but now it was hard to find even a strong practitioner of the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    All the powerhouses who had entered the Tongxuan Secret Realm in the major Holy Lands were actually aware of the world''s decline, noticing that nature''s spiritual energy had thinned substantially over these ten thousand years.


    An even more obvious change was that the suppressive force of Heavenly Dao on living beings had weakened. Cultivators of the Tongxuan Secret Realm in the past did not have the destructive power they do now.


    When he killed Zhou Zili, the extent of the impact was so broad that even Geng Yiyang himself had not expected it; in Ancient Times, not even a True Immortal could have managed such a thing.


    Because the Immortal Alliance dominated above and the Holy Lands suppressed below, confrontations between Divine Infant Cultivators had been extremely rare over the past ten thousand years, with few realizing that the world above their heads had be so fragile.


    Divine Infant Cultivators who had advanced in recent years were no longer surprised by this situation, but Geng Yiyang was different; he had seen the world of ten thousand years ago.


    In the current environmental conditions of the Cangyun Realm, should a True Immortal make a move, they would likely directly shatter the Boundary Wall, exposing the Cangyun Realmpletely under the starry sky.


    To the entire Immortal Alliance, the life and death of the Cangyun Realm were unimportant.


    As the homnd of an Immortal King, it shouldn''t havee to this, but Shang Cangyun clearly had no intention of opposing it.


    Over the years, numerous True Immortal Seeds from the Cangyun Realm had entered the Immortal Alliance, but there were few responses; Zhao Tingxian was an exception.


    The universe is simply too vast. Without a True Immortal to convey messages, even with a Spirit Formation for transmission, it would take centuries, if not a millennium, to travel between Star Domains.


    In reality, since Ancient Times, the prodigies who left the Cangyun Realm rarely returned, leaving only a group of losers stripped of their Heavenly Fate to contend and scheme against each other here, which seems somewhat ridiculous.


    Looking at Geng Yiyang not far in front of her, Song Lingxue raised her head and looked at the sun in the sky, only feeling that the temperature around her seemed to be rising continuously, making her breathing unconsciously be a bit disordered.


    Geng Yiyang suddenly speaking out made it difficult for her to guess his intentions for a moment.


    Suppressing anxiety, irritation, anger, aplex mix of emotions intertwined with the sense of powerlessness surging from the depths of her heart. For a moment, her mind was in turmoil, and in the end, her youthfulness was revealed, her ability to maintainposure was still not up to the mark.

 Chapter 155: Chapter 117: Transformation of the Immortal Bone, Immortal Law and Divine Skills_2

    ```


    "You don''t need to overthink it, if you can deceive the Immortal Alliance and pass the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, I will do my utmost to ensure Chu Zheng has twenty years of life," Geng Yiyang whispered in a low voice, his lifespan only remaining twenty years. After his death, everything would turn to nothingness, nothing would concern him anymore.


    "All that I do is to preserve the foundation of Taixuan, if Chu Zheng can survive this ordeal, he will be the sole Saint Heir of Taixuan. After my death, he will take over the position of Taixuan Holy Master,"


    "Your entry into the Yuan Aura proves your talent. After entering the Martial Hall, you can aspire to the esteemed position of a Holy Martial Practitioner. In the future, there might be a chance for you two to reunite, and then you may continue where you left off,"


    Hearing these words, Song Lingxue fell silent for a long moment before suddenly turning around and walking to the center of the martial arts tform.


    "If the Holy Master has no further business, I wish to continue my training,"


    She no longer wanted to think about her current situation, as it would only disturb her mind and serve no purpose.


    The root of everything was her insufficient strength; if she were strong enough, she could tear the sky above with one palm, bringing her family away from the chaos once and for all.


    What she needed now was to cultivate with single-minded focus, to find a way through the Martial Hall when the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects began, and take her whole family away from this world.


    At this moment, Song Lingxue could only ce her hopes on her exceptional talent that might catch the eye of those in the Martial Hall.


    Seeing this, Geng Yiyang did not say more and turned to leave, only to be met with an approaching figure.


    "Holy Master,"


    The sight of Geng Yiyang made Fu Quanliang''s heart tense up as he bowed in greeting.


    "Hm,"


    Geng Yiyang nced at him, nodded slightly, and in the next instant, his figure merged into the void, vanishing without a trace.


    Compared with Chu Zheng, Fu Quanliang''s character was clearly more discernible, filled with an ambitious drive to maximize his self-improvement, even ifcking in natural talent.


    Such kind of people were not rare in this world, and the only point worth noting might be his rtively favorable fate.


    For the lowest of the Lower Quality Immortal Bone to be the Chief Disciple of an Inner Sect in a Holy Land was probably an honor only Fu Quanliang could im since ancient times.


    After Geng Yiyang had left, Fu Quanliang finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to the edge of the martial arts tform.


    Without speaking to Song Lingxue, he left a scroll behind before turning to depart hastily.


    Every month or so, he woulde by and bring news from the outside world, detailing the recent movements of Chu Zheng.


    This was all he could do, as most of his time these days, besides cultivating, was spent taking care of children.


    Children no older than eight or nine, at the age when they are most disliked and loathed.


    These kids were well-behaved in front of Elders teaching transmission techniques, but as soon as they left the Elders'' sight, they were almostwless.


    Those first admitted were mostly brought by family Elders,monly descendants of Cultivators, who had mostly lived worry-free lives spoiled by indulgence, naturally making them somewhat unruly.


    Clearly, the Elders did not have the patience to deal with this, and most of the children''s daily care fell to Fu Quanliang, who was almost too busy to keep his feet on the ground.


    After Fu Quanliang left, the martial arts tform instantly fell into silence. Song Lingxue stepped forward, took the scroll into her hands, and impatiently unfolded it, her gaze pouring over every word, leaving no detail unnoticed, imprinting every shred of information into her mind.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s rise in rank after ying a Pride of the Heavenly Throne Holy Land, her face couldn''t help but show a hint of joy, but soon after, worry once again filled her eyes.


    Thousands of worries, nothing more grueling than concern.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Between the stretches of the Great Desert, sand dunes undting, the setting sun like blood.


    Dust and sand were lifted by the fierce winds a thousand feet high, grains of sand streaking past the emptiness with a series of heavy howls.


    The world was deste, and as the sun set in the west, temperatures plummeted, chilling to the bone.


    Two streaks of fleeing light cut through the long sky, heading westward as if chasing the sun.


    Hum¡ª


    Suddenly a light humming filled the world, and an Angry River appeared from the void, with scattered sword flowers drifting and falling, like True Dragons dancing, churning among the clouds, fraught with killing intent.


    ```


    "Who goes there?!"


    A thunderous shout exploded, reverberating between heaven and earth. A colossal palm imprint spanning a hundred feet pushed out horizontally, instantly severing the Angry River. In an instant, waves surged tumultuously and spray scattered about, while a fine mist arose in the air, as if heaven was bestowing sweet rain.


    Two streaks of light came to a halt due to this, revealing two figures. One of them was close to fifty, with a robust build and short whiskers. His muscles, brimming with explosive power, were perfectly outlined by his tight clothing, clearly disying his Great Achievement of Body Refinement.


    It was he who had acted just now, interrupting the mighty river; now, in the palm of his hand that he had clenched, faint red marks could be seen, from which droplets of blood emerged.


    A figure dressed in ck stepped out of the void, blocking the way in front of the two men.


    "Tai Xu, Chu Zheng."


    In a calm voice, Chu Zheng scrutinized the two before him, focusing his gaze on the young cultivator standing behind the robust man, and asked:


    "Hidden Dragon List ranking three hundred thirty-seven, from the Jinli Holy Land, Nie Yuan, High-Quality Immortal Bone, cultivation in the mid Soul Condensation Realm, is it you?"


    "Chu Zheng, you''ve got some nerve!"


    Nie Yuan had not yet spoken when the Great Cultivator with the Body Refinement''s Great Achievement erupted in angry shouting, his expression filled with shock and fury, "Do you think you can kill us both with your mid Entry Dao Realm cultivation?"


    Before he finished speaking, his Divine Sense already spread out, searching the surroundings. What he was most worried about was that Chu Zheng might not havee alone.


    If a killing squad had been drawn here, it would be difficult for him alone to ensure Nie Yuan''s safety.


    Nie Yuan, standing behind him, had a cold expression with killing intent boiling in his eyes. As a true disciple of a Holy Land, being challenged by a brat under twenty, and having to cross a major realm in reverse to strike back, was an immense humiliation.


    Looking at the two in front of him, Chu Zheng''s expression was indifferent, secretly holding a Jade Talisman in the palm of his hand.


    The Great Cultivator with the Great Achievement in Body Refinement had reached the Great Perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm, clearly acting as Nie Yuan''s Protector.


    Chu Zheng had a clear understanding of his own strength. Facing someone with the Great Perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm, plusing from an esteemed cultivating Holy Land, he would definitely not be a match in a frontal confrontation.


    Such a level of cultivation was more than enough topel him to use this Nine Thunder Jade Talisman.


    He had obtained this talisman some time ago, and it was undoubtedly the most lethal trump card he possessed at the moment, properly utilized now.


    With nobody else around, Nie Yuan looked at Chu Zheng''s cid face and immediately felt a surge of anger, his eyebrows tilting downwards sharply like the edge of a de:


    "You''re courting death!"


    Before his words fell, he moved to step forward but was stopped.


    "Step back!"


    The Great Cultivator roared. Without considering his status as a chosen sessor, he reprimanded him:


    "Now is not the time for your recklessness. The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects will provide plenty of opportunities for you to disy your skills. This youngster is tricky, and there''s no need to take risks."


    Having said that, he looked at Chu Zheng, his eyes filled with seriousness, "How did you learn the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance?"


    The Sect''s Secret Art of the Tai Xu Holy Land, a supreme Martial Dao Divine Ability within the Immortal Path, was widely known in the Southern Region.


    Since the death of Zhou Zili, Tai Xu and Tai Xu have had irreconcble vendettas. The source of this Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance was clearly something worth deep reflection.


    More importantly, how was Chu Zheng, a practitioner of the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, able to wield this Water Element Immortal Technique?


    Chu Zheng did not reply, but instead triggered the Fire God Transformation and the Martial Dao Divine Ability, Xuan Tian Seal, while secretly holding the Jade Talisman.


    Observing the Great Cultivator in front of him, a glint shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes as he forcefully stimted the Divine Fire within his body, which instantly tinted heaven and earth in a fierce ze of red light.


    The desert sands were smelted by the Divine Fire into vast stretches of crystals, reflecting a sky full of lustrous, ss-like light amidst the blood-like setting sun, resplendent to the extreme.


    After ying Shen Chuanjiang and leaving the Small World, Chu Zheng had sensed the anomaly, feeling a surge in the Heavenly Fate by his side and his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation advancing at a rate double than before.


    The aid from Heavenly Fate was too significant for him. At this pace, stepping into thete stages of the Jade Bone Realm was almost within reach.


    With an additional Superior-Grade Immortal Bone forming at the back of his head, the impact on him was substantial. Not only was he capable of cultivation, but he was also beginning to attempt the practice of the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance.


    The Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance was far more straightforward than he had imagined, and he had already made a preliminary entry in just half a month.


    Unfortunately, this exquisite sword technique didn''t quite suit him; grand and open moves relying on profound mana to overpower opponents was the path he wanted to pursue.

 Chapter 156: Chapter 118: Infant Gathering Pill, Immortal Martial Battlefield

    Divine Fire swept across the firmament, eclipsing the dying sun''s afterglow, dyeing the horizon red.


    The heat wave rolled in, carrying the stench of ash and scorched air, assaulting the senses.


    The Great Man shielding Nie Yuan''s front had a slightly stern expression. A brilliant golden light shed in his pupils as his strong muscles swelled once more. Veins protruded on the surface of his skin like intertwined dragons moving across his body.


    In an instant, his skin seemed to be coated with ayer of gold paint, his aura transformed, as if he became a Divine Weapon, sharp and imposing.


    Nie Yuan immediately retreated a thousand zhang, sweeping the battlefield, closely observing every movement, still not believing that Chu Zheng hade alone.


    Chu Zheng remainedposed, suppressing the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman in his palm, not rushing to activate it.


    His gaze locked onto the Great Man,manding all his mana to form a Divine Fire. He surged forward, leaving a dazzling trail like a meteor from beyond the heavens, and violently collided.


    He wanted to see, just how much the gap between his cultivation and that of such a Great Cultivator really was.


    "Seeking your own death!"


    Seeing this, the Great Man''s expression turned icy. He violently swept his palm, mana surging, turning the Palm Aura into a de, tearing the void, and striking downward.


    Boom!


    The Divine Fire scattered instantly, sparks flying everywhere, and a figure was abruptly flung out.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t stop retreating, every muscle and bone in his body trembling. His left arm was broken, the stark white bone protruding through flesh, shining with a pale white light reminiscent of Spirit Jade.


    In a single encounter, Chu Zheng''s body had already fractured, the injury was not light.


    A Cultivator at Soul Condensing Realm Great Perfection was only a step away from the Divine Infant, their power unfathomable.


    "Soul Condensing Realm Great Perfection... nothing more."


    Chu Zheng murmured, his expression untroubled. He casually set his broken arm, tearing off a piece of his robe to cover the wound.


    In the next instant, the wound under the robe was already healed as before.


    The agony of refining the Divine Fire far surpassed the pain of a mere bone fracture; Chu Zheng''s tolerance for pain was remarkably high.


    With the healing underway, beings that couldn''t kill him in an instant held no threat to him anymore.


    Even if the man had held back with his previous strike, Chu Zheng had approximately gauged the threat level the man posed to him.


    In a direct confrontation, he was inevitably outmatched, but escaping was not difficult.


    As for the chances of killing this man with his own power...


    Practically zero.


    Chu Zheng estimated in his mind, gripping the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman tightly,cking the patience to waste time.


    Seizing the opportunity to severely injure this man was the goal, with Nie Yuan then being of little concern.


    Seeing this, both the Great Man and Nie Yuan not far away had looks of horror on their faces.


    Both had seen clearly, Chu Zheng had not used any techniques or Magic Treasures to mitigate the force; he took it head-on.


    The result was that Chu Zheng only had a broken arm, which for a Cultivator, only counted as a minor injury.


    Mid Entry Dao Realm Cultivator, able to withstand a strike from a Soul Condensing Realm Great Perfection without dying, even only suffering a minor injury, was simply unheard of!


    Moreover, he was a cultivator who had achieved Great Achievement of Body Refinement. Even the usual Soul Condensing Realm Perfection would need to be cautious.


    "Chu Zheng, what on earth do you want to do? Seek revenge for the bounty previously ced on you?"


    Seeing that Chu Zheng had no intention of retreating, the Great Man spoke solemnly, "If you want to fight Nie Yuan, you can wait for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects to begin, and settle the scores there. Why insist on life and death now?"


    Chu Zheng''s foundation was more robust than any ordinary Entry Dao Realm Cultivator by several times; it was unparalleled in his life.


    Since Chu Zheng dared to show himself, he must have a way to escape. The man was somewhat unclear about Chu Zheng''s depth and wanted to hold back.


    The shock Chu Zheng gave him just then was too great. A Cultivator at Soul Condensing Realm Perfection would suffer broken bones from his palm strike, but Chu Zheng''s physical body wasparable to that of a Great Cultivator of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    This level of strength left him without the confidence to kill Chu Zheng. Not only him, but Chu Zheng''s growth was also now beyond the containment of the few Holy Lands.


    Unless several Cultivators at Soul Condensing Realm Great Perfection collectively nned an ambush, there might be a slight hope.


    "I want the zed Record of Immortality."


    Chu Zheng spoke shockingly, looking up at Nie Yuan, "Give me the technique, and all that has transpired will be forgotten."


    Upon hearing this, Nie Yuan''s eyes instantly widened, and the Great Man was struck dumb, recalling the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance from before. His heart trembled, and he blurted out:


    "Do you realize what you are doing? Coveting the secret scripture of the Holy Land? Do you want to turn all of Tai Xu against you?"


    Some days ago, Chu Zheng had openly appeared, yed Heavenly Throne Holy Land''s True Transmission Shen Chuanjiang, and now he was blocking their path, demanding the zed Record of Immortality. This undoubtedly conveyed a terrifying message.


    In Chu Zheng''s hands, it was very likely that he already possessed the Immortal Laws of three Holy Lands.


    "You have already seen me as an enemy, would you now have me view you as a friend?"


    Chu Zheng whispered, his palm pressing tighter, subtly edging closer, and spoke softly:


    "I am willing to exchange it for the Great Void Scripture and the Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture."


    These words immediately altered theplexion of both men. The Sect-Defending Secret Scriptures of the other two Holy Lands, even for a power within the Tongxuan Secret Realm, were tempting.


    The Great Man''s voice turned slightly hoarse, his eyes revealing a flicker of interest, "The secrets of the Immortal Tribtion are held by the Pseudo-Immortals of the Holy Lands. What use would you have for the Cultivation Technique?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng casually threw out a Jade Token.


    The Great Man caught it, confirmed there was nothing unusual, and began to investigate its contents.

 Chapter 157: Chapter 118: Infant Gathering Pill, Immortal Martial Battlefield_2

    A few breathster, his fingertips trembled slightly, his voice growing hoarser:


    "It is indeed the Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture..."


    Even though he had weathered many storms, he was hard pressed to control himself at this moment. If such Immortal Ascension Method were to spread, who knows how many cultivators it would kill.


    "This is only the beginning; for the rest, you may ask Shen Chuanjiang yourself."


    A murmur reached the ears of the Great Man, who suddenly looked up, only to realize that, at some point, Chu Zheng had stepped within ten zhang of him¡ªan almost reachable distance for a cultivator.


    The next instant, his vision waspletely filled with blinding thunder light, his limbs numbed suddenly as if trapped in a mire, and then it felt as though he was struck by a heavy hammer, flung away.


    In an instant, the Great Man was hurled thousands of zhang away, his bulky figure like a torn cloth in the sea of thunder, tumbling up and down, his muscles and bones broken, blood scattering across the sky.


    Chu Zheng slowly lowered his hand, with only some jade powder remaining in the palm.


    The repair panel had no response, which Chu Zheng had long known, for once talismans are activated, they turn to ash, their power dissipatingpletely, incapable of repair.


    The Nine Thunder Jade Talismans were broken before activation; otherwise, they could not have been preserved.


    Looking at the Great Man who had passed out in the distance, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but sigh.


    After all, he was a Cultivator with Great Achievement of Body Refinement, to have taken a Thunder Talisman at such close range and not be reduced to ashes¡ªhis life even preserved.


    From beginning to end, Chu Zheng had no intention of negotiating with these two.


    Although this ce was rarely visited, dying could possibly lead to reinforcements from a Holy Land Cultivator, adding unnecessary risk.


    "Chu Zheng! I must kill you!"


    Nie Yuan roared in anger, a brilliant Spiritual Light soaring from his brow as fierce as wildfire, his powerful Divine Sense sweeping in all directions, terrifyingly potent.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened,pletely on guard; his Thunder Method was far inferior to the Nine Thunder Jade Talismans, and its power limited. Nie Yuan''s strength was not as great as that of the Great Man, but he was still not to be underestimated.


    Boundless Spiritual Light shot into the sky,pletely enveloping Nie Yuan''s form. The next instant, he was already a thousand zhang away, not pausing for a moment, heading straight west.


    Nie Yuan''s action of turning and leaving was unexpected, and Chu Zheng was momentarily stunned, unable to react.


    By the time he thought to chase, Nie Yuan''s figure hadpletely disappeared from his sight.


    With a Soul Condensing Monk putting his life on the line to flee, having lost the initiative, the odds of catching up were negligible.


    "You might have missed the only chance in this life to kill me."


    Chu Zheng sighed softly, without the Nine Thunder Jade Talisms, hisbat power against Nie Yuan was at best equal.


    If the two were to confront each other directly, the oue would be evenly split.


    Now deploying his Thunder Method, he had to be extremely cautious, not daring to harness too much of the heaven and earth''s power.


    The shadow left by thest time he fully deployed his Thunder Method was still there, and he did not want to take that risk.


    That trembling sensation, rising from the depths of his heart, had never urred even when facing a Tongxuan Cultivator directly.


    If Nie Yuan had chosen to fight him with his life on the line just then, the oue might have been his defeat.


    After pondering, Chu Zheng slowly stepped beside the Great Man.


    The Great Man was still conscious, his skin charred, his mouth full of fresh blood. He red at Chu Zheng, seeming to want to bite him to death:


    "Chu... Zheng...you... you will die by..."


    "Hmm, everyone dies eventually, it''s just a matter of sooner orter."


    Chu Zheng, expression indifferent, nodded slightly, interrupting him, and pulled out the Town Immortal Mace, smashing it down heavily.


    Crack¡ª


    At the moment the Great Man''s head shattered, a huge crack burst open on the Town Immortal Mace, jade fragments scattering all around.


    Chu Zheng frowned slightly and repaired the Town Immortal Mace.


    The moment it was fully repaired, the Town Immortal Mace began to slowly absorb the Heavenly Spirit Precious Blood mixed with fragments of the Divine Soul from the Great Man, nourishing itself.


    To nurture a weapon that could survive a hundred battles, it needed to be fed with blood of ughter.


    The quality of the Town Immortal Mace was ultimately still too low; its talismanic patterns often copsed, and it was still a semi-finished product.


    This was all because Chu Zheng''s own cultivation level was still shallow, and his understanding of the cultivation path wascking.


    Chu Zheng crouched down, took a Storage Ring from the hand of the Great Man, and directly turned to leave.


    ...


    ...


    Leaving the Great Desert, Chu Zheng casually found a small mountain range to enter, ignored the prompt that appeared on the panel, and immediately began to search through the books there.


    Soon, he had found something.


    [zed ss Scripture (Seventh Order/Iplete): Body Refinement Technique, it is half of the Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of the Jinli Holy Land, and can lead to Immortal Tribtion. With your current abilities, it cannot be repaired.]


    Only half?


    Chu Zheng''s gaze intensified, and he flipped through a few more books, finally realizing something after a thorough examination.


    Within Jinli Holy Land, many are Body Refining Cultivators, and its Sect-Defending Secret Scripture, the zed Record of Immortality, has two branches, ''zed ss Scripture'' and ''Longevity Record.''


    One lineage primarily cultivates the body, researching the ''zed Golden Immortal Body,'' while the other focuses on cultivating the Divine Soul to achieve the Longevity Divine Infant.


    Only when the two arebined does it be a true Immortal Ascension Method.


    The difference between the Immortal Ascension Method and ordinary cultivation techniques is not merely about the ability to be an immortal,


    Chu Zheng could sense a significant difference from the cultivation technique he was currently practicing.


    The Immortal Ascension Method''s efficiency in converting Spiritual Energy far surpassed that of ordinary fifth and sixth order techniques, by several times at least.


    Moreover, depending on the quality of the Immortal Bone, it is possible for cultivators from holynds like this to cultivate incredibly fast, able to condense Soul and even form Divine Infants before the age of one hundred.


    The zed ss Scripture that Chu Zheng found in that robust man''s Storage Ring was only halfplete, mostly containing Body Refinement techniques and not much emphasis on Dao Foundation.


    Presumably, the other half, the Longevity Record, would be different.


    Nie Yuan certainly possessed the other half.


    Considering this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but introspect, needing to be even more cautious and meticulous in his future endeavors to prevent any oversights.


    After searching for a while, Chu Zheng stuffed some Magic Treasures and cultivation resources into his Ethereal Ring, then flipped his hand and took out a Spirit Pill.


    [Infant Gathering Pill (Fourth Order): A special elixir that can forcibly condense Soul into an infant in a short time, with severe side effects.]


    Seeing this elixir, Chu Zheng was somewhat rmed. Although Divine Infant Cultivators could not use it now, there were still other methods to circumvent this rule.


    Just like that day Han Yuliang from the Phantom Spirit Sect achieved a breakthrough right before the battle, turning the tide ofbat.


    From the perspective of the holynds, sacrificing an Elder of mediocre talent to protect a true inheritor capable of reaching Tongxuan was undoubtedly worth it.


    If Chu Zheng hadn''t used the Nine Thunder Jade Talisman for a sneak attack, this trip would have been exceedingly perilous.


    Divine Infant Cultivators were something Chu Zheng could not contend with at the moment, much like how a Qi Cultivator in the Golden Core Realm undergoes a qualitative transformation,


    a Divine Infant Cultivator, even at the Initial Stage, could now effortlessly crush him with a mere wave of their hand.


    Every movement was filled with the power of the heavens and earth,pletely beyond human endurance.


    ...


    ...


    After inventorying his gains, Chu Zheng left the small mountain range.


    Having confirmed his location, Chu Zheng consecutively took out the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier and the Heavenly Aura Broken Sword from within his Dantian, and performed the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    After discerning for a moment, he headed straight in the southwestern direction.


    After traveling tirelessly day and night for half a month, he entered a wild and deste territory.


    This ce contained a fragment of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier, and there were also many lingering auras of the Heavenly Aura Sword.


    ording to the local legends, this area was an Immortal Martial Battlefield from ancient times with an extremely long history.


    Only upon arriving did Chu Zheng realize how harsh the environment was around him.


    It was almost a Land of Absolute Spirit, with Spirit Veins already severed and fragmented spatial rifts everywhere, making it very dangerous.


    After activating his Spiritual Eye, the invisible spatial rifts became clearly visible to Chu Zheng, posing no threat at all.


    Besides him, several minor cultivators were also searching this ce.


    The situation here was very simr to that in the Giant Marsh Country; this kind of ancient battlefield always had people attempting to find opportunities.


    Although knowing the chances were extremely slim, for these cultivators with inferior Immortal Bones and low cultivation levels, it was still a possibility.

 Chapter 158 : 119: Heavenly Aura Sword Array, Bones

    The battlefield stretched nearly a hundred thousand miles, shrouded in a thickyer of haze.


    Even at noon, with the sun zing high above, the ground remained dark, imprable to the slightest ripple of sunlight, the air filled with an unsettling chill.


    The ground underfoot was a dark brown, seemingly the residue of bloodstains.


    On the Immortal Path and Martial Path, countless battlefields of various sizes spread across the Cangyun Realm, and this was but one of them.


    Oftentimes, many nameless corpses could be seen half-buried in the earth.


    Among them were members of the Human Race and the remains of unidentifiable demons, with fragments of chariots everywhere, and tattered banners hanging on broken des and spears, fluttering in the wind.


    Chu Zheng slowly walked across the battlefield, the wild grass under his feet thick, contemting the deste scene around him, he couldn''t help but sigh.


    This ce had witnessed more than one war that reached the heavens, burying countless dragons and heroes of the human world.


    After the long passage of time, none of these beings had left even a name behind, only scattered traces on thend telling tales of the fierce battles of the past.


    [Jade Qilin Sect Battle g (Third Order/Iplete): A treasure for formation by the Jade Qilin Sect, gathering the mana of forty-nine cultivators into one body, capable of ying the Divine Infant when Spirit Energy ispletely lost, repairable (0/50)]


    ...


    [Sun Wheel Mirror (Fifth Order/Iplete): One of the superior divine weapons, containing space within, capable of storing the Essence of the Great Sun, condensing the Great Sun True me to annihte enemies, shattered by a single strike, space shattered, spirit energypletely lost, repairable (0/500)]


    ...


    Prompts appeared one after another in Chu Zheng''s mind, and he picked up everything that triggered the panel''s notifications.


    He quickly dove thousands of miles into the battlefield, but the yield along the way was not significant.


    There was no trace whatsoever of Storage Magic Treasure fragments, or even the shards of fractured magic treasures.


    This battlefield had existed for too long. For these fields left from the Ancient Era, the Holy Lands had already conducted countless clean-ups.


    Almost everything that could still be used had already been taken away.


    Moreover, this area was a Land of Absolute Spirit, where Spirit Energy quickly dissipated, and even Immortal Gold turned into ordinary iron.


    After the clean-up by the Holy Lands, those somewhat stronger sects also came here to scavenge the ground thoroughly.


    After that, smaller sects woulde, and only then would it be the turn of those lower-level Loose Cultivators.


    These Loose Cultivators, taking anything that could be used, virtually nothing useful would remain behind, only things that really had no practical use were left behind.


    Things like fragments of ancient war chariots, remains, and overly shattered magic weapons and des.


    Such as fragments of Spiritual Treasures, which often contained various types of Immortal Gold and divine materials, beyond the capability of ordinary cultivators to purify and separate.


    For thoserger sects, the cost of repairing a damaged weapon or recycling the materials within was far less convenient and economical than directly forging a new Spiritual Treasure.


    Along the way, what puzzled Chu Zheng the most was that among the myriad of bones scattered on the ground, though there was no shortage of Sixth Order beings, he had not seen a single remnant of creatures above the Seventh Order.


    This ce had once seen the fall of Demi Immortals of the Heavenly Tribtion Realm, a fact recorded in many ces, and not by just one person, so it shouldn''t look like this.


    The only exnation was that the bones had been taken away.


    If it were merely for proper burial, there would be no reason to leave behind so many Fifth and Sixth Order bones.


    Chu Zheng''s mind suddenly stirred, recalling the ancient battlefield he had discovered earlier at the mines of the Phantom Spirit Sect, and he took out the half-palm bone he had found.


    [Damaged Immortal Bone (Seventh Order): A relic of a True Immortal, once seized by an Immortal Path Cultivator and forcibly integrated into their body, beyond your current capabilities to repair.]


    This piece of damaged Immortal Bone was, aside from cultivation techniques, the only thing Chu Zheng possessed that had reached the Seventh Order level.


    When he had found this bone, he sensed its anomaly immediately.


    After such a long time, this bone still harbored a thread of Qi, fermenting within.


    In this bone, there still resided life force, like a dormant seed that, once merged with the flesh, could continue to grow.


    This tremendous life force waspletely absent in Sixth Order beings.


    Seventh Order was undoubtedly a threshold, and beyond this barrier, even Chu Zheng''s current repair panel was at a loss.


    That Immortal Path Cultivator had forcibly merged this Immortal Bone into their body, clearly due to some reason.


    Fondling the remnant bone in his palm, Chu Zheng was tempted to try integrating it into his hand to explore its mysteries, but after weighing the options for a moment, he put aside the idea for now.


    Merging a bone of a deceased person into his body seemed somewhat ominous.


    Seventh Order was still far beyond his reach at the moment. The path must be walked step by step, there was no need to rush.


    Following the sensations from the Heavenly Divination Technique, Chu Zheng moved forward, stopping in a valley, and after a careful sensing, he reached towards the side of the mountain wall.


    Boom!


    Mana swept out, condensing into a giant hand of dozens of feet and instantly wiped away half the mountain wall.


    The gust of wind blew past, scattering the rising dust, and the giant hand formed by mana reached out again, grabbing a half-broken sword among the scattered rocks.


    [Heavenly Aura Sword (Sixth Order/Iplete): Originating from aplete set of Heavenly Aura Sword Arrays, one of the three hundred and sixty assistant swords, made of Phoenix Blood Wood, with your current ability, only initial repairs can be made, Initial repair (0/10)]


    ncing at the prompt on the panel, Chu Zheng brought the broken sword in front of him to observe closely.

 Chapter 159 : 119: Heavenly Aura Sword Array, Relic_2

    Compared to the Broken Sword that Chu Zheng obtained from Bai Nian, this one seemed more intact, with its tip still present, but the hilt was missing.


    For the Flying Swords within a Sword Array, whether or not there is a hilt is actually not too crucial.


    Having found something, a hint of joy inevitably appeared on Chu Zheng''s face.


    Under the guidance of Heavenly Divination Technique, he sensed that there were at least a hundred Heavenly Aura Swords scattered across this battlefield.


    This suggested that the Heavenly Aura Sword Array had been broken here, with most of the swords scattered and lost.


    After collecting the Broken Sword, Chu Zheng continued to advance. Besides Heavenly Aura Broken Swords, there were also fragments of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier scattered around the battlefield.


    Given the scale of the battlefield, Chu Zheng even had reason to suspect that the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier was shattered here, and by sheer coincidence, pieces of it ended up in Great Zhou.


    ...


    ...


    Several dayster, Chu Zheng came to a sunken basin.


    The basin alone stretched for nearly a thousand li, winding and deep, sinking a thousand zhang into the earth. From a high vantage point, it resembled the imprint of a palm.


    After searching for a while, Chu Zheng found a piece of ck wreckage not far from a hillock at the center of the basin. Digging three zhang deep, he uncovered it.


    [Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order/Iplete): Left behind by a Martial God who had gathered the insights of a lifetime; shattered into six pieces. You now possess four pieces. Repair progress (0/1000)]


    Simr to the previous ones, this fragment recorded two Martial Dao Divine Abilities: Xuan Tian Seal Fifth Form and Xuan Tian Seal Seventh Form.


    Xuan Tian Seal Fifth Form is an offensive Divine Ability that takes the route of overwhelming strength; it gathers the strength of one''s entire body to a single point to unleash a world-shocking force.


    As for Xuan Tian Seal Seventh Form, it''s a technique that temporarily exhausts the potential of the physical body in order to significantly enhance one''s recovery abilities.


    In evenly matchedbat, this Divine Ability could undoubtedly achieve a remarkably noticeable effect.


    These two Divine Abilities required an extremely high level of vital energy and could only be practiced after stepping into the Martial Path''s Embracing Pill Realm.


    For Chu Zheng at his current stage, these two Divine Abilities weren''t as useful as the previous Xuan Tian Seal Third Form or the ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique.


    His vital energy strength was still far from sufficient.


    Having stored the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier, Chu Zheng continued to search the surroundings, hoping to find some clues.


    Soon, he made a discovery. Not far from the hillock, he excavated a section of a leg bone. After wiping off the dust, the bone''s surface shone like gold and jade with faint bloodlines pulsating across it.


    [Nameless Corpse Bone (Sixth Order): A Martial Cultivator, reached the pinnacle of Divine Communication in his lifetime, was struck by two palms from a True Immortal, leading to the cessation of his life force and his death. The True Spirit has been extinguished and cannot be repaired.]


    The remnant bone of a Martial God.


    A thought flickered in Chu Zheng''s mind¡ªperhaps this person was the owner of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier fragments.


    Just as he previously spected, the piece that ended up in Great Zhou was also scattered during this great battle.


    Being hit by a True Immortal''s palm and not dying with a Sixth Order cultivation was already a miracle, regardless of what methods were used.


    Chu Zheng meticulously searched the surroundings of the hillock for several days and finally pieced together a skeleton from a pile of ashes.


    Chu Zheng erected a burial mound next to the hillock andid the remains to rest, then he took a piece of green stone to set up a memorial stone.


    Standing in front of the nk monument for a moment, Chu Zheng raised his hand and inscribed the words ''Xuan Tian'', then turned and left.


    The Xuan Tian Martial Barrier was very likely this person''s property. Burying his corpse and setting up a tombstone was also bringing closure to karma.


    With him involved, theplete restoration of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier was inevitable. To some extent, he was continuing the legacy of this person.


    ...


    ...


    While Chu Zheng was searching for swords on the battlefield, the outside world was already in turmoil.


    The news that Chu Zheng had obtained the Cultivation Techniques of the Tai Xu Holy Land and the Heavenly Throne Holy Land had spread far and wide,ing out through Nie Yuan''s mouth.


    In an instant, the entire world was shaken.


    The leakage of the Immortal Ascension Method was absolutely an intolerable catastrophe for any of the Holy Lands.


    It wasn''t just about their own Cultivation Techniques; what was even more critical was that if the methods fell into the hands of other Holy Lands, the slight ws and vulnerabilities of the techniques would bepletely exposed.


    This meant that in future encounters with cultivators of the same realm from other Holy Lands, they would already be at a disadvantage before the battle even began.


    Each Holy Land reserved their Sect-Defending Secret Scriptures and at most shared half of an Immortal Scripture, which speaks volumes about the importance of the Immortal Ascension Methods.


    To preserve the legacy of their Sects, the Holy Masters of the two Holy Lands met with Ji Yuyan, wishing for the Immortal Alliance to extend a gracious hand, to allow them to dispatch their Divine Infant Cultivators, and retrieve their Cultivation Techniques.


    Their request was simple: erase Chu Zheng''s memory rted to the Immortal Ascension Method, and all else could be absolved and forgotten.


    As expected, it was a fruitless return; Ji Yuyan did not even catch sight of the two Holy Masters. He simply delivered a decree, which contained only fourrge characters.


    [Those Who Overstep Will Die]


    Clearly, the attitude of the Immortal Alliance had not changed in the slightest. Cultivators above the Divine Infant, if they acted rashly, would inevitably face the thunderous wrath of the Immortal Alliance.


    This risk, no Holy Land dared to take. As long as Ji Yuyan was free, this deterrent force would always exist.


    Having no other choice, several Holy Lands could only send out even more people repeatedly to search for Chu Zheng''s whereabouts.


    Later, they further increased the bounty for information regarding Chu Zheng, hoping to glean some news of him.


    As long as they could ascertain his exact location, the several Holy Lands could fully spread a of heaven and earth to surround and kill him.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.


    During this period, Chu Zheng had been wandering throughout the Immortal Martial Battlefield, searching for the Heavenly Aura Sword Array.


    With the Heavenly Divination Technique at his disposal, his efficiency was extremely high, able to find two or three swords in a day. In a little over a month, he had already explored the entire Immortal Martial Battlefield.


    All over the battlefield, his footprints were scattered, and the noise of moving mountains and digging valleys naturally attracted the attention of others.


    As time passed, rumors of a Great Cultivator appearing in the battlefield spread among the circles of lesser cultivators.


    This ce had not seen a cultivator of such level in a very long time, naturally causing quite a stir.


    Chu Zheng paid no mind to this and, once he was certain there were no oversights, he began to tally his spoils.


    Across this entire ancient battlefield, Chu Zheng had obtained a total of one hundred and twenty-seven Heavenly Aura Swords, ounting for one-third of the entire Heavenly Aura Sword Array.


    Most of them were already broken, with quite a few snapped into several pieces.


    Some were just remnants of sword tips, others only half of a hilt remaining, and some even just a finger-length piece of the sword''s body, a mere sliver of wood.


    Barely managing, Chu Zheng spent half a day selecting and chose thirty-six broken swords which he then began to initially repair before proceeding to refine each one.


    The Heavenly Aura Sword''s quality was so high that the Heavenly Aura Sword Arrayposed of them was naturally astonishing in might.


    Chu Zheng did not possess the specific diagram of the Heavenly Aura Sword Array, but the Great Circtory Qi Guideline contained a simr formation diagram.


    Assisted by Object Control Divine Power, it was enough for Chu Zheng to execute it.


    ...


    ...


    After refining the thirty-six Heavenly Aura Broken Swords, themotion from the outside world had also reached Chu Zheng''s ears.


    Upon hearing this, his heart felt an indescribable excitement.


    In the world below, whenever the name Chu Zheng was mentioned, there were few who did not know it. The majority of cultivators were rushing about because of these two words.


    Now, he wanted to test the might of the sword array.


    Chu Zheng immediately left seclusion and found a group of lesser cultivators exploring the battlefield.


    This group consisted of three people, with the highest cultivation at the Initial Stage of Spirit Spring, and their ages varied greatly.


    The eldest was nearly sixty years old, while the youngest was only in his teens, just beginning Nourishing Power, appearing to be of three generations, possibly grandfather and grandchildren.


    Seeing Chu Zheng suddenly appear and sensing his cultivation fluctuation, they were all shocked. Recalling the recent rumors around the battlefield, they dared not neglect him and promptly paid their respects:


    "We have seen the senior before."


    "Since we have met, it is fate. Today, I shall bestow upon you a chance at fortune," said Chu Zheng, ncing at them with the corners of his mouth slightly raised:


    "I am Chu Zheng. You three can take the news of my presence here to any sect and redeem the bounty."


    Hearing the name Chu Zheng, the expression of the eldest cultivator changed dramatically, his face momentarily turning pale.


    However, the youngest boy''s eyes flickered, and he bluntly asked:


    "How many Spirit Stones is information about the senior worth?"


    Chu Zheng''s gaze shed, and he smiled faintly: "Enough tost you a lifetime."


    With the sword array in hand, he intended to lure a horde of dragons to this ce, to hunt them in the wilderness and hone the edge in blood.


    As for the bounty, it was not to be wasted either.

 Chapter 160: Chapter 120: The Dragon Battles in the Wild

    The Immortal Martial Battlefield was surrounded by sparse spiritual energy, with only a few small sects extending throughout the area.


    Among them, the most powerful was called ''Sanhe Pce''. Within the sect, there were only two great cultivators at the Soul Condensing Realm, and one of them had just broken through recently.


    Sanhe Pce had hundreds of disciples and more than ten cultivators at the Entry Dao Realm. In this area extending hundreds of thousands of miles, they could be considered second to none.


    The location of the Immortal Martial Battlefield was indeed too remote, and sects with a bit of strength were unwilling to develop in this area.


    The sect gate of Sanhe Pce was located in a secluded ravine. In this ce, there was also a minor spirit vein that could barely sustain the cultivation of these hundreds of cultivators.


    A Spirit Spring Realm cultivator, about sixty years old, slowly approached the ravine. After a long hesitation, he finally mustered the courage to step inside.


    "Who goes there?"


    The disciple guarding the entrance of the ravine quickly responded.


    The old cultivator fell silent for a moment and then spoke, "A loose cultivator, Mo Fu. I have news regarding Chu Zheng''s whereabouts and havee especially to report it."


    "Chu Zheng?!"


    The disciple of Sanhe Pce guarding the gate did not dare to dy and immediately turned to run into the sect.


    A gust of wind picked up after a short while, bringing Mo Fu into the sect gate.


    By the time he regained his senses, he was standing before a grand hall.


    Two figures stood not far away, one nearing sixty years old, with snow-white temple hair, and the other younger, barely past thirty. Both had their cultivation fiercely unrestrained, with the light of their Spirit Souls faintly twinkling at their bes.


    Great cultivators of the Soul Condensing Realm!


    Mo Fu''s heart shook, and he bowed deeply: "Mo Fu pays his respects to the two seniors."


    "You say you have news of Chu Zheng?"


    The older man spoke first, with a slight frown on his brow, "Do you have proof?"


    Nowadays, news about Chu Zheng had soared to the price of five thousand high-quality Spirit Stones.


    Because of this, there were too many false leads. There were not a few cultivators who wanted to deceive others for the reward. Every piece of news had to be meticulously screened and verified before it could be reported.


    "Yes."


    Mo Fu nodded repeatedly, presenting a jade token with both hands. The jade token had a seal that could not be opened by anyone without cultivation beyond the Soul Condensing level.


    "All things in the world take their shape from water, and cultivation is like flowing with the current, which shows rigidity through softness and should be like the vast flowing clouds, forging ahead with the force of a rapid torrent..."


    The elder broke the seal and, upon seeing part of the content, eximed in shock:


    "What kind of form is this?"


    From just these opening lines, he knew that the quality of this cultivation technique was beyond his imagination.


    "The entry mental method of the Great Void Scripture, given to me by Chu Zheng. He said he was afraid you wouldn''t believe his words. As for the contents, I do not know them."


    Mo Fu quickly said, his expression uneasy.


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier?!"


    Upon hearing this, the elder''s expression changed dramatically, and he threw the jade token to the ground as if it was a venomous snake.


    A method of Immortal Ascension from a Holy Land was like a hot potato for small sects like theirs; handling it carelessly could lead to annihtion.


    After a moment, his expression changed sharply:


    "Did Chu Zheng send you?!"


    Mo Fu nodded, "Yes, he said he''s there, waiting for those who desire the reward to seek him out."


    For a while, the grand hall fell into deathly silence.


    "About this reward..."


    The elder waved his hand, "I will report to the Holy Land. If the news is true, once the reward is issued, I will give it to you."


    "Senior, may I ask how many Spirit Stones are in this reward?" Mo Fu asked, rubbing his hands with apparent nervousness.


    Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    The elder hesitated for a moment, then frankly said: "Five thousand high-quality Spirit Stones."


    He was naturally tempted by the astronomical reward, but he couldn''t not grant it; at least not until Chu Zheng''s death could they touch those Spirit Stones.


    Hearing this figure, Mo Fu''s breath caught in his throat. With these Spirit Stones, he could take his family and leave this barrennd, seek a new life elsewhere.


    "Wait here for now, we will immediately report the news to the Holy Land."


    Gritting his teeth, the elder summoned a disciple to take Mo Fu away to be amodated.


    "Should we really report this news? Should we pretend that we don''t know, or suggest he chooses another sect?"


    Before sending the message, the elder hesitated, looking towards the middle-aged cultivator by his side. As he was nearing the end of his lifespan, he simply wished to spend his days in peace before dying.


    Ever since the reward was issued, Chu Zheng''s value had been skyrocketing, but those daring to seek him out had drastically decreased.


    Even as a Soul Condensing Monk, no one now dares to rashly attempt to hunt down Chu Zheng.


    A Protector at the Perfection of Soul Condensing Realm from Jinli Holy Land had already died at Chu Zheng''s hands, and this news had spread throughout the world as well.


    Chu Zheng''s rate of growth was abnormally and excessively rapid, not something everyone could withstand if Chu Zheng decided to retaliate in the future.


    "You''ve already seen this jade token, and we cannot detach ourselves from it now. We might as well report directly."


    The younger cultivator in his thirties said softly, "Since Chu Zheng has sent him to deliver the message here, he must have madeplete preparations. Not passing the message might instead provoke his resentment."


    Soon, Chu Zheng might have the power to tten Sanhe Sect on his own. Going against him now would clearly be unwise.


    "Very well, I will report at once and leave the decision to the Holy Land."


    Convinced by these words, the elder made his decision and began drafting the message.


    ...


    ...


    The Five Great Holy Lands of the Southern Region.


    Apart from Taixuan, the other great Holy Lands had subtly divided their territory.


    The Primordial Spirit Holy Land was located in the southeastern part of Zhongtu, influencing more than half of the Southern Region. Jinli Holy Land was situated in the northwest, standing opposite it.


    Tai Xu Holy Land was in the northeast, remotely facing the Heavenly Throne Holy Land in the southwest.


    The location of Chu Zheng in the Immortal Martial Battlefield fell within the sphere of influence of Primordial Spirit Holy Land; thus, they were the first to receive the message from Sanhe Pce.


    Atop a towering Spirit Peak, an ancient tree rose from the ground, nearly a thousand feet tall, with a canopy that extended dozens of miles, shading the sun and nketing the sky.

 Chapter 161: Chapter 120: Dragon Battle in the Wild_2

    At the base of the treey a three-zhang-long yellow earth Spirit Crystal, within which indistinct heavy flowing sands surged, emitting an incredibly dense Spiritual Energy.


    The Spiritual Energy condensed into fog, swirling in all directions, making this small piece ofnd seem like the Immortal Pce Jade Hall at the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven, a rarity in the human world.


    Atop the Spirit Crystal sat a woman, her skin a pale yellow tinged with a shade of jade, her tall and graceful figure unlike that of ordinary women, with ink-ck hair cascading over her shoulders, flowing down her straight back, entuating her stunning curves. She wore an orange-yellow vestment robe, embroidered with spiritual patterns of exotic flowers and strange grass.


    Her slender fingers rested quietly on her knees, her breath long and continuous.


    "Ancestral Spirit."


    A figure emerged from the void, d in a wide yellow-earth robe, nearly forty years of age with a face unmarked by the ravages of time, and a solid upright posture.


    Upon hearing the sound, the woman opened her eyes, which were deep and mysterious, with a gentle mist swirling within them. Upon seeing the neer, she slowly stood up and bowed respectfully,


    "I have seen the Holy Master."


    "The message I just received."


    The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord casually threw over a letter.


    Shang Zuling caught it with her hand and nced at it, her gaze slightly narrowing, her clear and jade-like face revealing no sign of emotional ripples:


    "Is this message delivered by Chu Zheng himself?"


    "What do you think his purpose is?" asked the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord, a trace of solemnity in his eyes.


    "Since he has leaked the message to lure people there, he must have prepared a way out, or suddenly obtained some kind of trump card, wanting to test his sword against the world," Shang Zuling said with a faint voice, her eyes slightly twinkling.


    "Using himself as bait to draw the dragons into the, he aims to cut down the dragons and contend for fortune. I fear he has discovered the secret of the aura of the Hidden Dragon List through some means and seeks to instigate conflict ahead of time."


    If this message were released, there would likely be no few in the world who could discern this point.


    "Do you think this person will be an obstacle for you?" asked the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord, his brows slightly furrowed. What Shang Zuling said was exactly what he was worried about.


    "Chu Zheng... born in an inopportune time. If he were born fifty years earlier, maybe he would have had the capital topete with me," said Shang Zuling indifferently, tossing the jade talisman aside and casuallymenting,


    "But now it''s good as well. In the subsequent ten thousand years, the Cangyun Realm will be his era."


    Even with monstrous talent, being bornter means a slower start. No matter how rapidly one advances in cultivation, by the time the greatpetition begins, at best, he could reach the Soul Condensing Realm Perfection. He would still be far behind her.


    A Divine Infant is already powerful, standing on a wholly different concept from the cultivators below.


    Soul Condensing Great Perfection is still just Soul Condensing; she could crush it with a wave of her hand.


    Once she is guided by the Immortal Alliance into the Minor Immortal Realm, Chu Zheng will be thoroughly left behind.


    The Minor Immortal Realm is apletely different world from the ordinary ones, capable of nurturing beings at the Immortal King Level, with a cultivation environment exceeding that of the Cangyun Realm by hundreds to thousands of times.


    One step behind, ever behind.


    Missing this opportunity, Chu Zheng will no longer be qualified to participate in the next Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects and can only be a tale of regret,pletely submerged in the annals of history.


    "This person''s growth is simply too rapid. Now he already has the ability to kill Soul Condensing Realm Perfection cultivators. By the time of thepetition, I''m afraid..."


    The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord shook his head slightly, only resenting that Chu Zheng was not one of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    "If the Soul Condensing Realm Perfection cultivator was truly in by Chu Zheng through his own cultivation, then Nie Yuan would not be alive at this moment. Mid Entry Dao Realm... still far off."


    "Ever since Zhao Tingxian took control of the Heavenly Dao, the Cangyun has never experienced another Heavenly Tribtion. Perhaps he does not want the essence of the Cangyun Realm to wane, as it hinders his cultivation."


    In response to the concerns of the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord, Shang Zuling''s tone remained calm:


    "If we cannot leave the Cangyun Realm, the highest we can reach is just the Tongxuan Peak. Just another Geng Yiyang. What is there for the Holy Master to worry about?"


    "Chu Zheng is demonically talented, and I fear it will attract the attention of the Immortal Alliance, adding a variable."


    What the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord was worried about was that the Immortal Alliance might suddenly take an interest in Chu Zheng.


    "From birth, I have been destined to surpass my ancestors and walk a path above the Immortal Kings."


    The voice of Shang Zuling remained steady, her profound eyes calm like quiet waters:


    "With me here, the Immortal Alliance will not spare Chu Zheng another nce."


    No sooner had she spoken than she began again, her tone shifting:


    "However, Chu Zheng is destined to rise. Taixuan will revive. Holy Master, you might as well set aside some of the grudges and befriend him. In the ten thousand years toe, the days of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land will be much easier."


    She was destined to leave Cangyun, unable to help the Primordial Spirit Holy Land too much, Chu Zheng''s influence in the Cangyun Realm would definitely be much greater than hers in the future.


    "I have a clear idea in my mind, so this time I will do as he wishes and help him spread the news," she said.


    The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord nodded slightly, being a Holy Master himself, he was far more sensitive to the changes in the situation than Shang Zuling had been.


    His gaze looked fifty thousand years into the future.


    ...


    ...


    With the news from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land being released, the entire Southern Region was instantly enveloped with an upheaval.


    An ancient battlefield, long forgotten, became the center of the Southern Region almost overnight.


    For the other three Holy Lands besides the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, there was no turning back at this moment.


    The outflow of the Sect-Defending Secret Scripture meant that their struggle with Chu Zheng had be a fight to the death.


    However, it had to be admitted that Chu Zheng''s rate of growth hadpletely exceeded their control.


    Once Chu Zheng truly entered the Soul Condensing Realm, and the Divine Infants were unable to take action, the situation would instantly flippletely.


    By that time, it was highly likely that Chu Zheng alone would hunt down all the true transmissions of the Holy Lands.


    From any angle, this attempt at encirclement was very likely theirst chance to eliminate Chu Zheng.


    In just a few days, the Immortal Martial Battlefield was heavily sealed off, but a gap was reluctantly left open to the south.


    More than five hundred Soul Condensing Monks, each wielding High Grade Magic Treasures, piloted battle boats and carried the battle g of the Taixuan Holy Land, converging on this location.


    A ze of Divine Fire, imprinted on a battle g with a red base and silver patterns, fluttered in the wind.


    The battle g held extraordinary significance; no cultivator would dare to forge it.


    These monks,manded by the Taixuan Holy Land, hade to this ce to escort Chu Zheng back to Taixuan.


    Although these temporarily summoned Loose Cultivators had received orders, they were not prepared to take the risk of entering the battlefield and getting caught up in the strife between Chu Zheng and the several Holy Lands.


    At most, they could open up a path of life for Chu Zheng under a cordon of heaven and earth.


    At least, when Chu Zheng was ready to flee, he wouldn''t be surrounded on all sides.


    ...


    ...


    In a corner of the battlefield.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on a low peak, using up all of his daily repair attempts.


    [Sun Wheel Mirror (Fifth Order/Iplete): A Superior Divine Weapon containing a space to store Essence of the Great Sun, capable of Condensing the Great Sun True me to burn enemies. It was shattered by a single hit, space broken, Spiritual Energy entirely lost, repairable (125/500)]


    Repairing the Sun Wheel Mirror first was the result of Chu Zheng''s careful consideration.


    The Great Sun True me was a Divine Fire of very High Quality and would be of great help to the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    Currently, his Celestial Foundation was only at the sixthyer, but with the emergence of the Five Elements Immortal Bones, he still had huge room for improvement.


    ording to the talent of a Superior Immortal Bone, he could at least raise his Celestial Foundation to the eighth or even the ninthyer.


    Sensing the surge of powerful Yuan Qi vibrations approaching from a distance, Chu Zheng''s eyes slightly shed as he closed the panel and summoned thirty-six Heavenly Aura Broken Swords to hover around him.


    After the initial repair, these broken swords could once again channel Spiritual Energy, and although theycked the might of a Spiritual Treasure, they were no less sharp than Top Quality Magical Treasures in terms of edge.


    Chu Zheng picked the most intact Heavenly Aura Sword to float in front of him, while the remaining thirty-five were arranged ording to the Five Elements positions and, employing the Invisibility Technique, vanished into the Void.


    Within the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, there was a Sword Array called ''Great Five Elements Sword Formation,'' requiring three thousand, five hundred and one Flying Swords.


    Currently, what Chu Zheng used was a minor Sword Array extracted from the Great Five Elements Sword Formation, aptly called ''Minor Five Elements Sword Formation.''


    One sword in the Central Pce, with seven sharp swords in the positions of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, in total thirty-six Flying Swords, their might extremely powerful.


    The only shoring was that the Heavenly Aura Swords had a single attribute; they were all made from Phoenix Blood Wood, belonging to the extreme yang of Fire Attribute, hence the Sword Array had some ws.


    Having made his preparations, he looked up into the distance, watching the Cultivators draw nearer with a faint smile, then he slipped into the Void.


    "I have been waiting for you for some time," he said.

 Chapter 162: Chapter 121: Dominating the Southern Region, The Supreme of the Era

    The battlefield was enveloped in a heavy gloom.


    The number of Soul Condensing Monks who came to the Immortal Martial Battlefield this time had long since exceeded a thousand, and the majority of them hade with the intention of ying Chu Zheng.


    "Is Chu Zheng really here? I''m afraid that might not be the case. If I were Chu Zheng, I would have left long ago," one monk said.


    "With so many Soul Condensing Monks here, even a cultivator with Divine Infant Great Ability wouldn''t dare to face them head-on. Chu Zheng has probably fled by now," another added.


    The slightly eerie atmosphere on the battlefield made many cultivators anxious, and they whispered among themselves.


    Most cultivators were skeptical about whether Chu Zheng was actually there since it wasmon sense that Chu Zheng wasn''t foolish enough to confront the major Holy Lands head-on.


    The cultivators who entered the battlefield mostly brought with them Shadow Retention Walls to report the situation within the Immortal Martial Battlefield back to the various Holy Lands.


    The entire Southern Region was paying close attention to the oue of this battle, which was relevant to the distribution of power in the Southern Region for the next ten thousand years.


    Meanwhile, under the battle g of the Taixuan Holy Land, numerous Soul Condensing Monks scanned the entire battlefield with keen eyes, the majority of them holding Shadow Retention Walls in their hands.


    Their purpose was to prevent the cultivators above the Divine Infant level from the other major Holy Lands from making secret moves. So long as they obtained evidence, the Immortal Alliance wouldter make judgments.


    If any Soul Condensing Monks relied on Spirit Pills to make a temporary breakthrough on the battlefield, they would also be able to detect it promptly and then stop it.


    A breakthrough on the battlefield wasn''t forbidden, but the implications of taking action after such a breakthrough would bepletely different.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng, hidden in the void, observed the gradually increasing number of cultivators around him. He flipped his hand and took out the Hidden Dragon List, employing the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    After a moment of sensing, he couldn''t help feeling somewhat disappointed.


    The number of outstanding cultivators from the Hidden Dragon List who joined this hunt wasn''t many¡ªjust over a dozen.


    Among the cultivators who hade, the majority were Outer Sect Deacons and Elders from the Holy Lands; these were the main forces.


    The Heavenly Fate carried by these prodigies from the Hidden Dragon List was too important for Chu Zheng. If he had enough Heavenly Fate, he might even have the chance to step into the Refine Spirit Realm before the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects began.


    If he could step into the Refine Spirit Realm, everything would be drastically different. Beyond Refine Spirity Returning to Void and Dao Integration; one step further, and one would be a Human Immortal.


    Mastering many grand Divine Skills and if he could find a few Spiritual Treasures to apany him, he would be able to traverse the universe on his own and leave Cangyun.


    After stepping into the Refine Spirit Realm, even between universes, he could continue cultivating, absorbing Astral Qi to nourish his body and move freely.


    Watching many cultivators stepping into the range of the Sword Array, Chu Zheng''s breathing grew heavy. Mana surged wildly within his body as hebined fingers to activate a spell, and in an instant, he moved thirty-six Heavenly Aura Swords.


    Hum¡ª


    A light screen suddenly rose, enclosing a thousand feet around, sweeping more than fifty Soul Condensing Monks into it, silencing all movements.


    Within the Sword Array, it instantly transformed into a hellish sea of fire, with tiny sparks falling like raindrops, each carrying countless hidden sharp sword shadows.


    The Heavenly Aura Sword was of the Fire Attribute, and its strongest aspect was the Fire Domain. Without hesitation, Chu Zheng activated the strongest Fire Domain within the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation.


    Puff puff puff¡ª


    In an instant, eight Soul Condensing Monks perished. Their blood had not yet sshed before their bodies were dried up by the fierce sea of fire, turning to ash.


    An additional dozen or so cultivators were wounded by the Sword Qi, poison from the fire entering their bodies, theirplexions turning crimson as their insides burned.


    The sharpness of the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation was terrifying,pletely beyond what flesh and blood could withstand. Even Vestment robes of Magic Treasure level were as fragile as thin paper before the Heavenly Aura Sword.


    Even though the majority of the Heavenly Aura Swords were iplete, retaining only a fraction of their original power, they remained treasures of Sixth Order, on the same level as Spiritual Treasures, and their sharp edge was naturally iparable to ordinary Magic Treasures.


    After activating the Sword Array, Chu Zheng''s Magical Yuan Qi was instantly drained, quickly replenished by the recovery panel.


    In terms of sheer mana, he was already not far behind the Soul Condensing Monks, and besides, with the recovery panel on hand, he had no fear of a war of attrition.


    "It''s a Sword Array! We''ve been ambushed!" one monk shouted.


    "With so many of us here, what is there to fear? Break through it by force!" another cried out.


    Even though eight people had died in an initial encounter, the several dozen Soul Condensing Monks in the Sword Array only fell into disarray for a moment before quickly regrouping, beginning to work together to charge out of the formation.


    Within a few breaths, they had broken through the raging sea of fire, but what met their eyes was not the Immortal Martial Battlefield, but rather an endless ocean.


    Above the sky, continuous sheets of rain connected with the heavens, with shes of lightning asionally appearing, and each raindrop likewise hid countless sword shadows, with sword light flickering, indistinguishable between true and false.


    Chu Zheng, observing from high above, had a cold gaze. Within his Dantian, the Yin Yang Dual Qi welled up, bringing forth the brilliance of thunder.


    He seized the moment to trigger the Thunder Method, hiding it within the sweeping rain, and in the blink of an eye, he inflicted heavy wounds on several Soul Condensing Monks.


    In the Sword Array, being severely injured was akin to sounding the death knell; within a few breaths, the cultivators who were hurt were torn apart by the rain curtain, their blood spattering warmly.


    After leaving behind over a dozen corpses once again, the group of Soul Condensing Monks struggled out of the rain curtain, only to fall into a world of gold. This time, there was no fiery rain or thunder, but rather countless wielding Golden Divine Swords with their fierce auras revealed.


    Cultivators summoned various colored Magic Treasures, cing them in front of themselves. Constantly activating Magic Treasures for defense required a great deal of mana, and given their vast consumption in the previous two formations, they were already greatly depleted.


    Now, within a few breaths, their mana began running low.


    This was also the reason Chu Zheng had chosen to fight in this ce. In the Land of Absolute Spirit, there wasn''t sufficient Spiritual Energy for the cultivators to replenish their mana, leaving them to be gradually worn down by him.

 Chapter 163: Chapter 121: Dominating the Southern Region, The Supreme of the Era_2

    "These Flying Swords, even surpassing top quality magical treasures in quality, where did he get so many divine weapons?!"


    Soon enough, cultivators noticed something unusual about the swords swirling around, their expressions filled with shock.


    Top-quality magical treasures, even Divine Transformation Realm cultivators, typically only have one or two at their side. Even the Tai Xu Family with its ample resources would not provide such a wealth of treasured swords to a junior disciple, let alone a full set of them.


    As time went on, Chu Zheng suddenly sensed something amiss, the repair speed of the formation''s core had started to slow down.


    This was inextricably linked to the environment of heaven and earth here¡ªthe spiritual energy was too sparse, to the point that it was impacting the operation of the formation''s core.


    He immediately took out arge number of Spirit Stones, stacking them beside him. The repair speed of the formation''s core underwent a dramatic change, restoring his full strength in an instant.


    From a distance, some cultivators had sensed something wrong and were rapidly approaching the sword formation, only to be continuously swept into it.


    Some cultivators were extremely cautious, standing at a distance and trying to break the sword formation from the periphery, invoking magical treasures to unleash powerful strikes of Aura against the formation.


    These techniques and Divine Skills naturally became Death Sentences,nding upon the cultivators caught within the sword formation.


    Within the formation, chaos unfolded, with countless cries erupting:


    "Tai Xu Sword Energy!"


    "Flying de Technique!"


    "What kind of formation is this?! How does it possess our sect''s secret techniques?!"


    "Where is the formation''s eye?!"


    Many cultivators, caught inside the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation, spun around. Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, over a hundred Soul Condensing cultivators perished within the formation.


    "Chu Zheng, you''re doomed today!"


    An elder from Tai Xu Holy Land, having reached the Perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm, bellowed in rage, eyes shing with murderous intent, without hesitation swallowing a Spirit Pill.


    Chu Zheng, seated in the Central Pce, watched the numerous cultivators circling him and suddenly sensed an anomaly¡ªwithin the sword formation, a surge of Yuan Qi was expanding rapidly.


    Before long, he found the source, observing the Divine Infant in the midst of transformation at the brow of that Tai Xu elder, his expression remained utterly calm.


    In a split second, he directed ten Heavenly Aura Swords from within the formation and then triggered the Space Condensing Art.


    The Tai Xu elder, at a critical point in his ascension, suddenly stiffened. Above him, the heavenly sword loomed, instantly tearing his flesh apart.


    With his body destroyed, the half-transformed Divine Infant was revealed beneath the open sky. Before it could react, thunder crackling across the horizon violently struck it down.


    Boom¡ª¡ª


    The half-transformed Divine Infant was turned to ash in the blink of an eye, its soul scattered and dissipated.


    The transformation of a Divine Infant is perilous indeed; any interference could spell doom.


    Not everyone can undertake the transition to a Divine Infant. The process itself carries significant risk. Attempting a breakthrough in the midst of battle further diminishes the chances of sess.


    Chu Zheng, having boldly announced his presence, had made all the necessary preparations. He had anticipated such scenarios well in advance.


    In Chu Zheng''s eyes, the movement of all Yuan Qi followed discernible patterns; he would not allow these cultivators the time to break through during a fight. Any fluctuations in the Yuan Qi within a cultivator''s body would be detected by him at once.


    Moreover, Chu Zheng wielded Thunder Methods, against which the Divine Infant also had considerable vulnerability to their devastating power.


    Now, he was far beyond his previous capabilities and possessed many means to interrupt a cultivator''s ascension.


    Once caught within the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation, even Divine Infant cultivators unfamiliar with formations were doomed to be ground down to death by him.


    This battle, from its very inception, was a one-sided ughter, with Chu Zheng firmly positioned on unconquerable grounds.


    As the number of dead cultivators soared, many of the remaining ones began to sense the danger, retreating from the Immortal Martial Battlefield. After counting their numbers, their souls still trembled.


    In just the blink of an eye upon entering the Immortal Martial Battlefield, the number of fallen Soul Condensing cultivators had surpassed two hundred.


    For a standard Superior Immortal Sect, the number of Soul Condensing cultivators usually did not exceed one hundred. In effect, Chu Zheng single-handedly decimated the core strength of tworge sects.


    What''s more, the majority of the Soul Condensing cultivators who came to the Immortal Martial Battlefield were above mid-stage, with many at thete stage or even perfection.


    Even for Holy Lands, this was a severe blow.


    Not until there was not a single survivor left within the sword formation did Chu Zheng nce at the Hidden Dragon List again.


    His ranking had not changed much; apparently, relying on the sword formation did not ount for one''s personal cultivation strength in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao¡ªit was considered leveraging an external object.


    Among these dead cultivators, there were only two geniuses listed on the Hidden Dragon List, which didn''t add much to Chu Zheng''s Heavenly Fate, but his Qi-refining technique was noticeably faster.


    The feeling of exclusively enjoying Heavenly Fate was truly wonderful.


    For Chu Zheng, a more significant change was that this battle had eradicated most of his Tribtion Qi.


    Before reaching Golden Core, even before Refine Spirit, his cultivation journey would be smooth sailing, with no bottlenecks to speak of under the bias of Heavenly Fate.


    At this moment, he was nearing perfection in the Jade Bone Mid-Stage, and it wouldn''t take more than a few days to break through.


    This confirmed his previous thought that actively experiencing tribtions was far easier than passively undergoing them.


    Instead of facing uncontroble tribtions like Ling Qi did before, it was better to actively seek them and take control of the situation.


    The existence of the repair panel was clearly beyond the scrutiny of heaven and earth.


    Without the repair panel, this battle would have been extremely perilous for Chu Zheng. He would have only been able to kill a few before he would have had to start fleeing and continue living on the run.


    After a while, Chu Zheng put away the Hidden Dragon List, dissolved the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation, and began to clear the battlefield.


    Within an area of less than a thousand zhang, corpses and scattered white bones were everywhere, blood pooled into hollows, emitting a strong stench of blood.


    Chu Zheng walked slowly across the battlefield, having picked up a few storage bags when his brows slowly furrowed.


    There were no cultivation techniques or records in these elders'' storage bags, a clear sign that the various Holy Lands had prepared in advance to prevent more techniques from leaking out.


    When Chu Zheng picked up a Jade Wall from a pool of blood, his fingertips paused abruptly.


    [Shadow Retention Wall (Third Order): Middle Quality Magical Treasure, inject mana, and it can retain the image seen before the eyes and transmit it across boundless distances.]


    The purpose was easy to understand, but Chu Zheng had never seen one before, and couldn''t help feeling a bit curious as he picked it up and yed with it for a moment.


    The Shadow Retention Wall was still glowing faintly, obviously still activated. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Chu Zheng''s face appeared before the eyes of the major Holy Lands for the first time.


    ...


    ...


    "What a terrifying sword array. A cultivator at the perfection of the Soul Condensing Realmsted only long enough to drink a cup of tea before falling."


    "No wonder Chu Zheng is so confident! With this sword array in hand, and the Divine Infants in hiding, who can harm him?"


    "With a cultivation at the Mid Entry Dao Realm, how could he possibly maintain such arge array for so long? There must be a problem here!"


    In the various Holy Lands, the cultivators who were paying attention to this battle were all astounded.


    They had seen everything that these cultivators had experienced after entering the Immortal Martial Battlefield, including what they had witnessed after falling into the formation.


    Their reactions were surprisingly unanimous, full of disbelief, and aside from Chu Zheng, they were more astonished by the power of the sword array.


    There were too many issues here; Chu Zheng''s cultivation should not have been able to support the sword array for so long, grinding away more than two hundred Soul Condensing cultivators.


    It even included a half-step Divine Infant who had broken through during battle.


    Unlike the reactions of many cultivators, several Holy Masters had slightly darkened expressions, showing no trace of anger but only a sense of powerlessness.


    From their position, they had a clearer understanding of Chu Zheng''s talent.


    The rise of Chu Zheng was a foregone conclusion.


    The only constion for them was that thetter part of the Immortal Ascension Method was still in the hands of the powerful beings in the various Holy Lands and the Tongxuan Secret Realm, so it wasn''tpletely exposed.


    Now, a bigger problemy before them: if they could not kill Chu Zheng, it meant that no power in the Southern Region could contain him anymore.


    This was undoubtedly a terrifying signal.


    In the entire Southern Region, the current Chu Zheng was now the foremost among his peers!


    "Interesting," before a light curtain, Ji Yuyan''s eyes flickered as he murmured to himself:


    "The Five Elements Sword Formation of the Taoist School..."

 Chapter 164: Chapter 122: Universe

    Cangmang Mountain Range, Divine Peak towering into the clouds, mountains ovepping, dense hot mist steaming into clouds, enveloping the void for tens of thousands of miles.


    The Taixuan Holy Land had be much livelierpared to before, with many peaks now dotted with figures in red robes.


    The newly issued disciples'' uniforms were bright and fiery red, moving through the mountains like roaming stars. Under the brilliance of the sun, they reflected a resplendent glow like that of crimson agate.


    These fresh forces undoubtedly injected a vibrant vitality into thisnd that had been dead for ten thousand years.


    Atop the main peak, within the Crimson Crystal Grand Hall.


    Geng Yiyang was sitting on the floor, his brow furrowed as he looked at the light screen not far in front of him.


    The scenes returning from the Immortal Martial Battlefield did not bring him joy.


    Chu Zheng''s battle had indeed been ster, annihting more than two hundred Soul Condensing Monks, stunning the world.


    However, the sword formation he used did not seem like a method from the Immortal Sects. The Five Elements Formation exists in the Immortal Path too. It requires setting up in advance, and one needs Five Elements Spiritual Objects to suppress the formation''s eyes or pre-refined Formation gs to deploy and execute.


    However, the sword array Chu Zheng used this time, with himself as the Central Pce, suppressing the Five Elements, and driving the Power of the Five Elements alone, was too incredible for a Cultivator in the Mid Entry Dao Realm.


    He wasn''t the only one to notice this, especially now that there was a Demi Immortal from the Immortal Tribtion Realm in the Southern Region.


    Geng Yiyang dissolved the light screen in front of him with a soft sigh. Having lived as long as he had, with the gates of the underworld nearly within sight, he had long since be indifferent to worldly matters.


    However, it would truly be a pity if someone as outstanding as Chu Zheng were to die so young.


    He wasn''t even neen this year, and his path of cultivation had just begun.


    ...


    ...


    Immortal Martial Battlefield.


    Chu Zheng had just finished collecting all the Storage Bags and had not yet had the chance to inventory his gains when an additional figure appeared not far in front of him.


    About thirty years old, tall, with wless features, dressed in a in robe with his hair bound by a wooden crown, he exuded a very gentle aura.


    Chu Zheng hadn''t noticed any signs of this person''s arrival, whose strength already far exceeded what he could handle.


    Yet at this moment, Chu Zheng''s gaze remained utterly steady, his calmness chilling.


    The Tribtion Qi by his side showed not the slightest ripple, which already proved that this person bore him no malice.


    "Chu Zheng, greetings, senior," Chu Zheng said, stabilizing his emotions and bowing respectfully.


    "You do have some courage. Ie from the Immortal Alliance. You may call me Immortal Ji,"


    Ji Yuyan gave him a nce and pulled a Spirit Paper out of the void, speaking slowly:


    "Extend your hand."


    Chu Zheng did as instructed and extended his hand.


    Immortal Ji ced the Spirit Paper in Chu Zheng''s palm, and in just a moment, the paper depicted a full moon divided into five parts¡ªred, ck, white, yellow, and blue, each upying a section.


    "Five Elements Immortal Bones, five Dao Foundations... No wonder you could activate the Five Elements Sword Formation,"


    A flicker of surprise passed through Ji Yuyan''s eyes as he withdrew his hand, and the Spirit Paper fell to the ground with the wind, burning into ashes.


    As he spoke, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel startled; just with one piece of paper, this man had seen right through him.


    "Where did you learn that sword formation?" Ji Yuyan asked again.


    "From ancient books, Immortal Ji," Chu Zheng replied.


    "It is indeed a remarkable method. It''s sufficient until you face your Immortal Tribtion,"


    Ji Yuyan nodded and added, "After the uing Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, I will petition the Immortal Alliance to admit you into the Minor Immortal Realm."


    He harbored no doubts, for it wasmonce for worlds like the Cangyun Realm to retain some ancient texts passed down from ancient times.


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng asked with some confusion, "Immortal Ji... what is the Minor Immortal Realm?"


    "The Minor Immortal Realm is a transit ce where the cultivation environment surpasses the Cangyun Realm by a hundredfold, specifically designed for young prodigies like you to cultivate,"


    "A barren ce like the Cangyun Realm has a huge energy gappared to the Great Immortal Realm where the Immortal Alliance is located. Rushing into it directly could cause your Immortal Bones to not withstand the surge of Spiritual Energy, potentially causing them to explode on the spot,"


    Chu Zheng''s gaze flickered thoughtfully; given the spiritual energy concentration in the Minor Immortal Realm alone, that of the Great Immortal Realm must be astoundingly high.


    Ji Yuyan was clearly very familiar with this process, evidently not doing this for the first time.


    Worlds like the Cangyun Realm are numerous across the universe, certainly not just a few.


    "Whether it''s the sword array or the Divine Skills of the Taoist School, you can practice them, but if ites to Qi Techniques, do not learn them. I see you haven''t yet formed a Golden Core; whether you practice or not, you still have an exit route. If you do practice, it''s better to abandon it early,"


    Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, Ji Yuyan spoke again, sternly advising:


    "This technique seeks to evade the Heavenly Tribtion by directly bing an Immortal, arrogantly acting against the heavens. Qi Cultivators of the Taoist School who advanced in cultivation rarely meet a good end, with the vast majority dying from disastrous cmities; that''s one reason,"


    "Secondly, after a Qi Cultivator has fully matured, there''s no clear path of cultivation left, only umting cultivation by enduring tribtions.


    The Ancestral Dao in the Thirty-Six Heavens of the Dao Realm, a Daluo Golden Immortal called the Eternal through Countless Tribtions, stole lifespan for himself from the heavens, but in the entire lineage of the Taoist School, only this one person emerged, much inferior to the systematic progression of the Immortal Path,"


    "With the quality of your Five Elements Immortal Bones, you rank quite well within the entire Immortal Alliance; though inferior to those born with the Yin Yang Immortal Bone, when you cross the Five Elements Great Tribtion, it will be as if treading on t ground,"


    "After enduring the Five Tribtions and umting your foundation, crossing the Immortal Sects to enter the True Immortal Realm will make you a Heavenly Immortal of the Five Tribtions, which is akin to ascending to the heavens in one step. In the future, you may even have the opportunity to be an Immortal Venerable, or even ascend to rule as a sovereign,"

 Chapter 165: Chapter 122: Universe_2

    ```


    "I speak these words to you because I do not wish for you to stray onto the wrong path. With your level of talent, you have a great future ahead of you; you needn''t ruin your prospects."


    Chu Zheng found the sheer volume of information conveyed in Ji Yuyan''s words somewhat difficult to digest for a moment. After a while, he finally reacted, bowing in acknowledgment:


    "Thank you for your guidance, Immortal Ji."


    Ji Yuyan''s words¡ªhe had only absorbed half of them. The ability of the Five Elements Immortal Bones within the Immortal Alliance was but decent; there remained a significant room for improvement.


    As for giving up Qi-refining techniques, he had never considered it. The Immortal Bone at the back of his head had been forcibly grown through Qi-refining techniques. To abandon Qi-refining and focus solely on the Immortal Path would be, ording to Ji Yuyan, to see the end at a nce.


    Daluo Golden Immortal, eternally indestructible across countless eons, the progenitor of a Dao...


    Recalling such terms from Ji Yuyan''s mouth, a faint glimmer of light, like the spark of a fire, shone in the depths of Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    What was the point of following the conventional path, especially when he couldn''t see it to its end?


    After entering the Immortal Sect, there was no set path for Qi-refining techniques, but that only meant greater possibilities.


    The pros and cons of this depended on personal choices.


    For Chu Zheng, there was no need for excessive deliberation.


    After a period of silence, Chu Zheng spoke again, inquiring: "Immortal Ji, I heard that the Immortal Alliance recently ordered several Holy Lands to pursue heretic cultivators. What is that about?"


    "What do you need to know that for?" Ji Yuyan immediately narrowed his eyes.


    Before asking the question, Chu Zheng had already anticipated Ji Yuyan''s possible reaction and did not show the slightest nervousness. He replied solemnly:


    "The Martial Cultivator currently in Taixuan is my wife, so I wished to ask for some information."


    "Oh? That is quite the coincidence."


    Ji Yuyan''s eyes flickered slightly, and after a thoughtful pause, he spoke slowly: "Since you have obtained ancient Taoist books, you must be aware that the Cangyun Realm previously was not solely governed by the Immortal Path."


    "Cultivators ughter each other over resources, and the Taoist Orthodoxy, for its own survival, must also contest for a share of worlds. These worlds are linked to the allocation of Heavenly Fate within the Great Universe."


    "Previously, Heavenly Fate scattered and fell across various realms. After a prolonged period of ughter and struggle, the situation within the current universe has begun to rify.


    Generally, Heavenly Fate can be divided into five portions, with the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall governing two-fifths behind the Starry Sky Barrier, the ''All Hevens'' one and a half tenths, the ''Myriad Realms'' one and a half tenths..."


    At this point, Ji Yuyan''s voice trailed off slightly.


    Chu Zheng, who was listening intently, heard the abrupt stop and subconsciously asked, "Where is the remaining three-fifths?"


    After a long silence, Ji Yuyan finally spoke:


    "The Ancestral Dao of the Taoist School upies two and a half tenths by himself, and the remaining half-tenth belongs to the unexplored Great Realms within the Chaos Sea."


    These facts were unknown to the cultivators of the Tongxuan Secret Realms of the Cangyun Realm, but Ji Yuyan saw no need for secrecy, believing Chu Zheng would eventuallye into contact with them.


    "In any world, whetherrge or small, strong or weak, there are always exceptional individuals walking the pinnacles of the era''s waves. Such exceptional figures, no matter in which Taoist Orthodoxy they are born, will achieve sess and are destined to change the entire pattern of the world."


    "To give an example, if you practice Dao Laws and seed in Qi Refining, returning to Void and merging with the Path, upon sensing this, the Taoist School will have an excuse to re-intervene in the affairs of the Cangyun Realm."


    "To ensure a suitable environment for your growth, the connection between the Immortal Alliance and Cangyun Realm will be severed. Above the Immortal Tribtion, there will no longer be any qualification to enter, until the powers within the realm are reshuffled."


    "Either you will forcefully dominate the present world, bringing it under the governance of the Taoist School, or you will die by Immortal punishment, and it will be as if nothing happened."


    "Due to external threats, there have been no wars among the various powers for a long time. Minor disputes asionally arise but are always quickly curbed and very restrained."


    "Generally speaking, the Immortal Alliance would not give other Taoist Orthodoxies a chance to intervene and would seek to nip troubles in the bud. That''s why they previously hunted heretic cultivators."


    After listening, Chu Zheng took a deep breath and once again offered his gratitude: "Thank you, Immortal Ji, for dispelling my doubts."


    These words peeled away the veil that had been covering his eyes, revealing a familiar cosmos that now teemed with changes.


    If not for Ji Yuyan, who knows how long it would have taken him to learn this information.


    "Your wife, on the other hand, should not be of too much concern."


    "The rtionship between the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall is currently harmonious, with intermarriage being amon affair. There are even Immortal Kings discussing and affirming the possibility of Dual Cultivation of Immortal Martial Arts with martial arts giants."


    If this path were to seed, the pattern of the entire universe would be rewritten. The fusion of Immortal and Martial Arts means that Heavenly Fate will also blend, with the proportion reaching forty percent.


    Ji Yuyan''s mouth curved slightly, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.


    Having said that, the Immortal Alliance was on the verge of a grand conflict, with the adversary still unknown, and the Martial Path could not yet bepletely ruled out.


    ```


    The so-called dual cultivation of Immortal Martial Arts was nothing more than an illusion without substance.


    "Meeting is a form of destiny, I''ll give you another opportunity," said Ji Yuyan as he suddenly spoke and then slowly raised his hand, cing it on the top of Chu Zheng''s head.


    Chu Zheng showed no resistance, and he didn''t move an inch.


    The sensitivity to Tribtion Qi was much sharper than his own Spiritual Perception, at least it could tell him whether disaster was imminent or not.


    This kind of danger alert had helped him a lot.


    At least for now, Ji Yuyan, to him, harbored no ill will.


    A cool breath continuously flowed from Ji Yuyan''s palm into the crown of Chu Zheng''s head, then trickled into his mind.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng felt a rity in his Sea of Consciousness as his Divine Soul suddenly grew much stronger; after this, whether it was forming the Dao Embryo or Soul Condensing, he would save himself a great deal of arduous effort.


    After reacting, he could not help but be astonished.


    This kind of opportunity was also briefly mentioned in the Great Circtory Qi Guideline.


    The touch of an Immortal on the head signified ''Enlightenment'' in the Qi Refining Lineage.


    It could help some children with peculiar Root Bones but obscure Spirituality to awaken, substantially strengthening the Divine Soul, which in a sense, was to enhance the early stages of perceptiveness.


    "Thank you greatly, Immortal Ji," said Chu Zheng, bowing deeply, his eyes somewhat solemn. For an Immortal, imparting enlightenment was also a significant expenditure of energy.


    "There''s no need to thank me. I might seek your help in the future," Ji Yuyan said with a slight shake of his head, not appearing to care too much.


    He enjoyed the task of guiding talented individuals; sometimes doing a favor for someone could save a lot of trouble in the future.


    "We will meet again at the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, you still have a long time ahead of you. Take it step by step, no need to rush," he said.


    Before the echo of his voice faded, Ji Yuyan''s figure had already merged into the void, leaving no trace behind.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, feeling a sense of rity and an indescribably refreshingfort throughout his body.


    Without wasting any time, he sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate, making twice the progress with half the effort in his current state.


    ...


    ...


    Just a few days after Ji Yuyan left, Chu Zheng''s Qi Refinement''s Cultivation took another step forward, entering thete stage of the Jade Bone Realm.


    The path of Qi Refining was just too special to him; giving it up would be a pity.


    Moreover, if that Ancestral Dao could reach this point, monopolizing a quarter of the Heavenly Fate, it was enough proof that the path of Qi-refining Technique was viable.


    The path of Immortal Cultivation would not bepleted with his current talents. Even if the Qi-refining Technique was inferior, the oue would be the same; it was only a matter of how far he would get.


    The foundation of the Immortal Path he was currently on was mostly derived from the Qi-refining Technique, which proved there were somemonalities between the two paths. This mutual confirmation might make it possible for them to integrate.


    Now, he was just one step away from forming the Dao Embryo.


    Forming the Dao Embryo would bring no small change for a Qi Cultivator, just like the Immortal Path Cultivators with Soul Condensing; there would be a dramatic increase in the power of Divine Sense.


    The advancement in his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation also had some influence on his Immortal Path.


    The Dao Foundation was slightly affected, and the cultivation in the mid Entry Dao Realm also rose significantly during this period, nearing thete stage of the Entry Dao Realm.


    After a temporary halt to his cultivation, Chu Zheng immediately ended his practice and began to take stock of the gains from this battle.


    Sorting through more than two hundred Storage Magical Artifacts, it took him several days to get a rough idea.


    This battle, without a doubt, brought him a staggering fortune.


    Just in Magic Treasures alone, there were over four hundred pieces.


    Although most were Middle Quality Magic Treasures and varied in the degree of damage, to Chu Zheng, whether they were damaged or not, it didn''t matter much.

 Chapter 166: Chapter 123: Changes in the Situation

    After the ancient war that predated ancient times, the Immortal Martial Battlefield had never been as silent as it was at this moment.


    Stretching over a hundred thousand li, not a trace of humanity was present, save for the asional space rifts that drifted by, apanied by the cold howling wind, leaving no other sound to be heard.


    Under the orders of the various Holy Lands, the cultivators who had been surrounding the area began to retreat one after another, except for a group from Tai Xu Holy Land to the south.


    Soul Condensing Monks no longer posed any threat to Chu Zheng, who could leave at any time should he choose to do so; there was no need to incur unnecessary losses.


    The many retreating Soul Condensing Monks all had clouds of worry in their hearts.


    Nowadays, with more than eight years left until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, no one could predict what level Chu Zheng''s cultivation would reach by then.


    Based on his current rate of progress, reaching thete stage of the Soul Condensing Realm or even Soul Condensing Realm Perfection was highly possible.


    As for the Divine Infant, no one believed Chu Zheng could reach this step.


    The gulf between Soul Condensing and Divine Infant is vast; Shang Cangyun, who had the makings of an Immortal King, spent a full ten years stuck at the bottleneck of Soul Condensing Realm Perfection.


    The more exceptional the talent, the less they relied on elixirs;pared to elixirs, they preferred to change their environment to speed up the advancement of their cultivation.


    Ordinary cultivators at this stage, without resorting to elixirs to forcibly gather their Divine Soul, would be stuck for at least a century.


    The current environment of divine infants retreating from the world undoubtedly provided Chu Zheng with the most suitable cradle for growth.


    No matter how numerous the powerful figures within the Holy Lands, if they could not take action, they posed almost zero threat to Chu Zheng.


    ...


    ...


    Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    At the center of the Immortal Martial Battlefield.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on the summit of a small peak, turning over his Storage Bag, taking inventory of his gains.


    [Sunfire Aura Brand (Third Order): Middle Quality Magic Treasure, hailing from the Forging Hall of Heavenly Throne Holy Land, primarily forged from Sunfire Crystal and supplemented with three types of Divine Iron, exquisitely durable, impervious to high-quality Magic Treasures.]


    ...


    [Blood Wing Spear (Third Order/Iplete): Middle Quality Magic Treasure, originating from the Armory of Tai Xu Holy Land, damaged by the Heavenly Aura Sword, with most of its Array copsed, nearly a scrap, repairable (0/20)]


    ...


    [Silver Dragon Staff (Fourth Order): High Quality Magic Treasure, from the Armory of Tai Xu Holy Land, with Skysilver Mine as the primary material, forged with the quenching of Flood Dragon Blood, containing a trace of draconic might.]


    ...


    [Sky Shadow Clothes (Third Order/Iplete): Middle Quality Magic Treasure, from the Refining Pavilion of Jinli Holy Land, with Spirit Silk as the main material, damaged by the Heavenly Aura Sword, its Arraypletely shattered, now a piece of scrap, repairable (0/30)]


    A stream of information flowed through Chu Zheng''s mind; more than four hundred Magic Treasures could be exchanged for a shockinglyrge sum of Spirit Stones.


    He was in need of resources to improve his Celestial Foundation, and one could never have too many Spirit Stones.


    In addition to these, there was also a good number of elixirs and spirit stones.


    [Heart Cleansing Pill (Third Order): To be taken before cultivation; it settles the qi and concentrates the spirit, slightly stimting the speed of the Immortal Bone''s absorption of Spiritual Energy.]


    ...


    [Illusion Barrier Pill (Third Order): Creates an illusion barrier in the mind, mystifying and intoxicating the soul, helpful in tempering the Soul.]


    ...


    [Soul Solidifying Pill (Third Order): Stabilizes the Divine Soul, elerating the consolidation of the Soul.]


    ...


    [Infant Gathering Pill (Fourth Order): A special elixir, capable of forcibly condensing the soul into an infant in a short time, with severe side effects.]


    Those who came to the Immortal Martial Battlefield were mainly Soul Condensing Monks, and the spirit pills they carried were mostly of not-low quality; many were just what Chu Zheng needed.


    The only thing that puzzled Chu Zheng was that within the belongings of these deceased cultivators, he found not a single item rted to Primordial Spirit Holy Land, as if the Holy Land had not participated in this encirclement at all.


    Previously, Primordial Spirit Holy Land had stood on the same front as Tai Xu and three other Holy Lands; they should not have missed such an opportunity.


    After pondering for a while, Chu Zheng remembered the current leader of the Hidden Dragon List, Shang Zuling.


    The only exnation he could think of was that Primordial Spirit Holy Land had full confidence in Shang Zuling and did not feel that he was a threat to Shang Zuling at the moment.


    Chu Zheng did not spend too much energy on this matter, setting aside things he could not understand for the time being¡ªhe would naturally find the answers after some time.


    After tidying up all the resources and sorting them out, Chu Zheng took a deep breath, took out his diary, and after pondering for a long time, he finally wrote:


    [In the second year of the New Calendar, June, in the Immortal Martial Battlefield, I slew two hundred thirty-one cultivators from various Holy Lands; the harvest was plentiful. On the same day, I encountered Immortal Ji, and for the first time heard the secrets of the universe; my feelings are profound, beyond words.


    Weak and alone, I reside in this world, like a mayfly in the cosmos, a mere grain in the vast ocean. I still need to diligently expand my knowledge and experience, strive and encourage myself...]


    After stowing away his diary, Chu Zheng roughly sensed his surroundings for a while, and instead of making contact with those cultivators from Taixuan Holy Land, he took a few more days to thoroughly sweep the whole Immortal Martial Battlefield once again.


    After ensuring that not a single fragment had been missed, Chu Zheng quietly left the ce.


    His purpose this time was just to verify the power of the Sword Array, and the results were surprisingly pleasant and unexpected.


    Although not many notables on the Hidden Dragon List had appeared this time, leaving Chu Zheng somewhat disappointed, the rewards were already substantial.


    Putting aside the wealth of those Soul Condensing Monks, the legacy left within the Immortal Martial Battlefield was enough for him to benefit from for a long time.


    With the Sword Array at his side, he could be bolder in his actions from now on, without the need to look back.


    ...


    ...


    The events that unfolded in the Immortal Martial Battlefield spread like a wild wind across the entire Southern Region as cultivators from various Holy Lands returned to their Sects.


    For the majority of Sect cultivators, Chu Zheng seemed like a sun that had suddenly risen, without any warning, and before they could even react, it was already at the zenith of the sky, dazzlingly brilliant.

 Chapter 167: Chapter 123: Changes in the Situation_2

    Since the bounties from the great Holy Lands, a storm had arisen, and within less than a year, Chu Zheng had already undergone a shocking transformation.


    At the beginning of the bounties by the Holy Lands, Chu Zheng was merely a cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm, but now he alone had defeated the joint encirclement of three Holy Lands. Thousands of Soul Condensing cultivators hadunched their powerful attack but returned defeated.


    The span of this transformation was truly astonishing.


    As the news spread, it triggered a massive chain reaction. The predicament of Taixuan Holy Land experienced a shocking reversal. The sects that were previously neutral began to quietly offer their allegiance to Taixuan, seeking to unite.


    The discerning could see that as long as Chu Zheng did not die, within the next ten thousand years, Taixuan would inevitably experience a spring after winter and reach an unprecedented peak.


    Before this, establishing good rtions was extremely important, especially for those sects struggling to survive among the Holy Lands. Assessing the situation sometimes involved making unwilling but necessary decisions. Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    The city outside Taixuan Holy Land began to expand at an astonishing rate, quickly bing a vast metropolis, even showing signs of spreading further as small cities rapidly emerged.


    Some smaller sects had already begun to relocate entirely, abandoning their long-inherited bases and moving into the sphere of influence of Taixuan Holy Land.


    The various Holy Lands of the Southern Region, including ancient and powerful Immortal Sects, would not directly contact the outside world but would have a buffer zone, either a city or an entire country.


    Just like Illusory Spirit City for the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    All cultivators were well aware that in theing days, the surroundings of Taixuan, previously deste and barren, would transform into a flourishing cultivation Holy Land.


    ...


    ...


    "Never expected that such a tightly woven would be directly torn apart by Chu Zheng alone. I heard that the Soul Condensing cultivators of Taixuan Holy Land did not even make a move."


    "This rise of Taixuan seems unstoppable now."


    "Give Chu Zheng another eight years, and the leader of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects this time will likely be between him and Shang Zuling."


    "Shang Zuling first, no doubt. Chu Zheng will probably have to settle for second."


    Below Heavenly Throne Holy Land, inside Heavenly Throne City.


    Within the sprawling city that spanned hundreds of miles, several figures stood on a busy street, slightly stunned by the discussions of the surrounding cultivators.


    Their attire was simr, each carrying a jade pendant inscribed with the ''Song'' character at their waist¡ªit was Song Shengming and his group who had left Taixuan.


    Song Shengming, hearing the news spread by the cultivators on the street, was momentarily unable to react.


    He had also heard about the coboration among several Holy Lands to encircle Chu Zheng. Whilst he didn''t believe Chu Zheng would fall so easily, he thought he would at least suffer a great loss.


    Yet it had turned into the situation as it was now.


    Seeing that Song Shengming remained silent for a long time, one of the middle-aged cultivators by his side couldn''t help but inquire through transmitted voice, "Third Elder, about the Heavenly Throne Holy Land... are we still going?"


    "It would be useless to go, just a waste of effort."


    Song Shengming came back to his senses, shaking his head with furrowed brows.


    Originally, his n was to unite the power of several Holy Lands to pressure Taixuan andpel Chu Zheng to appear and personally deal with the matter of the Song Family Heritage Blood Jade.


    However, the situation had changed too quickly. After this encirclement, the major Holy Lands temporarily could no longer pose a threat to Chu Zheng.


    Moreover, considering Geng Yiyang''s previous stance, Taixuan Holy Land would obviously protect Chu Zheng to the end, making this approach now unfeasible.


    The crux of the matter stilly with Chu Zheng.


    Song Shengming quickly made a decision, his expression solemn:


    "Notify all the rtives we can contact, try to reach out to Chu Zheng directly, and ask him how much he wants in exchange for returning the Blood Jade. Whatever the conditions, we can discuss them."


    A True Immortal Noble Family now has to bow before a junior of the Entry Dao Realm, something Song Shengming had never imagined before.


    But as things had progressed to this point, there was no turning back.


    ...


    ...


    After leaving the Immortal Martial Battlefield, Chu Zheng traveled nearly a month, heading west across more than four million leagues, entering a mortal realm.


    Thisnd was known as Danxia. In ancient times, there was a True Immortal of Alchemy who practiced alchemy here, and an Immortal Pill descended into the world from this ce, covering a hundred thousand leagues with its Danxia energy, with heavenly spiritual rain blessing all creatures.


    That spiritual rain changed the constitutions of all living beings within a radius of over a hundred thousand leagues, significantly extending the lifespan of mortals. In the historical records of Danxia Country, there were instances where mortals lived over three hundred years with their mortal bodies.


    Today, thisnd is still known as a ce of longevity, with the elderly often living beyond one hundred thirty or forty years.


    The only regrettable factor is the very low probability of producing Immortal Seedlings in Danxia Country, with just three to five individuals emerging every two to three hundred years, mostly possessing Lower Quality Immortal Bones.


    Many Immortal Sects had visited and explored this area, concluding that the unusually extended lifespan consumed the potential of the people of Danxia Country, thus making Immortal Seedlings rare.


    Upon hearing this legend, Chu Zheng''s first reaction was to believe that there had been a change in the environment here, which resulted in the drastic extension of mortal lifespans.


    However, upon arriving in Danxia Country, this spection was undoubtedly refuted. The environment here,pared to other ces, showed no difference, with the distribution of Yuan Qi between heaven and earth being even.


    The only exnation was that at the instant the Immortal Pill waspleted, some mysterious force instantly altered the constitutions of the local people, possibly even causing a gic mutation.


    This mutation was stable enough to be passed down through generations.


    In a moment, it affected billions of beings. Such is the power of an Immortal.


    Ever since embarking on the path of cultivation, any information rted to Immortals profoundly impacted Chu Zheng. This unexinable power is the greatest distinction between Immortals and mortals.


    Before bing an Immortal, a cultivator is still merely a cultivator, ultimately a mortal.


    After entering Danxia Country, Chu Zheng had been attentively observing the local mortals, and he quickly noticed some differences.


    The Yuan Qi inside the bodies of the people living here was exceptionally vigorous, at least two to three times that of ordinary mortals. Some newborn infants exhibited Innate Qi that was particrly thick and astounding.


    An invisible force protected their bodies from being eroded by the mundane world, making the bnce of Yuan Qi within them harder to disrupt.


    In other words, disregarding enlightenment, just based on physical constitution alone, the people of Danxia Country were considered promising candidates for the Qi Refining Lineage.


    Having vigorous Yuan Qi meant they were more likely to capture Qi Sensations and facilitate the circtions of Qi.


    As his experience grew and his understanding of the world deepened, Chu Zheng''s initial intent to transmit his teachings had gradually faded.


    Facing the Immortal Alliance, a behemoth spanning the cosmos and myriad realms, the rise and fall of a single realm were but a mere thought away.


    Transmitting teachings, other than causing troubles for himself and bringing disasters to these innocent mortals, held no meaningful significance.


    The Dao cannot be imparted lightly.


    Only now did Chu Zheng somewhat understand the opening line of the Great Circtory Qi Guideline.


    ording to the Heavenly Divination Technique, a fragment of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier was located right here in thisnd.


    Regarding his subsequent ns, Chu Zheng already had a clear outline.


    Once he located the fragment in Danxia Country, he would need at most another month to collect the final piece.


    When the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier pieces were gathered, he would be able to ascend to Tai Xuan and sit down for a thorough discussion with Geng Yiyang once again.


    Now, the Immortal Bone at the back of his head served as his protective amulet; Tai Xuan was no longer a perilous ce for him.


    The strong contenders from the Immortal Alliance had not discerned any hints, and it was natural that Geng Yiyang, the old fox, wouldn''t suspect anything.


    During this period, Chu Zheng had been observing the reactions within Tai Xuan Holy Land; Geng Yiyang''s thoughts had definitely been moreplex and intense than his.


    Now, Geng Yiyang likely wanted to have a chat with him as well.

 Chapter 168: Chapter 124: Martial Barrier Gathers, Taixuan Holy Son

    The territory of Danxia Country is simr to that of Great Zhou, with abundant mountains and lush forests.


    Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    There''s no Immortal Sect inheritance here, but there is an Immortal Sect pasture specifically for raising Spirit Beasts.


    Immortal Seedlings are rare in this ce, yet it abounds with a type of half-Spirit Beast called the ''Iron Rhinoceros''; shoulder height nearly three meters, with broad back and straight spine covered in iron scales, lifespan ranging from three hundred to five hundred years, and possessing great strength, no inferior to an ordinary First Order Spirit Beast.


    The nearby small sects all like to use them to transportrge quantities ofmon ore materials, which is verybor-saving.


    This is considered a special product of Danxia Country, utterly unfindable elsewhere.


    Just like themon people of Danxia Country, the Iron Rhinoceros was at one time a verymon wild beast that suddenly underwent some mutation and, over generations, gradually evolved into what it is today.


    Thirty miles north of the Danxia Imperial Capital, there is a peak with a height of three thousand and five hundred meters, steep cliffs on two sides, a ridge sharp as a de, as if a sword raised against the sky.


    It was high noon, and the sun hung directly overhead.


    A streak of light shed across the sky andnded on the summit of the peak.


    Chu Zheng calmed the turbulent Qi within his body, looked around, surveyed the smaller mountains, activated his Spiritual Eye, and the flow of Yuan Qi in the world entered his view.


    This peak was called Pill Immortal Peak, and it was said that the Pill Immortal of Ancient Times had once practiced alchemy here.


    Not far from the mountain top, there was a three-meter-high Green Stone stele with a dense array of names inscribed on it.


    "Wandan Pavilion, Shi Changli pays respects here."


    "Loose Cultivator, Yang Shiteng, pays respects here."


    "Taixuan Holy Land, Shi Gu, pays respects here."


    "Taixuan Holy Land, Gong Rulong, pays respects here."


    ...


    Since ancient times, numerous Masters of the Dan Dao havee upon hearing of its fame, leaving their marks here.


    Chu Zheng quickly scanned over them and saw many names from Taixuan Holy Land.


    He came here in hopes of discovering some unexpected gains, for it was a ce where a True Immortal had once stayed, and perhaps there might be something different about it.


    After searching around, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed, the fluctuations of Yuan Qi were quite normal, and there were no traces left behind.


    Considering it, this was expected. So much time had passed, countless Cultivators had visited this ce, and even if some treasures were left, they would have long been taken by predecessors.


    Chu Zheng nced at the distant Green Stone stele but did not leave his name. Instead, somewhat stubborn, he crouched and touched every inch of the mountain peak.


    The details he couldn''t discern, perhaps his interfaces might notice.


    After groping around on the ground for a while, suddenly, a prompt emerged from the depths of his mind, invigorating Chu Zheng''s spirit.


    [Hundred Stars Elixir (Eighth Order/Iplete): Made by using the cores of a hundred Lower Grade Stars as the main ingredient, supplemented with two hundred and thirty-seven kinds of Immortal Delicacies, it vastly increases the Cultivation of a Three Cmities True Immortal.


    Because the Star Core''s energy could only solidify three pills, the remaining half couldn''t take shape and was thus discarded. With your current capabilities, you are unable to repair it.]


    Immortal Pill!


    Chu Zheng''s heart skipped a beat as he stared at the unremarkable half chunk of stone beneath his palm, somewhat stunned.


    This Iplete Immortal Pill contained not a trace of Spiritual Energy. Whether viewed by the naked eye or sensed by Mana, it was nothing more than a very ordinary stone.


    Dusty and stained, pitted and porous, it was indistinguishable from ordinary weathered gravel.


    If not for the interface prompt, Chu Zheng would have never thought that this item was an Immortal Pill.


    Chu Zheng picked up the half Immortal Pill, and suddenly his hand felt heavy. This Remnant Elixir, no bigger than a palm and unassuming in appearance, weighed a ton, easily a thousand pounds.


    Using a hundred Star Cores to refine pills, such power is truly a miracle.


    After scrutinizing it for a moment, Chu Zheng was satisfied and put it away. Although he already had many items that he couldn''t currently repair, it didn''t mean he wouldn''t be able to fix them in the future.


    Even just holding it in his hand gave him a sense of fulfillment.


    Having this half of an Immortal Pill ensured his trip was not in vain.


    After carefully going over the entire peak a couple more times and making sure nothing was missed, Chu Zheng finally descended the mountain and stepped directly into the Danxia Imperial Capital.


    This time, he did not use the Invisibility Technique. He broke off a tree branch by the roadside, turned it into a few Golden Leaves, and entered the Imperial Capital through the main gate. He hadn''t interacted with people for a long time and missed the bustle of humanity.


    His time spent cultivating was not long, but some of that time involved the repetitive and tedious practice of running the Circuit of Qi day after day.


    On the streets, the flow of people was like a woven tapestry, with the residents all looking radiant, a testament to their prosperous lives.


    As and of longevity, there were many elderly people on the streets, and many shopkeepers were already of advanced years.


    The various and disordered streams of Qi intertwined in the void, forming a of bustling human life.


    Chu Zheng stopped by the roadside, drank three bowls of wontons, and while listening to the noise from the street, he sifted through the information.


    After a while, he was somewhat surprised to find out that the Royal Family of Danxia Country had a far-sighted person. Decades ago, they had issued an imperial decree to limit procreation, deliberately controlling the poption growth gradually.


    Being and of longevity often implies an explosive poption growth. The territory of a country can''t support so many people, and in the absence of wars, other methods have to be employed for control.


    The Royal Family of Danxia Country is strong, and although there are no Immortals present, the number of Martial Path Grandmasters who live over a hundred years is quite substantial, which grants them great control over the wholend.


    Now, decadester, the effects of the poption control order are starting to show.


    Chu Zheng sat on the street for a moment, having had his fill of human noise, and then got up and left.


    Following the guidance of the Heavenly Divination Technique, he went against the human tide and arrived at a graveyard.

 Chapter 169: Chapter 124: Martial Barrier Gathers, Taixuan Holy Son_2

    ```


    Judging from the arrangement, it should be the ancestral mausoleum of the Danxia Country''s royal family.


    Chu Zheng opened his Spiritual Eye and looked around for a moment, somewhat surprised to find the aura of more than twenty Martial Path Grandmasters in this ce.


    Indeed, there seemed no need for such an borate defense with so many people guarding a single mausoleum; there must be hidden reasons behind it.


    Chu Zheng used the Invisibility Technique and slowly walked into an underground pce.


    This was also a tomb, but it was temporarily empty, with no one having imed it as their resting ce.


    Walking along the tomb''s path for a while, Chu Zheng then saw a vast square before him.


    The square stretched for hundreds of yards, furnished with stone piles and iron men and other equipment used for practicing martial arts. Many teenagers were training in martial arts there.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze settled on a middle-aged man whose cultivation in the martial path was extremely profound. The Inner Strength in his Dantian showed signs of Condensing Qi to Aura, and in his lifetime, he had a high hope of taking that one crucial step.


    This level of cultivation would be difficult to achieve without the practice methods that came after reaching the Yuan Aura Realm.


    Chu Zheng roughly spected in his mind that the royal family of Danxia Country, just like Li Mingzhou before, had obviously discovered the extraordinariness of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier and was secretly cultivating arge number of Martial Cultivators in the dark.


    In the Cangyun Realm, such actions were undoubtedly self-destructive, with exposure simply being a matter of time.


    ncing at the older teenagers training in the square, Chu Zheng let out a light sigh, grateful that he was not toote. Had the Immortal Alliance noticed, not a chicken or dog would have been left in this ce.


    Following the guidance of the Heavenly Divination Technique, Chu Zheng quickly found the Fragment of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier.


    As he had expected, the Fragment was heavily protected by six Great Grandmasters, enshrined on a divine tform.


    Chu Zheng walked slowly to the front of the divine tform and after examining it, he came to a realization.


    The content recorded on this Fragment of the barrier was quiteplete, including a First Level of cultivating mental method. No wonder it could nurture so many Martial Path Grandmasters.


    After pondering briefly, Chu Zheng swept the Fragment into his sleeve and then left behind a letter as a warning to the Danxia royal family to stop their perilous actions.


    The number of copies the Danxia royal family had made of this Fragment and to how many people they had distributed them ¨C he really didn''t have the energy to track them all down.


    If Danxia Country wished to continue down this path of doom, Chu Zheng was powerless to stop it.


    That was all he could do. Time was already scarce for his own use, without any spare energy to waste on this matter.


    Having acquired the Fragment, Chu Zheng did not stay long and swiftly left.


    Not even a quarter of an hour after his departure, amotion arose throughout the entire underground pce.


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The letter was quickly presented to the innermost parts of the Imperial Pce, before the Imperial Throne.


    The Son of Heaven of Danxia Country opened the envelope. After quickly scanning the contents, his expression shifted from rage to shock, hisplexion turning from red to pale. In just a few breaths, his forehead was covered in cold sweat.


    A quarter of an hourter, he secretly summoned several of the strongest Grandmasters to start retrieving the distributed copies of the rubbing.


    The young men who had just begun their training were brought into the Imperial Pce to be taught from the beginning, and the underground pce waspletely buried.


    While underground currents surged in Danxia Country, Chu Zheng had already traveled far to the northwest, entering an ancient forest.


    Thest Fragment of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier had fallen into a deep and secluded stream, hidden from the sun for many years. Despite this, the Fragment was still smooth as new, with no signs of decay.


    [Xuan Tian Martial Barrier (Sixth Order): The lifelong insights of a Martial God, containing the practices of the Xuan Tian Scripture, as well as the Fourteen Martial Dao Divine Abilities, imbued with the aura of the Immortal Path. It was once shattered by a True Immortal''s own hands into six pieces, all of which are now in your possession, ready to be repaired (0/50).]


    With all Fragments gathered, the count for repairing the barrier rapidly decreased to fifty, which meant it could be fully restored in just ten days.


    Theplete barrier contained extensive knowledge, including the entire "Xuan Tian Scripture," the nine Divine Skills of "Xuan Tian Seal," the ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, and also the Xuan Yue sh, Seven Steps Aura, Xuanwu True Body, and the Spirit Gathering Spell ¨C four Martial Dao Divine Abilities.


    Chu Zheng nced at it and, without a detailed study, proceeded directly towards the Taixuan Holy Land.


    These things could wait to be slowly studied along the way.


    ...


    ...


    As he continued his journey, more than a month passed in the blink of an eye.


    Chu Zheng traveled southward. The terrain sloped downward, and the surrounding temperature rose noticeably.


    By the time he neared the Taixuan Holy Land, the temperature was unbearably hot for ordinary people. If one had not lived there for a long time, it would be impossible to endure.


    ```


    Having possessed the Taixuan Authentic Transmission for so long, it was Chu Zheng''s first time embarking on the road to the Taixuan Holy Land.


    Without the Divine Calction Technique, he might have had to follow Song Lingxue''s scent to find his way, and perhaps even ask for directions along the journey.


    In the midst of a deste desert, Chu Zheng paused briefly, took out a fragment of a mirror, then extended its panel and used up all of today''s repair attempts.


    [Sun Wheel Mirror (Fifth Order/Iplete): A superior divine weapon, with an imbedded void for storage, capable of umting Essence of the Great Sun, and condensing the Great Sun True me to burn foes. It was shattered in a single hit, its space broken, and spiritual energypletely lost, repairable (500/500)]


    After using up all of today''s repair attempts, this top quality ancient treasure, which had been shattered for who knows how many tens of thousands of years, shone with dazzling brilliance once more in Chu Zheng''s hands.


    The Xuan Tian Martial Barrier had already beenpletely repaired by him in the half month prior, and the Xuan Tian Scripture''s cultivation methods had also fallen into his hands.


    The repair of the Sun Wheel Mirror was finallyplete as well.


    Under the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng could clearly see thin strands of Great Sun Essence Qi, falling from the void, absorbed by the Sun Wheel Mirror.


    Within the Sun Wheel Mirror, there was a space that could not store items and could only be used to condense the Great Sun True me.


    The Great Sun True me, among the ranks of divine fires, was already of the Sixth Order, and moving beyond, it would be considered an Immortal me.


    To be able to condense a divine fire of such a level, in the realm of top quality magical treasures, the Sun Wheel Mirror belonged to the highest tier, second only to Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures.


    After considering for a moment, Chu Zheng stored the Sun Wheel Mirror within his body, then started to continuously circte his Circuit of Qi, absorbing the Great Sun Essence Qi into his body and then injecting it all into the mirror.


    After makingparisons, a smile appeared on Chu Zheng''s face, just as he had anticipated, this method was much faster than relying on the mirror to absorb it by itself.


    In just a few days, he would obtain his first strand of Great Sun True me.


    After several more days of travel, Chu Zheng finally saw the boundaries of the Taixuan Holy Land.


    A magnificent, giant city emerged before his eyes.


    "Taixuan City..."


    Chu Zheng nced over it and did not enter the city, continuing forward until he soon arrived at the entrance to the Taixuan Holy Land.


    The entrance to the Holy Land was a canyon with towering, steep cliffs on both sides.


    At the mouth of the valley, there was a colossal ck and red boulder, over forty zhang tall, with a surface smooth as a mirror, like a piece of ck jade, swallowing all the brilliance of the Great Sun in the sky.


    In recent times, as the influence of Taixuan grew stronger, even without making inquiries, Chu Zheng had heard quite a few things about the Taixuan Holy Land.


    This huge rock was known as the Sacred Shadow Stone, used specifically to test the talents of neers.


    "You are..."


    Seeing Chu Zheng, the Great Mysterious Elder stationed to guard the ce changed his expression slightly, unsure for a moment.


    In the entire Taixuan Holy Land, apart from Fang Jiong, who had died under the Lihuo Spear, the only one who had had contact with Chu Zheng was Geng Yiyang.


    Chu Zheng nced at the Great Mysterious Elder guarding the entrance of the valley, slowly stepped forward, and ced his hand on the Sacred Shadow Stone.


    He was also curious about where his current talents stood in the eyes of the Immortal Path.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    The sky was engulfed in surging red spiritual light that could be seen from a hundred thousand li around, all witnessing the pir of light suddenly rising from the direction of Taixuan.


    "A red dragon soaring into the clouds, its shadow illuminating a hundred thousand li..."


    The nearby Great Mysterious Elder was taken aback and then hisplexion suddenly turned red, his voice shaking with disbelief:


    "Superior Immortal Bone?!"


    The next instant, another figure appeared at the mouth of the valley, garbed in a grey robe, thin and tall.


    Geng Yiyang, whom he had not seen for a long time, stood not far away, also in shock, his dull eyes filled with astonishment.


    Chu Zheng slowly withdrew his hand and bowed in greeting:


    "Holy Master, I hope you''ve been well."


    He stared at Chu Zheng for a long time, the craggy bark-like face slowly forming a smile, then turned around and let out a shout that shook the red clouds thousands of li above the firmament:


    "Wee the Saint Heir back to the sect!!"

 Chapter 170: Chapter 125: Decision, Consultation

    ```


    Taixuan Holy Land.


    Within the main peak''s grand hall.


    Crimson crystal pirs scatter throughout, supporting the entire dome, casting a gentle firelight.


    The temperature here is extremely high, ordinary Spirit Spring Realm Cultivators find it hard to stay for long. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    The hall is vast and empty with only Geng Yiyang and Chu Zheng present.


    Chu Zheng sits cross-legged on the ground, his breathing steady when suddenly his gaze slightly furrows.


    [Heavenly Pattern Immortal Fire Hall (Eighth Order): Lower Quality Immortal Treasure, crafted by an Immortal Artifact Master, suppressing a ball of Immortal me beneath, Quality unknown.]


    Lower Quality Immortal Treasure.


    Seeing the prompt on the panel, Chu Zheng''s eyes inevitably show a trace of surprise, aplete Lower Quality Immortal Treasure¡ªits power is unfathomable, likely no weaker than a True Immortal.


    Taixuan Holy Land, worthy of a Taoist Orthodoxy that produced a True Immortal, this grand hall itself is a rare piece of Immortal Treasure, and who knows what other foundations it possesses.


    "You didn''t climb up to Taixuan on a whim today just to stroll around, did you? What are you nning to do?"


    Chu Zheng''s sudden arrival at Taixuan and his disy of Superior Immortal Bone potential had, of course, delighted Geng Yiyang, but he was equally cautious.


    In his eyes, Chu Zheng is too unpredictable, a person with no fear of death very rarely considers consequences.


    "What''s wrong with visiting my official wife?"


    Chu Zheng shifted his attention away from the Immortal pce and slowly said,


    "Since when did I be the Taixuan Holy Son?"


    The Saint Heir is the candidate for Holy Master. With his status as Saint Heir and the current state of Taixuan, it''s almost undisputed that he would be the next Holy Master.


    However, he holds no interest in bing the Taixuan Holy Master.


    "As of today, if you nod in agreement, you will be the only Taixuan Holy Son. After my passing, you will take over the position of Taixuan Holy Master, and all of Taixuan will be yours," Geng Yiyang''s eyebrows slightly furrowed as he said calmly, "Is not being the master of a Holy Land enough for you to be remembered by posterity?"


    "I have seen Immortal Ji."


    Chu Zheng didn''t hide the fact he had met Ji Yuyan and said directly, "How long the Cangyun Realm will exist is still unknown; how should one be remembered by posterity?"


    "Ji Yuyan?"


    Upon hearing the name Immortal Ji, Geng Yiyang''s gaze furrowed, and he sat upright:


    "What did he say to you?"


    "He spoke of some matters of the universe..."


    At this point, Chu Zheng paused slightly before continuing,


    "After the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, he intends to petition the Immortal Alliance to ept me into the Minor Immortal Realm."


    At these words, Geng Yiyang''s palm slightly furrowed and slowly clenched into a fist. After a moment, he released it with a somewhat powerless gesture, his expression returning to calm.


    Compared with the Immortal Alliance, Taixuan Holy Land''spetitiveness is too weak. If he were Chu Zheng, he would also choose the Immortal Alliance without any hesitation.


    Moreover, the rtionship between him and Chu Zheng is far too fragile, initially maintained by threats alone, and it developing to this current state is within expectations.


    Still, he couldn''t help feeling a bit unwilling.


    "I have no ns to go to the Minor Immortal Realm."


    The sound of Chu Zheng''s voice rose again, causing Geng Yiyang to be momentarily surprised,


    "Why not?"


    "I have no ns to join the Immortal Alliance for the time being."


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly, for if he wanted to go further on the path of Qi Refining, he could not be too entangled with the Immortal Alliance.


    From Ji Yuyan''s words, it wasn''t hard to deduce that once he formed a Golden Core, there would be no turning back on the path of the Qi Refining Lineage.


    Since the Immortal Alliance utterly rejects those of Heretic Paths, they certainly wouldn''t tolerate him practicing Qi-refining Techniques.


    Chu Zheng had long made a firm decision on this choice, being a decisive person, what must be discarded will be discarded.


    Besides, hesitating and looking back often leads to exerting effort without gaining favor.


    "So, about this position of the Holy Son..."


    "I will not take over Taixuan; once I reach Tongxuan in my cultivation, I will leave Cangyun on my own," Chu Zheng said inly, without beating around the bush,


    "Before that, I will always be the Chief Disciple of Taixuan Authentic Transmission. About the position of Holy Son, you can choose another candidate before you die."


    "What do you want?"


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze furrowed, Chu Zheng''s words were exactly what he longed for, but it would likely be hundreds of years until Chu Zheng reached Tongxuan.


    By that time, in the younger generation within the Holy Land, there will undoubtedly be someone capable of shouldering the responsibility, and with the Immortal Treasure to protect the sect, it should be enough to maintain this legacy.


    But Chu Zheng certainly wouldn''t be so willing to help him without wanting something in return.


    "Divine Fire and cultivation resources," Chu Zheng said sinctly, stating his conditions.


    He needed the foundations nurtured by the Taixuan Holy Land over ten thousand years, wishing to attempt upgrading all five Dao Foundations in his Dantian to Nine Layers Perfection.


    With his own power alone, it would be difficult to gather these Spiritual Objects in a short time.


    "Agreed, all resources within Taixuan are at your disposal," Geng Yiyang did not hesitate, agreeing immediately, then spoke up,


    "This is an agreement between you and me, known only to us. To the outside world, you are the Taixuan Holy Son. How does that sound? Some resources, by rules, I can only give to you once you be the Holy Son."


    "Fine," Chu Zheng did not hesitate, nodding in agreement.


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng spoke up again, bringing up the former owner of the Condensing Space Bracelet, You Ziyun:


    "You Ziyun died at the hands of the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance, seemingly connected with those from the Tai Xu Holy Land."


    As the words fell, Geng Yiyang''s brow twitched sharply, his eyes growing darker: "How are you certain?"


    Chu Zheng slowly lifted his hand, his fingertip shimmering with Spiritual Light, a sword Qi formed by water flowed like a dragon weaving through his palm:


    "I have learned the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance; it matches the traces left on You Ziyun''s corpse."


    This, of course, was an excuse Chu Zheng had improvised on the spot.


    When he had first encountered You Ziyun''s remains with Geng Yiyang, he had already ascertained the true cause of death, but he had waited until now to reveal it.


    ```

 Chapter 171: Chapter 125: Decision, Discussion_2

    Geng Yiyang''s pupils dted slightly as he watched the small sword swimming in the palm of Chu Zheng, hardly concealing his astonishment.


    He had previously spected about the cause of You Ziyun''s death but it was only now confirmed.


    What so shocked him was Chu Zheng''s seemingly effortless control over the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance.


    The Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance, this sword technique, required exceptional talent to master. Even prodigies with High Quality Immortal Bones would need at least a decade of hard training to reach Chu Zheng''s level of proficiency.


    Even for those with Superior Immortal Bones, in the history of Tai Xu Holy Land, the fastest to master the basics took a full two years.


    Geng Yiyang had heard about Chu Zheng acquiring several Immortal Ascension Methods, but he had never imagined Chu Zheng''s mastery of the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance had be so proficient.


    After a long while, Geng Yiyang finally regained his senses, his gaze revealing aplexity of emotions.


    As expected of the demon who forcefully cultivated the Heretic Path and achieved sess in the Cangyun Realm, Chu Zheng''s talent far surpassed his imagination.


    A Superior Immortal Bone was certainly not Chu Zheng''s limit;pared to Root Bone, it was hisprehension that was truly terrifying.


    He was almost certain about Chu Zheng''s cultivation of the Heretic Path, but he did not intend to point it out.


    Bringing it up at this time might seem like a threat, and given Chu Zheng''s keen and changeable mind, it would inevitably lead to many conjectures and potential misunderstandings, which could be detrimental.


    Now that Chu Zheng had already met Ji Yuyan, the challenge of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects could be considered passed.


    As for the issues after the tournament, such as Song Lingxue leaving the realm and the deviation of Heavenly Dao still unable to return to the starting point, he would find a way to cover for Chu Zhengter.


    With eight more years to go, there was plenty of time to prepare.


    Seeing that Geng Yiyang remained silent for a long time, Chu Zheng assumed he was considering the rtionship with Tai Xu Holy Land and did not interrupt.


    "Let''s go, I''ll introduce you to the people in Taixuan Holy Land as of now."


    After a while, Geng Yiyang spoke again, slowly rising to his feet, his expression betraying neither pleasure nor anger.


    Chu Zheng discretely reached out and touched the grand hall beneath him before finally standing and following Geng Yiyang out.


    At the foot of Taixuan Main Peaky a vast za.


    More than ten thousand years ago, this ce was only essible to true disciples and Inner Sect Disciples, but it had now been temporarily converted into living quarters for a group of disciples.


    At this moment, the za was crowded with figures, over two thousand little radishes gathered together, theirughter and yful noise endless.


    Since they were all children of the same age, a few words were enough for them to get along, and without the presence of adults, their revelry sky-rocketed.


    Only a few tens of children at the front sat up straight and solemn, wearing the attire of Taixuan Inner Sect Disciples.


    From the day they entered, they knew they were different from the kids still in the Outer Sect; an invisible gap had already formed.


    "Hurry, stand properly, no more fussing, Shen Mao, what are you doing?! Stop pulling down someone''s trousers!"


    "Jiang Shouhui! You rascal, is this the ce for you to pee?!"


    Fu Quanliang meandered among the children, his face full of anguish, totally unable to control these little devils.


    After much chaos, the ranks were atst reluctantly formed.


    Sprightly, with the arrival of a Great Mysterious Elder, the arena instantly fell silent.


    The children who were making noise just a moment ago instantly became quiet as mice.


    To Fu Quanliang, they were not afraid, as at most he would scold them without ever physically punishing them.


    But the Elders were different; they were rare Great Cultivators in the world, and just their aura alone could instill fear deep within their hearts, daring no one to offend.


    Fu Quanliang heaved a deep sigh of relief, and upon lifting his head and seeing Geng Yiyang and Chu Zheng approaching from the peak, he became somewhat nervous.


    Sitting in the position of the Inner Sect''s head disciple made him feel like he was constantly walking on thin ice, always fearful of making a mistake without the support of talent.


    A series of Taixuan Elders sessively arrived and faced Chu Zheng, bowing slightly in gesture:


    "Greetings, Saint Heir."


    The Saint Heir, in terms of status, was even above many Elders. No one in Taixuan dared to argue against Geng Yiyang''s decision.


    If he believed Chu Zheng was the Taixuan Saint Heir, then Chu Zheng was, just like Fu Quanliang with Lower Quality Immortal Bone, he could still attain the position of head of the Inner Sect Disciples.


    This was not an empty title; the amount of resources for cultivation that the head of the Inner Sect received monthly was beyond the imagining of ordinary cultivators.


    "Greetings, Saint Heir."


    Fu Quanliang kneeled on one knee in salute, the children behind him imitated his actions, clumsily kneeling down and muttered:


    "Greetings, Saint Heir..."


    Chu Zheng gazed at the group before him, his brows slightly furrowed, never before had he so directly felt the dire circumstances of the Taixuan Holy Land.


    A bunch of old elders on the verge of returning to the earth, leading a bunch of children just beginning their enlightenment.


    In another hundred years, most of these elders would have perished, and by then, the entire Taixuan would be like a child carrying gold through the market, with destruction only a moment away.


    Were it not for desperation, Geng Yiyang would not have conceded step by step in front of him.


    Apart from him, there would be no second suitable person to take up the heavy burden, even for a short while.


    "This is the head of the Punishment Hall, Ge Yuan."


    "The master of Alchemy Hall, Gong Rulong."


    "The head of Artifact Refining Hall, Qi Ying."


    ...


    Geng Yiyang, bringing Chu Zheng along, met with many elders, leaving him with a basic impression.


    All the elders were quite indifferent in their attitude, none too eager.


    Their understanding of Chu Zheng was only based on various messages from the outside world, and they didn''t know much about him personally.


    Their lives had been too long; the bad habit of rashly judging someone had long been extinguished in the passage of time.


    Regarding Chu Zheng, they all reserved their opinions, waiting to interact more in the future before they could form a clearer impression.


    Chu Zheng felt the same way; toward these old antiques with cultivations at least above the Divine Transformation Realm, he habitually harbored some caution.


    After a brief introduction, the elders quickly dispersed. Unless there was important business, they preferred to stay in their caves, conserving their Qi strength.


    That way, they might live a few more years, able to support Taixuan for a little longer.


    Fu Quanliang originally wanted to say something to Chu Zheng, but after ncing at Geng Yiyang next to him, he stopped and then turned to send his fellow junior brothers and sisters back first.


    Once the crowd had dispersed, Geng Yiyang suddenly said, "What do you think of Taixuan''s current situation?"


    Chu Zheng was silent for a while before directly stating,


    "A building on the verge of copse, as precarious as a pile of eggs."


    If it weren''t for Chu Zheng''s existence, Geng Yiyang''s best n would have been to find a sufficiently cultivated sessor from outside.


    But to do so would be to hand over Taixuan''s foundation to others.


    "Truly sparing no one''s feelings."


    Geng Yiyang grinned, waved his hand:


    "You know where Song Lingxue is. I need not tell you. Go on."


    Without saying much, Chu Zheng bowed and departed straightaway.


    His primary reason foring to Taixuan was to deliver the Martial Barrier to Song Lingxue.


    Song Lingxue''s location was at the top of a Spirit Peak on the edge of Taixuan, some distance from the main peak.


    After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chu Zheng finally arrived.


    Just as hended, Chu Zheng saw Song Lingxue on the practice tform. His slightly furrowed brows gradually rxed.


    Even though he knew that Geng Yiyang would not make things too difficult for Song Lingxue, he couldn''t help but worry a bit.


    Now that he saw her in good condition, he naturally set his mind at ease.


    Chu Zheng stepped onto the practice tform; before Song Lingxue could even react, a figure had already appeared behind her.


    An instinctive response made her hair stand on end, but the familiar presence that followed made her unconsciously lower her just-raised hand, turning around in disbelief.


    Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e|-NovelBin


    The young man behind her stood tall, his smile warm. The breath that reached her was as warm and clean as ever, and in his clear eyes, a familiar face reflected in surprise appeared.


    "Unharmed, I trust."


    Hearing the words near her ear, Song Lingxue felt as if a taut string in her heart was slowly rxing.


    After examining Chu Zheng for a long while, she slowly raised her hand, straightening his slightly disheveled hair by his temples, her eyes smiling:


    "All is well."

 Chapter 172: Chapter 126: Perfection of the Fire Element Foundation

    Taixuan Holy Land had shown considerable care for Song Lingxue, specially establishing a separate residence for her and channeling a stream of the Spiritual Spring into it.


    A Jade Pool, thirty feet square, was filled with Spirit Spring Water, circting ceaselessly day and night.


    Due to the influence of the natural environment, the water was extremely hot, which for a cultivator was just perfect, quickly rxing numb muscles.


    The thirty-foot square Jade Pool, even if two people bathed together, would not feel crowded in the slightest.


    "Howe you suddenly came to Taixuan? Could there be trouble? What about your parents?"


    Song Lingxue''splexion, now three shades rosier, wasced with a touch of worry.


    The words Geng Yiyang had spoken previously left her unsettled, and she harbored continuous concern for Chu Zheng''s current situation.


    The identity of a heretic cultivator was undoubtedly a great hidden danger; a slight misstep could lead to grave consequences.


    "Father is in Giant Marsh, staying with your eldest uncle''s family. I have also seen Ling Qing before; all is well."


    Chu Zheng, with eyes closed cultivating, adjusted the significantly increased Yuan Qi within his body, casually saying,


    "As for me, you needn''t worry at all, I have it under control."


    No sooner had the echo of his voice faded than he slowly lifted his hand, revealing a ne in his palm, the pale blue m pearls shining even more entrancing under the refraction of water.


    Song Lingxue''s eyes brightened as she reached out and snatched it.


    She couldn''t im to have a fondness for jewelry, as in the past when she was in Song Residence she always dressed simply; however, Chu Zheng remembering to bring her a gift was enough to bring joy.


    "That Martial Path Remnant Wall, I spent some time gathering its pieces, and it''s nowpletely restored. It can save you from many detours."


    Chu Zheng took a breath, rubbing the teeth marks on his shoulder and neck, feeling somewhat helpless.


    Song Lingxue''s habit of leaving marks on his body always reminded him of some animals.


    Hearing of the Martial Path Remnant Wall, Song Lingxue''s focus was instantly pulled back, bursting with joy, "Where is it?"


    In the way of the Martial Path, she was like someone feeling stones to cross a river, struggling with every step, expending great effort, urgently in need of a beacon to guide her.


    Chu Zheng stood up and exited the Spirit Pool, draped his vestment robe on, and walked into the inner room, with Song Lingxue hastily following.


    The fully repaired Martial Barrier, about three feet wide and nearly half a zhang long, bore clear Divine Skills marks andplete diagrams for cultivating routines.


    At the sight of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier, Song Lingxue was transfixed and couldn''t tear her eyes away.


    For a Martial Cultivator groping his way forward, the life''s work left behind by a Martial God was more precious than any treasure.


    Engrossed in the sight, Song Lingxue was left undisturbed by Chu Zheng, who left and headed towards the mountainside.


    Li Mingzhou and a group of other Martial Cultivators were arranged to stay on the mountainside, where the temperature was not as blistering as at the mountaintop, creating a morefortable living environment.


    Without Li Mingzhou, the chance of Song Lingxue initially encountering that piece of the Martial Path Remnant Wall would have been slim to none.


    If it weren''t for Song Lingxue''s Martial Path cultivation to mask their presence, he would have had a hard time avoiding the search of the several great holynds at first, but her involvement bought him an extremely valuable period of time.


    In this regard, Li Mingzhou had conferred great favor upon him.


    After a long separation, Li Mingzhou seemed more spirited than before; still under fifty, his hair was jet ck and lustrous, his vitality at its peak, and his cultivation had thoroughly stabilized at the secondyer of the Yuan Aura Realm.


    The other Martial Path Grandmasters had also sessfully transitioned from Condensing Qi to Aura.


    With living examples before them, their path forward would be much easier to walk.


    Though the Taixuan Holy Land was a bit intolerably hot, the spiritual energy here was many times stronger than in the outside world, making cultivation far quicker than elsewhere.


    These Martial Path Grandmasters were already not young, having weathered many storms and long since learning to adapt to their circumstances; hence, they seemed quite unfazed.


    "Chu Zheng? What brings you here?!"


    Seeing Chu Zheng, Li Mingzhou couldn''t help but feel a trace of surprise.


    Their information was very limited; they knew little about the outside world and only vaguely understood that Chu Zheng''s current situation was very dangerous.


    "Governor Li," Chu Zheng greeted with a smile.


    "I am nomandant now," said Li Mingzhou, shaking his head slightly with a dim expression.


    From a mere mortal warrior, he had directly encountered a cultivation holynd.


    The span in between was something many cultivators could not achieve in a lifetime, yet he managed it in an instant - a twist of fate.


    Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin


    "I came here to deliver something to you," Chu Zheng said, extracting a map as he spoke:


    "You gave me a Fragmented Map once; today, I return to you aplete one."


    "This..."


    Li Mingzhou was taken aback for a moment, his breathing deepening as he gazed upon the map in Chu Zheng''s hand.


    No one understood the weight of that fragmented map better than he did; it was with that fragment that he had deduced a small part of the path ahead in the Martial Path.


    That Song Lingxue could condense her Qi to Aura so rapidly was alsorgely associated with it.


    "Now, it''s not easy for us to even stay alive, isn''t this map too valuable..."


    Regaining his senses, Li Mingzhou hesitated for a moment; he did not feel he had done Chu Zheng a great service; most of it was just a helping hand.


    That they were still alive and could continue to cultivate the Martial Path was tied to Chu Zheng, and they were already indebted to him.


    "It''s just a map,"


    Chu Zheng stuffed the map into Li Mingzhou''s hands and said firmly:


    "You and the others cultivate in peace here and watch for changes; I''ll figure out the rest."


    The fragmented map had been just as important to Li Mingzhou, and yet Li Mingzhou still gave it to him - that debt of gratitude was something Chu Zheng always remembered.


    There was still some time before the warriors of the Martial Path arrived, and it was not necessarily the case that Li Mingzhou and the others only had the option of leaving the Cangyun Realm with the people from the Martial Hall.

 Chapter 173: Chapter 126: Perfection of the Fire Element Foundation_2

    There were still some twists in the tale.


    If it were not for a situation ofplete helplessness, Chu Zheng did not wish for Song Lingxue and Li Mingzhou to leave Cangyun Realm with the people from the Martial Hall.


    The universe was too vast, and the starry sky too broad; ordinary cultivators could spend their entire lives without ever reaching the edge.


    Once they parted ways, whether they would have the chance to meet again was uncertain.


    As for the concept of the universe, Chu Zheng had a certain understanding from his previous life, and the thought of distances measured in millions and tens of millions of light-years alone could lead one to despair.


    "It''s because of me that you''re in trouble."


    Li Mingzhou felt somewhat ashamed; he had always thought it was because of him that Song Lingxue hade this far and that their actions had alerted the Holy Land.


    If he hadn''t taken Song Lingxue to look for that Martial Path Remnant Wall, perhaps nothing would have happened.


    "Don''t think too much, the current situation has little to do with you," said Chu Zheng, his brow slightly furrowed, unable to exin the reasons to Li Mingzhou yet.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng left the residence of the martial masters without any dy and headed straight for the Alchemy Hall of the Taixuan Holy Land.


    He did not want to waste time and wished to improve his Dao Foundation and elerate his cultivation progress quickly.


    Without strength, all was empty talk.


    ...


    ...


    The location of the Alchemy Hall was on a Spirit Peak in the central region of Taixuan, not far from the main peak, where the temperature was noticeably higher than in other areas.


    With Chu Zheng''s current cultivation, approaching this ce made him sweat slightly, and it was estimated that ordinary cultivators of the Spirit Spring Realm would need to protect their bodies with spiritual energy to get close.


    The surface of the Spirit Peak was a bare rock wall; the whole mountain body was hollowed out, with numerous alchemy rooms set up throughout.


    During the heyday of the Taixuan, the demand for alchemy rooms far exceeded the supply, and they were nearly always full.


    Now, most of them had been vacant for who knows how long, with thick dust in front of the doors of the vast majority of the rooms, with no signs of footprints.


    After entering the mountain path, the temperature suddenly rose even higher, and the air felt like a ball of fire burning, scorching the heart and lungs.


    Chu Zheng regted the breath within his body and continued downward, soon entering a stone cavern.


    The cavern stretched over thirty zhang, with a Pill Furnace nearly ten zhang tall ced in the center, where bluish mes zed at its base.


    After entering the cavern, the temperature around him paradoxically dropped, and Chu Zheng spotted the reason at a nce: the scorching air had all been absorbed by the Pill Furnace, contained within without any leakage.


    This furnace must undoubtedly be a rare Wonderous Treasure.


    "Saint Heir."


    Gong Rulong stood with his hands behind his back next to the Pill Furnace, nodding as a greeting. He had already sensed Chu Zheng the moment he neared the ce.


    "I''vee here unannounced, disturbing Elder Gong''s alchemy," said Chu Zheng as he bowed.


    "No matter, alchemy does not require constant full focus. What brings the Saint Heir here?" Gong Rulong waved his hand, his gaze returning to the Pill Furnace above.


    "I wish to obtain some Spiritual Objects to enhance the quality of my Celestial Foundation," Chu Zheng replied directly.


    Upon hearing this, Gong Rulong''s gaze shifted, and he lightly stroked his white beard, showing a trace of curiosity, "May I ask whatyer your Celestial Foundation is at, Saint Heir?"


    "Sixth Layer."


    "Indeed, that is on the low side. I presume it''s because when you were building your Dao Foundation, the environment was harsh andcked Spiritual Objects."


    "Elder Gong''s discernment is indeed urate,"plimented Chu Zheng.


    The quality of the Celestial Foundation is graded, and only those above the Seventh Layer are considered high-quality, possessing the potential to be an Immortal.


    Among individuals with High-Quality Immortal Bone, there is a certain chance to form a Seventh Layer Celestial Foundation.


    With his current Superior Immortal Bone, the Celestial Foundation he constructed should have started from the Seventh Layer, unless there was a problem during the foundation setting.


    In this regard, Gong Rulong''s guess was spot-on.


    However, Chu Zheng first had his Celestial Foundation and then grew his Immortal Bone, with the sequence being slightly out of order, so it could not be judged bymon standards.


    "Saint Heir, please wait a moment."


    Gong Rulong extended his hand and cast a Spiritual Form into the Pill Furnace, which caused the intensity of the me beneath it to change abruptly.


    Not long after, the light from beneath the Pill Furnace suddenly surged out and Gong Rulong swallowed it, followed by a light sound.


    Boom¡ª


    The heavy lid of the Pill Furnace flew up, and dozens of points of Spiritual Light flew out from it into Gong Rulong''s palm, he then casually tossed one to Chu Zheng:


    "Saint Heir, take a look and see the quality of the Spirit Pills from this furnace," he said.


    Chu Zheng subconsciously caught it, and soon after, a prompt from the interface in his mind appeared.


    [Soul Purifying Pill (Fourth Order): A Divine Soul type elixir that can purify impurities within the soul, enhance cultivation. During the pill creation, the temperature was rushed, resulting in the loss of a small portion of medicinal power, but it still remains a high-quality work of a master, with a restoration requirement (0/20)]


    "The Spirit Pills refined by Elder Gong are naturally of superior quality," Chu Zheng said, somewhat surprised at the casual mastery Gong Rulong demonstrated in producing Fourth Order elixirs.


    The elixir he held in his hand was precious even to Divine Infant cultivators and was priceless in the outside world.


    "This batch of Spirit Pills has some ws; can the Saint Heir detect the issue?" Gong Rulong casually asked.


    "It must be due to haste during the collection, leading to some loss of medicinal power. It''s my intrusion that affected Elder Gong''s batch of High-Quality Spirit Pills," Chu Zheng immediately admitted, thinking Gong Rulong was expressing some dissatisfaction.


    "You know alchemy as well?"


    Gong Rulong was originally just making casual conversation and was taken aback upon hearing Chu Zheng''s response.


    Given the rate of Chu Zheng''s current cultivation progress, he was astonished that Chu Zheng still had the capacity to dabble in alchemy, which seemed quite far-fetched.


    "I only know the basics, sufficient to discern the quality of elixirs, but I wouldn''t dare im proficiency," Chu Zheng immediately shook his head. Discover hidden stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin

 Chapter 174: Chapter 126: Fire Element Foundation Perfection_3

    "With your eye for detail, not studying alchemy is such a waste,"


    Gong Ru Long let out a long sigh, his face filled with regret; however, he had no intention of suggesting that Chu Zheng pursue the alchemy path.


    For a prodigy like Chu Zheng, there was no need to waste energy on such trivial pursuits. If alchemy were to hinder his progress in cultivation, it would be a loss not worth the gain.


    "There are still a few Heavenly me Grasses in the treasury that can enhance the quality of the Celestial Foundation. They would be perfect for the Saint Heir. Please wait a moment, I''ll be right back,"


    Before the words had even faded, Gong Ru Long had disappeared from the stone cave.


    A momentter, Gong Ru Long returned, his palm now holding a six-leafed strange grass about a foot long, with rounded, blood-red leaves that looked like clusters of burning mes.


    "Heavenly me Grass has an extremely potent effect and must be taken in six portions. This vial of Snow Lotus Pills can protect the Saint Heir''s viscera and lessen the suffering," Experience more content on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    Gong Ru Long seemed to have thought everything through, handing over both the Heavenly me Grass and a jade vial:


    "Saint Heir, please take these now. I will protect thew for you."


    [Heavenly me Grass (Fifth Order): An exceptional spiritual object that grows against the natural flow by using wood to ovee fire, born amidst descending divine mes. It greatly enhances ones affinity with fire-attribute spiritual qi.]


    [Snow Lotus Pill (Third Order): Made from the Nine Petal Snow Lotus that has matured for three thousand years, it has an extremely cold nature. Caution is advised when consuming it as the chill can harm the viscera and is difficult to expel.]


    Chu Zheng''s expression shifted. He did not refuse and immediately tore off a leaf, sat down cross-legged, and then took out a Snow Lotus Pill and swallowed it.


    Fifth Order spiritual objects were of great significance to cultivators at the Divine Transformation Realm, and naturally, their medicinal properties were extremely fierce. Chu Zheng, unafraid of pain, knew that suffering less would be beneficial.


    The Heavenly me Grass turned into a blisteringly intense energy as soon as it entered his mouth, attracted by the Fire Element Foundation within his Dantian, and rushed directly toward it.


    This energy, passing through the viscera on its way, brought with it an unbearable scorching pain.


    The chill of the Snow Lotus Pill, cold as it was, could only provide a modicum of defense. The so-called indelible cold was nothing before the Heavenly me Grass and was being consumed at an astonishing rate.


    Chu Zheng focused his spirit, guiding this energy into his Dantian.


    The Fire Element Foundation trembled and emitted a faint light, immediately starting to expand and transform, forcing the other four foundations to retract due to the pressure.


    Crack¡ª


    A momentter, Chu Zheng felt his Immortal Bone stretch out, increasing the speed at which he absorbed spiritual qi. The Fire Element Foundation, unhindered, grew taller by oneyer, entering the Seventh Layer.


    A Seventh Layer Celestial Foundation signified the qualifications for bing an Immortal, but this was far from Chu Zheng''s limit.


    Chu Zheng opened his eyes, tore off another leaf of the Heavenly me Grass, and continued to enhance the Fire Element Foundation.


    After ingesting another two leaves of the Heavenly me Grass, the red foundation rose a level, reaching the Eighth Layer!


    An Eighth Layer Foundation, stepping through the Immortal Tribtion into the True Immortal Realm, was almost certain.


    After a while, Chu Zheng opened his eyes again, poured all the Snow Lotus Pills from the vial into his mouth, and then consumed the remaining three leaves of the Heavenly me Grass, including the roots, in session.


    Not until the effect of the Heavenly me Grass had been fully assimted did Chu Zheng''s foundation undergo another transformation, soaring up a level.


    Rich red Immortal Light overflowed from Chu Zheng''s body, dyeing the entire stone cave a deep crimson.


    "Ninth Layer Celestial Foundation, qualifications of an Immortal King..."


    Seeing this, Gong Ru Long looked momentarily entranced. The Heavenly me Grass was merely an aid; it was Chu Zheng''s own potential that had been stimted.


    A Ninefold Celestial Foundation, stepping into the True Immortal Realm, was absolutely assured, and bing a Celestial Lord was highly probable, granting him the credentials to touch upon the realm of the Immortal King.


    Most with a Superior Immortal Bone entering the path typically ended up with an Eighth Layer Celestial Foundation at best. Those who were able to forge a Ninth Layer were few and far between.


    Chu Zheng''s brows slightly furrowed as he began to sort out the chaotic Five Elements Qi inside his Dantian.


    This time, the enhancement of the Fire Element Foundation was too intense, causing a renewed imbnce among the Five Elements within his Dantian.


    Now, the Fire Element Foundation took up half of the space within the Dantian, almostpletely dominating it and forcing the other four foundations to one side.


    Without the medicinal support of the Five Elements Shaping Pill, the bnce of the Five Elements would have been shattered in an instant, and the painstakingly constructed foundations might even copse.


    After a while, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, a trace of disappointment in his gaze.


    After his foundation rose to the Ninth Layer, he vaguely sensed that there was more room for advancement beyond the Ninth Layer.


    However, he could only stop here for now, at least until he could enhance the other foundations. He even needed to suppress the power of the Fire Element Foundation.

 Chapter 175: Chapter 127: The Song Clan Visits

    After calming his inner breath, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and said, unable to hide his eagerness,


    "Elder Gong, are there any other Five Elements spiritual objects?"


    The foundation of the Taixuan Holy Land was formidable. Undoubtedly, it would notck spiritual objects.


    "You have more than one Dao foundation?!"


    Gong Rulong noticed the few strands of Qi leaking from Chu Zheng''s dantian and involuntarily took a sharp breath, his eyes filled with astonishment.


    The majority of cultivators'' physiques, based on innate tendencies, be more pronounced after beginning cultivation under the influence of cultivation techniques.


    Those cultivating the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture would mostly form a Dao foundation of the fire attribute.


    Forming multiple Dao foundations was not unheard of, but it was exceedingly rare.


    Having an additional Dao foundation often meant an increased burden on cultivation growth, requiring extra effort to enhance, which for ordinary cultivators, could slow their progress.


    "There are some other spiritual objects, but none as rare as the Heavenly me Grass. As for the Five Elements spiritual objects... please wait a moment."


    Returning to his senses, Gong Rulong hastily left.


    This time, it took half a day before he returned, bringing many spiritual objects with him.


    [Ice Spirit Flower (Fourth Order): High-quality spiritual object, grown under iceyers that don''t melt for tens of thousands of years, drawing a great amount of Water Spirit Qi. Consuming it can significantly enhance affinity with water-attribute spiritual Qi.]


    [Moon Essence Silver Dew (Fourth Order): High-quality spiritual object, a product of the Spiritual Spring absorbing the essence of the moon. It can slightly enhance the constitution of the living beings and fill up the deficiency of water-attribute internally.]


    [Spiritual Jade Branch (Sixth Order/Iplete): A spiritual awakening object, grown in the core area of a superior spirit vein as a strange grass, nearly transformed into a human, just a step away from bing an immortal nt.


    It was chopped by a True Immortal, leaving only a segment of its branch and leaves, its vitality broken, beyond repair, permanently residing underground, absorbing arge amount of earth-attribute spiritual power, capable of altering a cultivator''s constitution, swallowing inrge amounts offers a certain chance to induce an Acquired Earth Spirit Constitution.]


    [Starry Ancient Tree (Fifth Order/Iplete): Superior spiritual object, an exotic species grown upon the stars, consuming gold as it absorbed all the essence of a Dead Star, nearing spiritual awakening. Its wood-attribute spiritual Qi is extremely rich. Due to being away from the stars for too long, the spiritual Qi is vanishing, repairable (0/1000).]


    ...


    The spiritual objects Gong Rulong brought were quite abundant, with more than ten types. Apart from the fire attribute, it covered the other four elements, but their quality was mixed.


    Except for that segment of Spiritual Jade Branch, the rest couldn''tpare with the Heavenly me Grass.


    "After all, it has been ten thousand years since west opened our sect gate, and the resources have dwindled. Previously, to help you recruit some Soul Condensing Cultivators for support, quite a lot of resources were distributed. Now, in the treasury, what remains useful for you is only these."


    "These are sufficient, thank you, Elder Gong."


    At this, Chu Zheng was not the slightest bit disappointed. If he had to collect these spiritual objects himself, it would take an unknown amount of time.


    Chu Zheng did not rest for long, promptly beginning to enhance the quality of his Dao foundation again. The slight fatigue he had felt before, under the effects of the enhancement panel, waspletely swept away.


    For the second Celestial Foundation, Chu Zheng focused on the Water Attribute Dao Foundation. Given that water and fire counteract each other, the suppression it currently suffered was the most severe and needed to be addressed first.


    After consuming all the Water-Attribute spiritual objects, Chu Zheng Raised his Water Attribute Dao Foundation to the eighthyer. He intended to press on to the ninthyer in one fell swoop, but due to a shortage of spiritual objects and the suppression from the Fire Attribute Foundation, he ultimately failed.


    Chu Zheng did not rush to enhance the Gold Attribute Dao Foundation. He could return to his residenceter to nourish it with the Gold Element Qi from the magic treasures, so there was no need to hurry.


    The remaining Wood and Earth Attribute Dao Foundations were the weakest links within his Five Elements structure.


    With the Taixuan Divine Fire for the Fire Attribute Foundation, the Tai Xu Scripture for water, and the zed Record of Immortality, albeit iplete, for gold which still counted as an Immortal Ascension Method providing temporary sufficiency.


    However, the Wood and Earth Attributes stillcked their respective Immortal Ascension Methods, resulting in minor imperfections in the quality of their Dao foundations.


    The methods of forming Dao foundations in Immortal Ascension Methods far surpassed ordinary cultivation techniques, with a gap as vast as that between heaven and earth.


    Although the Starry Ancient Tree was iplete, it still ranked as a superior spiritual object, and despite some ws in the Wooden Element Dao Foundation, it forcefully raised Chu Zheng''s Wood Attribute Dao Foundation to the eighthyer, still with force to spare.


    The most precious segment of the Spiritual Jade Branch was not used by Chu Zheng yet. He saved it, consuming the other Earth-Attribute spiritual objects, and his Earth Element Dao Foundation remained at the seventhyer, the weakest among the Five Elements.


    Having used up the Spiritual Jade Branch, his hopes of reaching the ninthyer were exceedingly slim, for the cultivation technique to build his Dao Foundation was greatly inferior.


    Compared with the Immortal Ascension Method, even a Sixth Order cultivation true form seemed somewhat inadequate now.


    It would be better to find the appropriate Immortal Ascension Method and push forward in one vigorous effort rather than waste the spiritual object.


    "How is it?"


    Seeing Chu Zheng finish his cultivation, Gong Rulong suddenly appeared somewhat nervous.


    "Thank you, Elder, I am only one step away from perfection," Chu Zheng nodded.


    At those words, Gong Rulong''s brow furrowed slightly and he waved his hand, "There''s no need to rush. I will send out a message right now to help you search for spiritual objects, and results should be forting soon."


    "It''s not a shortage of spiritual objects."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, his eyes filled with anticipation, "Ick two Immortal Ascension Methods needed to perfect the Wood Element and Earth Element Dao Foundations. Do we have them in the Holy Land?"


    "It had been rumored that you seized several Holy Lands'' Immortal Ascension Methods for the purpose of entering the path?!"


    Even with his vast experience, Gong Rulong was shocked by Chu Zheng''s idea, "You intend to cultivate five Immortal Ascension Methods simultaneously?!"


    Theplexity and profoundness of Immortal Ascension Methods were such that ordinary prodigies found cultivating even one an arduous task. Cultivating five, moreover with mutual constructive and destructive rtionships, was akin to reaching for the heavens.


    Chu Zheng nodded, about to speak, but Gong Rulong raised his hand to interrupt, "Wait a moment, let this old man gather his thoughts."


    He paced back and forth, his breathing slightly rapid and irregr, a reaction almost impossible for a Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortal.


    Yet at this moment, Gong Rulong could not afford to be distracted.


    Faced with Chu Zheng, he could not even utter words of dissuasion. He himself possessed only a High Quality Immortal Bone and had only cultivated one sevenyer Dao Foundation;cking talent in alchemy, he couldn''t hold his head high before those with Superior Immortal Bones.


    These monstrous talents couldn''t be judged by normal standards. Carelessly offering advice might just mislead the next generation.


    Now, naturally, Gong Rulong began to consider how to acquire these Immortal Ascension Methods for Chu Zheng.


    "Within the Immortal Alliance, there is no shortage of methods for bing an immortal. If you have enough merits, you could even acquire Immortal King''s Secret Techniques, supreme Divine Skills, but currently, you scarcely have any merits, and we don''t have the luxury of waiting..."


    "The Sect-Defending Secret Scripture of Primordial Spirit Holy Land, the Vast Earth Nourishing Spirit True Scripture, is connected to Earth Element. Perhaps there''s a way..."


    Gong Rulong stopped pacing, sinking deeper into thought, his gaze narrowing.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    As he pondered, a beam of spiritual light flew in from outside the cave andnded near Gong Rulong''s ear, snapping him back to reality, his eyes filled with slight confusion:


    "Someone is looking for you, from the Eastern Territory Song n."


    This was a message from the Mountain Guardian Elder, who had delivered an invitation from the Song n, seeking an audience with Chu Zheng.


    That day, when Chu Zheng returned to the sect, it caused a great stir, witnessed by many.


    The news that the Taixuan Holy Son had already returned to the sect had spread far and wide.


    Hearing of the Eastern Territory Song n, Chu Zheng pondered for a while, then quickly decided to meet them.


    Although they had not met, Chu Zheng had guessed the purpose of their visit; it was undoubtedly for that piece of Family Heritage Blood Jade.


    The sooner the Song n''s secret realm issue was resolved, the fewer troubles there would beter.


    Since the Song n had once produced a True Immortal, they must possess Immortal Ascension Methods. In this regard, Chu Zheng was very interested.


    He was now the son-inw of the Southern Territory Song n, all one family, hence they ought to help each other.

 Chapter 176: Chapter 128: I Want Half

    Having received Chu Zheng''s permission, the Song n individuals were finally able to enter Taixuan.


    Since the day Chu Zheng returned, Geng Yiyang began to close off for cultivation and no longer received visitors.


    In other words, as the Saint Heir, Chu Zheng had now invisibly be the highest ranking person in Taixuan.


    The morning sky was thick with dawn''s vibrant energy.


    Chu Zheng casually picked a remote peak, and in a pce upon it, he met with the visitors from the Song n lineage.


    Aside from him, Gong Rulong was also present, apanied by two Supreme Elders who had entered the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant.


    In the presence of these three, the number of people in the Southern Territory who could harm Chu Zheng was very few.


    The Song n had brought only three people, one of whom Chu Zheng recognized.


    It was Song Xian, whom Chu Zheng had met during his time in Great Zhou, the same one who had once had an encounter with Song Lingqing.


    "Song n, Song Shengming, pays respects to the Taixuan Holy Son."


    Song Shengming looked at Chu Zheng and greeted him with sped hands; as the heir to a holynd, his status was only higher, not lower than Song Shengming''s, and he was worthy of this gesture of respect.


    "Speak your purpose," Chu Zhengmanded from the head seat, cutting to the chase.


    Song Shengming didn''t speak but instead turned his head to look at Song Xian beside him.


    Seeing this, Song Xian stepped forward without any hesitation, bowed deeply, and then spoke with his head lowered and in a respectful tone:


    "During the incident in Great Zhou, Song Xian was unaware of the Saint Heir''s status and caused offense. Today, I have specificallye to ask for forgiveness, hoping the Saint Heir can pardon my past transgressions."


    Compared to the prideful demeanor he had upon their first meeting, Song Xian''s posture was undoubtedly much lower now.


    These scions of age-old families often possess certain instincts umon to ordinary people, where the interests of the n often outweigh personal honor or disgrace.


    "It''s unnecessary. Disputes are only normal when one is away from home," Chu Zheng said, devoid of any intention to take the matter to heart and waved his hand dismissively, then looked at Song Shengming with a slightly focused gaze:


    "Presumably, this elder has note for this trivial matter alone. Please, speak frankly."


    This act of Song Shengming was clearly a gesture of goodwill, but Chu Zheng was not interested in such overtures; he rarely took such minor frictions to heart, as most of the time, action led to life or death oues.


    For Song Xian, he had no significant animosity either; with his impressive family background and personal talent, he was entitled to his pride. Furthermore, the lesson that needed to be given had already been deliveredst time.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s candid and direct demeanor, Song Shengming also felt slightly relieved; at least, this Taixuan Holy Son seemed not difficult to deal with.


    After a moment of silence, he still chose to be direct: "Has the Saint Heir already been informed of the Song n''s hereditary Secret Realm?"


    "I am aware," Chu Zheng replied without evasion. "I know you are searching for Blood Jade Fragments, and I indeed have one in my possession."


    Song Shengming''s brows slightly furrowed; Chu Zheng''s overly straightforward attitude made him suddenly feel a bit uneasy:


    "What does the Saint Heir desire?"


    No sooner had he asked the question than Song Shengming immediately added:


    "This Secret Realm can only be unlocked by my Song n''s bloodline, and most of the inherited treasures within are prepared by our ancestors for their progeny. Outsiders will find it difficult to enjoy."


    The implicit meaning was to encourage Chu Zheng to give up on the idea of the Secret Realm. Song Shengming''s worry stemmed not from Chu Zheng''s cultivation but from what Geng Yiyang had said before.


    "As long as Chu Zheng desires it, the Taixuan Holy Land will help him obtain it."


    This statement''s significance was such that Song Shengming had no choice but to take it seriously. With such an ancient faction, one couldn''t fathom how many trump cards it might be concealing.


    The current Song n... was no longer what it used to be.


    Hearing what Song Shengming had said, Chu Zheng''s mouth curved slightly as he spoke in a smooth voice, "Your Song n has its own methods for searching for people. You must already know that within Taixuan, there is someone from the Song n, right?"


    "When I camest time, I had already noticed it. ording to your Holy Master, he is a Heretic Cultivator, now within the jurisdiction of the Immortal Alliance, and can no longer be considered as part of my Song n."


    Song Shengming spoke slowly, scrutinizing Chu Zheng, his gaze gradually sharpening. This matter had already been addressed by Geng Yiyang; there was no need to hide it.


    From Chu Zheng''s words, he had already discerned a hint of something; today''s affairs were unlikely to be settled amicably.


    "She is my wife."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly, his expression amiable, his eyes carrying a trace of a smile, "I can also be considered a son-inw of the Southern Territory Song n; we''re all family here."


    "Family..."


    Song Shengming chewed over these words, and just as he was beginning to feel relief, the low, casual voice of Chu Zheng reached his ears again:


    "Since we are family, there''s no need to divide so clearly. I''ll take half of all the resources in the family''s secret realm, including the Song n''s Immortal Ascension Method."


    Even with Song Shengming''s years of political acumen, he was astonished by Chu Zheng''s audacious demand, eximing involuntarily:


    "What did you say?!"


    Regaining hisposure, a surge of Blood Qi rushed to his head, his forehead veins pulsing slightly: "Is the Saint Heir joking?!"


    iming half of the resources at once, even coveting the Song n''s Immortal Ascension Method¡ªeach of these demands nearly breached the red lines of a True Immortal Noble Family.


    Setting aside the secret realm for now, the significance of the Immortal Ascension Method could be inferred from the reactions of the other Holy Lands earlier.


    "I am not in the mood for jokes with you; these are my terms."


    Chu Zheng stood up, approaching Song Shengming with measured steps, speaking methodically:


    "The half of the resources that I want is not for myself, but for the entire Southern Territory Song n. I am willing to swear to this."


    The condition now presented by Chu Zheng was already a considerablepromise on his part.


    With the Fragment of Remnant Jade in Ling Qing''s hands, Chu Zheng could directly restore it topletion through the panel, and then use Ling Qing''s own Essence Blood to directly unlock the Secret Realm.


    In doing so, he could entirely remove the Song n from the game.


    It remained the same principle; the Secret Realm was, after all, a hereditary treasure of the Song n. Coveting such a heritage was considered excessively greedy. He wasn''t particrly eager to have it.


    The Southern Territory Song n has been struggling for survival amidst the mundane world and major Immortal Sects, prepared to go to the extent of having their flesh and blood separated in preparation for various contingencies. To date, who knows how many of their kin are still alive.


    The Eastern Territory Song n already felt guilt toward this branch in the south; Chu Zheng merely wanted to secure somepensation for them. Even if he did not need it now, Ling Qing would find it useful once she advanced in her Cultivation.


    Unlike Lingxue, she practices the Immortal Path and has a long journey ahead in the Cangyun Realm. She needs to make preparations in advance and, moreover, this is rightfully hers.


    As for the Song n''s Immortal Ascension Method, Chu Zheng did indeed harbor some personal desires for it.


    The Southern Territory Song n needs such a Cultivation Technique, and so does he.


    On the other hand, it''s uncertain what lies within the Secret Realm; it could well be dangerous. Having the Eastern Territory Song n scout ahead would also be advantageous.

 Chapter 177: Chapter 129: Consultation Results, Treasures of the Tai Xu Holy Land

    "That''s impossible!"


    Inside the grand hall, Song Shengming looked at Chu Zheng not far away, his gaze slightly icy:


    "The members of the Southern Territory Song n have mostly been found by us. Once this matter is concluded, they will naturally be properly settled, and the n resources will be distributed as needed. The Saint Heir needn''t worry himself about it."


    "The Immortal Ascension Method is the Song n''s most guarded secret, not even known to coteral branches, let alone being handed over to an outsider. This matter no longer needs to be mentioned by the Saint Heir."


    Song Shengming didn''t believe a word of what Chu Zheng said; he felt that Chu Zheng''s appetite was simply toorge, wanting to swallow half of the Secret Realm in one bite.


    "Let''s leave it at that, then."


    Facing Song Shengming''s reaction, Chu Zheng smiled faintly and waved his hand indifferently: "You all may leave now."


    Since the Eastern Territory Song n''s stance was so firm, Chu Zheng couldn''t be bothered to engage in fruitless arguments with them.


    Chu Zheng was willing to talk, which was an opportunity for them. If they didn''t wish to open the Secret Realm together, then the Eastern Territory Song n would have to settle for the leftovers.


    "Saint Heir, might there still be room for negotiation in this matter?"


    Faced with a difficult situation, Song Shengming calmed his anger and said in a gentler tone:


    "After all, our Song n is a True Immortal noble family, and who''s to say there won''t be another True Immortal emerging in the future? It''s only due to temporary difficulties that we are seeking help from others. Moreover, without the remaining fragments of the Blood Jade, the Secret Realm cannot be opened. Why must the Saint Heir push people too far? Why not both of us take a step back?"


    "I can decide to give the Saint Heir one-fifth of the share. The rest of the resources are needed to subsidize our people in the Southern Region."


    To this, Chu Zheng neither confirmed nor denied, but just shook his head and walked back to his seat.


    This untroubled demeanor made Song Shengming somewhat startled at that moment, giving him the impression that Chu Zheng was confident and uninterested in discussing cooperation.


    For a time, the grand hall fell into silence.


    After a while, Song Shengming''s gaze shifted slightly: "Saint Heir, you previously said that half of it is for the Southern Territory Song n''s needs ¡ª is that true?"


    "Of course," Chu Zheng nodded.


    "How about this: I will move all the members of the Southern Territory Song n into Taixuan City, and after the Secret Realm is opened, half of the share you mentioned, please hand it directly to our Southern Territory people. How about that?"


    "Just because you say they are from the Southern Territory Song n, does that make them so?"


    Hearing what Song Shengming said, Chu Zheng''s smile faded, and disappointment was hard to hide in his eyes.


    He had thought Song Shengming would make concessions, but it turned out he was still being treated like a three-year-old.


    The Southern Territory Song n had been separate for countless years, with hearts scattered and no cohesion to speak of. Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    Even if Song Shengming truly brought these people, with a few Song n elders blended in and a bit of maniption, he could control the entire Southern Territory Song n ¡ª thus, that half of the share would essentially be thrown back into the hands of the Eastern Territory Song n.


    It was nothing but shifting from the left hand to the right hand, just making a round through the hands.


    "I will find the people of the Southern Territory Song n myself; you are already out of the game," Chu Zheng stood up, his expression indifferent: "See the guests out."


    To find people through bloodlines, Qi Cultivators weren''t short of such methods; it would just take some time.


    Gong Rulong said nothing and gestured with his hand.


    "I indeed wish to see how the Saint Heir ns to knock the Song lineage out of the game," replied Song Shengming with a coldugh, no longer lingering, and turned to leave directly.


    Without the other fragments and the Essence Blood of the Song n''s direct lineage, it was simply impossible to open that piece of the Secret Realm. If Chu Zheng wanted the resources within, he would have to sit down and talk to them again.


    An elder followed and saw the group off from Taixuan.


    From beginning to end, Gong Rulong never spoke until the three from the Song n were gone, then he finally said:


    "The Song n is far in the Eastern Region, and their current situation isn''t very good. They are being pressed hard by the other ''Zhao'' and ''Yuan'' families. Do whatever you want to do; there''s no need to care about them."


    He now offers unconditional support for all of Chu Zheng''s actions; this monster, soaring to the sky as a dragon was only a matter of time.


    "Zhao?"


    On hearing these words, Chu Zheng looked slightly stunned, a sh of insight crossing his mind, inevitably thinking of the Zhao n of Great Zhou.


    Could it be that Zhao Tingxian was originally a True Immortal descendant?


    Indeed, after that man became the Taixu Holy Son, he inexplicably disappeared without a trace, and perhaps there was some possibility in that.


    "Even a True Immortal noble family has its day of decline," Gong Rulong sighed softly: "The True Immortal of our Taixuan Holy Land, since joining the Immortal Alliance, there has been no news, just like these declining True Immortal noble families, no difference at all."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but fall into thought.


    Those who had crossed the Immortal Sect and had be True Immortals, including the Cangyun Immortal King, seemed to have never returned since leaving the realm.


    As True Immortals, it was impossible that they couldn''t spare a moment of time; they should at least return to their homnd for a nce.


    If they are too busy to leave or can''t return, and if it''s thetter, it''s very likely they are no longer among the living.


    ```


    The lifespan of a True Immortal was unknown to Chu Zheng, but undoubtedly, it was a staggeringly high number, far more than tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years.


    That not a single True Immortal had returned over such an immense span of time spoke volumes of the inherent issues.


    Chu Zheng feared that even the Immortal Alliance''s circumstances were far from optimistic, and that even True Immortals faced the danger of death.


    If the True Immortals who had left the Cangyun Realm had mostly perished...


    At that thought, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but shudder.


    Calmness restored, he spoke in a somber tone, "Elder Gong, regarding the Five Elements Spiritual Object, I hope you can help me find a way."


    "I''ve already ordered people to search for it."


    Gong Rulong was visibly worried as he replied, "Low-grade spiritual objects are easy to find, but high-grade ones are not that readily avable. Most of them are monopolized by the Four Great Sacred Lands, and if any appear, they are quickly taken by others."


    Moreover, with Taixuan not having emerged in the world for ten thousand years, their knowledge of the Southern Region was much lesspared to the other Sacred Lands.


    Over such a long period, the other Four Great Sacred Lands had perfected their control over the Southern Region, leaving virtually nond unimed.


    "For constructing a nineyer Dao Foundation, the quality of the spiritual object must at least surpass that of the Heavenly me Grass."


    Gong Rulong''s voice became more subdued, "To give an example with the water attribute, most of the spiritual objects not inferior to the Heavenly me Grass are, to my knowledge, in the hands of the Taixu Holy Land."


    Given the current rtionship between Taixuan and Tai Xu, even if Taixuan were willing to humble themselves and seek a trade, Tai Xu would no longer give them that opportunity.


    Spiritual objects, unlike spiritual herbs and immortal medicines that could enhance the quality of a Celestial Foundation, were always in high demand and short supply.


    "Tai Xu Holy Land..."


    At the mention of Tai Xu Holy Land, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered slightly, "What exactly are those objects? Please enlighten me, Elder."


    "Semi-Immortal Dragon Saliva, Cloud Pool Holy Water, Dragon Whale Heartblood¡ªthese are all high-quality spiritual objects."


    Gong Rulong clearly had a thorough understanding of these items, listing them off like treasures of his own home:


    "Besides these, within the Tai Xu Holy Land there is another supreme spiritual object known as ''Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew.''


    "It is the ancestral Immortal Treasure that anchors the fate of the Tai Xu Holy Land, ''Tai Xu Sword,'' which absorbs the radiance of the universe''s stars and condenses the heavenly dew upon the sword''s body. Among supreme spiritual objects, it is also of the highest grade."


    Seeing Chu Zheng entranced and seemingly interested, Gong Rulong did not keep secrets, instead he expanded the topic, continuing to speak:


    "The Nine Transformations of Divine Infant to Enter Tong Xuan represents a major threshold, simr to condensing a Dao Foundation when entering the Dao. Having a high-grade spiritual object that matches one''s constitution can save a lot of effort and greatly increase the chances of sess."


    "The Great Void Scripture belongs to the water attribute, and this object is specifically intended by the Tai Xu Holy Land for Qi Cultivators undergoing the Nine Transformations to break through. The output is extremely low, producing only a small bowl every three thousand years¡ªjust enough for one person''s use."


    As he reached this point, Gong Rulong shook his head, "I had the fortune to witness this Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew. Before the mountain was sealed, a Pill Master of Taixuan wanted to perform alchemy and exchanged a Sixth Order Divine Fire''s Fire Seed with the Tai Xu Holy Land for a small bowl. It truly is a rarity in this world."


    After finishing, he shook his head gently. Now that Tai Xu and Taixuan had be mortal enemies, otherwise he would not hesitate to offer another Sixth Order Divine Fire''s Fire Seed for Chu Zheng, if it could be of help.


    "Thank you, Elder."


    Chu Zheng expressed his gratitude, and then said,


    "I need to enter seclusion for a period of time to stabilize my Dao Foundation. Please assist me in keeping an eye out for any news on spiritual objects."


    "No worries, just focus on your cultivation," Gong Rulong waved his hand dismissively and hurried off. He needed to take a more careful look through the treasure vault of the Taixuan Holy Land, to see if there was anything else Chu Zheng could use.


    ...


    ...


    After half a month, Chu Zhengpletely stabilized his Dantian. Unbeknownst to him, his Immortal Path Cultivation had already stepped into thete stage of the Entry Dao Realm, catching up with his Qi-refining technique, and his mana surged once again.


    As soon as the Five Elements Foundation reached Perfection, he would immediately be able to step into the Perfection Realm of entry path, and begin Soul Condensing.


    As the medicinal power of the Five Elements Shaping Pill continued to be released, Chu Zheng''s physique was also undergoing subtle changes, starting to transform towards the Five Elements Primordial Body.


    The speed at which he absorbed the Five Elements Spiritual Energy was gradually bing more bnced.


    Unfortunately, there was only one Shaping Yuan Pill, and due to Chu Zheng''s own profound foundation, it was somewhat unsustainable.


    After emerging from seclusion, Chu Zheng found Song Lingxue and briefly informed her, then greeted Geng Yiyang. Without rming anyone, he quietly left the Taixuan Holy Land.


    This time, leaving Taixuan, he had two things to do: one was to find Song Lingqing, and the other was for the Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew.


    In the Tai Xu Holy Land, he just happened to have a card to y.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.


    In a deste mountain range tens of thousands of miles away from the Tai Xu Holy Land, Chu Zheng sat cross-legged among the mountains and forests, appearing like a rotting piece of wood, without the slightest breath escaping.


    After a long while, a spiritual light arrived from the sky,nding in front of Chu Zheng and transforming into a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young woman with a lovely appearance and a radiant gaze.


    It was Miao Luan, the True Transmission of the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    ```

 Chapter 178: Chapter 130: What Matters and What Doesnt

    As autumn neared, the forest was carpeted with thick, fallen leaves, the dusk light falling through the branches, casting deep, fragmented shadows of withering leaves.


    Miao Luan remainedposed, scrutinizing Chu Zheng, who was seated in the deste woods not far away, feeling somewhat uneasy.


    Compared to thest time''s unruliness, this time, the young man in front of her appeared much more kempt, his hair neatlybed and adorned with a golden crown, wearing a me-patterned vestment robe that added a touch of nobility.


    Ever since Chu Zheng had contacted her through the Life Soul, she had been uncontrobly nervous, unsure of what Chu Zheng truly intended.


    Since the incident at the Immortal Martial Battlefield, she had understood more clearly that the seemingly gentle young man before her was an absolute ruthless figure who was not to be provoked.


    After a brief hesitation, Miao Luan bowed:


    "Miao Luan greets the Taixuan Holy Son."


    "No need for such formalities."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly and went straight to the point, "Help me with something, and I will return your Life Soul to you."


    "Really?"


    Upon hearing this, Miao Luan was somewhat moved, a sh of joy appearing in her eyes, but as she came back to her senses, she immediately became cautious and slightly uneasy as she asked:


    "What do you want me to do?"


    In her view, Chu Zheng was definitely not someone easy to talk to. If he was willing to return her Life Soul, the task he requested must not be that simple.


    "It''s simple, just help me get some Spiritual Objects from within the Tai Xu Holy Land, and we''ll be even."


    "What do you want?" Miao Luan''s heart rxed a bit. The Tai Xu Holy Land had many Spiritual Objects; with some extra effort and perhaps a plea to her mentor, there would definitely be a way.


    "Semi-Immortal Dragon Saliva, Cloud Pool Holy Water, Dragon Whale''s Heartblood, and Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew."


    Chu Zheng, without any hint of politeness, listed all the Spiritual Objects he was aware of.


    "Cloud Pool Holy Water is only found within the Tai Xu Secret Realm, and this Semi-Immortal Dragon Saliva, along with the Dragon Whale''s blood, only have some left from what was passed down previously within the Holy Land, using some means having less."


    Miao Luan, in disbelief, widened her eyes, the shock evident:


    "This Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew is an absolute secret of the Tai Xu Holy Land, unknown even to ordinary Elders; how could you know of it?!"


    The items Chu Zheng spoke of were all rare treasures of the current age, most cultivators of the world had probably not even heard their names.


    "It seems that you know."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s lips curved slightly. Since Miao Luan knew, then it meant that reaching this item would not be too far-fetched, at least there was some hope.


    "This..."


    Miao Luan''s expression froze, then she vigorously shook her head:


    "I''m only at the level of Soul Condensing; how could I possibly have ess to such rare treasures! I can''t do it."


    "My life is not worth this much. You... you must change the condition."


    Towards the end, Miao Luan''s confidence waned.


    Suddenly, Chu Zheng''s gaze narrowed slightly. Holding her Life Soul, he could sense some of Miao Luan''s subtle emotional changes. Although unsure, he decided to bluff, saying coldly:


    "You haven''t told the truth."


    "Everything I just said is true!"


    Miao Luan''s heart skipped a beat, she averted Chu Zheng''s gaze, her eyes unconsciously ncing around.


    With her status, indeed she had no ess to such rare treasures as Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew, but her mentor, Yu Ling True Monarch, Zuo Lingzhi, was a Supreme Being at the peak of the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant.


    Years ago, the Tai Xu Holy Land had granted a portion of Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew, and it was because of this that she became aware of the existence of such Spiritual Objects within the Holy Land.


    But she couldn''t possibly hand over this item to Chu Zheng; it was crucial for her mentor''s advancement into Tongxuan.


    Her mentor''s kindness to her was immense; she couldn''t possibly sever her mentor''s path for the sake of saving her own life.


    Seeing Miao Luan''s reaction, Chu Zheng became even more certain of his guess. Without hesitation, he pressed further:


    "I only need a portion of Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew. Afterward, I can add a sum of Spirit Stones or Elixirs and Magical Treasures aspensation, just speak up."


    Seeing this, Miao Luan took a deep breath, no longer hiding her intentions, and blurted out:


    "My mentor has a portion, but I can''t help you steal it. Either change the condition or crush my Life Soul now."


    Her eyes were filled with determination, clearly, to her, her mentor was more important than the Tai Xu Holy Land, more important than her own life.


    Seeing her reaction, Chu Zheng''s expression showed a hint of surprise, followed by a slow emergence of a smile:


    "Indeed, one tries hard to find something only to get it without effort. Mentor-disciple affection is the best. With this, things are much simpler."


    As Chu Zheng''s smile grew more intense, Miao Luan instinctively felt an ominous sensation and subconsciously stepped back half a step:


    "What are you nning to do?!"


    "Let''s make a bet."


    Chu Zheng slowly stood up, gently patted the nonexistent dust off his body, and said leisurely:


    "Let''s see if your master values your life more, or if the Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew is more important to him."


    Miao Luan instantly understood Chu Zheng''s intentions, her expression dramatically changed, and she subconsciously gathered her mana.


    Before she could act, Chu Zheng''s figure had already vanished from its original spot, and in the next moment, he appeared right in front of her.


    Arge hand suddenly reached out, seizing her neck like an iron mp, and then a heavy palm struck her Dantian.


    A suffocating colossal strength surged, blowing Miao Luan''s sea of Dantian qi instantly, causing her mana to start dissipating at an astonishing speed.


    Even the sevenyers of Celestial Foundation within her Dantian showed huge cracks, trembling as if they were about to copse.


    A hint of despair shed in Miao Luan''s eyes, a divine light sparked at her forehead, intending to desperately activate her Spirit Soul, but a sudden intense pain from her Life Soul shattered her remaining strength.


    "Today you wille back to Taixuan with me;ter, I will send a letter, and your master muste to Taixuan in person to fetch you."


    "If your master does note, I will set you free; if he does, I will still set you free and return all your original Magic Treasures to you, and additionally, I will give you a Top Quality Magical Treasure."


    Listening to the few low murmurs by her ears, Miao Luan felt entirely disheartened, her consciousness sinking into darkness.


    [Miao Luan (Third Order): Cultivation in the Initial Stage of Soul Condensing, Tai Xu Holy Land True Transmission, Soul damaged, Dantian severely injured, Celestial Foundation shattered, repairable (0/26)]


    As Chu Zheng held Miao Luan who had already passed out in his hands, he was slightly uncertain about her value in her master''s heart.


    He realized the content of the letter still needed careful consideration.


    ......


    ......


    Over half a monthter.


    Tai Xu Holy Land.


    "Semi-Immortal Dragon Saliva, Cloud Pool Holy Water, Dragon Whale Heartblood, Green Jade Pearl Fluid, Earth Spirit Spring, Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew..."


    In the slightly cold grand hall, a gracefully dressed figure in azure garments slowly crushed the Message Jade que in her hand, her voice slightly cold:


    "Such a young age... Taixuan... what a big appetite..."


    The letter listed more than twenty different Spiritual Objects, the lowest quality of which was hugely beneficial even for cultivators in the Divine Transformation Realm, and many were exceedingly precious even to the powerhouses in the Tongxuan Secret Realm.


    At a nce, it was clear that the demands could not havee from a mere teenager; it was evident that Taixuan was pushing from behind.


    After a moment of silence, Zuo Lingzhi stood up, went towards the Tai Xu Mansion Treasury, and took some of the spiritual objects.


    Given the current circumstance, redeeming the captive was her only option.


    ......


    ......


    At dawn, the sunlight pierced through the clouds and dispersed the morning fog.


    In the Taixuan Holy Land, atop Divine Peak.


    Chu Zheng was seated at the peak, breathing long and steady, absorbing the Great Sun Essence Qi into his body, purifying it through the circuits of the Grand Cirction, and finally integrating it into his limbs.


    He was about to achieve Jade Bone Perfection and was preparing to begin the crucial step of forming the Dao Embryo.


    Upon entering the Dao Embryo Realm, his Niwan Pce at the forehead would open, and his Divine Sense would greatly increase.


    Not only would Object Control be more effortless, but he could also begin practicing some secret techniques rted to the Divine Sense forbat.


    After a while, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, looked towards the direction of the Tai Xu Holy Land, and fell into a trance.


    He was still somewhat unsure, partly worried about overvaluing Miao Luan, and partly concerned that he might miss this chance if he undervalued her.


    In the building not far behind him, Miao Luan was restless.


    After they had returned to the Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng had asked an Elder in the Nine Transformations of Divine Infant to seal her cultivation.


    The feeling of beingpletely defenseless inevitably made her uneasy.


    Nearby, Song Lingxue leaned back in her chair, watching her quietly with an unfathomable gaze, her fair palms tightening and loosening repeatedly, the slender, jade-like joints making a series of crisp sounds.

 Chapter 179: Chapter 131: Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew, Changes in the Dao Foundation

    The hall was deathly silent.


    Under Song Lingxue''s watchful eyes, Miao Luan felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, but what worried her more was the concern for her master.


    Chu Zheng had previously stated he would not harm her life, and it seemed unlikely he would go back on his word.


    For this reason, she hoped even more that her master would note, even if it meant that she was not very important in her master''s heart.


    After a while, Song Lingxue, who was not far away, slowly rose to her feet, her expression calm as she turned and left.


    The person in front of her was still useful to Chu Zheng; she wouldn''t waste time probing any possible ties between Chu Zheng and Miao Luan, opting instead to spend more time training.


    As long as her own strength was strong enough, she could block all potential troubles, and even if there were some annoying suitors, she could squash them with a lift of her hand.


    When she reached the outside of the hall, she saw Chu Zheng gazing into the distant void. Song Lingxue walked up behind him at a leisurely pace and suddenly bent down to bite deeply into the side of his neck.


    "Hiss¡ª"


    Chu Zheng inhaled sharply and then sighed lightly, a trace of helplessness in his eyes:


    "I have nothing to do with her."


    "I know."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s exnation, Song Lingxue''s eyes sparkled withughter. She replied and nced at the faint red teeth mark on the young man''s neck, feeling the invisible unease within her dissipate greatly.


    She raised her hand to tidy Chu Zheng''s slightly disheveled hair, carefully fixing it before stepping onto the ritualbat tform without speaking another word.


    ......


    ......


    Several dayster, at the break of dawn.


    The raging Angry River rumbled from the horizon and amidst the vast sky, mist rose from the water, reflecting a seven-colored light under the brilliance of the rising sun.


    A rainbow bridge spanned the heavens and earth, and upon it, a figure approached with measured steps.


    Upon seeing this, Chu Zheng''s spirits lifted, and he got to his feet.


    After a few breaths, a message from the Mountain Guardian Elder was delivered to his hands.


    "Zuo Lingzhi of Tai Xu Holy Land hase to pay homage to the mountain."


    After pondering for a while, Chu Zheng summoned Gong Rulong to solidify their ranks. Even though they were in the Taixuan Holy Land, they could not be careless; having a powerful cultivator from the Tongxuan Secret Realm at his side was the only way to ensure absolute safety.


    Moreover, Zuo Lingzhi was from the Tai Xu Holy Land and could not be ruled out as someone who might risk her life to kill him.


    Upon receiving the message, Gong Rulong personally handled the situation and led Zuo Lingzhi into Taixuan. Discover more stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Half an hourter, Chu Zheng arrived at the grand hall where he had previously met with the Song n, bringing Miao Luan with him.


    ''Spirit Control True Monarch, Zuo Lingzhi...''


    Chu Zheng scrutinized the woman in green before him. As she was wearing a face veil, he couldn''t make out her face, but judging by her brows and eyes, she appeared to be in her thirties. If it wasn''t for some age-defying technique, then she must naturally have an ample lifespan.


    "I have brought the Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew with me. In recent years, the Tai Xu Secret Realm has seldom been opened, and there is not much of the Cloud Pool Holy Water left. The rest of the spiritual objects that could be found are all here. Can they exchange for my disciple''s life?"


    As soon as she saw Miao Luan, Zuo Lingzhi didn''t beat around the bush. She promptly brought out more than a dozen spiritual objects and ced them in front of Chu Zheng.


    In an instant, the great hall was filled with rich Water Element Qi, to the extent that even the dome above the dais was enveloped in a glisteningyer of water light.


    At this sight, Miao Luan''s eyes reddened slightly. In the entire Tai Xu Holy Land, Zuo Lingzhi was probably the only one willing to spend so many spiritual objects just to save the life of a disciple.


    She wanted to speak, but the seal had rendered her mute, and in that moment, she felt a mix of emotions, tooplex to express.


    "Of course."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on one of the Jade Cups, finding it somewhat difficult to look away.


    Within the Jade Cup, a pale silver Jade Dew shimmered, as if stars flickered within with the slightest movement.


    Chu Zheng gathered all the spiritual objects and, with a wave of his hand, pushed Miao Luan toward Zuo Lingzhi, while transmitting a message, ''Keep that high-quality magic treasure of yours with me for now, to avoid any trouble.''


    Giving it back to Miao Luan in front of Zuo Lingxian would lead to a lot of spection, and from this, it wouldn''t be difficult to deduce that it was Miao Luan who leaked the Great Void Scripture, which could easily bring disaster upon her.


    Since he intended to spare Miao Luan, Chu Zheng certainly wouldn''t harm her.


    Zuo Lingzhi''s expression remained unchanged. She pulled Miao Luan to her side and removed the seal. After a thorough check, she couldn''t help but sigh with relief.


    If Taixuan really pushed matters to the extreme, she had no options since the Heavenly Eye was always watching from above, monitoring the people of the world. Forcing action would only instantly draw the Immortal Alliance.


    For this trip, she had even prepared for Taixuan Holy Land to go back on their word.


    Chu Zheng collected a dozen or so spiritual objects and then threw out a Storage Bag, saying softly,


    "This is mypensation to the True Monarch."


    Zuo Lingzhi caught the Storage Bag, and after a nce, couldn''t hide her astonishment,


    "Two top quality magical treasures, a hundred thousand high-quality Spirit Stones, worthy of a Holy Land, indeed a generous gesture."


    An average Sixth Order Divine Infant Cultivator simply couldn''te up with such resources.


    Upon hearing about the two top-quality magic treasures, Miao Luan couldn''t help but look up at Chu Zheng in surprise.


    Originally, Chu Zheng had promised to return her magic treasure and give her another top-quality one; now he''s doubled it.


    After Zuo Lingzhi epted the Storage Bag, it was clear she had no intention of small talk. She quickly left with Miao Luan.


    Once they were out of Taixuan, Miao Luan finally spoke with a face full of shame, "Master, I..."


    "No need to apologize."


    Zuo Lingzhi shook her head, her voice steady, "Without the Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew, I can still Enter Tong Xuan. Don''t worry, to exchange for two top-quality magical treasures isn''t too much of a loss. This Chu Zheng turns out to be quite honorable."


    Chu Zheng could have chosen not to offer any resources at all, for the spiritual objects would ultimately have to be handed over to him. To offer such a significantpensation wasmendable.


    Miao Luan''s expression was conflicted, but after hesitating for a long while, she still swallowed the words she had intended to confess.


    Her Life Soul had been returned by Chu Zheng, and now she was free. To speak of it now would only unnecessarily trouble her master.


    After all, it was because of her that the Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew was lost, which was an inescapable responsibility of hers. She could only think of ways to make amends in the future.


    ......


    ......


    Taixuan Holy Land.


    Within a secret chamber, Chu Zheng took out that same Jade Cup from before, his gaze slightly stirring.


    [Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew (Sixth Order): A spiritual awakening object. When the cosmic star energy encounters Sword Frost Condensation Dew, it carries a yin aspect within water, greatly increasing the affinity of living beings for water attribute spiritual power and aiding in the breakthrough of spiritual awakening.]


    Without much hesitation, Chu Zheng drank it down and started retreating for cultivation.


    The Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew, as a wonder of the world and with the assistance of the Great Void Scripture, significantly increased his Water Attribute Dao Foundation by one level after consuming it all, and this took just a moment.


    Moreover, at this stage, its medicinal power was far from exhausted. The originally nine-leveled Dao Foundation showed signs of merging and seemed about to coalesce into one entity.


    Moved by this development, Chu Zheng took out all the remaining spiritual objects, ingested them all, and, disregarding his flesh being stretched to its limits by the spiritual energy, began to push forward the evolution of his Dao Foundation.


    As theyers of the Dao Foundation gradually fused, the original nineyers transformed into a jade pir standing within his Dantian, smooth and wless.

 Chapter 181: Chapter 133: Water-Fire Spirit Body, The Plan (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

    "The seals remaining around the Cangyun Secret Realm are extremely strong, requiring at least the cultivation of Soul Condensing Realm to enter. However, if one''s divine soul is overly powerful, having already undergone Nascent Soul Transformation, they will also be detected by the seals and thus obstructed from entering,"


    "Even if you manage to enter, you will have a maximum of three months. Once the time is up, the seal will detect you and subsequently eject you from the secret realm,"


    "Once the seal memorizes your aura, you will not be able to enter again. In other words, a cultivator only has this opportunity during the Soul Condensing Realm in their lifetime,"


    "Shang Cangyun truly had a destiny connected to the heavens. When he found this secret realm, he was not yet sixteen years old, and it had been less than a year since he entered Soul Condensing. He just so happened to be able to enter,"


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze drifted as he appeared lost in thought as if falling into memories, "In the blink of an eye, it has been ten thousand years since I entered,"


    "Did the Holy Master get to see the remains of a True Immortal?" Chu Zheng asked curiously.


    "No," Geng Yiyang shook his head casually, "But I did see a deity,"


    "A deity?"


    "An incense-provided Yin God who came to life as a result of the worship of living beings, struggling to survive in an abandoned temple. With the death of its worshippers, it was on the verge of perishing. It was said that in ancient times, it had its moments of glory, rivaling True Immortals,"


    When it came to this point, Geng Yiyang suddenly let out a scoff,


    "I originally thought of taking it out of Cangyun Secret Realm and find a cultivator willing to foster a Yin God, offering it a chance to live. Instead, it had a moment of madness, promising me immortality if I would worship it as a god and master. In the end, I burnt itsst divine statue, and it perishedpletely,"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng fell silent, lost in contemtion. The Yin God supported by incense-fire seemed like another path of cultivation.


    "Apart from that deity, I also obtained a piece of Immortal Ore, which I took back to Taixuan,"


    After theugh, Geng Yiyang''s expression turned somewhat mncholic, "I originally nned to keep it until the day I became an immortal, to personally refine an Immortal Treasure. But now... it seems I won''t be needing it. You, however, may have a chance to use it, as it isn''t easy to find such a piece of Immortal Ore in today''s Cangyun Realm,"


    As he finished speaking, he fell into a lengthy silence, with a somewhat absent-minded look.


    Upon looking back, he suddenly remembered many who had passed away, feeling that the past was like clouds filled with regrets. A lifetime of cultivation, to die a peaceful death, perhaps that was already out of reach for ordinary people.


    After a long while, Geng Yiyang regained his senses and waved his hand,


    "Go on then. I''ve heard from Ru Long about you seeking a cultivation technique. I''ll think of a solution for you and let you know when there''s news,"


    "Thank you, Holy Master,"


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, bowed deeply, "The favor I owe you today, I shall repay in the future,"


    At those words, Geng Yiyang''s gaze intensified, "Then promise me one thing now, how about it?"


    "The Holy Master may speak frankly,"


    "I may have something I need your help withter on. If it''s within your capabilities, you cannot refuse,"


    "Naturally,"


    Without hesitation, Chu Zheng nodded in agreement.


    Having taken so many spiritual resources from Taixuan, it was impossible for him to do nothing in return, especially if it was within his capabilities.


    Geng Yiyang cracked a smile, his turbid eyes overflowing with an extremely gentle softness, then waved his hand and slowly closed his eyes.


    "Disciple takes his leave,"


    Seeing the smile on Geng Yiyang''s face, Chu Zheng felt a bit puzzled. After hesitating for a while, he turned and left.


    After all, Geng Yiyang wouldn''t harm him; otherwise, he would have acted sooner rather than waiting until now.


    ......


    ......


    Fire Seeds cannot coexist. If one wants to assimte a new Fire Seed, aside from stripping away the original Fire Seed, the alternative is the strong absorbing the weak. The Quality of a Fire Seed does not change as a result.


    However, even before reaching the Entry Dao Realm, Chu Zheng had pondered trying to conjoin the Fire Seeds of these Divine Fires, hoping for a transformation by condensing Samadhi True Fire through the Qi Refining Lineage method.


    But the Samadhi True Fire, forming fire when concentrated and returning to Qi when dispersed, fundamentally is not the same as Divine Fire. The integration of Fire Seeds undoubtedly poses a great difficulty.


    With his current cultivation, Chu Zheng could only make some attempts. If he hadn''t had the repair panel, he wouldn''t even have the chance to try.


    Returning to his secluded chamber, Chu Zheng took out the Phoenix me and immediately began the refinement process.


    Upon leaving the jade case, the Phoenix me instantly expanded, filling the whole chamber, turned entirely crimson red, resembling a red divine bird with spread wings.


    An unbearable scorching heat assaulted him, causing Chu Zheng''s skin to crack instantly, blood not even having time to flow before drying up.


    This was but a Fire Seed, with its power hidden and unmanifest. If it was fully unleashed, even a cultivator at the Divine Transformation Realm would be incinerated in an instant.


    Undisturbed, Chu Zheng opened his mouth and swallowed the Fire Seed in a sh; the crust of dried blood on his body peeled offyer byyer and quickly new skin grew back.


    The next instant, his flesh dried up once more as the struggle between Fire Seedsmenced within him.


    The Heavenly Star me, a mere Fifth Order Divine Fire, was vastly inferior to the Phoenix me and after merely a moment, it waspletely devoured. Chu Zheng didn''t even get the chance to attempt integration before the struggle concluded.


    With no other options, he began the process methodically, his Five Elements Foundation in full operation and mana surging fiercely, he started to suppress the Phoenix me''s Fire Seed. Meanwhile, he ran the Qi-refining Technique, channeling the overwhelming Fire Element Qi into the Fire Element Foundation.


    A Sixth Order Divine Fire was entirely different from a Fifth Order one. The Phoenix me seemed to have a hint of awareness, strongly resisting Chu Zheng''s attempts to refine it.


    The Water Element Immortal Root in the dantian trembled slightly, and began to operate on its own, drawing arge amount of water attribute spiritual qi from the void into the body, and started to help Chu Zheng suppress some of the threatening power of the Fire Seed.


    With an abundance of Fire Element Qi as nourishment, the Fire Element Foundation quickly underwent a transformation and showed signs of fusion.


    The external repair panel kept operating, mending Chu Zheng''s body which was continuously drying out and depleting.


    Using the cultivation of the Entry Dao Realm to refine a Sixth Order Fire Seed without anyone''s help in suppressing the might of the Fire Seed was something unheard of in the history of Taixuan Holy Land.


    It was the presence of the panel that gave Chu Zheng the possibility of unlimited trial and error.


    Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    After repeating this process for several days, the refinement of the Fire Seed was finallypleted.


    The Fire Element Immortal Root formed smoothly, and alongside the Water Element Immortal Root, it achieved a certain bnce. Each upied one-third of the dantian, with the remaining one-third upied by the other three Dao Foundations.


    At the moment the Immortal Root took shape, Chu Zheng felt the surrounding environment be much morefortable, and his body was flooded with an inner joy.


    For the Fire Element Immortal Root, the environment of Taixuan Holy Land was undoubtedly most suitable.


    Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, nced at the panel, and his eyebrows twitched slightly.


    [Root Bone: Five Elements Immortal Bones (Superior Quality), Water-Fire Spirit Body.]


    The Water Spirit Body underwent a change and turned into a Water-Fire Spirit Body. Not only the fire attribute spiritual qi, but Chu Zheng''s affinity with water attribute spiritual qi had also improved further, as if theyplemented each other.


    This change made Chu Zheng even more certain of a previous spection about Zhao Tingxian.


    Zhao Tingxian was born with a Fire Spirit Body and practiced the Great Void Scripture. It was very likely that he had reached the same step Chu Zheng was now taking.


    The nature of the Great Void Scripture was water, which contradicted Zhao Tingxian''s Fire Spirit Body. He should not have grown so fast, even stepping into the True Immortal Realm.


    Perhaps, like Chu Zheng''s current situation, Zhao Tingxian had found a bnce between his own physique and the Great Void Scripture, and even condensed two Celestial Foundations, thereby gaining entry to the Immortal Sect.


    Chu Zheng operated his cultivation technique and soon noticed something unusual. The spiritual power absorbed through the Water-Fire Immortal Root was extremely pure, saving a lot of energy when refining Qi.


    Initially, Chu Zheng relied on the Qi-refining Technique to forcibly draw spiritual qi to cultivate Immortal Law, but now the Immortal Root in his body could start to nourish the Qi-refining Technique, initially achieving the expectation of dual-path cultivation that he had at the beginning,plementing each other.


    The condensation of the Dao Embryo was now close at hand.


    After closing up for cultivation and solidifying his cultivation for a few more days, Chu Zheng left seclusion and made some arrangements.


    He was going to leave Taixuan soon to find Song Lingqing and, along the way, collect the remaining broken swords of the Heavenly Aura Sword Array.


    Since his return to Taixuan, Song Yun and Bai Nian had been staying with Li Mingzhou and a group of Martial Cultivators. There was no need to bring them along for this trip, as there was no safer ce than staying in Taixuan.


    After pondering for a while, Chu Zheng looked towards the martial arts training ground at the foot of Taixuan Main Peak.


    The future of Taixuan was there.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng stepped onto the training ground. It was very quiet, with over two thousand children sitting calmly in the center of the ground, channeling qi into their bodies and tempering their physical forms.


    Fu Quanliang was watching over them, holding a Jade Book and meticulously recording the speed at which each person channeled qi into their bodies. This was a lengthy process that would take several months.


    The distinction between Lower Quality and Middle Quality Immortal Bones could only be based on the speed at which one channels qi into the body.


    However, there were some exceptions. Some children, with duller talents, would have misconceptions about cultivation techniques, which made their efforts less effective and only noticeableter on.


    Once all these childrenpleted Nourishing Power, they would refine the first Divine Fire Seed of their lives. At that time, based on the affinity with Divine Fire, Taixuan would experience its first division, reorganizing into the Outer Sect and the Inner Sect.


    Disciples with higher talent would naturally receive more resource allocation, which is true in any sect.


    But for now it was still early, as these children had just started and their cultivation was still in the First or Second Order of the Nourishing Power Realm. It would take at least over a year for those with High Quality Immortal Bones to reach the Spirit Spring Realm.


    Chu Zheng watched quietly from the side without interfering.


    An hourter, Fu Quanliang put away the Jade Book and gently pped his hands, awakening the children:


    "Today''s morning session is over, return to your cultivation. If anyone feels unwell, let me know immediately."


    "Thank you, Senior Brother Fu!"


    The children all got up one after another, starting to move their bodies. The noise in the training ground exploded instantly. Nevertheless, there were still nearly a hundred children who continued to sit and cultivate quietly, unintentionally revealing the gap that had already begun to emerge.


    It wasn''t long before someone noticed Chu Zheng standing in the corner of the training ground, and the noise in the ground quieted down significantly.


    These children were not too close to Chu Zheng, the Saint Heir, and even appeared somewhat fearful.


    In their minds, the Saint Heir was the future master of Taixuan Holy Land, holding a much higher status than the Elders.


    Fu Quanliang hesitated slightly and hurried over with some restraint, bowing deeply:


    "Greetings, Saint Heir."


    He had guided Chu Zheng into the Cultivation World, and no one else knew better how terrifyingly fast Chu Zheng had grown. With Chu Zheng''s current status now different from the past, naturally, he could no longer be as casual as before.


    Chu Zheng ced his hand on Fu Quanliang''s shoulder, and soon the panel transmitted a prompt.


    [Fu Quanliang (First Order): Chief of the Taixuan Holy Land Inner Sect, Late Spirit Spring Realm cultivation, solid foundation, minor dan poison in his body that can be repaired.]

 Chapter 182: Chapter 134: Southern Territory Song Clan, Shang Family (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

    By now, it had been quite a while since Chu Zhengst helped Fu Quanliang remove his elixir poisoning.


    From this, it was evident that in his absence, Fu Quanliang had deliberately restrained himself from consuming too many elixirs.


    Chu Zheng did not hesitate and chose to repair, withdrawing his hand thereafter.


    Fu Quanliang suddenly felt his body lighten, his Dantian rx considerably, and his Mana flowed smoothly, he immediately understood:


    "Thank you, Saint Heir."


    "No need to call me Saint Heir, between you and me, there''s no need for thanks, lest it create distance. These days have indeed been busy, and I haven''t visited you earlier."


    Chu Zheng reached out to support Fu Quanliang who was about to bow again: "How are you doing in Taixuan? Have you adapted well?"


    "The elders treat me very well."


    Fu Quanliang nodded repeatedly, whether it was any of the elders, they all spoke to him with respect, not merely seeing him as an ordinary disciple.


    Without needing much thought, he could understand why.


    Because behind him stood Chu Zheng, the current Taixuan Holy Son in front of him.


    "Focus on your cultivation and take elixirs without worries, you can get the elixirs from the Alchemy Hall. I''ll speak with Elder Gongter, and next time Ie back, I''ll help you remove the elixir poisoning."


    After saying this, Chu Zheng turned his head, looking toward a group of junior disciples who were stealthily peeking this way, and said gently:


    "Taking care of so many disciples is not easy, thank you for your efforts."


    If Fu Quanliang weren''t there, he would have to spend some unnecessary time on these children.


    The only one who could get close to these children now was Fu Quanliang, and by the time this batch of disciples grew up, bearing the g of Taixuan Holy Land, Fu Quanliang''s status in Taixuan would undoubtedly be solid as gold.


    By then, Chu Zheng might no longer be in the Cangyun Realm, but as long as Taixuan still stands, Fu Quanliang''s life would be free of worries.


    Upon hearing this, Fu Quanliang repeatedly waved his hand: "You overstate it, it is just taking care of some children."


    At this moment, Fu Quanliang''s heart was filled with gratitude towards Chu Zheng.


    Without Chu Zheng, he would have died long ago at the Song Family, as the worst Lower Quality Immortal Bone, unnoticed and forgotten within a few years, with no one to even remember him.


    In the past, he was just an Outer Sect Disciple of the Phantom Spirit Sect, unable to offend any fellow disciple with a bit of background and strength, always treading on thin ice.


    Now, he had be the chief of the Inner Sect in Taixuan, and when walking outside, those Divine Infant Great Abilities in Taixuan City had to lower their heads when speaking to him, not daring to underestimate him.


    In just one year, Chu Zheng had helped him achieve a status leap he could never have achieved in his lifetime, and that was the difference.


    ncing at the many disciples who didn''t dare toe close, Chu Zheng did not stay any longer and turned to leave.


    Forcing interactions with these children could have the opposite effect. With Fu Quanliang here, it was enough, as all the disciples liked him now.


    As soon as Chu Zheng left, a crowd of children surrounded him, their faces curious:


    "Senior Brother Fu, are you very familiar with the Saint Heir?"


    "What did the Saint Heire here for?"


    "Is it to select for the Inner Sect?"


    "The Saint Heir looks to be only a few years older than me, how old is he this year?"


    Quicklying back to his senses, Fu Quanliang did not answer but waved his hand and scolded lightly:


    "Scatter, scatter, why ask so many questions, go back to your Cultivation! How many days are left until the time for Fire Refining? Are you wasting your time here, do you still want to enter the Inner Sect?"


    ......


    ......


    After leaving the martial training ground, Chu Zheng greeted Gong Rulong and then headed to the Artifact Refining Hall.


    He wanted to recreate the Town Immortal Mace; he needed a high-grade semi-finished item as the embryo for the magical treasure and then imprint it with w-breaking" talismatic patterns himself.


    The level of the Town Immortal Mace was gradually unable to keep up with the pace of his Cultivation improvement, as relying solely on Yuan Qi nurturing was indeed too slow.


    It was better to refine it anew, as the best Artifact Refining Grandmaster in the Southern Region was right there in Taixuan, it would be wasteful not to use such resources at hand.


    The head of the Artifact Refining Hall, Qi Ying, appeared nearly seventy, of medium stature, with half-white hair, and was at the Mid-Stage of Tongxuan Realm, likewise nearing the end of his life.


    Upon hearing that Chu Zheng needed an artifact embryo, and after asking for the requirements, Qi Ying immediately selected Spirit Mines and began the refining process.


    Chu Zheng stayed in the Artifact Refining Hall for a whole three days until Qi Ying finally emerged, holding a jade mace wrapped with a red gold edge, exuding a dense Spiritual Light,cking only the formation patterns to bepleted.


    "Saint Heir, take a look, does it meet your satisfaction?"


    Chu Zheng took it, feeling its heavy weight, and received a prompt on his interface shortly after.


    [Artifact Embryo (Fifth Order): An excellent quality artifact embryo by a master craftsman, onlycking array engraving to be a weapon, capable of bing a Top Quality Magical Treasure, with a possibility of Spiritual Awakening.]


    A Fifth Order artifact embryo, nurturing it to the Sixth Order or even an Immortal Treasure, was not impossible.


    "Thank you, Elder Qi, for going to the trouble," Chu Zheng said, satisfied as he put away the artifact embryo. Read new adventures at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    "It''s no trouble at all, as long as the Saint Heir is pleased. But are you sure you don''t need this old man to engrave the formation patterns?"


    Qi Ying was somewhat puzzled; without the formation patterns, the artifact embryo remained a mere object, entirely unusable against enemies.


    He was also very satisfied with this artifact embryo, and if the formation patterns were poorly engraved, it would undoubtedly waste such a piece.


    "I will handle itter myself, thank you for your concern, Elder," Chu Zheng smiled and shook his head, not exining further, and took the artifact embryo with him, bidding farewell.


    Soon, he returned to the secret chamber and began to try imprinting the talismatic patterns.


    As he had experience from before, the process went smoothly; in less than half a day, the first talismatic pattern was already imprinted.


    The jade mace was divided into nine sections, allowing nine talismatic patterns to be imprinted. Chu Zheng followed his previous method, filling it entirely.


    The moment it waspletely filled, the information on the artifact embryo immediately changed.


    [Town Immortal Mace (Fifth Order): Forged from an excellent quality artifact embryo, with nineyers of w-breaking'' talismatic patterns, all operating together, if the strike hits, it can disperse a Soul Condensing Monk''s Mana and severely injure a Divine Infant, making reassembly difficult in a short period of time.


    The talismatic patterns are not yet perfected, posing a risk of sudden copse.]


    Law-breaking rune patterns, Chu Zheng had been revising and perfecting,pared to the beginning, significant progress had been made, but it was still far from sufficient, and he needed time to delve deeply into it.


    Once prepared, Chu Zheng left Taixuan again, this time concealing his tracks. Should the Song n learn that he was searching for Song Lingqing, they might create chaos.


    He did not fear minor threats, but as for Song Lingqing''s side, that was a different matter.


    ......


    ......


    The regional division in the Southern Region was very clear; the closer one moved towards Zhongtu, the more cultivation sects there were, and cultivation flourished even more.


    Near Zhongtu was the territory of Primordial Spirit Holy Land, located to the southeast of Zhongtu, radiating over half the Southern Region.


    In terms of heritage, Primordial Spirit was undoubtedly the premier among the great Holy Lands, and in terms of strength, it also ranked first among the various Holy Lands. Moreover, having recently produced the leader of the Hidden Dragon List, it had be the hottest power in the Southern Region, at its peak of prosperity.


    Over six hundred thousand li away from Primordial Spirit Holy Land, there was a country called Deste Wind Nation, and of cultivation, not very renowned, yet it housed a hidden Immortal n, unknown to outsiders.


    Within the capital of Deste Wind Nation, thoseing and going were all cultivators, seldom seen were ordinary mortals.


    In the various shops along the streets, what was sold were elixirs, magical treasures, and spells. asionally, one could see tea houses and taverns, which were brimming with spiritual energy and not ces for ordinary people.


    In one such teahouse, a figure in a green robe with a veiled face, sat in a corner, quietly listening to the messagesing from around.


    After a while, a figure suddenly entered the teahouse and went straight to the corner, sitting opposite the person in green.


    Looking at the uninvited guest before her, Song Lingqing slightly furrowed her brow:


    "This fellow Daoist..."


    "It''s me."


    Hearing the familiar transmission in her mind, Song Lingqing slightly opened her eyes, the breath she exhaled fluttering the veil as she swallowed the rest of her words and transmitted back:


    "How did you get here? I heard you returned to Taixuan a few days ago?"


    "The Song n from the Eastern Region hase to Taixuan and wants to borrow that piece of Blood Jade from you to open the Secret Realm."


    Chu Zheng briefly exined in two sentences, then asked, "In these days, have the Song n peoplee looking for you again?"


    "They have, but they did not recognize me, and I managed to deal with them."


    Song Lingqing slowly shook her head, she had changed her appearance and even concealed her tracks, but still, the Song n tracked her down through the bloodline sensation, although they did not recognize her on the spot.


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng nodded and transmitted, "Come with me back to Taixuan, directly open the Secret Realm, I suppose there will be many resources inside which will be useful to you."


    "How can we open it without aplete piece of Blood Jade? And it also needs the essence blood of the direct lineage of the Song Family."


    Song Lingqing was somewhat puzzled, with iplete pieces andcking the family heirloom essence blood of the direct lineage, Chu Zheng fundamentally did not have the conditions to open the Secret Realm.


    "I already have a n for that; you''ll know when the timees, let''s go."


    "Not so fast."


    Song Lingqing shook her head and said, "I came here following a Song n cultivator, this ce has a branch of my Southern Song Family."


    "Oh?"


    Hearing that, Chu Zheng was slightly puzzled, "Then what are you doing sitting here?"


    "There are many cultivatorsing and going here, I thought I might hear some useful information."


    "Any findings?"


    "I heard some rumors, not sure if they''re true or not, but the entire Deste Wind Nation is actually under the control of the ''Shang Family'', reportedly they have many n members, and their strength is extremely strong, yet in the Southern Region, they are not well-known. I had never heard of them before."


    "My family line is now under the Shang Family, reduced to servants."


    "Shang Family?"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s expression grew serious as he stood up, "What are you waiting here for, to hear some definite news? Let''s move with me."


    Before leaving, Chu Zheng casually threw a piece of high-quality Spirit Stone to settle the bill, which Song Lingqing discreetly picked up and changed into two pieces of lower quality Spirit Stone.


    A pot of spiritual tea didn''t need that much.


    ......


    ......


    The two left the tea house one after the other, walking for a while before stopping in front of arge gate.


    Two cultivators stood in front of the gate, both at thete Spirit Spring Realm.


    "Locking Immortal Pavilion..."


    Seeing the words on the gatehouse, Song Lingqing''s expression subtly changed.


    Chu Zheng went straight up, took out a token, and showed it to the gatekeeping cultivators.


    The guards naturally did not dare to stop him, bowed in salute, and made way:


    "Honored guest, please enter."


    "You are a regr here?"


    Seeing the token in Chu Zheng''s hand, bearing the words ''Locking Immortal'', Song Lingqing slightly furrowed her brow.


    "I''ve done some business with Locking Immortal Pavilion before; they trade in information here. If it can be resolved with spirit stones, it saves some time."


    Chu Zheng replied casually and stepped into the Locking Immortal Pavilion.


    Having be the Taixuan Holy Son, he had since lessened his regard for Spirit Stones. Moreover, he now didn''t need to show restraint; even repairing a middle-quality magical treasure could sell for tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. To him, Spirit Stones were now just a number.


    "You are a married man, it would be better to visit such ces less in the future."


    Song Lingqing followed Chu Zheng, somewhat skeptical but constrained by her status, after holding back for a long time, she could only muster such a dry remark.


    "I''m not keen on this path. Besides, with you following me, what can I possibly do?"


    Chu Zheng was unconcerned, and wasn''t surprised by Song Lingqing''s reminder.


    After all, they were sisters, caring for each other, which was only natural.

 Chapter 183: Chapter 135: Descendant of the Immortal King, Power (Vote for Monthly Tickets!)

    The token that Chu Zheng held was a rare sign of a distinguished guest within the Locking Immortal Pavilion.


    As soon as they entered the pavilion, a female cultivator about twenty-five or twenty-six years old came forward to greet them. She was d in a light gauze, barefoot, with a graceful figure, and her cultivation had already reached the Entry Path Realm.


    The woman was very aware of propriety. She nced at Song Lingqing, who was behind Chu Zheng, and did not get too close. Stopping three steps away from Chu Zheng, she turned sideways and saluted,


    "Lian Yao has seen the honored guest, please follow me."


    In the Cangyun Realm, names like Lian Yao were akin to stage names, recognizable upon hearing them.


    After saying this, Lian Yao did not ask further questions and turned to lead the way.


    Song Lingqing was obviously curious, but she dared not look around indiscriminately, for fear of seeing things she shouldn''t. Clenching her fists, she kept her head down all the way, following behind Chu Zheng''s footsteps.


    There was dead silence all around. The leading Lian Yao even moved without a sound, her footsteps silent.


    After a moment, the three entered a private room.


    Lian Yao activated an array that isted sound, poured two cups of spiritual tea, lit the Calm Spirit Incense in the corner, and then turned to look at Chu Zheng before asking,


    "What brings you here today?"


    Chu Zheng picked up the cup of tea, took a small sip, and spoke slowly, "I wish to inquire about some information. Please call the person in charge of your Listening Pavilion."


    Inside the Locking Immortal Pavilion, there are three pavilions and six courtyards. The Listening Pavilion specializes in the trade of information, from Holy Lands tomon folk; one can probe for traces of any circting news.


    At the height of passion, prying for information is as natural as pushing a boat along the water, a very familiar task for these practitioners well-seasoned in the affairs of the world.


    This is also a unique feature of the Locking Immortal Pavilion. A few words from high-rank cultivators could represent information that some cultivators may not encounter in their entire lives, often indicating opportunities.


    "Please wait a moment," she said.


    Lian Yao did not ask further, bowed slightly, and left.


    A momentter, a man over thirty entered the room, closed the door, and saluted with sped hands,


    "My name is Ding Cheng, I have the honor of meeting both Dao friends."


    Ding Cheng''s cultivation was much stronger than Lian Yao''s; having reached the Soul Condensation Realm, he was equivalent to an Inner Sect Elder in various major sects.


    "What news do you wish to know?" Ding Cheng did not look at Song Lingqing at the side but focused on Chu Zheng, cutting straight to the point.


    "The current situation and specific strength of the Shang Family and its subsidiary, the Song n."


    "The news in Locking Immortal Pavilion is categorized into three levels: Heavenly, Earthly, and Human. As for the price..."


    Chu Zheng raised his hand to cut off the lengthy introduction and said directly, "No need to exin. Heavenly level, tell me everything about the Shang Family and the Song n."


    "One hundred high-quality spirit stones."


    Seeing this, Ding Cheng did not waste further words and directly stated the price.


    Hearing the cost, Song Lingqing at the side slightly widened her eyes, took a deep breath, one hundred high-quality spirit stones, equivalent to a whole ten thousand lower-quality spirit stones. Her entire fortune amounted to only about twenty thousand.


    Chu Zheng showed no intention of bargaining and took out one hundred high-quality spirit stones, cing them on the table.


    Ding Cheng methodically took out an array te, verified the one hundred high-quality spirit stones, and then began to speak,


    "The Shang Family is a descendant of an Immortal King, with nearly half of the upper echelons in the Primordial Spirit Holy Land being Shang Family cultivators. Although it is a Holy Land, it is actually under the control of the Shang Family. The current Holy Maiden of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, Shang Zuling, is from the Shang Family."


    "As far as Locking Immortal Pavilion is aware, the Shang Family currently possesses twenty-three Tongxuan Realm cultivators, over eighty Divine Transformation Realm cultivators, and more than three hundred Divine Infants. There are over two thousand at the Soul Condensation and Entry Dao Realm, with uncountable numbers at the Spirit Spring and Nourishing Power Realms."


    Hearing the strength of the Shang Family, Chu Zheng was inevitably surprised, and Song Lingqing at his side couldn''t help but hold her breath.


    Such strength, and belonging to the same family, was far more powerful than the so-called True Immortal noble families. From a superficial standpoint, without discussing the foundation of Immortal Treasures, they were indeed far stronger than any given Holy Land.


    Ding Cheng took a breath, then continued,


    "The Song n is also a cultivation family, with an exceptionally high chance for Immortal Seedlings to emerge. Within the family, there is one Divine Infant Realm ancestor in seclusion. The current Family Head, named Song Yusang, is ate-stage Soul Condensing cultivator. He''s not young, and the hope of condensing a Divine Infant in his lifetime is slim.


    "Apart from Song Yusang, there are eight Soul Condensing cultivators, over fifty at the Entry Dao Realm, more than one hundred and fifty at the Spirit Spring Realm, and over three hundred in the Nourishing Power Realm."


    "In recent years, the younger generation of the Song family produced a high-quality Immortal Bone individual named Song Pingjun, who has built a Seventh Layer Celestial Foundation. His prospects for reaching Tongxuan are promising, and the Shang Family has shown interest; they intend to bring him into the family through marriage."


    "I can tell you something more; not long ago, the True Immortal noble family of the Song n from the Eastern Region came here. It is not ruled out that the local Song n is a branch of the True Immortal noble bloodline."


    At this point, Ding Cheng paused. After waiting a moment and seeing he did not continue, Song Lingqing couldn''t help expressing her surprise, "Is that it?"


    "For now, based on the question that this Dao friend asked earlier, that is all I can say." Ding Cheng nodded.


    Song Lingqing nced at the pile of spirit stones nearby and felt a twinge of pain. Ten thousand lower-quality spirit stones were exchanged for just a few words; the spirit stones seemed too easily earned.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, then asked, "What is the rtionship between the Song n and the Shang Family?"


    Ding Cheng''s expression became solemn, and he sat up straight, shaking his head, "I can only inform you of certain truths. I cannot specte on the rtionship between the two powers. Should I speak carelessly and trouble arises, I cannot bear the consequences."


    "Then let me put it another way," said Chu Zheng, his gaze sharpening as he asked another question, "Has the Song n explicitly refused the Shang Family''s marriage proposal?"


    At this, Ding Cheng hesitated for a moment before replying, "The Song n has not agreed."


    A hint of a smile appeared in Chu Zheng''s eyes; knowing this result was enough for him.


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much more, finished the spiritual tea in front of him in one gulp, and stood up saying:


    Experience new stories with m v|-NovelBin


    "Let''s go."


    Song Lingqing reluctantly shifted her gaze away from the spirit stone and silently got to her feet.


    "Fellow Daoist, please go slowly." Ding Cheng stood up to see them off.


    Outside the private room, Lian Yao was half-kneeling on the ground, waiting.


    Seeing Chu Zhenge out, she performed a courtesy and, without a word, stood up to lead the way, escorting the two of them all the way to the outside of the Locking Immortal Pavilion.


    Song Lingqing turned back to look at the que of the Locking Immortal Pavilion, her expression hesitating as she said:


    "This ce... it''s somewhat different from what I had imagined."


    She had thought this ce was full of thieves and prostitutes engaging in sordid affairs, but now it seemed that it wasn''t entirely so deplorable.


    "Actually, there''s no difference; it''s exactly as you thought, a ce that harbors filth and corruption."


    Chu Zheng corrected her thoughts and cautioned her, "Don''te here alone."


    While they were talking, a woman in her thirties walked out of the Lock Immortal Pavilion, her face glowing with health, smiling, and her spiritual power overflowing, looking refreshed and invigorated.


    Song Lingqing was taken aback by such a joyful state, and after regaining herposure, she couldn''t help but purse her lips and asked softly, "Is it truly that exhrating?"


    Since Chu Zheng was already married, he was an experienced man and should know more than she did.


    "..."


    Chu Zheng remained silent for a while, not answering the question, and turned around saying, "Let''s go."


    "Go where?"


    "To the Song family. Pay them a direct visit and ask about their intentions."


    After learning some key information, there was no need to beat around the bush any longer.


    The Southern Territory Song n was too dispersed, with nomunication or contact between them. When it came to so-called blood ties, it was all nonsense, nothing more than entangled interests.


    The Song family had refused the Shang family''s marriage proposal, clearly unwilling to remain content with the status quo. Coupled with the visit from the Eastern Territory Song n, perhaps now was the opportune moment.


    ......


    ......


    The location of the Song family was not hard to find, situated in a mansion on the north side of the Imperial Capital, upying more than a thousand zhang, intricate andplex, shrouded withyers of arrays.


    Two cultivators at the Spirit Spring Realm were stationed at the entrance. Chu Zheng did not conceal his origin and directly identified himself as the Taixuan Holy Son while presenting his visiting card.


    Skulking only invites scorn.


    Moreover, given the current situation where Divine Infants are in seclusion, there is no one in the entire Southern Region who could kill Chu Zheng, so there''s no need for excessive caution any longer.


    The reason for hiding his trace on the way here was mainly because too many people were watching Chu Zheng, which could bring unnecessary trouble.


    Shortly after, a group of people rushed out to greet them.


    The person at the front was a man nearing forty, tall and thin, with a short beard over his jaw, eyes brimming with spirit, his cultivation having reached thete stage of the Soul Condensing Realm. Everyone following by his side, without exception, were Soul Condensing Monks.


    "I am Song Yusang, Patriarch of the Song family."


    The middle-aged man spoke first, saluting with his hands, "I was unaware of the Taixuan Holy Son''s distinguished visit, and I have failed to wee you from afar. Please forgive me, and allow me to invite you inside for a discussion."


    Soon, Chu Zheng and Song Lingqing were ushered into the house.


    Once inside the main hall, Song Yusang offered Chu Zheng the seat of honor, summoned the maid to serve spiritual tea, exchanged pleasantries for a while, and then began to inquire about Chu Zheng''s purpose foring:


    "May I know the reason for the Holy Son''s sudden visit?"


    In Song Yusang''s eyes, there was a hint of doubt; the Song n had been experiencing tumultuous events recently ¡ª first with the Shang family''s marriage proposal, the search of rtives by a True Immortal Noble Family, and now the appearance of the Demon Lord of Mayhem.


    Chu Zheng''s feared reputation had already spread throughout the Southern Region. On the Immortal Martial Battlefield, with one battle, he ughtered more than two hundred Soul Condensing Cultivators. This feat undoubtedly caused a huge uproar in the Southern Region, which had long been without significant conflict.


    What''s more, Chu Zheng is not even neen years old yet. Calling him the Demon Lord of Mayhem, there is not a trace of exaggeration.


    "There''s nothing to instruct. I just want to ask Patriarch Song about his ns for the future of the Song lineage."


    Having said that, Chu Zheng reached out to Song Lingqing:


    "Give me the Blood Jade."


    Song Lingqing took out the Blood Jade and handed it to Chu Zheng.


    [Family Heritage Blood Jade (Fourth Order/Iplete): A medium for opening secret realms. It is divided into six fragments. Once assembled, and supplemented with essence blood from the Song family''s direct lineage, a secret realm can be opened. Repairable (0/300)]


    When Chu Zheng first encountered the Fourth Order Blood Jade, he was still a Second Order Repair Master, and repairing the Blood Jade required five hundred Repair Value. Now, as he has advanced in level, the experience required for repair has noticeably decreased.


    If he constructs his Dao Embryo and steps into Third Order, thereby advancing to a Fourth Order Repair Master, the number of repairs required for the Blood Jade will certainly lessen even further.


    Upon seeing the Blood Jade, Song Yusang stood up involuntarily:


    "This object..."

 Chapter 184: 136: Shang Zuling, Song Familys Decision (Vote for Monthly Tickets!)

    Seeing Song Yusang appeared somewhat agitated, Chu Zheng took over the conversation:


    "This item is the Family Heritage Blood Jade of the Song n. Some time ago, the Eastern Territory Song n paid a visit, ostensibly for this very item."


    "How does the Saint Heir know of this matter? How could the treasured heirloom of my Song n end up in your hands?"


    Song Yusang''s face showed a slight change, and his eyes were filled with doubt. The Eastern Territory Song n''s visit was highly secretive, and many of his nsmen were still unaware.


    Chu Zheng did not answer his question but instead lifted his hand to point towards Song Lingqing to the side:


    "She too is of the Southern Territory Song n bloodline, and my deceased wife was her direct elder sister."


    "I see¡­"


    Song Yusang quickly figured out the key to the issue. His gaze lingered on the Blood Jade in Chu Zheng''s hand for a moment before he regained hisposure and sat back down:


    "Please speak frankly about your purpose foring here today, Saint Heir."


    "I want to ask Patriarch Song whether you n to side with the Shang Family or return to the Eastern Territory''s main branch."


    Chu Zheng did not beat around the bush and said directly, "Or perhaps choose neither and decide to stand on your own."


    "Stand on our own?"


    Song Yusang''s heart skipped a beat, then his expression dimmed slightly, "How could my Song family have the capital to stand on our own right now?"


    Whether it be the Primordial Spirit Holy Land or the True Immortal noble family, neither was something that a small family protected only by a Divine Infant Cultivator could withstand.


    Chu Zheng raised the Blood Jade in his hand and hinted, "Does Patriarch Song know the specific use of this family heritage Blood Jade?"


    "I do."


    Song Yusang hesitated for a while before nodding, "Some time ago, people from the Eastern Territory mentioned that the Blood Jade is connected to a secret realm, which contains the legacy left by our Song ancestors. However, our n does not have this item¡­"


    "Does not have this item?"


    A sh of spiritual light crossed Chu Zheng''s eyes as he activated the Heavenly Divination Technique. A breath quickly came from the Song family''s inner house, within an arm''s reach.


    Aftering back to his senses, Chu Zheng shook his head, "I''ve been sincere, it seems the Family Head still has many concerns."


    Without further ado, he got straight to the point, "I have a method to open the secret realm. After the realm is opened, I will take out half of the resources inside for all the Song n branches in the Southern Region to share."


    "When the timees, I will allocate a territory in Taixuan City for the Southern Territory Song n to recuperate and multiply."


    "Is the Saint Heir asking us to turn towards Taixuan?"


    Song Yusang''s gaze sharpened instantly. If they were to pledge allegiance, both the Shang Family and the Eastern Territory Song n seemed like better choices than Taixuan.


    Although Chu Zheng''s fame was rising, he was after all a Soul Condensing Monk, and Taixuan was in decline. Compared to an ancient Holy Land and a True Immortal noble family, it reallycked appeal.


    "Taixuan Holy Land does not take outsiders, the Southern Territory Song n may stand on their own."


    "Stand on our own¡­"


    Song Yusang''s gaze flickered slightly; the prospect of independence was undoubtedly a great temptation for a vassal family.


    "I will not tarry here for long, just half a day. The Family Head can consult with the ancestral elders of the n."


    Having said this, Chu Zheng put away the Blood Jade and closed his eyes to rest. He had no idle heart to rush into offering resources. If the Song family was unwilling to seize this opportunity, he would not insist too much and would go with the flow.


    Song Yusang fell into contemtion, but before he could think deeply, a n disciple hurried in and whispered:


    "Report to the Family Head, there are guests from the Shang Family at our doorstep!"


    "The Shang Family?!"


    Song Yusang immediately stood up and looked towards Chu Zheng, "Does the Saint Heir wish to withdraw?"


    Previously, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land had also participated in the bounty hunting of Chu Zheng, and Song Yusang was worried that the two parties might conflict.


    Chu Zheng did not make it hard for Song Yusang and stood up, "If Patriarch Song feels it is inconvenient for me to be here, then I should withdraw."


    "Not at all."


    Song Yusang waved his hand repeatedly, "My concern was to avoid upsetting the Saint Heir. If you have no intent to cross swords with the Shang Family, there''s no need to avoid them."


    This statement undoubtedly signaled a certain attitude.


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng did not speak again and simply sat back down.


    Shortly after, two figures stepped into the hall, a man and a woman, both appearing young, around twenty in age, with strong cultivations. The man was at the Mid-Stage Soul Condensing Realm, and the woman at the Soul Condensing Initial Stage.


    Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye, surveyed them briefly, and sensed a robust Life Yuan Qi.


    These two were very young, not even a hundred years old.


    Chu Zheng connected mentally to the Hidden Dragon List and after a nce, he quickly recognized their auras.


    [Hidden Dragon List ¡í336: Primordial Spirit Holy Land, Shang Jin Hong, bone age seventy-three, cultivation at the Early Soul Condensing Realm.]


    [Hidden Dragon List ¡í307: Primordial Spirit Holy Land, Shang Yunchuan, bone age eighty-one, cultivation at the Mid Soul Condensation Realm.]


    As expected, they were two illustrious geniuses listed on the Hidden Dragon List.


    Shang Yunchuan nced around the hall, saw Chu Zheng still sitting in the main seat without any intention to stand, and his brows furrowed:


    "Who might you be?"


    The Patriarch of the Song family would have stood up to greet them, as it was the proper etiquette.


    Chu Zheng nced at the two individuals, unconcerned, "Chu Zheng."


    "Chu Zheng¡­ the Taixuan Holy Son?!"


    Upon hearing the name Chu Zheng, both were initially stunned, then suddenly realized who he was and involuntarily took a half step back, their expressions turning grave.


    Before the battle at the Immortal Martial Battlefield, neither of them considered Chu Zheng to be significant, but now, everything waspletely different. More than one Soul Condensing Realm Perfection cultivator had died at Chu Zheng''s hands.


    With their current abilities, they stood no chance against Chu Zheng.


    "Chu Zheng, what brings you to this ce?"


    Shang Jin Hong sharply inquired, recalling Chu Zheng''s infamy. Her gaze drifted, revealing a few moments of unease, followed by ack of confidence as she said:


    "We are but six hundred thousand li from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land. The elders of the Holy Land can arrive in an instant."


    "What I''m doing here is none of your concern,"


    Chu Zheng responded without heed, closing his eyes to rest.


    "Cough¡ª"


    Song Yusang gave a slight cough, diverting the conversation, "What brings our distinguished guests here today?"


    Regaining hisposure, Shang Yunchuan furrowed his brows, no longer looking at Chu Zheng, and said in a low voice,


    "Our n asked me to inquire onest time if the Song Family truly does not wish to enter into a matrimonial alliance."


    "Lord Ping lost his parents early on, and he is the only scion left in that line. It''s truly hard to bear the thought of having him marry into another family."


    Song Yusang shook his head slightly, his face wearing a forced smile, "Please tell the Shang Family that the child really does not have such a fortune."


    Hearing this, the two from the Shang Family exchanged a nce, did not persist, and without saying another word, they turned and left hastily.


    No sooner had they stepped out of the mansion than they took out a Message Jade Book to report Chu Zheng''s appearance to the Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    Compared to the sudden appearance of Chu Zheng, the matter of Song Pingjun was but a trivial issue.


    ......


    ......


    Inside the grand hall,


    After seeing off the two from the Shang Family, Song Yusang turned around to remind,


    "Would the Saint Heir like to leave first? I''m concerned that once these two leave, they might bring people from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land here."


    Chu Zheng, unconcerned, casually crushed a Message Jade Talisman and waved his hand, "No need, Patriarch, make a decision as quickly as possible, for we may not have much time."


    "This..."


    Song Yusang paced back and forth before atst, clenching his teeth, "Please wait a moment, Saint Heir, I will go to consult the elder ancestor."


    "Patriarch Song, please do as you see fit."


    Chu Zheng once again closed his eyes to meditate, his fingertips tapping lightly, timing the moment.


    ......


    ......


    Upon learning of Chu Zheng''s appearance in the Imperial Capital of Tianhuang Country, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land was undoubtedly shaken, instantaneously stirring many elders.


    Upon the summit of a soaring Spirit Peak, a woman in yellow robes, seated atop a Spirit Crystal, slowly opened her eyes. Her slightly yellowish skin had a jade-like glow, her ink-ck hair draped over her shoulders, back straight, her form strikingly contoured, her pupils flickering with a dull golden Spiritual Light.


    A streak of Spiritual Light traveled from the horizon and descended into her palm, transforming into a Message Jade Talisman.


    "Chu Zheng..."


    Seeing the content on the Jade Talisman, her eyes sparked with interest, and she immediately rose, transforming into a long rainbow streak, and suddenly departed.


    In less than half an hour, a dozen lights shed above the Song Family''s estate, robes billowing in the wild wind, making a sharp rustling sound, their auras leaking out, each a peak powerhouse in the Divine Transformation Realm.


    After just a few breaths, another light shed into existence, stopping in front of the holynd elders, dispersing to reveal a figure in yellow robes.


    "Ancestral Spirit? Why have youe as well?"


    Seeing the woman in yellow, all the elders of the holynd showed puzzled expressions.


    Shang Zuling seldom concerned herself with worldly matters, dedicating herself to cultivation, and even these elders rarely saw her within the Holy Land.


    "I havee to see Chu Zheng,"


    Shang Zuling said ndly, her gaze contemtive.


    She hade here because she had already learned the news that, for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, there were two slots to enter the Minor Immortal Realm.


    It went without saying who the newly added slot was for.


    ......


    ......


    Inside the grand hall.


    A white-haired elder stood in front of Chu Zheng, bowing and presenting a Fragment of Jade,


    "From the Southern Territory Song n, thank you for your troubles, Saint Heir."


    "Elder, you speak too highly."


    Chu Zheng bowed in reply, epting the Remnant Jade.


    [Family Heritage Blood Jade (Fourth Order/Iplete): A medium for opening a Secret Realm, divided into six Fragments. Once assembled and augmented with the Essence Blood of the Song n''s direct lineage, a Secret Realm can be opened. You have obtained two pieces, repairable (0/200)].


    Chu Zheng could not help but admire the resolve of the old ancestor, who, after hearing Song Yusang''s report, chose the path of independence without much hesitation.


    "Above us are the elders from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, does the Saint Heir have a way to leave?"


    The Song Family''s elder ancestor pointed to the sky, "Will there be any need to make use of my Song Family''s grounds?"


    "No need,"


    Chu Zheng shook his head and chuckled, "Someone wille to fetch us shortly."


    Boom¡ª


    Before his words fell silent, a sh of fiery light suddenly blitzed across the skyline outside the mansion.


    The void rumbled, as a chariot traversing the Divine Fire Sky Ladder raced towards them.


    Above the chariot stood a figure, d in crimson robes, his stature immense andmanding respect without anger, his aura unrestrained, dominating the skies for miles around.


    From Taixuan Holy Land, the Head of Punishment Hall, Ge Yuan, a Pseudo-Immortal who had already stepped into the Late Tong Xuan Stage.


    The elders of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land instantly changed color, their faces filled with astonishment.


    Now that he was known as the Taixuan Holy Son, Chu Zheng wouldn''t venture deep into the Primordial Spirit Holy Land without preparation.


    His single message was enough to mobilize a Pseudo-Immortal of the present age.


    "Elder may wish to instruct the n members to prepare."


    Chu Zheng gently pped his hands, storing away the Blood Jade.


    "Today, the Song Family may follow me back to Taixuan City, and no one will stop them."

 Chapter 186: Chapter 138: The Song Clan Reacts, Sisters Reunite (Vote for Monthly Tickets~)

    Song Shengming tried his utmost to gather the ashes at his fingertips, yet even with his long experience weathering storms and his usually unshakableposure, a hint of panic involuntarily appeared in his eyes.


    This was not only the key to opening the secret realm but also the lifeblood of the Song n.


    The family''s secret realm contained far more than just cultivation resources; it also held the foundation of the Song n''s bloodline heritage.


    Given the current plight of the Song n, losing this secret realm would cause many things to change drastically. The chances to salvage some situations, which could have been possible before, would be utterly extinguished.


    He did his best to piece the ashes back together, but even when forcibly shaped back into form, the Blood Jade Fragment had lost all of its former luster.


    In just a fleeting moment before, it hadpletely turned to dust.


    "How could this be..."


    Song Shengming murmured in a low voice, his fingertips trembling unconsciously as he took out three brocade boxes in session.


    Inside these boxes were the other three fragments.


    Of the six fragments, he originally possessed four; with the one in Chu Zheng''s hands, that made five, nearly at hand to open the secret realm.


    As the brocade box was opened, the fragments inside had likewise turned to dust, with no trace of what they once were.


    "Impossible..."


    Song Shengming rose somewhat gracelessly, pouring the dust from the brocade box, trying to find even a fragment of the original pieces, but of course to no avail, leaving only ashes all over the ground.


    Boom¡ª


    Suddenly, a booming sound came from the heavens above, and Song Shengming''s Divine Sense reached out, quickly catching sight of the enormous Flying Boat hovering in the sky.


    Humming¡ª


    A slight buzzing noise came from not far away. Thepass on the desk trembled lightly, its needle quivering and pointing in the direction of the Flying Boat.


    "What''s this..."


    Instantly, Song Shengming understood, his expression changed slightly¡ªit was obvious that on the Flying Boat above, there were people of the Song n''s bloodline, and not merely ten or a hundred!


    He stepped forward, and in the next instant, he appeared in front of the Flying Boat, blocking its path.


    Ge Yuan stood on the deck, his robust figure like a towering pagoda. Seeing Song Shengming, he lifted his eyelids slightly and spoke in a deep voice:


    "What''s the meaning of blocking my way?"


    "May I ask Elder Ge, why are you with my Song n kinsfolk?"


    Song Shengming''s brow furrowed tightly. Having dealt with Taixuan for so long, he naturally recognized Ge Yuan, who was the head of the Punishment Hall in the Taixuan Holy Land.


    The sudden turning of the Blood Jade to ashes, coupled with the abrupt return of so many of the Song bloodline by Taixuan, inevitably led him to associate many things.


    "In Taixuan''s affairs, I need not exin myself to you."


    Ge Yuan spared no courtesy and said calmly, "Step aside."


    Aware of the halt of the Flying Boat, Chu Zheng stepped onto the deck and immediately spotted Song Shengming blocking the way.


    "Elder Song? Why are you still in Taixuan City?"


    Chu Zheng''s eyebrows raised slightly, casually remarking, "The remaining fragments of the Blood Jade, have you gathered them yet?"


    The Jade Wall was already repaired in his hands, so the fragments in Song Shengming''s possession had naturally turned to dust, and he must be feeling quite anxious.


    Recalling Chu Zheng''s words from before, Song Shengming''s gaze flickered uncertainly. After a moment of silence, he spoke tentatively:


    "Saint Heir, I have considered your proposal for some time now. The cooperation you suggested earlier... my Song n is not necessarily against it, you..."


    "I have warned you before. You were unwilling then, thinking you had enough leverage and refusing to concede even a little. Times have changed."


    Before he could finish speaking, Chu Zheng interrupted, "The Song n of the Eastern Region is already out of the game. I''m not in the habit of giving second chances."


    "Chu Zheng!"


    At his words, Song Shengming couldn''t help but cry out in anger. He could now be certain that the change in the Blood Jade was rted to Chu Zheng.


    But at this moment, he had no time to consider how Chu Zheng aplished it; preserving the ancestral property was the most pressing matter.


    Song Shengming took a deep breath, a vein throbbing on his forehead as he endeavored to maintain his restraint, repeating:


    "Without the direct bloodline of the Song n, the Saint Heir also can''t open the secret realm. Perhaps you should reconsider the cooperation. The Immortal Ascension Method that the Saint Heir desires is also open for negotiation."


    Song Shengming initially didn''t take seriously Chu Zheng''s im that the Eastern Territory Song n was out of the game, but now with the Blood Jade turned to ashes, he had no choice but to believe it.


    Chu Zheng did not pay any attention to Song Shengming''s words; he turned around and entered the Flying Boat. The missing essence blood of the Song n''s direct lineage had already been nned for.


    All were from the same origin, differing only in concentration. After purification, it would work just the same.


    "If you rely on the bloodlines of side branches, you would have to kill at least a thousand descendants of my Song n!"


    Many of the Song n cultivators inside the Flying Boat were paying attention to the outsidemotion. Song Shengming''s shout had reached everyone''s ears, causing some disturbance.


    Song Yusang and other high-ranking members of the Song family couldn''t help but show some doubt in their eyes; after all, Chu Zheng had no reason to help them without cause.


    The need for their essence blood to open the secret realm seemed to be a more than suitable reason.


    "Old ancestor..."


    Their gazes involuntarily turned to the family''s senior ancestor, their expressions tense.


    The elder with white hair remained unmoved, his expressionpletely calm, as he spoke indifferently:


    "Why did wee to Taixuan City? If the Saint Heir truly wants our blood, let it start with me. As long as it ensures the prosperity of our future generations, what''s there to regret?"


    His gaze showed no flicker of hesitation; there are some paths that, once chosen, leave little room for turning back. At this point, other than trusting Chu Zheng, they had no other choice.


    Moreover, if Chu Zheng really wanted their blood, he could have simply taken it by force; there was no need for him to go through great lengths to assist in their n''s relocation.


    Above the deck, Chu Zheng halted his steps, a slight frown creasing his brow, feeling a touch of impatience blossoming in his heart¡ªhe did not take pleasure in entangling himself in these roundabout schemes and cunning tricks.


    But the repeated actions of Song Shengming involuntarily stirred a killing intent within him.


    "This secret realm, I will cede to the Southern Territory Song n, how they deal with it afterward is their affair."


    After calming himself for a moment, Chu Zheng brushed off the irritation in his heart and responded indifferently, turning to look at Ge Yuan standing by his side.


    "Elder Ge, I''ll leave it to you."


    He no longer wished to waste time here.


    Ge Yuan lifted his head to look at Song Shengming, his eyes tranquil, resembling a pool of still water:


    "Leave."


    Song Shengming''s breathing became slightly hurried, and a faint surge of mana encircled him.


    A few momentster, he lifted his eyes to nce at the Taixuan Holy Land just a stone''s throw away and silently stepped aside, clearing the way.


    Invoking the Immortal Alliance, he knew that acting now would be akin to seeking death, just like Zhou Zili of Tai Xu had done before.


    The development of this matter was beyond his control now; it was a matter of great importance involving the entire n and required consultation with his family.


    ......


    ......


    The present Taixuan City stretched for hundreds of miles, and within nearly ten thousand miles, it stood as a preeminent metropolis, where almost every notable power had established a stake.


    Over time, Taixuan City had be exceedingly valuable, and the Taixuan Holy Land had specially assigned two elders to manage this area. The rent collected each month was an astronomical figure.


    Having previously promised to provide the Song n withnd to thrive and multiply, Chu Zheng, after a brief contemtion, delineated over two thousand zhang of tax-exemptnd in the northern part of Taixuan City, which was still under construction, to the Song n.


    Though not vast, it was enough for the current Song n to settle in.


    The subsequent issues no longer required Chu Zheng''s attention.


    The Song n''s elder, with histe-stage Divine Infant Realm cultivation, was neither the strongest nor the weakest in Taixuan City at present, but was definitely strong enough to arrange everything properly.


    He returned with Song Lingqing to Taixuan, ready to open the secret realm.


    After the secret realm was opened, he still needed to find time to return to Giant Marsh and relocate the lineage of Song Tonghai and Song Tongxuan into Taixuan City.


    This ce would inevitably be the foundation of the Song n in the Southern Region in the future and would guarantee their safety here.


    ......


    ......


    Atop the towering Divine Peak, within the crystal pce, the silence was profound and the atmosphere slightly eerie.


    Before opening the secret realm, Chu Zheng had some preparations to make. At this moment, only the sisters Song Lingxue and Song Lingqing were in the pce.


    Having just finished practicing, Song Lingxue was bathing in the back, while Song Lingqing sat alone in the hall.


    Right now, her feelings were strangely unsettled, seemingly restless without reason.


    Thest time she had seen Song Lingxue was during the family banquet on her return home; it had been almost two years since that day.


    She remembered clearly how Song Lingxue had seemed very constrained that day, her wordsced with politeness.


    At the time, she had felt a significant emotional upheaval, thinking how everything had changed.


    Now, the one feeling constrained was herself.


    Just as she was finding it difficult to bear, Song Lingxue walked out slowly.


    Song Lingqing quietly observed her sister, d in a vibrant red vestment robe resembling a blushing bride. Compared to thest time they met, Song Lingxue exuded an added charm, and around her snowy neck was a ne of dark blue m pearls, shimmering with a splendid glow, which was quite appealing.


    She had only heard her mother mention in her childhood that a woman undergoes a significant change upon marriage. Indeed, the woman before her seemed drastically different from the sister in her memories.


    "Now that your brother-inw is the Taixuan Holy Son, there is no need to be formal here in this ce. If there is anything you''re not ustomed to or find it difficult to voice, you can speak to me. You and I are flesh and blood, and that will never change till death," said Song Lingxue, her voice calm, her demeanorposed.


    Thisposure gave rise to a sense of suffocation in Song Lingqing''s heart, and from the phrase "brother-inw," she inexplicably sensed a hint of intimidation.


    "Hmm, thank you for your concern, sister," Song Lingqing replied quietly, the joy of reuniting with kin dissipating in an instant.


    Squeak¡ª


    Chu Zheng entered, walking up to Song Lingxue, noticing her red attire and giving her a few extra nces before his eyes were drawn to the ne on her neck, a trace of surprise appearing:


    "I didn''t see you wear it before, thought you didn''t like it."


    Song Lingxue''s lips curled slightly as she touched her neck, "It''s a gift from you, how could I not like it? Sister, what do you think?"


    Song Lingqing''s expression stiffened slightly, as if she sensed something, and forced a smile:


    "It looks very nice."


    "Do you like it?"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng immediately said, "I bought two of them at that time; if you like it, you can take one."


    Before he finished speaking, another identical ne appeared in his palm.


    Seeing Chu Zheng holding the identical ne, Song Lingxue''s hand fell, her smile slightly fading as she sized up Song Lingqing, her eyes growing deeper.

 Chapter 188: Chapter 140: True Immortals Last Words (Vote for Monthly Pass~)

    In the situation of severelycking information, Chu Zheng could only do his best to ensure safety.


    Just the Divine Secret Skill from the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier alone was enough for Song Lingxue to study, not to mention the cultivation resources such as elixirs, which were more than plentiful, making it unnecessary to take unnecessary risks.


    A momentter, he returned to the Taixuan Holy Land with the Inheritance Jade Wall.


    Upon returning to the bedchamber, the surroundings were very quiet. The two sisters were practicing their own exercises, and the jade couch had been returned to its original ce.


    Chu Zheng, unconcerned with anything else, climbed onto the jade couch and fell asleep, urgently needing to rx from the mental exhaustion.


    A night passed in the blink of an eye.


    ......


    ......


    The next morning, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes. Soft breaths and heartbeats reached him, carrying a familiar faint fragrance.


    Song Lingxuey on her side beside him, d only in undergarments, her fair and delicate skin fully exposed, eyes gently closed.


    Chu Zheng propped himself up, about to leave the couch, when a pair of snowy white arms reached out from behind him, sping his waist, and a warm body pressed against his back.


    "Stop messing around, there are important matters today."


    Chu Zheng patted the hands sped firm around his waist, yet no response came from behind him.


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng spoke again, this time with a hint of amusement in his voice:


    "What are you afraid of? Not trusting me, or scared of your own sister?"


    He hadn''t been careless enough to overlook the abnormality of the person beside him; moreover, a Qi Cultivator''s sensitivity to changes in Qi was unparalleled.


    Since seeing Song Lingqing, Song Lingxue had been extremely tense, and guessing what she was worried about was not difficult.


    A sh of panic crossed Song Lingxue''s eyes, and feeling guilty, she released the firm grip of her hands. Without a word, she donned her vestment robe and raised her hand to tidy Chu Zheng''s slightly disheveled hair.


    Chu Zheng grasped her hand, stopping her movements, turned around, and pressed her back onto the jade couch.


    "Let it be, it doesn''t matter if it''s one dayte, today I will help you with your cultivation first."


    The front hall.


    Song Lingqing sat cross-legged on the ground, listening to the noises from the inner room, her expression nk, her fingertips digging deep into her palm. The feeling of seemingly being the only outsider was not too pleasant.


    ......


    ......


    The next morning.


    Having received a message from Chu Zheng and hearing about the numerous high-grade spiritual medicines and even Immortal Elixirs avable for mining, Gong Rulong dared not dy and immediately brought three elders from the Alchemy Hall with him.


    As soon as he entered the hall, Gong Rulong couldn''t wait to say:


    "Where are the Immortal Elixirs?!"


    Chu Zheng had already opened the entrance to the Secret Realm in advance, pointed towards the spatial passage, and exined:


    "The entrance won''t hold for long. After two days, I will reopen the entrance and take the elders out."


    "No matter."


    Gong Rulong, with only a briefment, hurriedly led the three elders into the spatial passage. For an alchemist, nothing was more enticing than Immortal Elixirs.


    In an instant, days and nights passed, and two days were gone.


    The date of the trial agreed with the Song Family had arrived.


    Before the sun rose on the first day, Chu Zheng arrived at the entrance of Taixuan Mountain Sect.


    The people of the Song Family had alreadye even earlier, standing in a dense crowd that merged with the lingering darkness of the night, silent and still, their eyes reflecting the stars, full of excitement.


    Upon seeing Chu Zheng, the Song Family''s ancestor, Song Xiao, stepped forward and bowed deeply:


    "Thank you, Saint Heir, for your grand favor."


    As the voice fell, those behind him knelt down in unison, bowing their heads and shouting:


    "Our gratitude to the Saint Heir for showing great favor to our Song n!"


    The voice carried far beneath the starry sky.


    At the edge of the horizon, the morning light tore through the night sky, illuminating the heavens as the sun began to rise.


    "For this trial, there are a total of one hundred ny-two participants, ny-eight in the Nourishing Power Realm, sixty-six in the Spirit Spring Realm, twenty-six in the Entry Dao Realm, and two in the Soul Condensing Realm."


    Song Xiao presented a roster with his two hands, which detailed the information of these one hundred ny-two individuals.


    Lower Quality Immortal Bones ounted for the majority, with only one High Quality Immortal Bone, who was none other than Song Pingjun, the one who had previously caused the Shang Family to consider a marriage proposal.


    This was undoubtedly the cream of the crop of the Song Family.


    Chu Zheng took the roster and nced over it, then spoke slowly to the cultivators of the Song Family before him,


    "Once inside the Secret Realm, do not disturb the medicinal fields; as for the rest, do as you will. Half a monthter, I will open the Secret Realm again. Apart from those trapped due to the assessment trial, no one may stay inside the Secret Realm."


    During the conversation, Chu Zheng drew out a strand of essence blood and directly opened the Secret Realm.


    No sooner had the entrance to the Secret Realm opened than Gong Rulong, apanied by three elders, emerged, their expressions not filled with the joy Chu Zheng had anticipated but insteadden with solemnity.


    "Come to the Alchemy Hallter, and I''ll tell you more."


    Gong Rulong said telepathically, then headed straight into the depths of Taixuan.


    Chu Zheng''s brows slightly furrowed, but he didn''t ask any further questions, instead raising his hand to signal Song Xiao, allowing all the Song Family disciples to enter the Secret Realm.


    After all the disciples had entered the Secret Realm, Chu Zheng promptly closed the entrance and headed straight for the Alchemy Hall.


    Soon, he saw Gong Rulong again. At that moment, Gong Rulong was processing a batch of spiritual medicine, many of which were still moist with spiritual soil, indicating they had been freshly picked.


    "Elder Gong, what happened in the Secret Realm?"


    After watching for a while, Chu Zheng finally couldn''t contain his impatience and asked.


    Having finished dealing with the spiritual medicine in his hands, Gong Rulong spoke in a deep voice, Stay connected via mvl


    "After collecting some spiritual herbs, we were obstructed by the remnant thoughts of a True Immortal. If we acted, we couldn''t ensure the safety of the medicinal fields, so we had to stop."


    "The remnant thoughts of a True Immortal..."


    Chu Zheng frowned slightly; he had thought those Divine Senses would only be active in the central region, not realizing the medicinal field area was also within their range of activity.


    "The remnant thoughts still possess considerable spiritual intelligence. Realizing the Secret Realm had been obtained by outsiders, and that the Song n was facing difficulties, it offered two Semi-Immortal Medicines and asked us to take care of the Song n."


    Gong Rulong''s gaze revealed a hint ofplexity,


    "All that is not the key issue. Before its body died, it sent back a broken message: ''Immortal Alliance, do not enter.''"


    "Immortal Alliance, do not enter..."


    Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened. This was thest message sent by a True Immortal before death, surely concealing great secrets. This appeared to be connected to the fact that many True Immortals had disappeared after leaving the realm without further word.


    The circumstances of these True Immortals were likely precarious.


    This message was notplete and could not be taken at face value.


    Chu Zheng knew all too well the perils of iplete information. Sometimes, a single word could drastically alter its meaning.


    This statement could be a warning to the Song nsmen or a reminder to the Immortal Alliance not to enter certain domains. With the current information, it was still too early to confirm.


    "The Immortal Alliance indeed has many peculiar aspects. Since Cangyun had united it, not a single True Immortal who entered has returned. You should be extremely cautious in the future."


    There was a touch of worry in Elder Gong''s expression. He was not concerned about himself, as he had only a few more years to live, but Chu Zheng had a long future ahead. He was to Condense his Soul, cultivate to the Divine Infant, undergo the Nine Divine Transformations Cultivation, Enter Tong Xuan, and possibly ascend to bing an Immortal.


    Given this, interactions with the Immortal Alliance were inevitable, warranting utmost caution.


    "Thank you for the reminder, Elder Gong. I will keep it in mind."


    Chu Zheng,ing out of his contemtion, nodded in thanks. He had never intended to join the Immortal Alliance, and besides, it was still far removed from his current reach.


    Even if he wanted to make contact, it wasn''t something that could be achieved in the short term.


    "With the Immortal Elixir obtained from the Song Family Secret Realm, I''ll see if I can refine a Semi-Immortal Pill for you, to be used when you Enter Tong Xuan."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s brows locked in concern, Gong Rulong changed the subject, his voice tinged with self-mockery, "Although I won''t be around to see that day."


    As the two were conversing, a thunderous voice suddenly came from outside,


    "Eastern Territory Song n seeks an audience with the Taixuan Holy Son."

 Chapter 192: Chapter 143: The Secret of the Spiritual Eye, Yin Yang Spirit

    Compared to before, changes had again urred on the panel.


    The experience required for upgrading a Fourth Order Repair Master had surged a lot, and based on the refresh rate of five times a day, it would take more than four hundred days, over a year.


    The Immortal Bone had undergone a strange transformation, with the Yin Yang Immortal Bone coupled with the Five Elements Spiritual Body, Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed was undoubtedly much faster than before.


    Besides that, a new category "Talent" had appeared below the original Divine Skills.


    Clearly, this Spiritual Eye did not belong to the usual Divine Secret Skills.


    Talent, bestowed by heaven, is innate and not something that can be cultivatedter, but now Chu Zheng had it.


    Simr to the Five Elements Spiritual Body he had recently acquired, the panel had granted him something he should have been born with.


    Chu Zheng closed the panel and casually took out a Low Grade Magic Treasure he had previously repaired, and then activated the Spiritual Eye.


    Soon, his expression changed.


    [Shadow Feather Saber (Second Order): Forged by the Embroider Iron Workshop of South Ning Martial Institute, shattered after a great battle, and after over forty-seven thousand five hundred years, you repaired it, no promotion potential (Details)]


    Compared to the previous information, the item now disyed moreprehensive data, even including specific years and so-called promotion potentials.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze stopped on thest ''Details'' and chose to open it.


    [Detailed Information: This battle saber once belonged to a Yuan Aura Realm Martial Cultivator, had been shattered once, its edge slightly dulled, had in over a thousand beings, and had honed a trace of murderous aura. Limited by its material, it cannot awaken spirits.


    Beings below the First Order holding it are likely to be affected by the murderous aura, which can be cleansed with Moonlight Water. (Attached: Moonlight Condensation Method)]


    This was more detailed information about the Shadow Feather Saber, even including specific remedial methods for its shorings.


    Chu Zheng then took out several more magic treasures and some fragments, scanning each one.


    [Ice Ridge Axe (Third Order/Iplete): Born from the Spirit Feather Immortal Sect''s Refining Pavilion over forty-eight thousand three hundred years ago, the core array is shattered, the material has minor defects, repairable (0/30) (Details)]


    [Detailed Information: The shattered core array is irreparable, can forcibly be erased, recast with a Third Order Spiritual Mine as essence, and redrawn with arrays, suitable effects are ''Heavy Edge'' and ''Enhance Strength,'' no promotion potential. (Attached: Beginner Magic Formation Detailed Exnation)]


    ¡­


    [Heavenly Spirit Pen (Fourth Order/Iplete): Middle Quality Magic Treasure, can draw Spirit Talismans in the void to fend off enemies, was crushed by the residual force of a fight between powerful beings, repairable (0/300) (Details)]


    [Detailed Information: Damage is extremely severe, almostpletely wrecked, find a piece of Earth Elemental Jade as repair material to greatly reduce repair difficulty.]


    ¡­


    [Heavenly Aura Sword (Sixth Order/Iplete): Originated from the set of the Heavenly Aura Sword Array, one of the three hundred and sixty Assistant Swords, made of Phoenix Blood Wood, repairable (0/2000) (Details)]


    [Detailed Information: The sword body is sixty percent damaged, arge part of the spirit formation is missing, find a piece of Phoenix Blood Wood to greatly reduce repair difficulty.]


    ......


    After a series of experiments, Chu Zheng quickly understood the function of the Spiritual Eye, an extension of the panel''s functionality.


    Previously, he needed to physically touch objects to obtain some of their information, now with the enhancement of the Spiritual Eye, even from a distance, he could see part of the information.


    From this information, he also detected some limitations of the Spiritual Eye.


    Simr to repairing, it could only be used on objects below his repair rank, the information about Fourth Order magic treasures was much more vague, they not onlycked precise years but also missed a lot of information, although it was undoubtedly much stronger than before.


    The practical utility of the Spiritual Eye was significant, for some items that were difficult to repair in a short time, if he could find some materials for supplementation, the difficulty of repair would be greatly reduced.


    Moreover, for some items with unknown specifics, reckless contact might pose risks; now with the Spiritual Eye, these dangers could also be avoided.


    More significant than the changes on the panel, were the changes urring within Chu Zheng himself.


    Starting from the moment he condensed the Dao Embryo, his soul had been gradually growing stronger, producing Divine Sense, within a thousand zhang radius, every stir of wind and grass was like observing patterns on his palm.


    High-grade techniques and divine skills, including magic treasures, required the assistance of Divine Sense to unleash their ultimate power.


    By manipting magic treasures and divine weapons with divine sense, not only was it more flexible and swift than using mana, but the reaction speed increased manifold. The only disadvantage was that, in cases where the divine sense was not yet powerful enough, it was easy to distract oneself duringbat.


    After condensing the Dao Embryo, his divine soul had been in a state of rapid growth. Following this pace, within a few months at most, he would be able to attempt to fully condense his soul and step into the Soul Condensing Realm.


    The soul is the visual representation of a living being''s soul, a process of transforming from intangible to tangible once the divine sense has grown strong enough.


    The Soul Condensing Realm, and even the Divine Infant, were the same in this process. For ordinary cultivators, it was very difficult and required meticulous care.


    However, Chu Zheng waspletely different. With the Five Elements Immortal Root in his dantian as the foundation and the existence of the Dao Embryo paving the way, Chu Zheng did not need to be as cautious as ordinary cultivators in condensing his soul.


    He even had the intention to try, using the Five Elements into Yin and Yang, to condense a Yin Yang Spirit.


    The Qi Refining Lineage, at least needed to break through the Golden Core Realm and reach the Refine Spirit Realm before one could condense the Primordial Spirit. The Immortal Path was undoubtedly faster, with the Soul Condensing Realm already having the rudiment of the Primordial Spirit.


    The soul of living beings belongs to the utmost yin, and to transform into the Primordial Spirit, external forces must intervene. The Refine Spirit Realm after the Golden Core is specifically for this purpose.


    The Immortal Path is also so. The Nine Transformations of Divine Infant are to allow the Divine Infant to undergo numerous changes, growing to the limit, from extreme yin to yang, and only when the Primordial Spirit is fully developed can one enter the Tongxuan Secret Realm.


    Several dayster, only after fully consolidating his cultivation did Chu Zheng leave his seclusion.


    This seclusion took almost a month.


    Counting the days, Song Lingqing''s trial must have already ended.


    The first thing Chu Zheng did upon leaving seclusion was to open the Heritage Secret Realm.


    Shortly after the passage opened, no longer than the time it takes to brew a pot of tea, Song Lingqing walked out slowly, her aurapletely transformed, and her expression held an irrepressible joy.


    A flicker of spiritual light passed through Chu Zheng''s eyes, and information about Song Lingqing quickly surfaced in his mind.


    [Song Lingqing (First Order): High Quality Immortal Bone, True Immortal Descendant, cultivation at the Perfection of the Spirit Spring Realm, practicing the True Fantasy Spirit Technique. (Details)]


    [Detailed Information: True Fantasy Spirit Technique features: Can bewitch the opponent''s spirit duringbat, if seizing thebat opportunity, can win against stronger opponents. With her current power of spirit and soul, she poses no threat to you now.]


    Song Lingqing''s Immortal Bone had undergone transformation, clearly activated by the influence of her bloodline after entering the Blood Pool, her cultivation progressed further, and she was now ready to start preparing for condensing the Dao Foundation.


    "How is it?"


    Despite already knowing the current situation of Song Lingqing, Chu Zheng still asked.


    "There have been some changes in the Immortal Bone, and my cultivation has improved,"


    Song Lingqing concealed a smile at the corner of her mouth, and with effort, she calmly said, "I need to be in seclusion for a while, to switch to practicing the Divine Yuan Transcendence Sutra and then prepare to shape the Celestial Foundation."


    Chu Zheng casually took out two bottles of Spirit Pills and handed them to Song Lingqing, nodding, "I need to be away for a while. If you need more Spirit Pills, you can go directly to Elder Gong."


    Now that his cultivation had advanced further, the search by the Song n''s descendants had also started to get on the right track, and Chu Zheng did not want to waste time. He nned to head to Giant Marsh to bring Song Tonghai and the Song Tongxuan lineage into Taixuan City.


    Giant Marsh was ultimately too remote from here, and given the current unstable situation, it was safer to be in Taixuan City.


    "No need,"


    Song Lingqing did not reach out to take them, shaking her head, "The few bottles of Spirit Pills I got from the Secret Realm are enough."


    Saying so, she hesitated for a moment, then added, "After entering the Dao, I will leave Taixuan."


    She already owed Chu Zheng too much, and now with these favors, she did not know when she could repay them, and epting more benefits from Chu Zheng without reason made her feel uneasy.


    Although Chu Zheng was now her brother-inw, part of her family, she still couldn''t bring herself to ept these considerations with peace of mind.


    "Where will you go?" Chu Zheng asked, somewhat puzzled.


    "Biluo Country," Song Lingqing affirmed, her eyes resolute.


    Biluo Country, the venue for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, was always a thorn in her heart.

 Chapter 193: Chapter 144: Space Channel, Evil Demon

    The path to the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was one she had only just stepped ontost time before her Immortal Bone was shattered, and she nearly saw the end of her Immortal journey.


    This threshold, she had to cross on her own.


    "The road is under your feet, it''s up to you to choose how to walk it, if you run into trouble, remember to send a message."


    Hearing Song Lingqing''s n, Chu Zheng did not say much, and turned to leave.


    For a Qi Cultivator, all fortunes and misfortunes stem from oneself.


    Fortune and misfortune have no doors; it is people who call them forth. He never interfered too much with others'' thoughts, letting nature take its course.


    Watching Chu Zheng''s departing figure, Song Lingqing felt only grateful, but the pale and feeble thanks that she had said too many times before could no longer be uttered by her now.


    In the Blood Pool, she hadpleted her transformation and be the possessor of genuine High Quality Immortal Bone, it felt like a rebirth.


    Now, she could achieve a speed of cultivation that she could not reach even with her utmost effort before, with barely a tenth or a twentieth of the effort previously required.


    A High Quality Immortal Bone was a threshold. If a Middle Quality Immortal Bone meant that one could never be an Immortal in their lifetime, a High Quality Immortal Bone granted them the chance to step into the Immortal Sect.


    And this opportunity was also given by Chu Zheng.


    ...


    ...


    Upon entering the Dao Embryo Secret Realm, Chu Zheng''s speed of travel undoubtedly increased significantly. He could now harness a fraction of the true power of Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist, moving as fast as the wind. In just two or three steps, he was already hundreds of miles away.


    Without considering his own depletion, in just a few days, he covered millions of miles and entered the territory of Giant Marsh.


    He did not directly rush to the Song Family but paused momentarily at the border of Giant Marsh Country.


    Above the vast emptiness, Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye and surveyed the surroundings.


    In the void, there was an extremely peculiar aura that did not resemble Spiritual Power, and it inexplicably caused a sense of repulsion.


    Here, there was a space channel leading to an Alien Realm, sealed by a True Immortal. He had merely passed by chance, noticing anomalies in the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, and that was how he discovered the seal.


    Soon, with the aid of the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng directly saw a crack in the void.


    Only after activating the Spiritual Eye did Chu Zheng truly feel the terror of the crack.


    Stretching nearly a hundred thousand miles, it seemed to tear apart the entire sky, sealed by talismatic patterns flowing with dim Immortal Light. Beyond the cracky Chaos.


    [Immortal Patterns¡¤Boundary Seal (Eighth Order/Iplete): Extremely powerful Immortal Patterns that obstruct space, created by a True Immortal. Over time, they have worn down and, due to ack of materials, cannot be repaired (Details)].


    [Detailed Information: Immortal Patterns are extremely difficult to repair, requiring at least the Cultivation of a Nine Tribtions True Immortal. Currently missing materials are: Immortal Crystal, Boundary Breaking Jade. Based on the current rate of wear and without external interference, the seal canst at most another thousand years.]


    [Spatial Channel (Eighth Order): A space channel leading to worlds beyond, blocked by a powerful seal, which over vast stretches of time, has started to show signs of damage (Details)].


    [Detailed Information: Within the Spatial Channel, an evil aura has infiltrated, most probably connecting to the Evil Demon Realm. It is estimated that in four hundred years, the evil aura will begin polluting the Cangyun Realm, demonizing the creatures.]


    "Evil Demon Realm..."


    Looking at the more detailed information provided by the panel, Chu Zheng furrowed his brows for a moment.


    Last time at the Immortal Martial Battlefield, after seeing Ji Yuyan, he initially thought that the Immortal Alliance had already arrived at Cangyun, and Giant Marsh''s seal degradation should have been known by now.


    Now it seemed that things were not as he had imagined; the Immortal Alliance might still be unaware of the current state of the Giant Marsh seal.


    Chu Zheng contemted for a while, did not linger longer, needing to quickly deal with the affairs of the Song Family and return to the Taixuan Holy Land to inform Geng Yiyang, asking him to report to the Immortal Alliance to handle this matter.


    Although there was still a thousand years, there could be unforeseen events during this time.


    Moreover, judging from the information about the spatial channel, the so-called evil aura would begin affecting the creatures of the Cangyun Realm in four hundred years.


    He would have to look further into this supposed evil demon after returning.


    ...


    ...


    Half a momentter, Chu Zheng arrived at Wild Goose Wing Ind.


    During this time, the status of the Giant Marsh Song n had somewhat diminishedpared to before.


    Since the day people from the Eastern Territory Song n arrived, Song Tongxuan had been gradually retracting the family''s properties in preparation to await the main n''s orders to relocate the family at any time.


    Upon learning that they were descendants of a True Immortal, these past days had left everyone in the Song n uncontrobly excited.


    Read exclusive adventures at mvl


    Chu Zheng arrived at the main gate and presented a visiting card.


    Although his cultivation was now iparable to what it was before, the necessary courtesies still had to be observed.


    Before long, Song Tongxuan appeared at the gate with Song Tonghai.


    "I have seen the Taixuan Holy Son."


    Song Tongxuan gave a fist-and-palm salute, "Previously, I didn''t know Tai Shan, and I hope the Holy Son will forgive me."


    Chu Zheng stepped aside to avoid the salute, shaking his head,


    "You are Lingxue''s grand-uncle, and naturally also my elder. There is no need for such formality."


    After speaking, he turned to Song Tonghai and bowed, "Father-inw."


    During thest visit, he had concealed his identity, but today there was no longer a need for that.


    Song Tongxuan looked stunned, turned his head to look at Song Tonghai, his eyes flickered, and he felt somewhat lost.


    From Chu Zheng''s words, it wasn''t hard to hear some information. Song Tonghai had not told him the truth before.


    "Big brother, please don''t me me. The situation was different at that time. Chu Zheng was wanted everywhere, and I couldn''t risk his safety."


    Song Tonghai shook his head, his expression showing no sign of apology. If it happened again, he would still choose to conceal Chu Zheng''s true identity.

 Chapter 194: Chapter 144: Spatial Passage, Evil Demon_2

    "I understand your meaning." Song Tongxuan did not borate further but turned to face Chu Zheng and gestured with his hand, "Please, Saint Heir,e inside to talk."


    Several people entered the front courtyard hall, and after taking their seats, Song Tongxuan could hardly restrain himself and said:


    "May I ask if the Saint Heir has taken anything from the Song Family Treasury?"


    "You asking this must mean that the Eastern Territory Song n has been here."


    Chu Zheng''s gaze slightly hardened, having anticipated this. The location wasn''t far from Great Zhou, and since the Eastern Territory Song n could find Great Zhou, finding this ce was reasonable.


    "Indeed." Song Tongxuan nodded, "Last year, the main branch of the Song n visited, in search of a fragment of Blood Jade. Originally, this fragment seemed to be in the treasury..."


    He looked at Chu Zheng, his words trailing off.


    "It was I who took it."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s response, Song Tongxuan''s eyes brightened slightly, his voice tense as he added:


    "May I ask if the Saint Heir could return it? When the main family came, they spoke personally. If this piece of Blood Jade could be found, Lingfeng and Lingping''s status within the Song Family would change significantly. Their path in cultivation would benefit, gaining substantial support from the main branch..."


    Giant Marsh was still some distance from Taixuan Holy Land, and with the Holy Lands currently recalling their disciples from abroad, Giant Marsh no longer had major powers residing, making information slow to spread.


    The news of the Eastern Territory Song n''s decline had not yet reached this ce.


    Regarding external matters, Song Tongxuan only had a vague understanding. He wasn''t even fully aware of what was happening within the Immortal Martial Battlefield. His impression of Chu Zheng still lingered on the period when he was wanted by the major Holy Lands.


    "Do you know what this fragment of Blood Jade is used for?" Chu Zheng asked, slightly surprised. He didn''t expect the Eastern Territory Song n hadn''t even informed Song Tongxuan about the Secret Realm.


    "I do not know." Song Tongxuan admitted, somewhat nkly.


    Chu Zheng immediately exined the matter of the Blood Jade Fragment as well as the Heritage Secret Realm.


    Including the current situation of the Eastern Territory Song n, he did not conceal anything, telling the truth.


    Ultimately, that fragment was something passed down to Song Tongxuan by the Song Family; the line of Song Tonghai could only be considered a coteral branch.


    No matter the reason, taking without informing was theft, and the Heritage Secret Realm rightfully had a share for Song Tongxuan.


    After a long while, Song Tongxuan finally processed this information, his expression growingplex.


    Last time people from the Eastern Territory Song n visited, they hadn''t mentioned the Heritage Secret Realm at all, perhaps they had never nned on sharing the Heritage Secret Realm with the Southern Territory Song n.


    "Now, you have two paths to choose from, either join the Eastern Territory Song n ore with me to Taixuan City."


    Chu Zheng sat quietly, waiting for Song Tongxuan''s decision.


    Uncertain of how Song Tongxuan would decide, the Eastern Territory Song n, despite its decline, was still a True Immortal Noble Family, with countless powerhouses above the Divine Infant Realm. Even if notparable to the Five Great Holy Lands of the Southern Region, it wasn''t far off.


    All he could do wasy out all the information openly, allowing Song Tongxuan to make his own choice.


    Song Tongxuan did not ponder for long and soon made a decision, his expression serious:


    "Thank you for the reminder, Saint Heir. I will immediately contact Lingfeng and Lingping to pack up. We will migrate the entire family to Taixuan City."


    Being able to establish such an enterprise in Giant Marsh, navigating between Immortal Sects as a mortal, Song Tongxuan''s reliance was not solely on the offspring carrying the Immortal Bone.


    Assessing the situation was a basic quality that a qualified Family Head should possess.


    Even if Taixuan currently doesn''t appear to have much advantage over the Eastern Territory Song n, Song Tongxuan still chose this path.


    Partly because Chu Zheng was exceptionally young and because he had unlocked the Heritage Secret Realm alone, achieving something even a True Immortal Noble Family couldn''t, the choice was almost self-evident.


    Hearing Song Tongxuan''s reply, Song Tonghai, who had been anxious, couldn''t help but slowly relieve a sigh of relief; after all, they were brothers from the same mother, and he didn''t want to strain their rtionship further.


    "How long will it take to finish packing?" Chu Zheng nced at the setting sun outside and asked.


    Discover more content at mvl


    After a moment of consideration, Song Tongxuan replied gravely, "Three days should suffice."


    "Then we''ll depart in three days."


    Having set the date of migration, Chu Zheng immediately rose and walked towards the door.


    He didn''t know if he would ever return to Giant Marsh, so he might as well take advantage of the fact that he had already developed his Divine Sense, coupled with his Spiritual Eye, to excavate those ancient remains that had been deeply buried under the water for tens of thousands of years.


    For him at this point, this hardly required any effort.


    The only thing to pay attention to were the water demons hiding beneath the surface of the river, among which, it was said, there were Fourth Order water demons that could match the powers of someone in the Divine Infant Realm.


    Chu Zheng left the Song Residence and plunged directly into the tumultuous river waters, beginning to search along the watercourse for ancient sites.


    The dim and silent riverbed, through sensing the concentration of the vitality of living beings, allowed Chu Zheng to circumvent several Great Demons of the Divine Infant Realm from afar.


    Powerful water demons, basically in deep slumber, undisturbed by anyone, were hardly awakened, and thus did not affect Chu Zheng.


    However, the riverbed along the way had clearly been excavated and explored many times, leaving very fresh traces, evidently having just recently been swept clean.


    ...


    ...


    It took a full three days before Chu Zheng roughly traversed the entire riverbed of Giant Marsh, with less than satisfactory results.


    Originally, because of the rewards offered by the Five Great Holy Lands, countless cultivators had turned the river upside down, almost turning Giant Marsh inside out.


    In these past few days, the most precious things Chu Zheng found were some Fifth Order and Sixth Order Magic Treasure Fragments; as for the Sects'' ruins, even the ground tiles had been stripped away, clean as the autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves.


    Calcting the time, Chu Zheng did not dwell on his regrets but immediately returned to Wild Goose Wing Ind.


    The Song Family had already packed up neatly and even purchased a small Flying Boat for migration.


    Fortunately, the Song Family had only settled down for a few decades, had not taken root deeply, and did not have many people, most of whom were hired retainers; they were simply dismissed after being given some Spirit Stones.


    On the Flying Boat, there were only a few dozen people, most of whom had been close confidants of Song Tongxuan for many decades, too hard to part with, and could only be taken away together.


    Taking the Song Family along, Chu Zheng''s travel speed was much slower; half a monthter, Chu Zheng finally brought the group to Taixuan City.


    After settling Song Tongxuan''s family well, he took Song Tonghai back to the Taixuan Holy Land, where they met Song Lingxue and Song Lingqing.


    Since the day Song Lingqing returned home, the father and his two daughters had never been reunited; seeing each other again now, they couldn''t help but feel deeply moved.


    Not until he saw Song Lingqing safe and sound did Song Tonghai''s eyes slightly redden¡ª the joy of regaining a precious lost treasure was indescribable.


    Chu Zheng did not disturb the family reunion and directly went to the location where Geng Yiyang was in seclusion.


    "What is it this time?"


    Seeing Chu Zheng, Geng Yiyang instinctively furrowed his brow, sensing trouble brewing.


    When Chu Zheng took action, it was always astonishing. Many times, Geng Yiyang felt somewhat wary of Chu Zheng''s capacity to attract trouble.


    "Do you know about the spatial passage above Giant Marsh?"


    Chu Zheng''s first words made Geng Yiyang startle, and his expression changed as he replied, "How did you know there''s a spatial passage over Giant Marsh?"


    This matter was likely unknown even to the Holy Master among the Five Great Holy Lands.


    At the time he had intercepted Chu Zheng at Giant Marsh, it was just to take a look at the seal.


    Hearing Geng Yiyang''s question, a thought flickered in Chu Zheng''s mind, and without mentioning the seal, he cautiously replied:


    "When I returned to Giant Marsh, I sensed a strange spiritual power in the void, so I took a moment to observe it and discovered the spatial passage."


    "The first time I heard about this spatial passage, I had not yet entered the Path."


    Geng Yiyang was silent for a long while, then spoke slowly, "That is a passage to the realm of Alien Demons."


    "To seal this passage, an Immortal Venerable died in the Alien Realm, and no fewer than ten True Immortals perished. The entrance on the other side is suppressed by the skeleton of that Immortal Venerable, while the exit on the Giant Marsh end was sealed by a Nine Tribtions True Immortal."


    "This seal is merely superficial, meant only to block the overflowing evil aura."


    "What are Alien Demons?" Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened.


    "They are creatures born to kill all living beings in the world."

 Chapter 195: Chapter 145: Two Sides of Yin and Yang, Condensing the Soul, Cangyun Secret Realm Map

    Upon mentioning Evil Demons, Geng Yiyang''s face betrayed an obvious gravity:


    "Encountering an Evil Demon is a matter of life and death."


    "Is it that Evil Demons cannotmunicate, or do they need to kill to sustain themselves?"


    Hearing Geng Yiyang''s words, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel puzzled; creatures born solely for ughter seemed rather strange.


    The conflicts and fights among creatures mostly arise over territory, resources, mates, and survival.


    asionally, there are aberrations that derive pleasure from ughter, but that too is for amusement, a pursuit of spiritual enjoyment.


    If it were said that Evil Demons exist purely to kill all living beings in this world, without any profit or resource conflict, that would undoubtedly contradict the basic logic of a species'' inheritance.


    "I have never seen a living Evil Demon; their appearances vary, some even resemble the Human Race, and there is no exact record as to whether they canmunicate."


    Geng Yiyang shook his head and said solemnly, "To my knowledge, the realm where the Evil Demons reside is not within the universe we perceive."


    "Not within the universe we perceive? What does that imply?" Chu Zheng was slightly startled, struggling to understand at first.


    "Heaven and earth are divided into yin and yang; the universe itself has two sides of yin and yang."


    Geng Yiyang slowly raised his hand, with a spectacr starry sky woven in his palm, rising and falling.


    In an instant, the starry sky reversed, the stars vanished, and transformed into a chaotic void of nothingness.


    "The yin I speak of is not the Yellow Springs to which souls go after death, but another realm of nothingness."


    "The Alien Realm is on the opposite side of the universe we see, standing back to back with it. Apart from the asional spatial passages, no other entrances can be found."


    Geng Yiyang dissipated the illusion in his hand, his brow still heavy with concern:


    "There once was an existence above an Immortal King who ventured into thend of Evil Demons through a spatial passage, but after circling within, he never found its bounds and had to return without aplishing anything."


    "The evil energy in the Alien Realm cannot sustain spiritual cultivation and erodes everything in this world, even tainting the Heavenly Dao. Creatures corrupted by the evil energy will inevitably spawn inner demons, leading to the obliteration of True Spirits. New Evil Demons will be born within the Spiritual Body, taking over the remains."


    "Isn''t this spatial passage extremely dangerous then?"


    Chu Zheng frowned increasingly as he listened: "The Holy Master just mentioned that an Immortal Venerable''s remains suppress the passage, this..."


    "Have you discovered something?" Geng Yiyang gazed at Chu Zheng, his heart sinking slightly.


    Although he hadn''t noticed anything unusual during hisst time in the Giant Marsh, he couldn''t rule out that Chu Zheng might have discovered something.


    If there were really a problem with this passage, even True Immortals couldn''t withstand it.


    The real seal of this passage is the remains of the Immortal Venerable on the other side; if something were wrong with the Immortal Venerable''s remains, ordinary True Immortals simply couldn''t prevent an invasion from the Evil Demon Realm. At least a being beyond an Immortal Venerable would be needed on site.


    Nowadays, Cangyun is no longer as it was; if the spatial passage were to open again, it is uncertain whether Cangyun could withstand a single encounter with the Alien Realm''s evil energy.


    "I sensed an anomaly in the nature''s spiritual energy, likely due to the evil energy mentioned by the Holy Master infiltrating."


    The evil energy within the spatial channel in the Giant Marsh was seeping extremely slowly; if not for Qi Cultivator''s heightened sensitivity to Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, Chu Zheng might not have detected it at all.


    "This matter is of great importance; I will immediately report it to the Immortal Alliance." Geng Yiyang did not dy, for if he had not detected the anomaly, someone of Chu Zheng''s cultivation would never have been aware of the spatial passage''s existence.


    Chu Zheng contemted for a moment, asked a few more questions about the Alien Realm, but unfortunately, Geng Yiyang knew very little as well.


    After all, when the spatial passage was sealed, he hadn''t yet been born, and had only learned some details from his sect elders after entering the path of cultivation.


    Though somewhat helpless, Chu Zheng had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.


    The issues concerning the spatial passage now involved True Immortals, undoubtedly a realm far beyond his current reach; he could only understand a bit.


    However, upon Geng Yiyang''s reporting to the Immortal Alliance, the Alliance would naturally handle it appropriately, so Chu Zheng need not worry himself.


    Without further disturbing Geng Yiyang, Chu Zheng quickly departed; in the recent days, he had no intention of going out again, focusing on advancing his own cultivation.


    After Condensing the Soul, he would be able to venture into the Cangyun Secret Realm previously mentioned by Geng Yiyang, to glimpse the ancient grandeur of the Cangyun Realm, hoping in the Secret Realm to find the path forward for the Qi Refining Lineage.


    Hecked no Immortal Ascension Methods on his person, but the Method of Qi Refining he possessed was only Sixth Order.


    The Great Circtory Qi Guideline only covers cultivation methods up to the Returning to Void Realm; integration and even Bing an Immortal were still far beyond his reach.


    Watching Chu Zheng leave, Geng Yiyang immediately took out a Jade Scroll and began to write.


    In the message to the Immortal Alliance, he deliberately omitted some details about Chu Zheng, attributing the discovery of the spatial passage anomaly to himself.


    If the Immortal Alliance took this matter seriously, surely a True Immortal, if not an Immortal Venerable, woulde to Cangyun. Geng Yiyang did not wish for the Immortal Alliance to focus too much attention on Chu Zheng.


    The more scrutiny from the Immortal Alliance, the greater the risk of exposure for Chu Zheng; less is sometimes more.


    ...


    ...


    After leaving Geng Yiyang''s secluded residence, Chu Zheng arranged some minor matters, then collected several bottles of Spirit Pills that enhance the Power of the Spirit and Soul from the Alchemy Hall, and quickly began his retreat.


    Condensing the Soul posed no difficulty for him at the moment, but the challenge was how to use the Five Elements Immortal Root to condense the Yin Yang Spirit. Explore more adventures at mvl

 Chapter 196: Chapter 145: Two Sides of Yin and Yang, Condensing the Soul, Cangyun Secret Realm Map_2

    The divine soul is the foundation of the divine infant; the greater the potential of the divine soul, the more astonishing its growth after the divine infant is condensed.


    Chu Zheng now practices both paths, and although he has not yet condensed his soul, the presence of the Dao embryo means his divine sense is already much stronger than many soul-condensing monks.


    Inside the secret chamber, Chu Zheng did not rush tomence his cultivation but began to carefullyprehend the Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture he had acquired earlier.


    Among the Five Great Holy Lands of the Southern Region, Heavenly Throne Holy Land has the deepest understanding of the divine soul; if one were topare the strength of the spirit souls and divine infants they condense, Heavenly Throne would undoubtedly be the strongest.


    As the sect-defending secret scripture of Heavenly Throne Holy Land, this Immortal Ascension Method is the only one besides the Vast Earth Nourishing Spirit Scripture on Chu Zheng''s person that reaches the high-grade of ninth order.


    Even Shang Zuling, a descendant of the Immortal King and a pride of the heavens, coveted it, proving its worth.


    However, Chu Zheng had never cultivated this technique because, in terms of building the celestial foundation, this Immortal Ascension Method seemed rather ordinary.


    At this moment, as he was on the verge of condensing his soul, this cultivation technique for refining the divine soul finally had some use.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng put away the Heavenly Throne Yanshen Scripture without beginning his cultivation and started to peruse the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed...


    Having read through the Immortal Ascension Methodpletely, Chu Zheng had gained some rity by reflecting on the ancient to understand the present.


    He calmed his breath andposed his spirit, sitting in meditation for a day, and after adjusting himself to the best state, he took out a bottle of spirit pills and poured them all into his mouth.


    The medicinal power surged, and the Dao Embryo Lake within his middle dantian immediately rippled. Under the effect of the elixirs, his divine sense started to grow at a visibly rapid rate.


    In the dantian, the Five Elements Immortal Root glimmered faintly, and the substantial Five Elements Qi, refined by Chu Zheng, transformed into Yin Yang Dual Qi. It traveled up his spine through the Dragon Pass and directly entered the Niwan Pce in his spiritual tform, flooding into his brain.


    Soon, a vague human figure emerged within the Niwan Pce.


    Yin Qi gradually surged within the Niwan Pce while Yang Qi was increasingly suppressed. Once the Yang energypletely dissipated, the condensing of the soul would naturally follow, and the Yin God would manifest itself.


    Chu Zheng of course was not satisfied with this; he immediately circted his Qi-refining Technique, and the Yin Qi inside him transformed into Yang Qi, melding into his brow.


    This step was undoubtedly extremely perilous. As the Yang Qi surged upwards, the newly condensed soul immediately felt a burning pain like being scorched by intense fire, with signs that it might dissipate.


    The forces of Yin and Yang are truly difficult to reconcile; Chu Zheng tried dozens of times, but the soul could never simultaneously contain both Yin Yang Dual Qi, making no progress.


    In the blink of an eye, over a month passed by, and Chu Zheng eventually gave up trying and started reconsidering the feasibility of this step from scratch.


    Turning the soul into Yang is something that should be attempted only at least in the Divine Transformation Realm of the Immortal Path. Chu Zheng forced his way two whole realms in advance, naturally facing many obstacles.


    Chu Zheng did not give up easily and fell into deep thought.


    After sitting idly for a month, a sh of inspiration suddenly crossed Chu Zheng''s mind, recalling a conversation he had with Geng Yiyang.


    The world has Yin and Yang, and likewise, the universe is divided into two sides of Yin and Yang.


    Though the universe is divided into Yin and Yang, it ultimately remains a whole connected by spatial channels. The nefarious Qi in the alien realms cannot coexist with the spiritual Qi, much like the powers of Yin and Yang.


    Perhaps, he didn''t need to forcibly make the Yin Yang Dual Qipatible. Since he was a cultivator of both paths, maybe he could emte the rtionship between the current universe and the alien realms, condensing a dual-faced soul, thus allowing Yin and Yang to coexist.


    The more Chu Zheng thought about it, the more feasible he found this theory, and he immediately began to try.


    He dispersed most of the Yang Qi in his Niwan Pce, circted the Immortal Ascension Method, and began to condense the soul.


    Suddenly, the soul began to take shape.


    Chu Zheng, undistracted, once again operated the Qi-refining Technique.


    Yang Qi surged within him again, but instead of heading towards the forming Yin Soul, he started anew, beginning to condense another divine form.


    This attempt was surprisingly stable, with no anomalies whatsoever.


    After several hours, two somewhat ethereal humanoid figures stood back-to-back in the Niwan Pce: one ck and one white, clearly distinct. Upon close inspection, numerous extremely fine threads could be seen connecting the two souls, with Yin Yang Dual Qi flowing within them, forming a hidden cycle.


    The instant the soul waspletely stable, Chu Zheng''s Immortal Path cultivation broke through in a sh, stepping into the initial stage of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    After sensing carefully for a while, a trace of joy unintentionally appeared on Chu Zheng''s lips. The figures in his Niwan Pce could no longer be called a mere divine soul; they could be distinguished as ''Yang God'' and ''Yin Soul''.


    Of course, his current realm was still far from the true Yang God realm within the Refine Spirit Realm, but he had at least taken on some rough form of it.


    This extremely unique Divine Soul brought not only a strength of Divine Sense far superior to other cultivators at the same realm, but now Chu Zheng''s cultivation of soul-rted secret techniques was also twice as effective with half the effort.


    Looking at the Divine Soul before him, he involuntarily recalled the Alien Realm located on the reverse side of the universe, and the joy of cultivation improvement immediately vanished.


    Afterposing himself, Chu Zheng began to consolidate his cultivation.


    ...


    ...


    Half a monthter, Chu Zheng finally emerged from seclusion.


    This breakthrough took a little over three months in total, and the outside world had undergone no small changes.


    Song Lingqing had sessfully built her Celestial Foundation not long ago and entered the path, her foundation consisting of sevenyers.


    For a High Quality Immortal Bone that had transformed from a Middle Quality one, this foundation could be considered exceptional. Many with High Quality Immortal Bones only managed to condense a Dao foundation of sixyers.


    A sevenyer Celestial Foundation was already among the best of its kind.


    She didn''t wait for Chu Zheng toe out of seclusion, but rather left behind a letter for Song Lingxue to pass on and then left Taixuan without a trace.


    The content of the letter was simple, just some words of thanks and that she would return to Taixuan City on her own after the end of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    At this moment, only the Cangyun Secret Realm remained in Chu Zheng''s mind, leaving no extra energy to attend to other matters, and he quickly put this aside.


    He made a trip to Taixuan City, retrieved essence blood from the Eastern Territory Song n, and helped the siblings Song Lingfeng and Song Lingping open a secret realm.


    Half a monthter, the secret realm opened once more, with both siblings finding different opportunities. Their bloodline had clearly undergone a transformation, reaping great benefits within the Blood Pool, and their Immortal Bones had been elevated.


    Among the peers of Song Lingxue''s generation, aside from her, all were exceptionally talented, showing signs of Ancestral Return in their bloodlines.


    During these months, most of the Southern Territory Song n disciples who went out for training had not returned, with only a few asionallying back, bringing with them some ancient items.


    Chu Zheng sifted through these items for a long while, and besides a new Martial Arts Technique, he didn''t find any particrly rare treasures.


    Not all ancient objects are wondrous treasures. Some worthless junk from Ancient Times is still worthless now. Find exclusive stories on mvl


    After handling these minor issues, Chu Zheng couldn''t wait to find Geng Yiyang.


    He had long contemted the Cangyun Secret Realm, always waiting for this day.


    To the fact that Chu Zheng had now reached the Soul Condensing Realm, Geng Yiyang seemed somewhat numb, not even surprised, and instead began to talk about the Immortal Alliance''s handling of the space passage.


    The Immortal Alliance undoubtedly took this matter very seriously, but despite months of back-and-forth, they were still unable to pull a True Immortal to this ce, only instructing Ji Yuyan to be cautious and vignt.


    To prevent any idents, Ji Yuyan had already connected with all the Great Holy Lands to take Immortal Treasures that made up their foundational strength and set up the first line of defense near the Giant Marsh.


    Upon hearing this news, Chu Zheng felt slightly puzzled for a moment; for an organization as colossal as the Immortal Alliance, it seemed strange that they couldn''t spare even one True Immortal.


    But at this moment, his mind was not on such thoughts, as Geng Yiyang had already taken out thetest Cangyun Secret Realm Map and handed it to him:


    "Since you have entered the Soul Condensing Realm, then set off immediately."


    He held great expectations for what fortune Chu Zheng could acquire from the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    ...


    ...


    While Chu Zheng was on his way to the Cangyun Secret Realm, the outside world was already in turmoil.


    Setting aside the reactions of the Great Holy Lands to the space passage for the moment, the changes in the Hidden Dragon List had indeed tugged at many hearts.


    At the top of the Hidden Dragon List, Shang Zuling advanced further, stepping into the Mid Stage of Divine Infant.


    This undoubtedly left many talented sessors feeling a bit hopeless, but even more attention-grabbing was another piece of news.


    The Taixuan Holy Son had condensed his Soul.

 Chapter 197: Chapter 146: Cangyun Secret Realm, Ruined Temple

    Chu Zheng stepped into Soul Condensing for an instant, his ranking on the Hidden Dragon List soared by more than two hundred, pushing into the top hundred.


    From the very beginning rank of over seven thousand four hundred, to within the top hundred, it had taken Chu Zheng only one year.


    This time Chu Zheng''s cultivation breakthrough, however, did not cause much of a sensation among the various Holy Lands.


    The speed of this sudden emergence had even started to be somewhat customary to the major Holy Lands.


    The miracles Chu Zheng created were so numerous that some had even begun to specte whether Chu Zheng could step into Divine Infant before the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sectsmenced.


    Shang Zuling was unattainably high, leaving all peers far behind, yet Chu Zheng seemed to have a chance to challenge this mountain towering over the heads of all the prodigies in the Southern Region.


    With Shang Zuling''s current pace of cultivation, she was very likely to try stepping into Divine Transformation before turning one hundred, a speed undoubtedly terrifyingly fast.


    Since Chu Zheng had entered the Hidden Dragon List, his speed of cultivation had been much faster than Shang Zuling''s. If he could step into Divine Infant before the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, he might just snatch the chance to contend for the top ranking.


    Now, apart from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, many other major Holy Lands had already started to hope Chu Zheng could win the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    The champion of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects would be absorbed into the Immortal Alliance, and if Chu Zheng joined the Immortal Alliance, then Taixuan Holy Land''s situation would remain unchanged.


    As long as they endured until Geng Yiyang and his generation of old folks were all buried, Taixuan Holy Land would inevitably be eradicated from the Southern Region, keeping the region still divided among four powers.


    ...


    ...


    Continue reading at mvl


    Thendscape of the Southern Region, high in the west and low in the north, in the far northeast, a vast cluster of inds spread out, connecting to the Golden Moon Sea. Further northy the Demon Race''s paradise, the Northern Region, also known as ''Demon Origin''.


    The setting sun to the west, the golden divine light scattered between the inds in a straight path connecting to the horizon, dazzling like a brilliant thoroughfare.


    Waves surged from the depths, shattered by the inds close to the coast into pieces, rolling up glittering waves. By the time they reached the boundless sandy beach, only a gentle breeze remained.


    In the depths, massive shadows swam, asionally causing monstrous waves to explode skywards, spilling over the vacuum and casting rainbows of seven colors.


    A space passage suddenly opened, and two figures stepped out leisurely.


    Gazing at the vast sea in the distance, feeling the sea breeze brushing against his face, Chu Zheng took a deep breath, his Spirit Soul feeling translucent for a moment with a somewhat bewildered expression.


    Just in the Cangyun Realm, he had seen manyndscapes never before seen; for the entire universe, the Cangyun Realm was nothing more than a speck of dust. His journey was still very long.


    Gazing at the vast ocean, a trace of reminiscence shed in Geng Yiyang''s eyes, seemingly recalling the past.


    "Before ancient times, Demon Origin and the Southern Region were one territory, often at war. Later, a Demon Immortal emerged among the Demon Race and joined the Immortal Alliance, and thus the two races ceased their hostilities. The middle region of almost a million miles between the Southern Region and Demon Origin was directly submerged by a True Immortal, marking a new boundary by the sea."


    At this, Geng Yiyang shook his head slightly, his eyes slightly dim, "But in reality, the covert strife between the two races never ceased."


    "Over ten thousand years ago, an extraterritorial passage opened in the Southern Region. Fortunately, it did not connect to and of extraterritorial demons but to an unknown Great Realm full of different exotic beings, some of whom shared ancestry with the Demon Race."


    "That bloody battle cost the Southern Region''s sects dearly, many warriors of the Immortal Tribtion Realm fell. There were rumors that these intruding beings had the covert support of the Demon Race and were intimately familiar with the sects'' situations as if they had prescient abilities."


    "At that time, Brother Ye happened to have a close rtionship with the Demon King You Ziyun. Taixuan naturally faced quite some suspicion; to prove their innocence, Brother Ye took You Ziyun and tirelessly flipped through various battlefields without rest."


    "Later, one day, during a crucial battle, Brother Ye, along with manypanions including You Ziyun, suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving our Human Race utterly defeated."


    "Although the Immortal Alliance covered for us afterward, sparing us from a cmitous disaster, the rumors against Taixuan had already surged like a thunderp. To avoid bing the target of public criticism, Taixuan had no choice but to close its mountain and iste itself from the world."


    "Had it not been for the fact that Taixuan had just closed its mountain when a True Immortal emerged from our ranks, Taixuan might not even have been granted the title of Holy Land."


    Reflecting on the past, Geng Yiyang''s expression revealed a hint of mncholy, he solemnly said:


    "If not for you, I would still not know that Brother Ye met his silent end in that Small World."


    Chu Zheng''s appearance had changed too many things. Without Chu Zheng, even at the cost of mutual annihtion, he would have made Tai Xu Holy Land pay a price they couldn''t afford to settle a grievance spanning thousands of years before his life ended.


    Even if it meant the downfall of Taixuan Holy Land afterward.


    But now, he couldn''t give up too easily, because Chu Zheng had given him hope for the continuation of Taixuan''s legacy.


    Chu Zheng fell silent for a moment, looking around with some confusion, "Is the Cangyun Secret Realm right here?"


    "Right here."


    Geng Yiyang nodded slightly, extending his withered palm, a surge of Divine Fire burst forth from his palm, instantly covering the vast sky for a thousand li:


    "Back then, Shang Cangyun discovered anomalies here, stepped into the Cangyun Secret Realm, and received the inheritance from an Immortal King, thereafter soaring to the heavens."


    Layers of Immortal Patterns emerged, like a dense web woven tightly, emitting a faint Immortal Light.


    A flicker of Spiritual Light shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes, and soon a prompt came from his pane.


    [Immortal Patterns¡¤Sky Suppression (Ninth Order/Iplete): Originated from the hand of a supreme Immortal King, carrying an intensely unique aura, isting a part of heaven and earth. After the wear of time, the Immortal Patterns are damaged and irreparable. (Details)]

 Chapter 198: Chapter 146: Cangyun Secret Realm, Ruined Temple_2

    [Detailed Information: Repairing Immortal Patterns requires the cultivation of a supreme Immortal King. With your current ability, it is impossible to aplish. Within the Immortal Pattern, there is a flow of heavenly might, sealing a powerful unknown intent.]


    Sealing?


    Chu Zheng''s face revealed deep contemtion. This seal seemed to exist in order to suppress something. Given that a supreme Immortal King had taken action, the entity being suppressed within this secret realm was definitely not trivial.


    Under the scorching of Divine Fire,yers of Immortal Patterns gradually emerged, quickly revealing the blurred outline of a portal nearly a thousand feet tall.


    "Is this the main entrance to the secret realm?"


    Gazing at the portal before him, Chu Zheng''s expression became slightly dumbfounded. The aura emanating from the portal was so terrifying it felt suffocating; he didn''t believe he could push open this massive door.


    "Look there."


    Geng Yiyang pointed to an inconspicuous crack at the base of the portal and said in a calm voice, "That is the actual entrance."


    The crack, no wider than three feet, would require one to crawl through to enter. Insignificant inparison to the vast portal, even Chu Zheng, who possessed a Spiritual Eye, could easily overlook it if he wasn''t careful.


    Aftering to his senses, Chu Zheng felt the situation was rather absurd. Such a narrow entrance¡ªhow had Shang Cangyun discovered this ce all those years ago?


    If it were purely by luck, that would be rather exaggerated.


    Favored by heavenly fate...


    Chu Zheng''s brows knitted slightly. Only now did he have a clear understanding of these words. This sort of fortune couldn''t just be described as good luck.


    The proportion of heavenly fate Shang Cangyun had upied back then must have been an astoundingly high number.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng cleared the stray thoughts from his mind and walked slowly toward the entrance of the secret realm, his eyes involuntarily brimming with expectations.


    In the period he was secluded and making a breakthrough in the Soul Condensing Realm, he had alreadypletely repaired the Great Circtory Qi Guideline. Now, the daily repair attempts were being used to mend fragments of magic treasures, with no idea where they should be applied.


    He only hoped that in this Cangyun Secret Realm, he could obtain a high-grade cultivation technique from the Taoist School, to glimpse the path beyond bing an Immortal.


    "Take this with you."


    Geng Yiyang casually tossed a fiery red jade pendant, instructing:


    Experience tales with §Þ??


    "This jade pendant serves as a locator. After three months, the secret realm will expel you, and I wille to bring you back as soon as possible."


    The seal of the secret realm had no recognition ability; naturally, it would not send people out from the entrance. By then, Chu Zheng would be cast into some ce within the Cangyun Realm.


    "Thank you, Holy Master. I''ve noted it."


    Chu Zheng stored the jade pendant and, after a few breaths, arrived in front of the crack. Bending down, he slowly crawled through the gap.


    The sea of fiery light gradually dissipated, and soon the void returned to normal.


    Geng Yiyang withdrew his hand and was about to leave when several streaks of light suddenly appeared in the sky.


    In the blink of an eye, the light dispersed, revealing several figures, led by an old man in a ck robe, followed by six young cultivators, two males and four females, whose cultivation ranged from the mid-stage to perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    "I wondered who had activated the seal; it turns out to be you."


    The ck-robed old man spoke indifferently, his expression tranquil, revealing neither joy nor anger:


    "True Lord Yi Yang, it has been a long time."


    "Qiu Long."


    Geng Yiyang''s forehead vein subtly swelled, a sh of shocked killing intent passing through his eyes, though his expression held little surprise.


    The proximity to the Tai Xu Holy Land made it normal for Qiu Long, who cultivated creation and transformation, to have sensed the disturbance.


    It was somewhat uncontroble for him to recall an old acquaintance recently, and now to have the Holy Master of the Tai Xu Holy Land appear before him was inevitably stirring his emotions.


    Qiu Long nced behind Geng Yiyang and a trace of understanding flickered in his eyes.


    Geng Yiyang''s appearance here at this time could only mean he had sent Chu Zheng, who had just made a breakthrough, into the secret realm¡ªthere was no second possibility.


    At this thought, he immediately raised his hand, and the sea beneath him surged with rage, as if he were holding a sheet of fabric, giving it a light flick, creating a thousand miles of wild waves that sshed into the void.


    In the blink of an eye, the portal reappeared.


    Qiu Long nced at the several true disciples behind him and transmitted a message secretly:


    "After entering the secret realm, avoid Chu Zheng as much as possible and try not to engage with him. If you discover his whereabouts and there''s an opportunity to be had, then decide what to do based on the situation."


    With Chu Zheng''sbat strength which can''t be judged bymon sense, these disciples simply had no chance against him; it was already not easy for them to protect themselves.


    ...


    ...


    The moment Chu Zheng entered the crevice, he felt as if he was stuck in a quagmire, unable to discern any direction. The spiritual energy formed clusters that stuck to his body, involuntarily making him feel somewhat unwell.


    About half an hourter, the spiritual energy around him instantly gathered, and a tremendous squeezing force pushed him towards an unknown ce.


    After approximately half an hour had passed, Chu Zheng felt his footing give way beneath him, and a surge of majestic spiritual energy rushed from all around, causing his muscles and bones to tremble violently, with waves rippling through his Dantian.


    After crossing the seal, some things in heaven and earth had changed¡ªnot just the concentration of spiritual energy, but the void all around seemed to have gained weight, lightly pressing on his shoulders.


    At the same time, a sudden change transmitted from the panel caught Chu Zheng''s eye, and his expression shed with a hint of surprise.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Initial Stage of Dao Embryo Realm, Immortal Path: Early Soul Condensing Realm]


    [Root Bone: Yin Yang Immortal Bone (Superior Quality), Five Elements Spiritual Body]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order), Great Void Scripture (Eighth Order/Iplete), Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture (Ninth Order/Iplete), Vast Earth Nourishing Spirit Scripture (Ninth Order/Iplete), Divine Yuan Transcendence Sutra (Eighth Order/Iplete), zed ss Scripture (Seventh Order/Iplete), Great Circtory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance (Eighth Order), Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique (Sixth Order), Xuan Tian Seal Third Form (Fifth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order), Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist (Third Order), Heavenly Divination Technique (Third Order), Object Control (Third Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (Third Order), Invisibility Technique (Third Order)...]


    [Talent: Spiritual Eye (Third Order)]


    [Repair Master: Fourth Order (470/2000)]


    [Remaining repairs for the day: 20]


    [Currently can repair: ...]


    Every repair count had skyrocketed to twenty times.


    Regaining hisposure, realization dawned in Chu Zheng''s eyes, just as he had previously conjectured.


    The number of repairs refreshed daily had little to do with his level as a Repair Master or even with his cultivation realm. It was rted to the environment of heaven and earth.


    If nothing unexpected happened, his experience as a Fourth Order Repair Master would be able to be filled up directly after spending three months in the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    Steadying his mind, Chu Zheng closed the panel and looked around. Not far away, an ancient temple worn by the elements caught his sight.


    With a slight movement of the Yuan Qi inside his body, Chu Zheng was about to step forward when suddenly his expression changed, and he looked up at the sky.


    Above the sky, there was no sun or moon to be seen, only a blood-red twilight with clear Immortal Patterns branded above.


    Red clouds dotted the sky, dying the firmament, like a vast ocean of burning crimson mes hanging inverted at the horizon.


    In the moment when his Yuan Qi fluctuated, Chu Zheng finally noticed the biggest anomaly in the heaven and earth before him.


    Within this realm, the speed of his Yuan Qi cirction had slowed down, or in other words, his share of Heavenly Fate in the Cangyun Secret Realm had decreased.


    The sky above was not the same as the one over the present Cangyun Realm!


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, his heart trembling with the realization that with a mere gesture, the peerless Immortal King from ancient times had severed the Heavenly Dao and carved out a realm within a realm.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng calmed his spirit and slowly walked toward the dpidated temple not far away.


    The walls around the temple were covered with vines, and the walls themselves were mottled, theyers of debris peeling away to reveal the green bricks inside. The roof was empty, with not a single tile remaining, leaving only the bare wooden beams crisscrossing each other.


    On the stone steps in front of the temple, only a few broken remnants remained, most of which were hidden amid the grass nearly up to one''s waist.


    The temple gate was half-open, its surface overgrown with nameless wild grass. As Chu Zheng slowly approached the gate, he immediately saw the half-destroyed statue seated high on the stone tform inside the temple.

 Chapter 199: Chapter 147: Ancestral Dao Golden Body, Eternal Calamity Treasure Record

    ```


    Beneath the crimson remnants of the setting sun, the broken temple stood among the deste grasses as if time hade to aplete halt.


    The main structure of the temple was iplete, with most of the architecture weathered into dust over the long course of time, its beams cracked, and the wood turned to sand.


    Chu Zheng sidled into the temple, activating his Spiritual Eye, and cautiously observed his surroundings.


    There were no arrays, no traces of battle, no special fluctuations of spiritual energy, and the asional pop-up information on the panel was about exceedinglymon objects.


    After scanning the area, Chu Zheng turned his gaze towards the broken divine statue seated high upon the sacred tform.


    The statue was a shade of teal-gray, with its upper half shattered, only the broad hem of its robes visible, the lines simple yet rugged.


    Chu Zheng examined it for a while, and promptly the panel sent a prompt.


    [Iplete Divine Statue (Fifth Order/Iplete): The golden body of a powerful being, fashioned more than 740,000 years ago. It lost contact with the outside world due to the closure of heaven and earth, gradually lost its divine powers, and covered in dust over the long years. It can be restored (0/1000) (Details)]


    [Detailed Information: Ancestral Dao Statue, once revered with the incense of myriad spirits, after the seal of heaven and earth, it was tainted by heretic qi, underwent a mutation, and exhausted its divine powers to resist the corruption of heretic qi. After restoration, paying homage in ordance with the rites of the Taoist School could gain the blessings of the Ancestral Dao.]


    Ancestral Dao Statue?


    Chu Zheng''s eyes suddenly sharpened; this seemingly unremarkable ruin of a temple was actually dedicated to an ancestor of the Taoist School.


    For a moment, he couldn''t be sure if this was the same ancestor Ji Yuyan had mentioned to him previously at the Immortal Martial Battlefield.


    Chu Zheng moved closer, pinched the dust under the statue, and his expression subtly changed.


    He detected a faint and abnormal qi, very simr to the heretic qi that seeped from the spatial passage above the Giant Marsh.


    Perhaps it was the erosion of this heretic qi that had caused the statue to copse.


    What shocked him even more was that the statue was made from the most ordinary y, devoid of any spiritual energy, but its quality was so high that it certainly defiedmon sense.


    Find exclusive stories on §Þ??


    By the side of the statue, there was a broken piece of curtain, at which Chu Zheng looked a few times, his expression unsuppressedly moved.


    Embroidered with cranes and auspicious clouds at the top of the curtain, although faded, it was still possible to make out traces that implied it was not a magic artifact, but a hand-embroidered item, with exquisite workmanship.


    In his past life, he had also seen countless treasures passed down from ancient times, and this piece belonged in the high-quality category, no less superior to the top-notch famous embroideries.


    However, no matter how extraordinary the embroidery, it was just an ordinary item.


    Everything in this ruined temple was utterly ordinary, except for this one divine statue, not even a single entry-stage spiritual object was present.


    It was hard to imagine that a true Ancestral Dao Golden Body was enshrined here.


    Calming his thoughts, Chu Zheng stood up and began to restore the temple. A Golden Body of the Ancestral Daoy before him, and it was clearly inappropriate to ignore it.


    Furthermore, a divine statue of such a high quality as Fifth Order, could bring him some new insights once restored.


    ording to the panel''s prompt, one could receive the blessings of the Ancestral Dao after restoration.


    However, now that this region of heaven and earth had been sealed, it was still questionable whether the blessings could be conferred upon him.


    As he restored the temple, Chu Zheng couldn''t help specting in his mind.


    The moment he stepped into the secret realm, he found this broken temple.


    He practiced the Qi-refining Technique of the Taoist School, and the fact that he just so happened to encounter a temple dedicated to an Ancestor of the school seemed too coincidental.


    For Chu Zheng, the only exnation was that the secret realm, based on the Qi-refining Technique he practiced, deliberately transported him here.


    If it were an Immortal Path Cultivator, they might have ended up in a ce with an opportunity to connect with the Immortal Path.


    If this spection were true, then this secret realm undoubtedly concealed enormous secrets.


    This piece of heaven and earth might possibly be sentient.


    If this conclusion were correct, then it was not so strange that Shang Cangyun could receive the inheritance of the Immortal King back then.


    An opportunity right in front of him was not to be missed.


    Chu Zheng sorted through the thoughts in his mind, his hands continuing to move as he cleared all the wild grass within a hundred yards. In just a short moment, under the repair feature of the panel, the broken temple was revitalized, spotlessly clean.


    Green bricks and tiles, beams as red as blood, the sacred tform was immacte, with only the half-ruined divine statue looking somewhat out of ce.


    The newly restored que in front of the door bore only two gilt words: ''Dao Pce,'' simple and clear.


    With the current daily repair limit of twenty times, the statue could be restored in a mere fifty days, more than enough time.


    After exhausting the twenty repair attempts for the day on the panel, Chu Zheng left the Dao Pce, took out the Cangyun Secret Realm Map given to him by Geng Yiyang, and began to ascertain his location.


    With such a vast secret realm before him, and so much time, it would be a pity to waste it just sitting idle.


    ...


    ...


    On the Cangyun Secret Realm Map, the explored area already spanned millions of miles.


    There, the regions were divided into three categories, marked by ck, red, and gold colors, and on this map, Geng Yiyang thoughtfully provided exnations.


    The gold symbolized regions where opportunities rted to the Immortal Path had appeared, red indicated traces of the Heretic Path, and ck represented dangerous areas where one should not tread.


    Beyond these three types of regions, the outer perimeter of the entire map, as well as some areas, were shrouded in a mist.


    These werends yet to be touched by anyone, or rather, areas the Taixuan Holy Land did not understand.


    Geng Yiyang''s map was considered outdatedpared to what the other great Holy Lands had.


    ```

 Chapter 200: Chapter 147: Ancestral Dao Golden Body, Eternal Calamity Treasure Record_2

    After all, the Taixuan Holy Land had been closed for a long time, and thest time a disciple of the Soul Condensing Realm was sent into the Secret Realm was thousands of years ago.


    Since then, no cultivator of the Soul Condensing Realm had ever appeared in the Taixuan Holy Land, marking a severance.


    As he needed to repair the Ancestral Dao Golden Body, Chu Zheng could not stray far.


    Having spent most of the day, Chu Zheng finally confirmed his location after exploring nearly a hundred thousand miles.


    The ce where he was located was near the edge of the map, in a red area.


    In the nearby red area, there was only the Dao Pce, glowing in gold in four ces, while ck areas were more widespread, featuring six spots, most of which held tremendous risks.


    Four of the ck areas had brief informationbels, such as:


    [Remnants of Ancient Killing Formation], [Powerful exotic creatures resembling Flood Dragons, high-quality magic treasures can hardly damage their scales, breath extremely poisonous], etc., all descriptions of dangers.


    The remaining two ck areas,cking informationbels, implied unknown risks; likely, some Soul Condensing monks mysteriously died in them, and the causes were still untraceable.


    After weighing his options, Chu Zheng headed towards one of the areas glittering with gold light.


    Although the area had been explored before, Chu Zheng believed that there must still be some ''treasures'' left behind.


    He hoped to find some fragments of Immortal Treasures or even Immortal Pills, even if he was currently unable to repair them, someday he would be.


    Once his cultivation level was sufficient, these items would naturally prove extremely useful.


    Soon, Chu Zheng arrived at the area marked on the map.


    This ce was clearly an ancient site of an Immortal Sect, covering a thousand miles, with a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy below, clearly indicating a Spirit Vein had once existed there.


    After hundreds of thousands of years, isted from the world, and the spiritual energy not yet dissipated, this Spirit Vein had been at least of top quality.


    To avoid missing anything, Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye and scanned the area.


    Every inch of the ground showed clear signs of having been swept over, thest cultivator did not spare even the underground, having turned almost a thousand-mile radius upside down, evidently worried about missing any hidden treasure troves.


    Quickly, Chu Zheng, following the generalyout of this Immortal Sect, located its Alchemy Hall.


    Inside, a mess, numerous Pill Furnaces, twisted and with their lids flung open,y scattered, with dregs of medicines strewn all around.


    [Fengyang Cauldron (Fifth Order/Iplete): Top-Quality Magic Treasure, forged seventy thousand years ago, its spiritual energy depleted over time, arrays fallen apart, almost turned to scrap, repairable (0/200) (Detail)]


    [Detailed Information: Endured Divine Fire forging over the years, absorbed the Essence of Herbs and Trees, possesses the energies of metal, wood, and fire, almost at the brink of Spiritual Awakening, can significantly boost alchemy sess rate, once repaired, nourished with high-grade Divine Fire, likely to awaken within a hundred years.]


    A treasure on the verge of Spiritual Awakening, once repaired, could offer substantial help within a hundred years as a Tongxuan supporter.


    Spiritual Treasures, aspared to Magic Treasures, represent a metamorphosis; once awakened, endowed with consciousness, they possess life, no longer mere objects.


    Capable of autonomously drawing nature''s spiritual energy, repairing itself, the longevity they maintain in this world is a hundred times that of top-quality magic treasures.


    In the corner of the hall sat several skeletons, obviously belonging to cultivators of this Immortal Sect, though whether these men were alive or dead when this part of the world was sealed remains unknown.


    These bodies showed no traces of Storage Magic Treasures, most likely already taken by those who came before.


    ording to the panel''s prompt, the cultivation of these skeletons mostly fluctuated between the Third Order and the Fourth Order, died of natural lifespan exhaustion.


    From those scattered dregs and Waste Elixirs, Chu Zheng gathered several precious Spiritual Medicines.


    A significant portion were of the Fourth and Fifth Order, with a small portion of Sixth Order Elixirs, valuable even to Divine Infant and even more so to cultivators of the Divine Transformation Realm.


    Fourth-Order Spirit Pills, given Chu Zheng''s current repair level, could be fixed in just a few days.


    An ordinary alchemist, for such a batch of elixirs, starting from gathering the Spiritual Medicine, would need at least several months, with no guarantee of sess.


    Compared to that, Chu Zheng saved an immense amount of effort, essentially reaping the benefits without the work.


    Soon, in less than half a day, Chu Zheng had swept clean the entire Immortal Sect site, and while he didn''t find anything excessively precious, the gain was still substantial.


    He didn''t linger much longer, immediately returned to the Dao Pce, used up the refreshed repair chances, and then embarked on his next exploration.


    In less than ten days, the nearby golden areas were all swept clean by Chu Zheng.


    He obtained several damaged Magic Treasures, among which the most valuable was a half-human-high Golden Great Bow.


    [Falling Star Bow (Seventh Order/Iplete): A top-quality semi-immortal treasure, the bowstring forcibly snapped, the bow body cracked, immortal patterns broken,cking materials, beyond your ability to repair (detailed)]


    [Detailed Information: An extremely astonishing immortal treasure, one arrow fells stars, ten arrows shoot the moon, a hundred arrows pierce the sun, a thousand arrows as one, capable of killing a True Immortal. Currentlycking materials: Seventh Order Magical Beast Essence Blood, Seventh Order True Dragon Spine Tendon, Immortal Pattern Engraving Technique.]


    The Falling Star Bow was found by Chu Zheng in a thousand-mile canyon, which more resembled the scars left by swords and des than a canyon, and even today, it is still permeated with a murderous aura.


    With Chu Zheng''s current physique, walking through that canyon, he could feel a chill, as if facing the finishing strike of an unknown, powerful being from tens of thousands of years ago.


    This sealed area must have witnessed extremely fierce battles and ughter in the past.


    Looking at those few ck areas from afar, Chu Zheng nced a few times and, at one location, he sensed a slight evil aura. Though minuscule, it was undoubtedly an evil aura.


    The peerless Immortal King of ancient times, why would he seal this part of the world? Whether it''s rted to these evil auras, Chu Zheng could no longer confirm.


    However, one thing can be known, there should not be a passage leading to the Evil Demon Realm in this sealed area.


    Otherwise, this secret realm would have been eroded long ago, after nearly a million years.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, time flew by, and more than a month had passed.


    Inside the Dao Pce, Chu Zheng anxiously used up today''s refreshed repair attempts.


    The moment his Golden Body was repaired, a robust cleansing aura surged into Chu Zheng''s mind, with majestic divine sounds echoing continuously,ing from the distant void.


    The panel''s prompt soon sounded.


    [Eternal Cmity Treasure Record (Tenth Order): Teachings of the Ancestral Dao, experiencing thousands of cmities, one can achieve the Daluo Golden Immortal Rank.]


    Tenth Order! And it was aplete tenth Order technique!


    Chu Zheng took a sharp breath, and before he could digest theplex information in his mind, he suddenly opened his eyes.


    Looking at the repaired fragment, suddenly, his expression froze.


    The appearance of this Ancestral Dao seemed oddly familiar.


    After observing for a moment, he was slightly shocked and took out the Sun Wheel Mirror, floating it in front of him.


    Looking at the reflection in the mirror, Chu Zheng looked up again at the Divine Statue, feeling a chill down his spine and goosebumps all over.


    The Divine Statue looked even more like the first glimpse from earlier...


    Whoosh¡ª


    While he was startled, a gust of evil wind rolled in from outside the temple door, and Chu Zheng''s ears were filled with the clinking sounds of rolling and colliding sand and stones.


    With Chu Zheng''s current cultivation level, he couldn''t see the scene in front of him clearly. The wind and sand even blocked his Divine Sense.


    By the time he opened his eyes again, everything had returned to its original state.


    The roof tiles were gone, the beams and columns copsed, and the crimson twilight shone through, illuminating the dusty divine tform.


    The Divine Statue enshrined on the divine tform was left only with its upper half, the lower part covered in ashes.


    If not for the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record remembered in his mind, Chu Zheng would even doubt whether it was all just a dream.


    Stay tuned to §Þ??


    He activated his Spiritual Eye, looking again at the Divine Statue.


    [Iplete Divine Statue (Zeroth Order/Iplete): An unknown divine statue, any remnants of traces have beenpletely erased, origin untraceable, irreparable.]


    This...


    Chu Zheng struggled to calm his stirring heart, but after a long while, it still pounded uncontrobly. He had no idea what had just happened.


    The Ancestral Dao''s blessing and then everything reverted back to how it was when he first arrived, as if someone had reversed time.


    The current Divine Statue, moreover, couldn''t be repaired again.

 Chapter 201: Chapter 148: The Path of Qi Refining, Immortal through Countless Tribulations

    A decaying, decrepit aura pervaded the Dao Pce, with the green bricks underfoot cracked throughout.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and carefully searched the entire Dao Pce.


    After a long while, he stopped his search, finding nothing that could be mended.


    Everything was beyond repair, as if all the traces left behind had been erased.


    Underneath a fragmented que, Chu Zheng sat on the shattered stone steps, gazing at the crimson clouds above the pale sky, lost in thought.


    The restored Ancestral Dao Statue looked so simr to him, and the Dao Pce that had just been restored had returned to its original state.


    All of this was shrouded in mystery, unclear to the discerning eye.


    After a long time, Chu Zheng gathered his thoughts and began to sort through theplex information in his mind.


    Although the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record is a Tenth Order Cultivation Technique, it contains little about the cultivation pathways.


    The earlier realms are likewise¡ªHundred Days Spiritual Transformation, Tempering Jade Bones, Constructing the Dao Embryo, Forming Golden Core, Refining the Primordial Spirit, Returning to Void, and Dao Integration.


    Following Dao Integration is Bing a Heavenly Immortal. Read exclusive adventures at §Þ??


    The early Qi Techniques in the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, involving the cirction in the Circuit of Qi, are not much more profound than the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, even quite simr, albeit with some minor adjustments.


    After bing an immortal through Dao Integration, the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record doesn''t provide specific cultivation methods but mentions some slight changes in the pathway of Qi cultivation practices.


    However, overall, it remains a method of Qi Refining with no significant changes.


    This is just as Ji Yuyan had told him before; once a Qi Cultivator reaches great achievement, there is no specific cultivation path to follow, only to umte cultivation through enduring tribtions.


    Hundred Tribtions Celestial Immortal, Myriad Tribtions Mysterious Immortal, Million Tribtions Golden Immortal.


    Untouched through countless eons, seizing lifespans from heavens, reckless wanderings, and only then one bes a Daluo Golden Immortal.


    The defiance of the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record lies precisely in its method of enduring tribtions.


    The path of a Qi Cultivator endures great tribtions, and they are omnipresent; no matter how strong or cautious one is, it''s impossible to ensure one''s safety every time.


    Therefore, it is rare for Qi Cultivators to meet a good end, and living out one''s lifespan peacefully is considered a rare blessing.


    Especially after Dao Integration, stepping into the realm of Heavenly Immortal, the surge of Tribtion Qi is almost exponential, making it hard to ovee using one''s power.


    Qi Cultivators oftenck descendants, typically having just two or three disciples, relying on the power of their Sects to avoid disaster, which is unrealistic.


    Moreover, within the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, there is a clear admonition that no matter how tough the tribtions, one should not rely on external forces to shift causality.


    Using external forces to avoid tribtions, hoping to deceive the heavenlyws, the only oue is to invite a more terrifying deathly tribtion.


    Just as with the previous Chu Zheng, borrowing the name of Fu Quanliang to hide his tracks, in the eyes of heavenly judgement, this is considered a direct shift of causality.


    The path of Qi Refining, though not subjected to the thunder tribtions, still faces cmities brought by mankind which are often harder to evade than divine punishments.


    The Eternal Cmity Treasure Record specifically introduces the method of incarnating into the world to endure tribtions for this reason.


    With a virtual body to undergo real tribtions, dispelling one''s tremendous tribtion Qi.


    To switch falsehood with truth and deceive the eyes of heavenlyw is naturally not as simple as talking.


    This carries its own significant risks; weaving through the threads of causality during incarnational tribtions does not simply vanish once the incarnation dissipates and might likely bring consequences to the original body in the future.


    Therefore, the site of incarnational tribtions must be sufficiently far from the original body, so far that it could utilize the power of time to dissolve the threads of causality.


    For Chu Zheng, this is not difficult to grasp, simr to the starlight traversing from the cosmos.


    When starlight reaches his location, the star emitting the light may have ceased to exist thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years ago.


    In the vast expanses of the universe, time gets stretched by distance and even shattered by it; however strong the causality, once all beings at the other end of the causality line die, it ceases to exist.


    For this purpose, apart from the Qi Cirction Method, the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record also includes a very mystical secret technique named ''Star Capturing Heaven.''


    Observing the signs of the Zhou Tian Stars, capturing the opportunities presented by the heavenly dao, using the starlight to discern the essences of heavenly breath, and ascending in reverse to deploy incarnations to endure tribtions.


    Within the starlight, most carry the breath of their respective heavenly daos, but in worlds that have perished, there will be no presence of such heavenly breaths.


    To distinguish the actual state of the worlds behind the myriad starlights, that is precisely the true purpose of the great divine skill, Star Capturing Heaven.


    For a Qi Cultivator, this is undoubtedly an extremely precious method of enduring tribtions, equivalent to having countless more lives.


    However, deploying incarnations for tribtions requires strong support from the Divine Soul, needing at least Chu Zheng to achieve Perfection in Soul Condensing, or even step into the Divine Infant Realm before he can attempt it.


    For Chu Zheng''s current level of cultivation, there is still some distance, but ording to his current pace of cultivation, that distance is not too far.


    Apart from Star Capturing Heaven, the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record also contains many other divine skills, such as ''Three Heads and Six Arms'', ''Heavenly Patching Technique'', ''Swallowing Stars'', ''Causality Reversal'', and so on.


    Most of these need at least the cultivation level of a Heavenly Immortal to begin practicing, which for Chu Zheng, is still quite distant.


    Having roughly digested the contents of the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, Chu Zheng turned to nce at the Dao Pce and left without lingering.


    Unsolvable puzzles, persisting in brooding and pondering, have no real meaning but merely waste time.


    The information he possessed was too limited to allow him to analyze some of the things he could possess.


    Once his cultivation was sufficient to touch upon the realms of the Ancestral Dao, perhaps the problems he faced now would no longer pose any issue.


    He could stay in the Cangyun Secret Realm for a total of three months, and only half of that time had passed. Within this world, vast treasures still awaited Chu Zheng''s excavation.


    Now free from the bindings of the Dao Pce, he was able to explore the external world once again, not only seeking opportunities from the Immortal Path but also feeling an interest in the regions where other Daoist Orthodoxies existed.


    This might help him unveil ayer of the Ancient Era of Cangyun and allow him a glimpse at its partial true face.


    Even so, he might uncover some clues about the origins of this secret realm.


    Upon leaving the Dao Pce, Chu Zheng took out the Cangyun Secret Realm Map and began studying the routes.


    Soon, he made a decision and headed north towards the center of the map for exploration.


    There, no mist obscured the view, and one could clearly see the distinctly demarcated tri-color areas.


    The closer one was to the central area, the safer the environment implied, signifying little to no danger to him.


    Chu Zheng naturally felt curious about the regions he had not explored before, but sometimes, restraining unnecessary curiosity could save a lot of trouble.


    After this departure, he might never have the chance to enter the Cangyun Secret Realm again in his life. With such a rare opportunity, he naturally had to seize it.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and Chu Zheng had explored more than a million miles northward, witnessing countlessndscapes along the way.


    The areas marked with golden light were mostly sect ruins and some Loose Cultivator''s caves.


    For ordinary cultivators, visiting such explored areas would undoubtedly be a waste of time, yielding no gains.


    However, Chu Zheng''s harvest was substantial, obtaining many legacies, among which Spiritually drained Magic Treasures and Elixirs made up thergest proportion.


    During this time, Chu Zheng also experienced several regrets.


    The only downside to scavenging was that the truly good items had mostly already been taken by others.


    For example, when passing through a certain underground pce, he saw a Sword Nurturing Pond. ording to the panel''s information, it nurtured a Sword Array of seven Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures Flying Swords.


    At the time of the sect''s demise, the Spirit Swords had not yet matured, hence they remained in the Sword Nurturing Pond and after hundreds of thousands of years of nurturing, survived to today, but were taken by someone tens of thousands of years ago.


    Moreover, Chu Zheng found a still-warm Pill Furnace in a sect''s Alchemy Hall.


    Several Semi-Immortal Pills remained in the furnace, preserved till today by drawing upon nature''s spiritual energy.


    Elixirs with the word ''immortal'' were extraordinary by nature, like the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, Immortal Pills inherently have Nine Orifices, enabling them to draw in nature''s spiritual energy to sustain themselves.


    These several Seventh Order Immortal Pills were taken by someone thousands of years ago, yet the warmth of the Pill Furnace lingered.


    Regrettably, the Pill Furnace was not a Spiritual Treasure, almost akin to the Fengyang Cauldron Chu Zheng had previously acquired, just a step away from being a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure.


    This step''s difference, for Magic Treasures, spelled the difference between life and death.


    Chu Zheng also discovered aplete treasury, still guarded by an active Spirit Formation with high defensive strength. Even a cultivator at the Soul Condensing Realm Perfection would find it challenging to forcibly break in, requiring at least several months'' effort.


    In response, Chu Zheng summoned the Heavenly Aura Sword and deployed the Five Elements Sword Formation,mencing a forceful demolition.


    After spending an entire day and night, and full of anticipation as he opened the treasury, he discovered that it had been swept clean, leaving it in utter disarray.


    Engraved on the wall of the treasury were several lines of bold script, sharp in their execution:


    ''Fellow Daoist, bear no grudge; I have obligingly repaired the array here, wasting some of your time. Please remember to repair the array when you leave for those whoe after¡ªTu Zilin.''


    Looking at the characters on the ground, Chu Zheng rubbed his forehead, truly amazed by the vastness of the world and the trivialities of some people.


    If an ordinary cultivator were toe here, having spent a great deal of time breaking this array and seeing this message, they might very likely be destabilized in their cultivation heart.


    Chu Zheng walked around the entire treasury and ultimately found only a few Elixirs depleted of spiritual energy.


    Before leaving the treasury, he reached out to touch the array at the entrance.


    [Hidden Spirit Formation (Fourth Order/Iplete): A defensive formation that can block out Divine Sense, withstand a Fourth Order being for half a day, forcefully shattered by you, can be repaired (0/18) (Details)]


    It would take half a day for a mighty one in the Divine Infant Realm to break through this formation. No doubt, cultivators had discovered this treasury before but abandoned it due to various reasons.


    Spending so much time on such a ce was undoubtedly a loss greater than the gain.


    Chu Zheng was toozy to even open the detailed information, repairing the arraypletely and slowly walked away.


    ...


    ...


    Despite missing out on many treasures, after many episodes, Chu Zheng eventually found two rare wonders.


    One Fragment of Immortal Treasures and one genuine remnant of an Immortal Pill.

 Chapter 202: Chapter 149: Fragments of Immortal Treasures, Tai Xu True Transmission

    [Star Trace Tower (Eighth Order/Iplete): A top quality Immortal Treasure, the tower body is divided into nine levels, refined with ny-nine top quality Great Stars. It was shattered by a Celestial Lord in battle. With your current abilities, it is impossible to repair. (Detail)]


    [Detailed Information: A support-type Immortal Treasure, one of the top treasures among Immortal Treasures. It draws the power of the stars and can refine Star Origin Liquid, increasing the cultivation of those in the True Immortal Realm. Lacking the remaining fragments, it is extremely difficult to repair. If the other fragments can be found, the difficulty of repair will be greatly reduced.]


    The fragment of the Immortal Treasure that Chu Zheng found was a broken piece of a cyan Pagoda, with only the spire and less than three levels on top left, two-thirds missing.


    A divine peak of tens of thousands of feet had been snapped in half. He found the Star Trace Tower among a pile of rubble, unremarkable and only the size of a palm. Had his Spiritual Eye not been constantly active, he would never have discovered it.


    It was hard to imagine that within such a small Pagoda were refined ny-nine top quality stars.


    He wasn''t very clear about the grading of stars. The Hundred Stars Elixir he acquired previously, which was made from the essence of a hundred lower grade stars, could greatly increase the cultivation of a Three Cmities True Immortal.


    As for the remnants of that Immortal Pill, it was even more of a coincidence. They were scattered next to a fire control Array.


    The Fire Seed at the center of the Array, as well as the Pill Furnace, had vanished without a trace, surely taken by someone who came before, but around the edges, therey scattered chunks of what appeared to be charcoal residue.


    Clearly, someone had discovered this ce for Alchemy a long time ago, took the Pill Furnace and the Fire Seed, and directly dumped out the dregs of the pills, leaving them behind.


    When Chu Zheng saw the information given on the panel, for a moment he could hardly believe it.


    [Golden Scale Nine Revolutions Pill (Eighth Order/Iplete): Made from the heart blood of a Sacred Qilin, supplemented by nine strains of Immortal herbs. Due to over-cultivation, its medicinal properties have beenpletely destroyed, and with your current abilities, it is impossible to repair. (Detail)]


    [Detailed Information: A Four Tribtions Immortal Pill that has experienced four pill tribtions. It can greatly enhance the cultivation of True Immortals below Five Tribtions, and there''s a small chance of increasing a tribtion''s strength or acquiring Qilin blood.]


    The Golden Scale Nine Revolutions Pill was a thousand times stronger than the Hundred Stars Elixir Chu Zheng acquired; it was even effective for Five Tribtions True Immortals.


    However, regrettably, his current level as a Repair Master was too low and insufficient to meet the requirements.


    Chu Zheng had performed the Heavenly Divination Technique to try to find the fragments of the Star Trace Tower, but the direction was very vague, at least millions of miles away.


    This was already in an area shrouded in mystery, with unknowable risks.


    However, even if there were some risks, so long as the fragments of the Star Trace Tower were still within this Secret Realm, Chu Zheng would attempt to find them.


    After all, it was a top quality Immortal Treasure, a top treasure among Immortal Treasures, something one chances upon but cannot seek. Even if it was currently unrepairable, there would eventually be an opportunity to put it to use.


    ......


    ......


    Chu Zheng made some changes to his initially nned route, starting to move towards the direction guided by the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    He didn''t waste any of the twenty daily refresh opportunities of the repair panel and used them all, mainly to repair various Fourth Order Spirit Pills.


    Elixirs that even great Divine Infant cultivators struggled to obtain, Chu Zheng consumed one every few days. The speed of his Divine Soul''s growth was terrifying, with the range of his Divine Sense changing almost daily.


    At this rate, his Divine Soul would achieve another breakthrough before leaving the Secret Realm.


    With the existence of the repair panel, the so-called pill poison was simply not a concern for Chu Zheng.


    The only slight issue was that his physical body was gradually struggling to keep up. A feeling of fullness would often emerge from the Niwan Pce at his forehead, as if something was about to break out of its cocoon.


    With the dual enhancement of the Dao Embryo and Soul Condensation, the strength of his Divine Soul had grown too swiftly, far surpassing the realm of his physical body.


    He was notcking in body-refining techniques, but he never had spare time to devote energy to practice. He needed to think of some other methods in the future.


    Moving towards the direction indicated by the Heavenly Divination Technique, after several days, Chu Zheng suddenly had a shift in his expression.


    He sensed the presence of a cultivator, whose internal Qi was very vigorous, likely young in age.


    Chu Zheng had detected this person from tens of miles away, but their Divine Sense was far inferior to his and had not noticed anything.


    After pausing to ponder for a moment, Chu Zheng took out the Hidden Dragon List and recorded the unknown cultivator''s aura, starting topare them one by one.


    The Cangyun Secret Realm didn''t have much fame among ordinary cultivators. Under the intentional control of the Holy Lands, this ce had essentially be the back garden of the major Holy Lands.


    Anyone who could enter here was from the Holy Lands, likely elite talents hailing from one.


    Soon, Chu Zheng made a discovery.


    [Hidden Dragon List 274th ce: From Tai Xu Holy Land, Ji Xiao, cultivation at the peak of Mid Soul Condensation Realm, bone age eighty-one.]


    Someone from Tai Xu Holy Land...


    Chu Zheng felt a slight sinking in his heart. Along the way, apart from Taixuan, he had the deepest entanglement with Tai Xu Holy Land, with its shadow over his head since his time in Great Zhou.


    Just as Chu Zheng was lost in thought, the presence in the distance began to flee rapidly, obviously trying to escape.


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened, and he strode forward, crossing a hundred miles in an instant. Beneath his feet, clouds formed and mist streamed from his cuffs, rolling over the void.


    A tremendous and overpowering wave of Qi trailed behind him, apanied by a roaring boom as it crushed through the void.


    Since he was a person from the Holy Land, it was certain that Ji Xiao had the Cangyun Secret Realm Map in her possession, which must be moreplete than the one he held.


    The Cangyun Secret Realm Map from the Tai Xu Holy Land must be entirely different from that of the Taixuan Holy Land. If Chu Zheng wished to find the Star Trace Tower, he needed to get his hands on that map, as it might reduce many hidden risks.


    Even when he was in the Entry Dao Realm, his speed of movement had already surpassed that of Great Cultivators in the Soul Condensation Realm, and now, with his cultivation greatly advanced, it was even more astonishing.


    In just two steps, Chu Zheng had already caught sight of her figure, with curves graceful and swift, d in a dark vestment robe, with light around her body flowing like water, her swordy dispersing in bursts like a dragon rushing swiftly into the distance.


    Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance.


    "Stop!"


    Chu Zhengmanded with a light shout that shook the vast expanse of sky for a hundred miles.


    Ji Xiao turned a deaf ear, ignoring himpletely and merely focused on her desperate rush.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng harbored no sympathy or tenderness, his Five Elements Immortal Root stirring slightly within. He reached out arge hand, and a massive palm wrapped in five-colored mysterious light thunderously crashed down!


    Boom!


    In the span of a flick, Ji Xiao''s fleeing light was shattered by Chu Zheng''s palm, and, like a falcon with broken wings, she plummeted to the earth, smashing through several low peaks before finallying to a rough halt.


    Chu Zheng reached out again, mana surged forcefully, forming another giant palm that scooped up Ji Xiao.


    To the current Chu Zheng, someone in the mid Soul Condensation Realm was no match for him; in the blink of an eye, Ji Xiao was captured.


    Ji Xiao had already fainted, her body limp, her head and feet covered in dust, and bright red blood continuously dripped down from her skirt''s hem.


    In that palm strike, Chu Zheng had not held back in the slightest; Ji Xiao''s bones were mostly shattered, and it was only due to her profound mana that she still clung to life.


    "Viin, cease your hand!"


    A roar echoed from the distant void as three figures emerged.


    The one who spoke appeared to be under twenty, with long brows, well-defined features, and eyes filled with rage.


    Above his head, spiritual light surged, supporting a Jade Umbre, with golden jade as its frame and shielded by spiritual light, concealing within it an ominous force.


    A genuine Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure!


    Sensing the threatening presence from the Jade Umbre, Chu Zheng''s brow furrowed deeply.


    No one knew better than him the might of a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, as even a strong practitioner of the Nine Transformations of Immortal Path Divine Infant would be as insignificant as roadside weeds in its presence.


    While his mind was still in shock, Chu Zheng suddenly noticed the Tribtion Qi around him was serene, showing no signs of reaction.


    To him, these few individuals didn''t even count as a minor tribtion.


    This was clearly illogical; with such a Spiritual Treasure present, he could face death at any moment.


    With this realization, Chu Zheng calmed his mind and spirit and, after a careful sensing, his eyes lit up with understanding.


    This Jade Umbre had no connection with these few individuals; in other words, it had yet to choose a master.


    It was likely that these people had found this Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, but they didn''t possess the qualifications to be chosen by the Treasure.


    The greater possibility was that they had struck a deal with the Spiritual Treasure, to take it out of this secret realm and find a better master for it elsewhere.


    Once aware of this, Chu Zheng quickly regained hisposure.


    Not far away, the leading young man''s eyes grew colder as he said, "Viin, release my Junior Sister Ji and I shall spare your life today."


    "Spare me?"


    Hearing that, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but let out a low chuckle, "Her life or death now lies within a single thought of mine. What right do you have to negotiate with me?"


    Before his words could fade, his gaze shifted toward the hovering Jade Umbre, mana gently swirling around him as he said aloud:


    "My Superior Immortal Bone, Five Elements Immortal Root, are hundreds of times stronger than these fools. Instead of wasting time with these ipetents, why not follow me? Perhaps one day, you might even be an Immortal Treasure."


    As he spoke, Chu Zheng slowly raised his hand:


    "Come!"

 Chapter 203: Chapter 150: The Spiritual Treasure Chooses Its Master

    Under the crimson firmament, the Jade Umbre glowed with a gentle light, suspended in mid-air.


    For a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, ascending to an Immortal Treasure was undoubtedly a tremendous temptation.


    This was no different from promising a cultivator the chance to be an immortal.


    As soon as Chu Zheng''s voice fell, all the Tai Xu True Transmission''s expressions drastically changed.


    In today''s Southern Region, aside from Shang Zuling, no one else had the confidence to match Chu Zheng in talent.


    Under the fearful gazes of the Tai Xu True Transmission, the Jade Umbre above their heads swayed lightly; without much hesitation, it slowly drifted towards Chu Zheng.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but curve the corners of his mouth upward, knowing thatmunication would save countless troubles.


    As the Jade Umbre drew near, its detailed information flooded into Chu Zheng''s mind.


    [Flowing Cloud Umbre (Sixth Order): Birthed over 784,000 years ago by the hands of True Lord of Flowing Clouds,ter sealed by a cultivator of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, preserved till today, possesses potential for ascension (detailed).]


    [Detailed Information: Mainly made from Spiritual Communicating Jade, carries the ''Soul Calming'' Divine Skill, exerts strong suppressive force on the Divine Soul, its top is iid with an Ethereal Crystal, serves storage purposes.]


    Within a few moments as the information flooded in, the Flowing Cloud Umbre had already approached close by, and a ray of spiritual light swept across Chu Zheng''s entire body.


    Clearly, the umbre didn''t fully trust Chu Zheng''s words.


    Soon, the spiritual light dispersed. Once its verification wasplete, a ray of spiritual light surged once more from the Flowing Cloud Umbre and entered Chu Zheng''s crown.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng felt a faint connection, the Flowing Cloud Umbre had recognized him as its master.


    "Master."


    A slightly ethereal voice arose in Chu Zheng''s mind, carrying respect.


    Spiritual Treasures did not have theplex minds of humans; they were beings created by humans. Once they chose a master, they wouldn''t harbor thoughts of betraying their master until his demise.


    After recognizing its master, Chu Zheng gained a clearer understanding of the Flowing Cloud Umbre''s capabilities.


    Itsbat power wasn''t as strong as the Lihuo Spear, but it was still an insurmountable mountain to any cultivator below the Tongxuan, Soul Calming upon opening, a guaranteed kill upon strike.


    The smile on Chu Zheng''s face was now irrepressible. He gently stroked the Jade Umbre and after a moment, finally lifted his head to look towards the Tai Xu Sect individuals not far away.


    He quickly found their information from the Hidden Dragon List; all of them were prodigies listed on the list. The man leading them had reached the Perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm and ranked seventeenth, named He Yu.


    "Master, these people released me from a dark prison, they have shown me kindness. Can we let them go?"


    The Flowing Cloud Umbre pleaded, but its tone was not firm. Even if Chu Zheng decided to kill them now, it wouldn''t mind and would even take action itself.


    Its former master was dead, and now Chu Zheng was its newly acknowledged master, which held the utmost importance to it.


    Concepts of moral honor and disgrace did not exist for it; all its feelings were based on Chu Zheng''s perspective.


    These people posed no threat to Chu Zheng at all, not now nor in the future, given the vast disparity in talent. Letting them go would do no harm.


    In response to the Flowing Cloud Umbre''s request, Chu Zheng did not refuse. Having effortlessly obtained a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, he was in an excellent mood. He waved at the group:


    "Leave behind all your possessions, and I can spare your lives."


    The Tai Xu True Transmittees looked at each other; after a moment, reluctantly, they removed their various Storage Magic Treasures, took out a jade pendant, and handed it over to Chu Zheng through the air.


    This jade pendant, like the one Geng Yiyang had given to Chu Zheng before, had no significant utility other than serving a locational purpose.


    Compared to their lives, these external belongings were truly insignificant.


    Even before Chu Zheng had reached Soul Condensing Realm Perfection, he had managed to defeat the encirclement of several Holy Lands with just his sword array, relying on his own power. Now that he had stepped into the Soul Condensing Realm, he was truly beyondparison.


    Moreover, now that the Flowing Cloud Umbre had been seized by Chu Zheng, they stood no chance at all. It was already a stroke of luck that they could save their lives.


    Shortly after, all the belongings of the Tai Xu True Transmittees, including their Storage Magic Treasures, were taken by Chu Zheng despite them wearing their vestment robes.


    "Chu... Saint Heir, could you release Junior Sister Ji?" He Yu took a deep breath, pointing at Ji Xiao still suspended in mid-air.


    Chu Zheng nced at Ji Xiao and did not respond to He Yu''s question, but instead countered, "When did you enter the Secret Realm?"


    "The same day as you."


    After He Yu replied and saw the smile suddenly appearing on Chu Zheng''s face, a chill ran through his heart, a bad premonition forming.


    "Then there are twenty days left."


    Chu Zheng calcted briefly and said slowly, "After neen days, I will wait here for you. At that time, hand over everything you''ve obtained in the Secret Realm, and I will return the person to you. Then, we will leave the Secret Realm together."


    Several searching together would undoubtedly be much more efficient than him alone; the Flowing Cloud Umbre was an unexpected gain, and perhaps these individuals could still bring him some pleasant surprises.


    Indeed!


    Shameless viin!!


    All of them looked displeased and couldn''t help but curse in their hearts.


    Without giving them time to ponder how to respond, Chu Zheng then suppressed the smile on his face and spoke in a stern voice again:


    "Remember, all of you muste here. Don''t try any tricks. I''m not ustomed to giving people a second chance. Missing even one person, I''ll take her life."


    The group shuddered slightly; even during this brief encounter, they had genuinely experienced the terrifying aspects of Chu Zheng. His thoughts were meticulous, and his actions were decisively ruthless. He did not seem like a cultivator who was under twenty years old and had just entered the Immortal Path two years ago.

 Chapter 204: Chapter 150: Spiritual Treasure Chooses a Master_2

    He Yu nced at Ji Xiao, a sigh evident in her gaze, and without saying more, she left with several Tai Xu True Transmission disciples.


    After the group had left, Chu Zheng immediately began to check the storage space at the top of the Flowing Cloud Umbre.


    An inheritance from a True Monarch should bring him a considerable harvest.


    However, after a thorough inspection, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel disappointed; there were plenty of spirit stones, but most of them were spent, clearly absorbed by the Flowing Cloud Umbre.


    Only a few bottles of elixirs remained, with no trace of magic treasures, leaving behind only some cultivation techniques, inheritances, and scrolls of ancient books.


    Quickly skimming through them, Chu Zheng concluded that this True Lord of Flowing Clouds was not from a major force, but a Loose Cultivator.


    Crafting such a spiritual treasure as the Flowing Cloud Umbre had exhausted his foundations. He harbored no small ambition, hoping to ascend to immortality together with the umbre, hence the materials he had prepared were of excellent quality, with tremendous potential for growth.


    What surprised Chu Zheng the most was an ancient book, recording a segment of ancient history from millions of years ago.


    Millions of years ago, thendscape of the Cangyun Realm was not as it is now, divided into six domains and four seas, where just one domain was several timesrger than the current total of four domains of the Cangyun Realm.


    Back then, the Immortal Path wasn''t the sole power, but within its ranks, Celestial Lords would often appear. Apart from them, the Martial Path also had Saints, and the two paths coexisted peacefully.


    As equilibrium had been reached amongst the native forces, neither the Immortal Alliance nor the Martial Hall found any reason to interfere in this Great Realm, despite recognizing its existence.


    Later, with the opening of an Outer Domain Pathway, evil demons invaded. Many beings and cultivators were corrupted by the demonic aura, undergoing drastic changes in nature, leading to much unrest.


    Faced with former friends, family, disciples, and elders, not everyone could bear to act decisively. Most sought to capture them alive and then find a way to expel the evil.


    This was especially true among the smaller Taoist orthodoxies; the fewer the disciples, the deeper their bonds, making it all the harder to cut ties. With no one forcibly intervening from above, turmoil often erupted.


    Out of necessity, the strongest of the Second-fold Immortal Martial joined forces to suppress the Outer Domain Pathway and then branded the remaining orthodoxies with the name of evil demons, expelling them from the Cangyun Realm.


    However, things were far from concluded. The Heavenly Dao had been contaminated by the demonic aura, and the world began to produce many bizarre phenomena, even giving birth to Innate Evil Demons.


    With no other choice, the Immortal Path powerhouses left the Cangyun Realm seeking aid from the Immortal Alliance.


    Soon, a Heavenly Judge, whose cultivation had reached above that of an Immortal King, descended to Cangyun and cut away two-thirds of the realm.


    This stroke banished the heavenly fate of all paths, save for the Second-fold Immortal Martial.


    The ancient book ended abruptly, but Chu Zheng already had a rough idea of the subsequent development.


    A long strife for heavenly fate ensued between the Second-fold Immortal Martial, with the Immortal Path emerging victorious, resulting in today''s Cangyun Realm.


    However, the exact origin of the Cangyun Secret Realm remained a mystery.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng put away the ancient book with a soft sigh.


    Throughout the ages, the Cangyun Realm had witnessed too many events, far more than could be exined in one or two ancient books.


    Even the history of the past five thousand years unearthed byter generations was just the tip of the iceberg.


    In this world, there were numerous beings who had lived longer than five thousand years, making the ancient history millions of years ago all the more elusive.


    Chu Zheng did not dwell on this and after searching through the storage bags of several Tai Xu True Transmission disciples, he retrieved a Cangyun Secret Realm Map.


    Afterparison, Chu Zheng smiled with satisfaction.


    The Cangyun Secret Realm Map from the Tai Xu Holy Land was more than twice the size of the one from the Taixuan Holy Land. Although some areas ovepped, there was also a safe region more than ten million miles wide, which was extremely beneficial to him.


    In his search for the Star Trace Tower fragments, he could now be less cautious, as the Cangyun Secret Realm was not absolutely safe.


    Havingpleted all this, Chu Zheng turned to look at Ji Xiao nearby.


    [Ji Xiao (Third Order): The tendons and bones all smashed, the internal organs ruptured, the Dantian damaged, heavily wounded by your strike, can be repaired.]


    Chu Zheng reached out to seal her Dantian, then repaired half of her injuries.


    After a few breaths, Ji Xiao slowly opened her eyes and upon seeing Chu Zheng, an involuntary fear manifested in her expression.


    In an instant, she had lost consciousness,pletely powerless to resist, narrowly escaping death by his hand.


    Chu Zheng''s strength was even more terrifying than the rumors suggested.


    "Your Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance is really poorly executed. If it were stronger, I''d have to exert more effort to capture you," Chu Zheng remarked, recalling Ji Xiao''s earlier performance.


    The Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance, a Divine Skill of Eighth Order, was mysterious, and he had only scratched the surface of its secrets. However, in his eyes, Ji Xiao''s execution was far worse, not even reaching the threshold of initiation.


    "Scoundrel! You''re a Saint Heir, after all. If I am no match for you, you could just kill me instead; why humiliate me with words?"


    Upon hearing those words, Ji Xiao''s voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes brimming with resentment and determination, "If I were to beg for mercy, it would be a disgrace to the Tai Xu True Transmission."


    Among the various true transmissions, her Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance was already of high caliber, and even the Holy Master had personally praised it. She naturally felt extreme humiliation from Chu Zheng''s words at the moment.


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly, his fingertips producing a sword flower that danced like a roaming dragon, disappearing in an instant, "Water has no constant shape, you can''t even properly dissipate force, and you forcefully took my palm strike. You''re lucky to be alive; it''s a stroke of great fortune."


    Ji Xiao stared nkly at Chu Zheng''s fingertips, lost in a trance, because it was her mastery of the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance that allowed her to understand the exquisiteness of Chu Zheng''s earlier move.


    This kind of subtle control was something that, within the Holy Land, aside from the Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortals, only a handful of the Divine Transformation Realm Elders could achieve so effortlessly.


    How long had Chu Zheng practiced the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance? At most, it wouldn''t have been more than a year, while she had practiced for a total of fifty-four years and seven months.


    Before Ji Xiao could collect her thoughts, Chu Zheng sealed her mouth and said softly:


    "I''m waiting for your fellow disciples toe and redeem you, just wait quietly."


    ...


    ...


    A few dayster, the panel signaled an anomaly.


    [Repair Master: Fourth Order (2000/2000)]


    The experience of a Fourth Order Repair Master was full. However, Chu Zheng''s cultivation was still a considerable distance from reaching the Divine Infant or Golden Core, and it would not be possible for him to advance to a Fifth Order Repair Master in the short term.


    Having acquired the Tai Xu Holy Land''s secret realm map, he quickly began the search for the fragments of the Star Trace Tower.


    ording to the direction of the energy, the Star Trace Tower was broken into three parts.


    The second fragment was buried within ake and Chu Zheng efficiently retrieved it.


    The area where the remaining fragmenty was shrouded in fog on both maps, a region yet to be explored.


    After some thought, Chu Zheng decided to investigate it.


    With the Spiritual Eye in his possession, and his ability to discern evil energies, Chu Zheng encountered no terrifying dangers on this journey and smoothly acquired the third fragment.


    After tens of thousands of years, the Star Trace Tower was once again united in Chu Zheng''s hands, albeit currently no different from scrap metal, but one day, it would surely shine anew under his touch.


    Calcting the time, Chu Zheng did not continue his exploration and returned to the ce where he had captured Ji Xiao.


    Three months was an extremely short period; the area he could explore was actually very limited, not even one-tenth or one-twentieth of the entire secret realm.


    But as the return date approached, it was time to stop lingering and wrap things up.


    ...


    ...


    The remaining time passed in the blink of an eye, and the day hade when Chu Zheng entered the secret realm for the eighty-ninth day.


    Above the shatterednd, Chu Zheng sat cross-legged in mid-air, with no one else in the void before him.


    He took out the Hidden Dragon List and after sensing for a moment, he couldn''t help shaking his head.


    The auras of the few remaining were far away, millions of miles distant. Even at his speed, it would be very difficult to catch up now.


    "It seems... your life is not as important to your fellow disciples as an immortal fate."


    Ji Xiao''s eyes dimmed slightly, but her voice showed no sign of softening as she coldly said:


    "Evildoer, you will eventually suffer heavenly punishment."


    "Heavenly punishment?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng let out a lightugh:


    "Heaven has wanted to punish me for a long time, yet I''m still alive. Both now and in the future."


    Before the words were finished, he raised his hand and released the seal on Ji Xiao, gesturing with his hand:


    "Go then."


    "You''re not killing me?" Ji Xiao looked slightly surprised.


    "What use is there in killing you?"


    Chu Zheng said with profound meaning, "You being alive is more interesting than being dead."

 Chapter 205: Chapter 151: The Sky Splits

    Ji Xiao''s life and death were insignificant in Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    Her only value was to serve as a bargaining chip to threaten He Yu and the others; now that the chip had lost its effectiveness.


    At this moment, killing Ji Xiao meant nothing to Chu Zheng.


    On the contrary, if Ji Xiao were still alive, there might be an interesting drama to watch in the future.


    Ji Xiao''s breathing became increasingly rapid as she faced imminent death, and her heart pounded like a drum.


    The Immortal Path values life; if there were a way to survive, how could she willingly choose death?


    In this instant, Ji Xiao felt a rare sense of gratitude towards Chu Zheng. Based on his earlier words, Chu Zheng could have killed her to vent his anger and retaliate against Tai Xu Holy Land. However, he let her go.


    With this thought, Ji Xiao silently swallowed the curses she had intended to spit out at the moment of her death. Her gaze becameplex, and she ceased to speak, starting to measure the time, bit by bit, in her heart.


    Never before had she felt the passage of time so acutely as she did in that moment.


    Without the cycle of sunrise and sunset, the day seemed unbearably long in Ji Xiao''s eyes. Her mind remained tense, daring not to make any move or recklessly leave.


    She feared that any action might provoke Chu Zheng andpel him to change his mind.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged in the void, organizing the mana and Yuan Qi within his body as a faint Spiritual Light emitted from between his brows.


    During this period, he had not neglected his cultivation, and his Divine Sense had risen again, reaching the peak of the Early Soul Condensing Realm. Only one step away from the Mid Soul Condensing Realm.


    With the remaining day and a bit more time, he couldn''t explore more areas, so he might as well cultivate quietly.


    The spiritual energy here was much more abundant than in the outside world, making it much easier to break through the cultivation bottleneck.


    In the blink of an eye, several hours passed.


    The Spiritual Light between Chu Zheng''s eyebrows grew brighter, soon attracting Ji Xiao''s attention.


    With just one nce, she could tell that Chu Zheng had entered a deep state of cultivation ¡ª his aura was harmonious and he waspletely unguarded.


    If she struck now, she had a high chance of seriously injuring Chu Zheng.


    For a moment, she was tempted, but the next instant, she extinguished the thought.


    It was a high-risk move, tantamount to gambling with her life. Should she fail, the chance of survival that had finally arisen would be destroyed by her own hands.


    Chu Zheng was already aware of the fleeting murderous intent that had just passed over Ji Xiao, yet he didn''t take it to heart. His Divine Sense was strong enough to multitask, cultivating and staying vignt at the same time.


    Had Ji Xiao made any slight movement, Chu Zheng would have unhesitatingly drawn the Town Immortal Mace and shattered her heavenly spirit, scattering her soul and spirit.


    In his eyes, everyone only had one chance to choose, and if they chose the wrong path, death was the only oue.


    After a short while, a crisp sound suddenly came from Chu Zheng''s body.


    Crack¡ª


    In a snap, Chu Zheng''s aura expanded, breaking through the bottleneck and stepping into the Mid Soul Condensing Realm. A stream of Spiritual Light emerged from his brow and transformed into a misty silhouette standing in the void.


    Chu Zheng turned back and looked at his body, which remained seated in its original ce. He felt an indescribable sensation in his heart.


    The Spirit Soul detached from the body and the wind blowing from all directions made Chu Zheng feel extremelyfortable. Freed from the physical constraints, a strong sense of rxation surged from the depths of his spirit, as if he had cast off a tremendous burden.


    For a cultivator, this feeling could be dangerous. Some cultivators would be addicted to this sense of ease and frequently wander off in a trance.


    However, the strength of a Soul Condensation Realm Cultivator''s Divine Soul was not enough to support the Spirit Soul being away from the body for extended periods of time.


    Over time, it would be the Spirit Soul''s essence that would be consumed, and it was difficult to replenish, which would greatly affect one''s cultivation and shake the foundation.


    As the Immortal Path Cultivation broke through and the Power of the Spirit and Soul surged, the Dao Embryo within Chu Zheng''s Middle Dantian suddenly swelled, taking a significant step toward the Mid Dao Embryo Realm.


    Despite the breakthrough, due to the slower cirction of Yuan Qi in this world, there was still a small distance to the Mid Dao Embryo Realm.


    Another breakthrough!


    Upon observing Chu Zheng''s detached Spirit Soul and the expanding aura, Ji Xiao''s pupils dted slightly, and a trace of horror involuntarily appeared in her eyes. The news of Chu Zheng''s entry into Soul Condensing had only spread before she entered the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    In just over three months, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had advanced again, stepping into the Mid Soul Condensing Realm.


    This was too terrifying.


    The growth of the Divine Soul differs vastly from the rise in mana; it requires tremendous effort to gradually strengthen the Divine Soul. Even with monstrous talent, the speed of a breakthrough in just over three months was absurd and defied all reason.


    What was even more chilling for her was the intensity of Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul. Just having stepped into the Mid Soul Condensing Realm, he was able to achieve spirit detachment, which was somewhat exaggerated.


    She herself found it somewhat strenuous to maintain spirit detachment for long periods, while Chu Zheng seemed to do it with ease.


    To have such a strong Divine Soul at the Mid Soul Condensing Realm could only be achieved by the Yanshen Scripture of Heavenly Throne Holy Land, and it required exceptional talent.


    Having realized this, Ji Xiao quietly lowered her head, a storm of shock brewing within her.


    When Chu Zheng stepped into Soul Condensing, many in the outside world spected that, by the time of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Chu Zheng might have a chance to enter the Divine Infant Realm and have a showdown with Shang Zuling.


    From her short encounter with Chu Zheng, a terrifying suspicion began to emerge in her heart.


    Chu Zheng was very likely to surpass Shang Zuling in cultivation realm well before the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, and withter''s advantage, he could sweep through his peers undefeatable.

 Chapter 206: Chapter 151: Sky Cleaving_2

    ```


    This is a once-in-a-lifetime demon.


    ...


    ...


    Eight million li away from Chu Zheng and hispanion''s location.


    Two streams of fleeing light, one before the other, were rapidly retreating toward the depths of the secret realm, trying to get as far as possible from the meeting ce previously agreed upon with Chu Zheng, waiting for the Cangyun Secret Realm to eject them.


    He Yu was leading the way, followed closely by Yu Xianglong, ranked seventy-eighth on the Hidden Dragon List and in thete stage of Soul Condensing, a disciple of the Tai Xu True Transmission.


    At this moment, Yu Xianglong''s expression held a hint of hesitation:


    "Brother He, about Junior Sister Ji..."


    To abandon a fellow sect member they had lived with for nearly a hundred years was a decision that filled him with mixed feelings and inevitable guilt.


    He Yu maintained his fleeing speed and spoke indifferently:


    "Let me ask you, if we were to arrive as nned and Chu Zheng suddenly attacked, using the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure to y us all, what then? Can you guarantee that he would keep his promise and spare Junior Sister Ji?"


    "This..."


    Yu Xianglong found himself at a loss for words upon hearing this. He too had many concerns about this matter.


    To bet one''s own life on the character of an opponent was indeed unwise.


    "How many cultivators from the Holy Land have died at the hands of Chu Zheng? More than a hundred, no? Do you think he is of a gentle heart and lenient hand?"


    He Yu slowly shook his head, his gaze cold: "Tai Xu and Tai Xu are now in an irreconcble conflict; to hand over these gains to Chu Zheng is to fatten an enemy!"


    "Moreover, are you willing to hand over an opportunity that''s within our grasp to Chu Zheng? We only have this one chance at the Cangyun Secret Realm in our life, and there will not be a second time."


    Yu Xianglong stopped speaking and continued on his way in silence. Although most of the gains had already been taken by Chu Zheng, he had still managed to make some minor gains in the past few days topensate for his losses.


    Now, to just give them away and possibly even risk his life would be foolish; any sensible person would know how to choose.


    "Having lost Junior Sister Ji, what we need to do is to double our efforts in cultivation and one day avenge today''s humiliation."


    He Yu let out a low shout, his tone slightly chilling: "Sooner orter, I will make the Taixuan Holy Land repay today''s debt."


    ...


    ...


    In the void, a breeze caressed the face, and the crimson glow of dusk bathed the entire world, creating a scene of twilight.


    Above thendy scattered ruins, relics of old times now mottled with the erosion of time, as though the whole world had been buried in ancient times.


    Now, in Cangyun, no one remembers those buried in this secret realm¡ªno one does now, and no one will in the future.


    Chu Zheng scanned thend inch by inch, his expression somewhatplex. In his previous life, he had also watched years go by through the lens of time, often feeling delighted for a long time after restoring an artifact and bringing forth the stories of the ancients.


    At this moment, however, he had lost that feeling. The struggle for Taoist orthodoxy''s dominance is inseparable from ughter and strife. When flipping through the entire ancient history of the Cangyun Realm, all he could see now was bloodshed.


    Counting the days, it had been more than two years since his arrival in Cangyun.


    Chu Zheng subconsciously took out his diary, contemted for a long time with his pen poised, wanting to write something, yet finding nowhere to begin and ultimately putting it away in resignation.


    After pondering for a while, he took out his diary again and wrote:


    [In the New Calendar''s third year, contemting the ancient and observing the present, I can only sigh that time cuts like a knife; all the ancient sages, all buried in time, the honors and disgraces of their lifetimes vanished in the blink of an eye, those whose names are recorded in history are but a scant few...]


    As he wrote this, Chu Zheng''s pen paused for a moment then continued fluently:


    [One day, should I reach the end of my life, I hope I can seize the chance to strive for an evesting legacy, so that in endless eons and among billions of stars, there will still be people who know just who Chu Zheng was. Only then could I say that my two lifetimes as a human were not in vain, and findfort in my life.]


    Chu Zheng put away his diary and looked no further, massaging his slightly swollen brow.


    After stepping into thete stage of Soul Condensing, he increasingly felt the incongruity between his physical body and Divine Soul as if arge bucket of water was being forcefully poured into a container the size of a palm, bulging and bloated with asional feelings of constriction deep within his soul.


    After leaving the Cangyun Secret Realm, enhancing the strength of his physical body had be imperative, otherwise, it would soon hinder the progress of his cultivation.


    Hum¡ª


    As Chu Zheng''s thoughts scattered, the crimson firmament above rippled withyers of Immortal Patterns, a ray of clear light fell, enveloping Chu Zheng''s side.


    The First Level of Immortal Light swept over Chu Zheng and Ji Xiao, wrapping them up.


    A familiar feeling ofpression entered Chu Zheng''s mind; he rxed his body, letting the secret realm take them away.


    ```


    ```


    ...


    ...


    After a lengthy period, when Chu Zheng returned to his senses, he was surrounded by a vast ocean.


    Chu Zheng looked up to the sky, a flicker of spiritual light in his eyes, nced at the celestial phenomena, and quickly determined his location.


    His luck was still good. He wasn''t too far from the Southern Region, still within tens of millions of miles. Even if Geng Yiyang didn''te looking for him, he could return to the Southern Region in ten days to half a month.


    Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, the sky suddenly split open, and a tumultuous Divine Fire surged out.


    "Return to Taixuan immediately!"


    Geng Yiyang strode out, his expression extremely grave. His usually cid demeanor was now filled with repression.


    His breathing slightly ragged, the corners of his mouth tinged with blood, it was evident that he expended a great deal of Yuan Qi to hasten here.


    "What has happened?"


    Seeing Geng Yiyang in such a state of urgency, Chu Zheng''s heart skipped a beat, and he tensed up, "Why the rush?"


    "The sky has split, I''ll exin on the way."


    A ze of Divine Fire emerged from Geng Yiyang''s palm, enveloping Chu Zheng, tearing through the void, as they rushed toward the direction of Taixuan.


    ...


    ...


    With Geng Yiyang''s disregard for the cost and frenzied pace, they had covered tens of millions of miles, and by the time the sky darkened, Chu Zheng could see the endless crimson Divine Peaks.


    "Cough..."


    Uponnding, Geng Yiyang coughed lightly, and before he could speak, hisplexion suddenly changed. He looked at Chu Zheng with an unprecedented seriousness:


    "The Immortal Alliance has summoned us. You wait for me at the Sect. Don''t leave even a half step! I''ll be right back."


    Chu Zheng nodded as instructed, his eyes filled with worry, "Take care of yourself."


    Geng Yiyang was already like a piece of rotting wood, his lifespan nearing its end. These massive movements were further shortening his already limited lifespan.


    Geng Yiyang waved his hand dismissively, not inclined to speak further, and turned into a ball of Divine Fire, blending into the void.


    A momentter, he arrived at a Divine Pce above the nine heavens.


    Within the pce, several Holy Masters, including a host of elders from various Holy Lands who had entered the Divine Transformation Realm, were all present, and even included families from the Eastern Region and people from the Western Region Immortal Sects.


    In a corner stood five figures whose eyes shone with Great Demons, whose powers reached the Divine Communication level.


    The number of people or demons who came this time far exceeded those at the previous gathering of the Five Saints.


    "By my calction, this sudden space passage will be fully open in no more than ten days. The Immortal Alliance can''t spare True Immortals toe here in the short term; we can only rely on ourselves now."


    "Here, on behalf of the Immortal Alliance, I issue an edict, please listen carefully."


    Ji Yuyan scanned the senior members of the various Holy Lands, his face devoid of any smile, cold as eternal ice:


    "All cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm, ready for battle. All Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures and above, including the Sect-Defending Immortal Treasures of each Holy Land, must be awakened. Anyone found to be hiding their treasures will be dealt with ording to the Immortal Alliance''s first penal code; the crime of betrayal will be punished."


    The crime of betrayal warrants the extermination of one''s Sect, the annihtion of one''s n, the end of one''s lineage, and the severing of one''s cycle of reincarnation.


    Not only will there be no future in this life, but even the hope of reincarnation and rebirth will be lost.


    "Can Shang Zuling possibly..."


    The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord spoke solemnly, attempting to seek some leniency for Shang Zuling.


    Before he could finish, Ji Yuyan interrupted:


    "I have already said, all cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm are to prepare for battle; that includes her."


    His face grew colder: "If we do not hold up in this battle, I will die in Cangyun, let alone her."


    The Primordial Spirit Saint Lord spoke no further, bowing his head in acquiescence.


    Ji Yuyan''s expression was utterly unflinching as he spoke solemnly:


    "You all have three days to prepare. After three days, gather in front of the space passage. Anyone who retreats from battle, hesitates, or dys will be executed on the spot!"


    ```

 Chapter 207: Chapter 152: The Transfer of Power

    After issuing the death order, Ji Yuyan ceased to speak, raising his hand to signal everyone to leave.


    Geng Yiyang silently turned around, leading a group of elders from Taixuan Holy Land out of the Divine Pce.


    Soon, the several great Holy Lands from the Southern Region and the True Immortal Noble Families of the Eastern Region dispersed, and the Immortal Sects of significant influence from the Western Region likewise left without further words.


    The Western Region was the weakest among the three human territories, not one-tenth the strength of the Southern Region. The powerful beings from the Tongxuan Secret Realm could be counted on one''s fingers, truly a Wilderness.


    It was all because, in Ancient Times, the peak powerhouse above the Immortal King had cleaved with his sword across the ce where the Western Region now lies, severing almost all of its Spirit Veins. The terrifying immortal power from the edge of his de still lingered to this day.


    Nowadays, the Western Region, backed by the Star Abyss, defended a corner alone, its life rtively difficult.


    Within the Cangyun Realm, only the Five Great Holy Lands had a True Immortal-level foundation, and as for those noble families in the Eastern Region, at most, they only possessed one or two Immortal Treasures of low Quality.


    After all the humans had dispersed, the Great Demons in the corner finally moved to prepare for their departure.


    "Gentlemen, please hold on."


    Ji Yuyan spoke up to stop them, his expression indifferent:


    "Since the Demon Race has joined the Immortal Alliance, in this extraordinary time, you should follow the directives. I have no intention of dwelling on past grievances, but if you intend to scheme behind our backs, acting in secret while feigningpliance, I will bury the Northern Demon ins first, ensuring that there will be no more demons in Cangyun."


    In the recent days after receiving the news of the Outer Realm Passage, he had scoured the ancient records of Cangyun.


    Thest time the Cangyun Outer Realm Passage had opened, the human race suffered heavy losses, with the Northern Region Demon Race casting a shadow of interference from behind.


    Within the Immortal Alliance, unity was not irond; those of a different kind certainly have different hearts.


    If not for the fact that the Demon Race doesn''t monopolize Heavenly Fate. Both Demon Immortals and Human Immortals follow different paths to the same goal, and the Immortal Alliance needed this force to deal with external enemies, there wouldn''t be such a peaceful scene today.


    "We will heed your words."


    The Great Demons exchanged nces, said nothing more, bowed deeply, and then turned to leave.


    ...


    ...


    The brilliance of the sun on the horizon was gradually swallowed by the surface of the earth, and the ck curtain rose as the stars shone brightly.


    After all the powerhouses had dispersed, the Divine Pce was empty, the moonlight merging into the pce, bringing with it waves of cold, deathly stillness.


    Ji Yuyan stood alone atop the Divine Pce, gazing into the cosmic starry sky, his fingertips moving lightly as he divined the will of heaven, calcting his own destiny.


    After a while, he lowered his hands, a trace of confusion in his eyes, muttering to himself:


    "A cmitous star weighs heavy, good fortune turns foreboding, the Life Chart is now in disorder..."


    Beforeing to Cangyun, he had already calcted his destiny, which indicated a narrow escape from danger, or a minor gain.


    But now, upon re-calction, the Life Chart had changed, the oue unpredictable, with malevolent forces at y, suggesting that a great disaster was imminent.


    Such a change was obviously due to some unforeseeable beings affecting the Heavenly Dao; perhaps this Outer Realm Passage hade for this very reason.


    After a long time, Ji Yuyan took out a Gold Paper, using his finger as a pen, he wrote a letter home.


    Momentster, the Gold Paper turned into light and disappeared into the vastness of the stars, leaving no trace.


    Considering the considerable distance from the Immortal Alliance''s teleportation point, it was toote for a round trip. Relying on his own power to cross the starry sky, by the time this letter home reached his homnd, it might already be thousands of yearster.


    "Court Immortal."


    After a long while, Ji Yuyan looked up and softly called out.


    Boom¡ª


    Thunderclouds appeared above the firmament, obscuring the starry sky far and wide, slowly opening a pair of giant eyes, deep within which red and mysterious colors flowed, with clearly visible pupils that conveyed a trace of obvious emotional fluctuation.


    The rumbling voice of thunder conveyed the sounds of heaven.


    "If I die in this Alien Realm today, should there be a chance in the future, please collect my remains, and send me back home, repaying the favor I owe from before," Ji Yuyan took in a deep breath, his tone carrying a hint of pleading.


    With the Immortal Alliance behind him, he couldn''t retreat from this battle; he could only fight to the death.


    Crack¡ª


    Thunder suddenly burst forth, and the world was as bright as day. Intense lightning fell from the sky, forming Immortal Patterns mid-air, drifting behind Ji Yuyan''s neck and solidifying into a silver thunder pattern.


    In the next instant, the clouds in the sky dissipated, revealing the starry dome once more, all silent.


    "Thank you."


    After murmuring his gratitude, Ji Yuyan steadied himself, contemting the impending battle.


    As the patriarch of a major sect, ruling over several Star Domains, he was no stranger to cross-realm warfare; in fact, quite the opposite.


    However, no one knew which world the newly appeared Spatial Passage led to.


    The current Cangyun Realm was not like Ancient Times; the Heavenly Dao was too fragile for the terrifying power of the Holy Land''s Immortal Treasures to be fully unleashed within Cangyun Realm. A full-blown battle here would amount to a war of annihtion.


    The entire Great Realm would be reduced to ashes, no grass would remain, and it would be and of deadly silence.


    In that case, this battle wouldpletely lose its meaning.


    Therefore, the battlefield must not be within the Cangyun Realm.


    At the moment the Spatial Passage opens, unleash all one''s foundation, break directly into the other end of the passage, and then set up an Array to quickly establish a safe support point for cross-realm warfare. As long as there isn''t too vast a power gap between the worlds, the battle can be fought.


    Once the coordinates of the world are confirmed and sent back to the Immortal Alliance, there may be a chance to save oneself by stalling for time until the stronger beings above the True Immortals in the Alliance are unupied.


    Even an ant strives to live; now at the Late Stage of Immortal Tribtion Realm, just one step away from True Immortal, Ji Yuyan naturally did not want to fall here.

 Chapter 208: Chapter 152: Passing on the Position_2

    However, the foundation of all this was predicated on the fact that the other end of the spatial channel was connected to a normal cultivation Great Realm within the positive universe, not to the opposite side of the universe.


    If it were connected to the other side of the universe, where the other end of the spatial channel led to an Alien Realm of evil demons...


    Then the best oue would be for him to burn his Immortal body and seal the spatial channel for some time, thereby dying the spread of the evil aura.


    If the Immortal Alliance''s powerhouses failed to arrive here before he could no longer sustain it, then Cangyun would be doomed.


    Thinking of this, a cloud of doubt inevitably shrouded Ji Yuyan''s heart. The Immortal Alliance spanned the Myriad Realms, yet now they could not spare even one True Immortal, which was quite strange.


    Was the pressure on the Immortal Alliance really so immense... or was it something else...


    During the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects in the Cangyun Realm this time, ording to past conventions, the Immortal Alliance would also send someone in advance to attend the ceremony, yet this time, only he hade.


    The conflict between Taixuan Holy Land and Tai Xu Holy Land should not be handled by him. Zhao Tingxian, who presided over the Cangyun Heavenly Way and was born in Cangyun, was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate.


    Yet Zhao Tingxian was coincidentally in seclusion, iming to be preparing to ovee the final Heavenly Tribtion of the True Immortal Realm, aiming to step into the realm of Celestial Lord.


    He remembered that Zhao Tingxian had only recently be an Eight Tribtions True Immortal, and now he was about to make a breakthrough so quickly...


    At this thought, Ji Yuyan extinguished the sessive thoughts that sprung up in his mind. At this moment, thinking about these was useless and would only needlessly shake his own Dao heart.


    Once the spatial channel was fully opened, life or death would naturally be crystal clear.


    ...


    ...


    After the upper echelons of the various Holy Lands returned, they immediately started making urgent preparations.


    Long-sealed Immortal Treasures and numerous Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures were all awakened. As they had been essentially in a long slumber, the condition of many Wonderous Treasures was somewhat dimmed.


    The Holy Lands spared no expense, consumingrge amounts of Spiritual Objects to sharpen and cleanse weapons, honing the edge of the Spiritual Treasures to try to bring them back to their optimal state.


    They were not only utilizing all the heritages within the Holy Lands but were also dispatching numerous elders above the Divine Transformation Realm to the various Sects to press-gang all Tongxuan Spirit Weapons and Cultivators above the Divine Infant level.


    The full heritage that Ji Yuyan spoke of naturally included these Immortal Sects.


    Compared to the tumult within several other Holy Lands, Taixuan Holy Land was unusually quiet.


    After returning from the Divine Pce, a group of elders in the Divine Transformation Realm immediately began to awaken the Spiritual Treasures in the treasure vault.


    Geng Yiyang silently entered the Supreme Profound Treasure Vault below, took out two strata of Immortal me sealed within amber, then removed the Crimson Crystal Grand Hall at the summit''s peak, and at the same time, took away the Immortal me that suppressed beneath it.


    Afterward, he drew forth a sea of magma from beneath the main peak, and a ck and red Great Halberd emerged, breaking through the waves andnding in his palm.


    The pitted de of the ck and red halberd was full of notches, yet it still emanated a terrifying aura, suppressing billions of miles of sky.


    Chu Zheng, watching from a distance, soon received a notification on his interface.


    [Heavenly Pattern Immortal Fire Hall (Eighth Order): Lower Quality Immortal Treasure, crafted by an Immortal Artifact Master, can significantly increase the cultivation speed of Fire Element Cultivators. (Details)]


    [Infernal Hellfire (Eighth Order): A shadowy fire born near the Netherworld, originally Seventh Order, but transformed after absorbing the entire essence of a True Immortal. (Details)]


    [Taixuan Divine Fire (Eighth Order): Transformed from a True Immortal who brought the Fire God Transformation to its extreme, retaining a strand of spiritual intelligence. (Details)]


    [Golden Crow Heavenly Divine me (Eighth Order): The life essence me of a Demon Immortal, capable of transforming into a great sun, nourishing a Great Realm. (Details)]


    [Taixuan Battle Halberd (Eighth Order/Iplete): High Quality Immortal Treasure, the personal Warrior weapon of a Taixuan True Immortal who has been through countless bloody battles, tasted the blood of a Celestial Lord, and once suffered a grievous injury. Though its foundation remains strong, with the True Spirit within rejuvenated, it can cleave a Seven Tribtions True Immortal. (Details)]


    The information that kept flowing out caused Chu Zheng''s breath to hitch. Three strands of Eighth Order Immortal me and two Immortal Treasures, such was the foundation of Taixuan.


    Apart from these, the Tongxuan Spirit Weapons taken out by the group of Divine Transformation Realm Elders numbered more than ten, almost dazzling Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    If it wasn''t for this heritage, Geng Yiyang would not have had the confidence to boldly dere his intent to topple the foundation of Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Geng Yiyang packed up several Immortal Objects andnded in front of Chu Zheng. There was a touch of helplessness in his eyes; he wanted to leave something for Chu Zheng, but he was truly powerless to do so.


    In this period, Ji Yuyan had thoroughly investigated the foundations of the various Holy Lands, leaving nothing hidden from his sight.


    Each Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure was well-known and traceable, with no way to conceal them.


    With the methods of a Tongxuan Cultivator, it was utterly fanciful to think of fooling a Demi Immortal in thete stage of the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    Moreover, at this critical juncture concerning the life and death of the Cangyun Realm, keeping secrets is a sure way to seek death.


    "You promised me before that if I needed your help, as long as it was within your capabilities, you could not refuse."


    Geng Yiyang said seriously, "Does that promise still hold?"


    "Of course it does," Chu Zheng replied without the slightest hesitation.


    "Then today, I will pass on the position of Taixuan Holy Master to you; you will take care of Taixuan for a while for me."


    Geng Yiyang spoke solemnly, and without waiting for Chu Zheng to reply, he added:


    "This matter should not be beyond your capabilities."


    "..."


    Chu Zheng was silent for a moment, then nodded, "Of course."


    In Geng Yiyang''s words, it wasn''t hard to discern the intent to arrange affairs for after his passing; clearly, he didn''t have much confidence in returning alive from this battle.


    Not only him, but all these elderly Great Mysterious Elders present shared this sentiment.


    The opening of the spatial passage to the Alien Realm often signified a fierce battle. At life''s end, to fight on despite failing health was akin to igniting one''s life, especially when the enemy was unknown.


    "I want to entrust you with something."


    After receiving Chu Zheng''s answer, a trace ofughter appeared in Geng Yiyang''s eyes: "If there are no mishaps in this battle, I likely won''t being back, so there are some things I need to return to you in advance."


    As he spoke, a Storage Spirit Ring appeared in his palm.


    Chu Zheng took it instinctively, visibly moved. Inside the ring, there was nothing else, just a clump of burning Immortal me and a crimson Great Halberd.


    The fire seed of the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire and the Lihuo Spear¡ªthe items Geng Yiyang had taken from him.


    "I took your things previously, and now I have returned them all to you; don''t curse me in your heart anymore."


    Geng Yiyang''s expression was somewhatplex, these being the only things he could leave for Chu Zheng.


    The relics left by Ye Yulou, besides Chu Zheng, only Geng Yiyang knew of them, which was why these two items could be preserved.


    "Holy Master..."


    "That''s enough, there''s no need to mention anything more between us; whether I live or die, I''m sure you aren''t too concerned," said Geng Yiyang with a lightugh. "Fortunately, I didn''t kill you directly back then; otherwise, I wouldn''t know where Taixuan would stand today."


    As his voice fell, his expression gradually grew solemn, and in his heart, he murmured silently:


    ''Ancestors above listen, and celestial beings bear witness, this unworthy disciple Geng Yiyang, ashamed to have fallen short of the teachings of my predecessors, have not followed the path of a True Immortal. In my lifetime, I''ve contributed nothing of worth to Taixuan, and have been unfit for this great responsibility; my ignorance has led to the demise of our disciples, and the once-revered holynd of Taixuan is now but a name. ''


    ''Today, at this pivotal moment of survival, I pass the position of Holy Master to Chu Zheng, the 759th Saint Heir of Taixuan, in the hopes of continuing the legacy of Taixuan. If our ancestors have spirits, may they bless and protect Taixuan and ensure Chu Zheng''s safety... Geng Yiyang pays his respects.''


    ...


    ...


    The process of Chu Zheng assuming the role of Holy Master was exceedingly simple.


    Under the watchful eyes of the young disciples, as well as the elders, Geng Yiyang took out the clothing of the Taixuan Holy Master¡ªa red robe and golden crown, a jade belt and red ring, along with a piece of Red Jade marbled with blood¡ªhanding them all to Chu Zheng.


    These were a set of Top Quality Magical Treasures, but precisely because they were a set, they hadn''t been awakened yet.


    In an instant, the ceremony wasplete.


    "After this battle, if the Cangyun Realm manages to survive, you will have already made history," Geng Yiyang said with a low chuckle as he saw Chu Zheng don the red robe.


    Not just in the history of Taixuan, but throughout the entire Southern Region and even the entire Cangyun Realm, there had never been a Holy Master who governed a sacrednd at the age of twenty.


    After today, as long as the Cangyun Realm continued to exist, the name of Chu Zheng would be difficult to erase.

 Chapter 209: Chapter 153: Spatial Passage

    The situation changed too quickly, catching Chu Zheng somewhat by surprise.


    Bing the Holy Master was not what he had previously desired, but at this moment, facing Geng Yiyang, he had no room to refuse.


    Because what Geng Yiyang was asking for was, indeed, not something very difficult for him to aplish.


    But bing the master of a Holy Land was far from simple talk, the responsibilities involved were tooplex to be summed up in a few words.


    The moment he donned the crimson robe of the Holy Master, Chu Zheng felt as though he was shouldering a Divine Mountain, the weight on his shoulders terribly heavy.


    A Holy Land could not be sustained by one or two Cultivators alone.


    Ji Yuyan was gathering all Cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm, which meant that all the Elders of Taixuan were included.


    In this battle, these already old Elders were unlikely to return alive.


    If these Elders were to all perish, it would take two to three thousand years for Taixuan''s strength to recover to its former state.


    Chu Zheng nced over the many youthful disciples in the distance, aside from Fu Quanliang, the oldest being just over ten years old.


    How long it would take for them to grow up was anyone''s guess.


    In an instant, he became the person with the longest tenure in Taixuan.


    The lives and futures of these young disciples all fell on his shoulders.


    Geng Yiyang personally tied the Golden Crown for Chu Zheng, taking into ount his age, Chu Zheng had just reached the appropriate age for hising-of-age ceremony, which was just right.


    After the ceremony, all the surrounding Great Mysterious Elders bowed and paid their respects in unison.


    Standing behind Fu Quanliang, the many disciples, not fully aware of the situation, followed suit in the grand gesture of worship:


    "We greet the Holy Master."


    In any other Holy Land, Chu Zheng might have faced opposition from some Elders or dissent from disciples, requiring him to ovee some hurdles before he could sit in the position of the Holy Master.


    But in Taixuan, there seemed to be no need for such concerns.


    In the eyes of all the disciples, as the Saint Heir, it was only natural for Chu Zheng to seed to the position of the Holy Master.


    Fu Quanliang hung his head low, his eyes brimming with irrepressible excitement.


    In just two short years of knowing Chu Zheng, his status had undergone an astonishing reversal.


    From a servant of a mansion to the master of a Holy Land.


    Not even the mythologies of Ancient Times dared to write such tales, yet Chu Zheng had done it.


    As he had thought before, encountering Chu Zheng was the greatest opportunity of his life.


    Afterpleting the session ceremony, Geng Yiyang took Chu Zheng on a tour around the Taixuan Holy Land.


    He pointed out the key nodes of the great array that enshrouded the entire Holy Land.


    Half a dayter, the two arrived at the base of the main peak.


    Originally, this ce was a sea of magma, suppressed by the Taixuan Battle Halberd, but now the magma had been extracted by Geng Yiyang, and the location had turned into a cave.


    The barriers around it glowed with a reddish Divine Light, crystal clear, almost like Immortal Crystal.


    At the center, there was a grand array spanning over thirty yards, filled with intricate spiritual patterns.


    Off to one side of the array there was also a Flying Boat about ten yards long.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with Spiritual Light, and his facete quickly transmitted information.


    [Teleportation Array (Eighth Order/Iplete): A high-grade Teleportation Immortal Array crafted by an Eight Tribtions True Immortal. Once activated, it can reach a Star Domain 1.27 million light-years away. Lacking Immortal Jade, it cannot be activated. (Details)]


    [Star-shatter Shuttle (Sixth Order): A top quality Magical Treasure, unawakened. Forged entirely from Seventh Order Immortal Material Star Origin Meteoric Iron, exceptionally sturdy, capable of high velocity, and able to navigate the starry sea. (Details)]


    An Immortal Array!


    Moreover, a Teleportation Immortal Array.


    Chu Zheng''s heart stirred slightly, somewhat shocked; he looked at Geng Yiyang, his expression wavering.


    With the Teleportation Immortal Array and this Flying Shuttle capable of navigating the starry sea, he could guess part of Geng Yiyang''s thoughts.


    "This Immortal Array is an inheritance from an ancient forefather of Taixuan, ourst escape route. It requires Immortal Power to activate and cross Star Domains, but Superior Quality Spirit Stones or Spirit Vein Essence could also serve as an alternative, at least to leave the Cangyun Realm."


    "Spirit Essence, we have plenty in the treasury of the Holy Land. When the timees, you may take what you need. Trees may die when transnted, but people must live. The legacy of our forefather is weighty, but when it must be abandoned, abandon it."


    Geng Yiyang''s expression turned solemn, "You have your own Small World. In a short period, you can be self-sufficient. If theing battle is inevitable and the Cangyun Realm cannot be preserved, I hope you can immediately take these disciples and leave Cangyun to at least save these lives."


    As his voice faded, he lifted his hand, in the palm, a Divine Fire formed into a coiling dragon moved restlessly.


    "This fire will sense my life or death; keep it with you. Upon receiving news of my death, if you''re willing, erect a cenotaph for me. There''s no need for a spiritual tablet. Receiving incense offerings would only disturb my cycle of rebirth."


    Talking about his own life and death, Geng Yiyang seemed much more at ease.


    In Chu Zheng''s view, Geng Yiyang could have chosen another path, taking these disciples and leaving Cangyun immediately, finding a new ce to live on, far from the strife.


    "Holy Master, why don''t you..."


    Before Chu Zheng could finish speaking, Geng Yiyang interrupted with a wave of his hand:


    "I am no longer the Holy Master now, and besides, Cangyun is ultimately our ancestralnd, how could one so easily abandon it."


    Geng Yiyang shook his head slightly. This was an assembly called by the Immortal Alliance. Deserting in the face of battle would mean that even if Ji Yuyan reported to the Immortal Alliance, he''d still face death.


    In the vast starry sea, the Immortal Alliance was everywhere; no being could escape its retribution.


    "I understand."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng took the dragon of Divine Fire from Geng Yiyang''s palm, carefully storing it away, saying no more.


    After leaving the cave, Geng Yiyang began preparations for what was toe.


    All the Divine Infant Cultivators in Taixuan City had also been conscripted.


    For some powers, Divine Infant Cultivators were the pirs of the heavens; having them taken away was equivalent to the sky copsing, yet no one dared to resist.

 Chapter 210: Chapter 153: Spatial Passage_2

    ```


    Just like the Southern Territory Song n, as the ancient ancestor of the Song n, Song Xiao had no objections whatsoever to the summoning order from Taixuan, and he was the first to bring the n''s best magic treasures and step into the Sect Gate of Taixuan.


    Chapter Continue:


    He didn''t even bother to arrange his affairs for after his departure, the current Family Head of the Song Family was still in charge, and everything operated in an orderly fashion, with no need for undue worry.


    Moreover, there was Chu Zheng to look after things.


    Chu Zheng owed a great debt of gratitude to the entire Southern Territory Song n, and to die for him was something Song Xiao did without any regret, as he believed it to be a death worthy of his life.


    However, other forces were not so forting, and many were dragging their feet.


    Looking at the chaos before him, Chu Zheng fell into deep thought for a moment.


    ording to what Geng Yiyang had said, this space passage outside of the realm had appeared less than two months after he had entered the Secret Realm.


    ording to the timing, it coincided with the days following his acquisition of the Taoist Orthodoxy transmission.


    This inevitably raised some doubts in him.


    If this matter really had something to do with Ancestral Dao, then what could be behind this space channel?


    Friend or foe?


    ...


    ...


    The news of Chu Zheng ascending to be the new Taixuan Holy Master spread quickly, naturally causing shock amongst all parties involved.


    A twenty-year-old Holy Master was unprecedented, even if one searched through the ancient history of Cangyun.


    On the other hand, the few true disciples from Tai Xu who had entered the Cangyun Secret Realm were sessively brought back by their senior sect members to their respective Holy Lands.


    Except for Ji Xiao, they all had their gains.


    In the Cangyun Secret Realm, there were many wonders and countless opportunities for Immortal fates.


    Although most of the haul, including the Flowing Cloud Umbre, had been looted by Chu Zheng, He Yu and the others still had some small fortunes, not returning empty-handed.


    When they learned that Ji Xiao was still alive, the expressions of He Yu and the others became somewhat unnatural.


    Although from their perspective, their choices back then were not wrong, they had essentially abandoned Ji Xiao to her fate.


    As fellow sect members, they ultimately felt they had let down Ji Xiao.


    As for Ji Xiao, she did not mention the events within the Secret Realm, reacting indifferently, seemingly unconcerned, and she was just as astonished by the news of Chu Zheng bing the Taixuan Holy Master.


    Outside, rumors swirled, with many cultivators sneering behind closed doors that Taixuan had no one left and could only push a child who had just turned twenty to the forefront.


    However, most of these rumors carried a hint of envy towards Taixuan and Chu Zheng himself.


    No one in the past had ever shouldered the leadership of a Holy Land at the age of twenty.


    ...


    ...


    Soon, the preparations of the several great Holy Lands wereplete, and they headed to the location where the space channel would open at the agreed time.


    After receiving permission from Geng Yiyang, Chu Zheng was allowed to apany them, nning to depart on the eve before the opening of the space channel.


    The reason he wanted to be there was that Chu Zheng hoped to discern something through his Spiritual Eye.


    This time, the space channel outside of the realm opened in the strait at the northern part of the Southern Region, situated between the Southern Region and the Demon ins of the Northern Region.


    Therefore, the Five Great Holy Lands of the Southern Region reached the fastest.


    Space channels too are graded; channels that are too fragile cannot amodate powerful beings passing through.


    And this channel that had appeared in the North Sea, judging by its spatial fluctuations, was strong enough to allow beings of the True Immortal Realm to cross space and reach the Cangyun Realm.


    This was precisely why Ji Yuyan was so anxious this time.


    A channel that could support a True Immortal''s crossing was far too dangerous for the Cangyun Realm, and even if he sacrificed himself, he might not be able topletely seal the channel.


    Inparison to other Holy Lands and Immortal Sects, the number of people from Taixuan seemed pitifully small; even with the addition of Divine Infant Cultivators from within Taixuan City, they barely numbered a hundred.


    Most of the other forces arrived inrge groups of several hundred, with Divine Infant Realm cultivators making up eighty percent.


    ```


    All manner of Immortal Treasures stretched across the sky, terrifying auras shing against each other. Even before a blow had been struck, the very void was already filled with all sorts of cracks, Immortal Light brimming and spilling forth.


    Chu Zheng scanned his surroundings, involuntarily taking in a deep, cool breath.


    Just the Five Great Holy Lands of the Southern Region had each brought out two Immortal Treasures, and when added to the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, their numbers had already surpassed a hundred.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze lingered in the direction of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land for a moment, where he saw Shang Zuling, still d in her earthy-yellow vestment robe, tall and elegant, unlike any ordinary woman.


    Compared to thest time he saw her, her aura had be much deeper; clearly, she had made significant progress, and the Creation and Transformation Yanshen Scripture had been of no small help to her.


    Shang Zuling, sensing Chu Zheng''s gaze, returned the look and nodded her head as a form of greeting.


    Ji Yuyan''s figure appeared in the sky above, and the tumultuous crowd instantly fell into dead silence.


    His gaze slowly swept over the many Immortal Treasures present, and the furrows between his eyebrows finally rxed for a moment.


    "The Taixuan Holy Land is still one Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure short."


    The Taixu Saint Lord looked toward the location of the Taixuan Holy Land and said in a slow voice,


    "A few days ago, Chu Zheng ought to have obtained a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure from the Cangyun Secret Realm. I witnessed this with my own eyes as part of the Tai Xu True Transmission. You better bring it along, after all, it is better to have an additional source of strength."


    His sudden statement was not meant to cause trouble but stemmed from some concern that Chu Zheng, the Demon Lord of Mayhem, would use this Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure to stir up trouble opportunistically.


    Now, all the Divine Infant Cultivators of the Cangyun Realm had already headed to the battlefield, leaving behind only those who were basically no match for Chu Zheng.


    If Chu Zheng were to wield the Spiritual Treasure and cause trouble at this moment, he feared no one would be able to stop him.


    Geng Yiyang turned to look at Chu Zheng with a slight puzzlement. He wasn''t very clear about Chu Zheng''s gains within the Secret Realm.


    "Indeed, that is true."


    Upon seeing Ji Yuyan''s gaze turn toward him, Chu Zheng did not hesitate and took out the Flowing Cloud Umbre, handing it over to Geng Yiyang,


    "I had no intention of concealing it, just that it did not ur to me for a while."


    In his hand, he still had the Lihuo Spear, plenty for self-protection. There was no need to quarrel with the Taixu Holy Land over the Flowing Cloud Umbre, especially at such a critical juncture.


    The Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure had already recognized its master and naturally did not resist Chu Zheng''smand, obediently falling into Geng Yiyang''s hands.


    After receiving the Flowing Cloud Umbre, Geng Yiyang''s heart slightly rxed. He was thankful that no one in the crowd knew of the existence of the Lihuo Spear, which could remain safely in Chu Zheng''s possession.


    With an uncertain future ahead, keeping a means of protection was more than wee.


    The Taixu Saint Lord did not stop there and turned his head to look toward Ji Yuyan,


    "The sword array that Chu Zheng used on the Immortal Martial Battlefield, its quality is above Even the Top Quality Magical Treasures. Although it does not have a spirit of its own, I imagine it can be quite useful."


    "No one can use that sword array."


    Ji Yuyan shook his head before Chu Zheng could speak. He had also studied the Five Elements Sword Formation, but without the Power of the Five Elements, deploying the sword formation was extremely exhausting, as the energy would be quickly depleted¡ªnot worth the loss.


    After all, this was a Taoist School sword formation, belonging to the lineage of Qi Cultivators. The formation could disy such might in Chu Zheng''s hands because of his exceptional talent.


    Seeing this, the Taixu Saint Lord no longer spoke, not wanting to question Ji Yuyan further and risk causing displeasure.


    Looking into the void not far away, Ji Yuyan slowly exhaled a turbid breath,


    His n was simple and crude: to directly deploy the Immortal Treasure into the other end of the spatial passage the instant it opened, and then quickly seal up the passageway.


    By leaving no way back for himself, this battle might just have a glimmer of hope for life.


    Within the crowd, Chu Zheng slightly raised his head, gazing into the distant void, a faint glint of Spiritual Light in his eyes.


    [Spatial Passage (Eighth Order): A powerful being has forcibly opened a channel capable of amodating True Immortals, nearingpletion. Unless interfered with by external forces, it will break through in five days. (Detail)]


    [Detailed Information: The Heavenly Dao aura leaking from the passage is extremely chaotic, epassing at least a hundred varieties.]


    From this particr passage, he did not sense any evil aura, which was enough to prove that this channel did not lead to the Evil Demon Realm.


    This was arguably the best possible oue so far.


    However, the message from the interface undoubtedly revealed an unsettling piece of news: this passage was opened by a powerful being, and to be able to open an Eighth Order passage, it indicated that the strength of this being was at least on par with a True Immortal.


    Furthermore, from the additional detailed information, the world connected to this passage had apletely chaotic Taoist Orthodoxy with at least a hundred factions.


    Chu Zheng gazed for a long while and sighed inwardly. His cultivation was far too weak; at such a turning point, he simply could not y any effective role.

 Chapter 211: Chapter 155: As the Word Commands

    The breath emanating from the Heavenly Dao often represents the number of Taoist orthodoxies contained within it.


    ording to the information transmitted from the panel, at the other end of the passage, there exist over a hundred branches of Taoist orthodoxies, chaotically intermingled.


    With so many varieties of Taoist orthodoxy, it is clear that this realm is not under the rule of the Immortal Alliance or the Martial Hall.


    What made Chu Zheng somewhat uneasy was that he wasn''t sure if there were other Qi Cultivators present on the other end of the passage.


    If there were Qi Cultivators'' Taoist orthodoxies, the opening of this passage this time might not necessarily be a bad thing for him.


    He couldpletely try to take the opportunity to escape with his loved ones, and at that time, he naturally wouldn''t need to remain under the shadow of the Immortal Alliance, nor would he have to be involved in the inter-realm wars.


    But now, he had be the Holy Master of the Taixuan Holy Land, and his stance had changed.


    The Immortal Alliance regards other Taoist orthodoxies as alien, and conversely, the other orthodoxies probably view the Immortal Alliance as mortal enemies as well.


    Even if he could save himself by virtue of his identity as a Qi Cultivator, it was impossible for the many people of Taixuan to continue living unscathed.


    With his current level of cultivation, leaving the Cangyun Realm through a teleportation array and stepping into the sea of stars was extremely uncertain and carried great risks.


    Should an ident ur, facing the vast cosmic space, he had no ability whatsoever to resist the risks. Chapter Experience:


    For a time, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel a bit dazed.


    His next course of action would affect the fate of many, and required careful deliberation.


    However, the specifics still depended on the oue of this battle.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    The True Immortal Noble Families of the Eastern Region, the Cultivators from the Western Region Immortal Sect, and the Demon Kings of the Northern Region had all sessively arrived.


    The True Immortal Noble Families of the Eastern Region each only possessed one Immortal Treasure, with the Song n being the weakest, having only one Lower Quality Immortal Treasure for protection, and the number of Divine Infant Cultivators within their sect was also the least among the three ns.


    It goes without saying for the various Immortal Sects of the Western Region¡ªthey did not even have one Immortal Treasure, and the total number of Cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm in the entire Western Region was not even one-fifth of the Southern Region.


    From the Northern Demon ins, over two hundred shapeshifted Great Demons arrived, half of which were above Fifth Order, capable of contending with Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortals, with more than thirty Demon Kings among them.


    Besides, they also brought a Wonderous Treasure, the Thousand Radiance Tree, a Middle Quality Immortal Treasure, containing a Small World within, with formidable power.


    Compared to the Five Great Holy Lands of the Southern Region, the foundation of the other regions was undoubtedly much weaker, making the disparity between them quite evident.


    As time went by, the fluctuations from the spatial passage in the void became increasingly discernible, and a colossal rift spanning tens of thousands of miles gradually emerged as if breathing, undting uncertainly, as if something iprehensible was about to tear open the space and surge out.


    All those present wore solemn expressions, their minds tense.


    Under Geng Yiyang''s urging, Chu Zheng had already returned to the Southern Region; in this battle, with his current level of cultivation, he was destined to be nothing more than a bystander.


    It was just a pity thatmunication Magic Treasures like the Shadow Retention Wall could not be deployed across realms; otherwise, Chu Zheng would have been able to receive updates on any twists in the battlefield in real-time, allowing him to prepare sooner.


    ...


    ...


    Bang¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A crisp cracking sound sted high in the sky, roaring like thunder, as the heavens were torn asunder.


    The clear expanse above appeared like a shattered mirror, with fragments of space scattering down, reflecting billions of strands of dawn''s light.


    The heavy spatial turbulence surged, and an extremely vast passage gradually opened up.


    "Follow me!"


    Ji Yuyan did not hesitate in the slightest, with Immortal Light swirling around him, donning ayer of Immortal Armor, his aura suddenly surged, leaving the bounds of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, as he stepped ahead into the spatial passage.


    The Five Great Holy Lands, with their numerous Immortal Treasures in tow, closely followed Ji Yuyan''s lead and entered the spatial passage one after another.


    In an instant, the once electrified void filled with starry banners andnces was now utterly empty.


    This spatial passage was incredibly stable; the influx of so many Immortal Treasures and Cultivators did not ce any pressure on the passage''s barriers.


    Seeing this, Ji Yuyan''s expression grew even more grave; based on the stability of this spatial passage, even a Celestial Lord passing through would likely feel no pressure at all.


    In the blink of an eye, the group from the Cangyun Realm had been traveling through the spatial passage for over two hours.


    Ji Yuyan had been on high alert the entire journey, fearing a direct confrontation with enemies, yet the voyage had been smooth sailing, with no sign of disturbances.


    Upon exiting the spatial passage, what came into everyone''s view was not a strange new world but the vast and boundless starry space.


    Ji Yuyan''s expression tensed slightly, and most of the Cultivators from the Cangyun Realm behind him exhibited flushed faces, showing slight difort due to changes in the Heaven and Earth Laws.


    Within the Cangyun Realm, the Immortal Path was supreme, the Heavenly Dao Laws were extremely favorable to Immortal Path Cultivators, making it the mostfortable environment for them.


    However, now that the Heaven and Earth Laws had abruptly changed, it was natural to experience someck of limatization and mana disruption.


    Ji Yuyan looked around and his gaze soon fixed on a meteor not far away.


    Amidst the many stars stood a figure in green, with hands sped behind his back.


    This person appeared to be in his twenties, dressed in a green shirt, standing tall and straight like an ancient pine, proud and lofty, with handsome features and profound eyes. Between his brows, there was a hint of steely sharpness, adding a forceful pressure to his otherwise gentle aura.


    "So, it is a fiend from the Myriad Realms."


    Seeing this person, Ji Yuyan felt mixed emotions.


    The good news was that the spatial passage did not lead to thend of alien fiends; the bad news was that the fiends of the Myriad Realms were likewise no easy opponents.


    In the Myriad Realms and All Heavens, there were those who could y True Immortals and even suppress Immortal Kings, terrifyingly powerful, and their threat was hardly less than that of extraterritorial fiends.

 Chapter 212: Chapter 155: As the Words Command, So the Law Follows_2

    His greatest concern was not an isted case; it was the predicament of the Cangyun Realm before him.


    In the current universe, Immortal Martial Two Pces had joined forces and upied forty percent of Heavenly Fate, thus able to suppress the Myriad Realms and All Heavens.


    But if it were just the Immortal Alliance alone, they would only upy twenty percent of Heavenly Fate, while thebination of the Myriad Realms and All Heavens would take up thirty percent. To the Immortal Alliance, this undoubtedly presented a significant advantage.


    If the Myriad Realms, united with All Heavens, were to invade on arge scale, the Immortal Alliance alone simply could not hold out.


    Reflecting on this, his gaze pierced through the starry river as he lifted his head to scan his surroundings.


    Soon, he sensed the presence of numerous spatial passages.


    This was enough proof that the Myriad Realms were not merely acting against Cangyun Realm alone, but had epassed many Great Realms.


    This was a deration of war against the entire Immortal Alliance!


    Ji Yuyan quickly recalled a warning from an Immortal King in the Immortal Alliance: an impending great battle was upon them. Now it seemed the warning wasing true.


    No wonder the Immortal Alliance couldn''t spare forces to aid Cangyun at a moment''s notice. Faced with the sudden strike from the Myriad Realms, the Immortal Alliance, caught off guard, was bound to endure tremendous pressure.


    Within the Immortal Alliance, there were countless ces more significant than the Cangyun Realm.


    For a time, Ji Yuyan''s brows were tightly furrowed. With too little information at his disposal, he didn''t know the specifics and found it hard to discern whether the Myriad Realms had truly allied with All Heavens.


    However, even if the Myriad Realms and All Heavens struck together, with the Martial Hall at their side, the situation of the Immortal Alliance shouldn''t be too dire.


    Thinking of the Martial Hall, Ji Yuyan''s heart trembled slightly, and he rxed somewhat. If the Martial Hall could intervene, perhaps things were not too bad.


    "Immortal Alliance''spdog."


    The man in green who stood not far away suddenly spoke, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Cangyun Cultivators before him, his tone indifferent:


    "The Cangyun Realm, after all, was once a major realm. To have weakened to such an extent that not even a True Immortal can be seen, it turns out I''ve overestimated it."


    Upon hearing this, Ji Yuyan''s eyes narrowed slightly, and his Divine Sense stirred. Behind him, a multitude of Immortal Treasures suddenly erupted with surging Immortal Qi and burst forth with zing Immortal Light, all pressuring towards the man in green not far away.


    In the vastness of space, in an instant, it was as if a dozen suns had appeared, burning with rolling Immortal mes, sweeping across all directions.


    The Taixuan Battle Halberd was the first to cleave down, Divine Fire surged forth, and in an instant, billions of miles of starry river turned to ashes.


    High Quality Immortal Treasures, even though iplete, still had enough power to kill Seven Tribtions True Immortals, with awe-inspiring might, once their True Spirits were revived inside them.


    Faced with the fiercely descending Battle Halberd, the man in green showed no ripples of emotion on his face, and he spoke lightly:


    "The sage has decreed, under this starry sky, arms are forbidden."


    As his words fell, a white piece of paper appeared in his palm, spontaneously igniting, turning to ash in an instant.


    Boom¡ª


    Under the dome of the starry sky, the fluctuations of the Laws suddenly changed, a gentle breeze swept across the battlefield.


    In just an instant, all the Immortal Treasures wrapped in various Immortal mes, including the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures held by the Cangyun Cultivators in the distance, werepletely suppressed without the slightest resistance.


    "Words follow the decree... Confucian-Taoist Sub-Sage!"


    Ji Yuyan was no stranger to dealing with those from the Heretic Path, and in an instant, he understood and a look of astonishment appeared in his eyes.


    A Confucian-Taoist Sub-Sage was a Supreme Being capable of matching an Immortal King. Even the casual truespeak written by them held unfathomable power.


    If the paper bore the word "y," not a single person in Cangyun Realm present could have survived.


    The man in green appeared somewhat disappointed. For this battle, he had made many preparations. He didn''t enter the spatial passage rashly; instead, he waited for his opportunity, intending to maximize his advantage.


    This was not the Cangyun Realm; the Heavenly Dao Laws would not favor Cultivators, and for those Immortal Path Cultivators adept at borrowing the power of the world, their strength would inevitably be weakened.


    He had thought that at least a dozen True Immortals woulde here from Cangyun Realm. In order to curb their power, he had sought a Prohibition Army Order from the Sub-Sage.


    Without Immortal Treasures, even True Immortals''bat power would be greatly diminished, and afterwards, they could be dealt with slowly.


    If he had known earlier how weak these cultivators from the Cangyun Realm were,cking even a True Immortal, he would have gone directly to the Sub-Saint to request an Immortal-ying Order. With a single word, he could have severed these people''s Celestial Foundations and ended their ability to fight in one fell swoop.


    This Prohibition Army Order seems a bit too conservative.


    His gaze slowly swept over the battlefield before he couldn''t help but show a slight change in expression.


    Geng Yiyang stood behind Ji Yuyan, with the Golden Crow Heavenly Divine me, Taixuan Divine Fire, and Infernal me burning fiercely beside him, unaffected by the Prohibition Army Order.


    The Immortal mes of Taixuan Holy Land are not considered weapons, thus still capable of fighting.


    Ji Yuyan turned and nced back, slightly relieved. The Immortal Armor he had worn was also suppressed by a single word from the Sub-Saint and could no longer be utilized.


    If it weren''t for the three Immortal mes that Geng Yiyang brought, this battle would have been lost before it had even begun.


    "As a member of the Human Race, fraternizing with the Demon Race, you know no shame."


    In the distance, a man in green robes nced at a group of shape-shifted Great Demons with obvious disdain in his eyes:


    "I heard that within the Immortal Alliance, some True Immortals even colluded with the Demon Race, giving birth to cursed offsprings that cannot distinguish between human and demon, contaminating our Human Race''s bloodlines. For this alone, they are guilty of crimes that cannot be redeemed, even by death a thousand times over."


    No sooner had the words left his lips than the group of shape-shifted Great Demons showed angry faces, gritting their teeth tightly.


    Their bloodline was their most prized glory, the heritage left by their ancestors, but in the words of the man before them, it was reduced to something contemptible.


    Even so, their current situation did not permit them to react.


    The Immortal Treasures they brought were effortlessly suppressed in an instant, shattering their courage. The power of the man before them was just too terrifying.


    Faced with the man in green robes'' mockery, Ji Yuyan remained calm without replying, knowing that it would be humiliating to exchange verbal jabs with a Confucian Cultivator.


    His mind stirred, and he sent a telepathic message to Geng Yiyang behind him, "With these Immortal mes, how confident are you in dealing with this person?"


    "I can only control the Immortal mes with great effort by relying on the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture. If I die, the Immortal mes will surely be uncontroble, not distinguishing friend from foe. I don''t have many days left to live."


    Geng Yiyang didn''t directly answer Ji Yuyan''s question, instead detailing the awkward position their group was now in.


    His lifespan was nearing its end. Controlling the Immortal mes against the enemy would only hasten his death. The prospect of victory in this battle had already diminished.


    Now, Ji Yuyan was left with only two choices: retreat to Cangyun and await death or fight desperately to the end.


    Ji Yuyan''s heart sank. Before he could speak again, a ripple suddenly appeared in the distant void, and a figure slowly emerged, long hair cascading over his shoulders, dressed in a gray Taoist robe, nearing forty, with an Ancient Bronze Sword on his back, his expression indifferent.


    "A Qi Cultivator from the Taoist School... A cultivator of the Unity Realm Stage..."


    Sensing the fluctuations of Yuan Qi exuding from the man, Ji Yuyan''s expression grew even grimmer.


    Despite his reluctance to admit it, when ites to the strength of life force, few orthodoxy canpete with Qi Cultivators.


    Survival in the universe is not difficult, the real challenge lies in enduring prolonged battles. Without the world''s energy, spiritual energy cannot be replenished in a short period, and restoring one''s state bes even more challenging.


    Qi Cultivators move about in the universe much easier than other cultivators. Even in the deste Dead Stars, Qi Cultivators could still extract Yuan Qi.


    This advantage alone makes Qi Cultivators unmatched by others in their realm when ites to battles in the stars.


    Topete with the heavens for fate is truly no benevolent deed.


    What is most crucial is that the Ancestral Dao backing the Qi Cultivators is far too terrifying, upying a quarter and a half of the Heavenly Fate.


    If not for the excessive amount of Heavenly Fate seized by Qi Cultivators for their own, which prevented other Qi Cultivators from relying on the protection of the Ancestral Dao''s residual power, the current structure of the Great Universe would likely be utterly different.


    After this Unity Realm Stage Qi Cultivator appeared, he scanned the Cangyun Cultivators in the distance and did not attack. He sent a telepathic message to the man in green robes beside him:


    "Why do these people seek to start a war in the stars?"


    In past wars with the Immortal Alliance, the Alliance would always choose to defend using the Heavenly Dao Laws at the other end of the spatial passage.


    Fighting beyond their own realms is clearly disadvantageous for Immortal Path Cultivators, yet they still chose to do so, evidently there is a hidden motive.

 Chapter 213: Chapter 156: Evil Demons of the Myriad Realms, The Space Channel Reappears

    Beneath the starry dome, a dead silence prevailed. A host of Immortal Treasures, including the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, were all suppressed by the sage''s singlemand and could not move an inch.


    "Perhaps, the world barriers of the Cangyun Realm have be so fragile that they can no longer support the disy of power from these Immortal Treasures."


    The man in green looked over Ji Yuyan and the others, quickly guessing some of the actual situation of the Cangyun Realm, his expression filled with a trace ofment:


    "It''s a pity, a high-grade Great Realm has been drained so quickly by the Immortal Alliance."


    A million years ago, the Cangyun Realm was one of the countable Great Realms within the universe. After a great upheaval, many Taoist orthodoxies left the realm, leading to steady decline.


    Nowadays, relying on Immortal Treasures for protection seems rather ridiculous.


    Before his voice fell, several spatial passages opened in the surrounding starry sky, and Cultivators with varied auras stepped out, numbering over a thousand in the blink of an eye.


    Any being that could barely move about in the starry sky had at least reached the Fourth Order, equivalent to the strength of Immortal Path Divine Infant Cultivators.


    In the distance, Ji Yuyan''s spirits sank slightly. The Confucian Daoist Monk before him had onlye to scout the path. Based on the strength of Cangyun, the Myriad Realms would then send corresponding reinforcements.


    He nced at the many enemies, silently thinking:


    ''Qi Cultivators... Yin Yang Practitioners... Military Family Divine Generals... Puppet Masters... Nurturing Spirit Sect...''


    Soon, he felt slightly relieved; he had not seen the forces of All Heavens among them. Perhaps the situation of the Immortal Alliance was more optimistic than he had previously thought.


    Without the union of All Heavens, relying solely on the force of the Myriad Realms posed no threat to the strength of the Immortal Alliance.


    As long as they could persist for a while and defend the entrance of the spatial passage, there might be a chance for a turnaround.


    "The path taken by the Immortal Alliance is wrong. You might as well abandon the darkness ande to the light. The Myriad Realms are not the Immortal Alliance, and we can amodate Immortal Path Cultivators."


    The man in green took a step forward and spoke slowly, "My name is Yi Changquan, a Confucian Daoist Monk. If youy down your hearts of resistance now and cede Cangyun, I can guarantee your lives. Once Cangyun joins the Myriad Realms, you can still stay in Cangyun."


    "The journey thus far has not been easy. We are all of the Human Race. In the Great Universe today, there are demons without and the All Heavens within, with strange species from the Chaos Sea everywhere. Why must we kill each other?"


    Yi Changquan exuded an air of vast righteousness, like a bright moon in the sky. He looked at Ji Yuyan with a serious expression:


    "If you strip away the flesh, there are but two hundred and six bones, and it''s only with ayer of skin that there are eighty thousand different appearances. We are all people, regardless of status or wealth. It''s improper to judge based solely on an Immortal Bone. You and I are both Cultivators, and we should believe that mankind can triumph over fate."


    "The Immortal Alliance seeks extermination, cutting off the path of the Human Race to follow other Taoist orthodoxies. This shakes the foundation of our roots. You may bear the Immortal Bone, but among your descendants, surely not everyone can cultivate the Immortal Path, right?"


    "Once you''ve joined the Myriad Realms, even if you can''t be Immortals, studying the books of sages and learning the rituals of gentlemen is also a great path. At least you won''t be like the chaff of the mortal world, disappearing after a hundred years."


    "Enough, shut up!"


    Before Ji Yuyan had a chance to speak, a loud shout came from afar.


    The person who spoke was a nearly forty-year-old, towering Great Man dressed in ck, with a long box nearly as tall as a person strapped to his back. His face was cold and disdainful as he said:


    "We didn''te here to listen to your nonsense. The Immortal Path judges by Immortal Bone, and yet your Confucianists rank people in sses yet presume to be sages. What difference does it make? Move aside!"


    Following his long howl, the wooden box on his back suddenly sprang open, and with a series of cracking sounds, it quickly transformed into a powerful crossbow nearly half a person wide.


    The crossbow bolt shimmered with a cold light, void of any Spiritual Energy fluctuation, and even seemed unaffected by the Prohibition Army Order of the Confucian-Taoist Sub-Sage. It wasn''t a weapon but belonged to Mechanical Techniques.


    It was Divine Skills!


    The ck-d Great Man showed no hesitation and immediately pressed the crossbow trigger.


    Boom¡ª


    As a mighty gust surged, the thick crossbow bolt instantly released from the bowstring, piercing through three meteors and charging straight for Ji Yuyan''s head.


    The Qi Cultivator standing beside Yi Changquan took a step forward almost at the same time, with Spiritual Light shining at his upper, middle, and lower Dantian simultaneously. His lips parted slightly, releasing a breath of pure Qi.


    In an instant, a sea of zing fire erupted in the starry sky, rolling towards the host of Immortal Path Cultivators.


    Seeing this, Ji Yuyan remained unmoved, his expression indifferent. He shed his Immortal Armor, and his body radiated Immortal Light. As his pupils reflected the sky full of starfire, he murmured under the starry dome:


    "The cicada knows nothing of ice. The Immortal Alliance has driven you out of the realm before, and so it remains today. To prove that your path is stronger than that of the Immortal Alliance, you must first step over my corpse and take Cangyun."


    He formed a sword with his joined fingers, the Immortal Power within his body surged wildly, and a Sword Aura spanning tens of thousands of miles was unleashed, tearing apart the raging inferno and instantly shattering the speeding crossbow bolt.


    The lingering Sword Aura continued unabated, aiming directly for Yi Changquan''s head.


    Without the restrictions of Heaven and Earth Laws, ate-stage peak fighter of the Immortal Tribtion Realm could shatter stars with the flick of a finger, and their power could not be fathomed.


    Paths differ and do not seek each other''spany.


    The contention of Taoist orthodoxies had always been filled with bloodshed since ancient times. If it could be reconciled with just a few words, there wouldn''t be so many terrifying wars ignited.


    The Confucian Daoist Monk, using deceptive words, would only make the Divine Infant Cultivators fear battle before it begins. There was no need to continue this fight.


    "I alone am like a thousand troops."


    Yi Changquan''s eyes reflected tranquility as he murmured, a burst of Vast Righteous Qi spewed forth, heading towards the starry wilderness. Tens of thousands of riders wrapped in holy light took shape, forming a formation in front of him.


    The Sword Aura pierced into the ranks, destroying nearly ten thousand riders before gradually dissipating.


    Seeing this, Ji Yuyan''s gaze grew more solemn. The Cultivation of the man before him was close to that of a Confucian Great Sage, who could act at will, just one step away from the True Immortal Realm, equivalent to his current level.

 Chapter 214: Chapter 156: Evil Demons of the Myriad Realms, The Space Channel Reappears_2

    ```


    In addition, the Unity Realm Stage Qi Cultivators nearby, as well as those reinforcements that hurried over, made this battle extremely difficult.


    In the blink of an eye, the starry sky was ignited by a crossbow bolt, the battlefield unfolded in an instant, and the great battlemenced. Whether it was Ji Yuyan or Yi Changquan, they both very tacitly opened up new fronts in the fight.


    Geng Yiyang activated the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and performed the Fire God Transformation, his gaunt body suddenly swelling, radiating a burst of intense vitality.


    But with each moment he used the Fire God Transformation, he was burning his life''s vitality, his Life Origin.


    The power sent by the Myriad Realm Sect was clearly several times stronger than theirs. There were no less than five opponents capable of matching those in the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    Facing such a vast disparity, all he could do was to strenuously control the Immortal me, wandering in all directions, using it to deter those foreign enemies surpassing the Tongxuan Secret Realm level.


    The gap between his realm and the level of the Immortal me was too great. If he were to unleash its full power, it would surely spiral out of control, leading to a situation where the final oue was damaging the enemy by a thousand and self-harming by twelve hundred.


    The only good news was that no being who had stepped into the Eighth Order had appeared on the Myriad Realms'' side; otherwise, this battle would not have an ounce of suspense and the oue would emerge in the snap of a finger.


    A portion of Immortal Path Cultivators did not join the battle but instead retreated to one side of the spatial channel, setting up an array. While sealing the channel, they also constructed a safe haven for rest and recuperation.


    Their role was to be the backup. In an emergency, they would rece some of the warriors to heal their injuries. Rushing forward all at once without leaving a way out would lead to self-destruction.


    In this battle, their primary goal was not to kill the enemy but to defend the entrance of the spatial channel, holding on until the Immortal Alliance coulde to their aid.


    Once the Immortal Alliance freed up forces, the problem would naturally be solved effortlessly.


    As time moved on, the situation quickly fell into a deadlock, both sides experiencing casualties, but the casualties of the Immortal Path Cultivators were notably heavier.


    They had been in the Cangyun Realm for a long time and had little understanding of the Myriad Realms. To prepare for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, they had almost devoted all their attention to studying the cultivation methods of the other powers.


    Inexhaustible puppets, the unpredictable Yin Yang Divine Power, the Confucian Daoist Monks who spewed killing swords, and the Hundred Changes Mechanism Technique all far exceeded their cognitive scope.


    Even the Qi Cultivators who seemed incredibly simr to them disyed endless Divine Skills.


    Had it not been for several Great Saints leading their respective Taixuan Pseudo-Immortals from their Holy Lands fighting strenuously, along with Geng Yiyang''s sweeps with the Immortal me, the state of the battle would have quickly be one-sided.


    Several Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortals did not participate in the battle but were specifically guarding Geng Yiyang. Control of those few Immortal mes was in Geng Yiyang''s hands; anyone could die, but his safety was absolutely paramount.


    Shang Zuling mingled among the Divine Infant Cultivators, her expression utterly calm. Her palm carried the robust Spiritual Light, her movements were forceful and heavy, like a tiger among sheep. With a casual strike, she blew up a Heretic Cultivator.


    Even without Life-bound Magic Treasures for protection, the Heretic Cultivators that approached her rarely had a chance to stand as her equal inbat.


    She was unlike any Immortal Path Cultivator; her physical body was terrifyingly strong. Ordinary Fourth Order beings simply couldn''t withstand her seemingly effortless palm.


    With aplete mastery of the Immortal King''s Secret Technique and the robust foundation established since her youth, Shang Zuling''sbat power was iparable to ordinary Divine Infant Cultivators.


    Ji Yuyan was enmeshed in abined assault by three mighty beings. Blood, tinged with Immortal Light, kept falling, and he faced grave dangers at every turn.


    His mind was tightly wound, as he secretly ryed the coordinates of this ce back to the Immortal Alliance.


    The one thing that had surprised him in this battle was that the other end of this space channel was within the starry sky, not within a world.


    Since the start of the battle, Ji Yuyan had flipped through all the star charts in his mind, but without any results.


    This expanse of starry sky was unfamiliar, eerily silent, devoid of any signs of life, clearly a battlefield specifically prepared by the Myriad Realms for this fight, not recorded within the Immortal Alliance.


    "Is this all the power within your Cangyun Realm?"


    In the midst of battle, Yi Changquan suddenly spoke.


    Ji Yuyan didn''t respond and remained focused on the enemy. The one he found most troublesome was the Qi Cultivator who had stepped into the Unity Realm Stage; their Divine Skills were numerous and unpredictable. Had it not been for the effects of the Prohibition Army Order on his Life-bound Magic Treasure, this battle might have already ended.


    "Since the spatial channel could be directly opened to Cangyun, it proves that the boundary wall of the Cangyun Realm has be extremely fragile and that a new extraterritorial passage could be essed at any time. Aren''t you afraid of upheaval in Cangyun since all your forces have emerged?"


    At these words, Ji Yuyan''s breath hitched, and his immortal power wavered for a moment.


    This was also his concern. The opening of this space channel was indeed mysterious, with no advance warning.


    Now, Zhao Tingxian was overseeing the Heavenly Dao in the Cangyun Realm. If any being tried to open a spatial channel, he should have been the first to know.


    ```


    Moreover, the speed at which this space passage formed was frankly a bit too exaggerated, not even two months had passed.


    Such a space passage that spans countless light-years to forge requires not only spatial coordinates, but also a period of time to stabilize the passage barriers. Considering the sturdiness of this space passage, it usually requires several years to be fully operational.


    In a moment of distraction, Ji Yuyan made a slip in his attack and was caught off guard by the Qi Cultivator, who delivered a fierce and unparalleled palm strike that hammered his chest with force.


    Crack¡ª


    Immortal blood scattered into the void, and Ji Yuyan''s chest was nearly tornpletely open. His wildly beating heart was enveloped in Immortal Light, exposed for all to see.


    This strike nearly crippled Ji Yuyan, who was already injured.


    Without any hesitation, he withdrew from the fray and retreated to the front of the space passage.


    Seeing this, Geng Yiyang immediately urged the Immortal me, blocking the pursuing Yi Changquan and others.


    With several more people joining in, Geng Yiyang was undoubtedly under increased pressure, but he dared not cken in the slightest and pushed his potential even further.


    Immortal me alternated, condensing into rings, effectively holding off Yi Changquan and the others outside the battlefield, buying Ji Yuyan a moment to catch his breath.


    In the distance, the figures blocked by the Immortal me were not in a hurry. The Qi Cultivator effortlessly summoned two meteors, activated his Divine Skills, and directly extracted their essence to nourish himself, beginning to restore his depleted Qi.


    "Hmm..."


    Ji Yuyan''s breathing was heavy; he swallowed two Immortal Pills in a bid to heal his wounds as quickly as possible.


    He saw Geng Yiyang was stretched to his limits, so he infused a stream of immortal power into him.


    But this was undoubtedly a desperate short-term solution that did nothing to help the current state of the battle.


    They had been driven into a corner not long after the fight began.


    ...


    ...


    Cangyun Realm, Southern Region.


    Since the space passage had opened, several days had passed in the blink of an eye.


    After returning to Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng began another period of secluded cultivation.


    No matter the situation on the battlefield outside the realm, he needed to rapidly umte strength and not waste the precious little time he had left.


    His Divine Soul''s cultivation was steadily growing. This time, the focus of his seclusion was to strengthen his physique.


    Compared to ordinary Immortal Path Cultivators, his physique could already be described as formidable, but it still couldn''t keep up with the pace of his Divine Soul''s advancement.


    However, barely two days into his seclusion, an urgent message from Fu Quanliang jolted him out of his cultivation.


    After reading the content of the message, Chu Zheng immediately ended his seclusion and sought out Fu Quanliang:


    "Another space passage has appeared?!"


    His first thought was of Giant Marsh, but Fu Quanliang''s following words overturned his guess.


    "This space passage is not from Giant Marsh but is near the Rift Valley Sea in the Eastern Territory. It''s the Eastern Territory Song n who sent the news; they are migrating en masse to the Southern Region. During their relocation, they discovered that space passage."


    "Is the space passage open?" Chu Zheng pressed.


    "Not quite sure, those from the Song n hold cultivation only up to the Soul Condensing Realm, not daring to get too close."


    "I''ll go take a look, be careful yourself."


    Chu Zheng left him with a word of caution and immediately set off at high speed towards the Rift Valley Sea.


    In the entire Cangyun Realm, his Lihuo Spear and the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation were undoubtedly the strongest forces. He had to rify the situation, no matter what.

 Chapter 215: Chapter 157: Alien Creatures, Burial of the Empty Realm

    The current state of the Cangyun Realm had already begun to exhibit some signs of chaos.


    Many Loose Cultivators as well as medium and small Sects were aligning themselves with the major Holy Lands orrge Immortal Sects.


    Only these Holy Lands, which had been established for ten thousand years, possessed sufficiently powerful Formations capable of resisting external enemies.


    If the battlefield at the other end of the spatial gateway were to spiral out of control, the various Holy Lands and Immortal Sects could still rely on their grand Formations and draw on their internal reserves to hold out for a while.


    Regarding this, the major Holy Lands and many Sects possessing grand Formations did not refuse; they did not feel very confident about the battle, and having more Cultivators to maintain the Formation was a good thing.


    To save time, Chu Zheng utilized the Star-shatter Shuttle. Following the directions given by Fu Quanliang, he traveled rapidly and arrived at the Rift Valley Sea in less than a day.


    This ce was swarming with the Sea n, and the deep sea hid many giant demons, who did not consider themselves part of the Demon Race and mostly had low intelligence, having little involvement with either humans or demons.


    After delving into the Rift Valley Sea for more than two million miles, Chu Zheng discovered a Flying Boat flying the Song n''s battle g.


    Chu Zheng did not conceal his presence and directly stepped onto the Flying Boat.


    There were only two members of the Song n on the Flying Boat, sibling brothers, both in their early twenties and looking remarkably simr. Both were Cultivators of the Soul Condensation Realm, named Song Pingshan and Song Pinghai.


    When traveling to the Southern Region, the Song n members always took the same route to ensure their safety, to prevent any anomalies.


    It was indeed these two who, while crossing the Rift Valley Sea with their n, noticed abnormalities in the space and after several confirmations, finally verified the aura of the spatial gateway.


    This news had not yet spread widely, and currently, only a few members of the Song n, along with Fu Quanliang and Chu Zheng, were aware of it.


    Now, with no Elder of the Song n present in the realm, the only person they could truly rely on was Chu Zheng.


    "How has the situation been these few days?" Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye and scanned the surrounding void, quickly spotting a crack thousands of miles away.


    However, due to the distance, the panel could not provide any information.


    "Saint Heir, we haven''t approached too closely. As of now, we haven''t detected any beings from the Alien Realm. The spatial gateway seems to have notpletely opened yet," Song Pingshan respectfully replied. "However, based on the aura projected in space these past few days, the fluctuations from this spatial gateway have grown stronger by the day."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s brow slightly furrowed, and he immediately left the Flying Boat, heading toward the direction of the spatial gateway.


    A distance of several thousand miles was covered in an instant.


    As he drew closer, the entire appearance of the spatial gateway came into Chu Zheng''s view, spanning not more than a few dozen miles.


    Compared to the spatial gateway at the border of the Northern and Southern Regions, the one before him was undoubtedly much smaller.


    Information from the panel quickly entered Chu Zheng''s mind.


    [Spatial Gateway (Sixth Order): A temporarily established spatial gateway, not stable, estimated to need about two more months to fully open. It can only amodate beings of about Sixth Order, and there is a risk of copse. (Detail)]


    [Detailed Information: The spatial gateway faintly exudes demonic aura. The being that opened the gateway likely belongs to the Demon Race with a ny percent probability.]


    Demon Race...


    Looking at the information provided by the panel, Chu Zheng fell into contemtion. The spatial gateway still had two months before it would be fully operational, leaving him not much time.


    Logically, the Demon Race was considered an affiliate group of the Immortal Alliance. Why would they initiate such an action at this critical juncture?


    Or could it be that the Demon Race in the Great Universe, like the Human Race, also had divisions within it?


    Chu Zheng did not ponder this further; it would only be a waste of time. He could not afford to waste the two months of preparation time.


    He immediately sent a message, ordering the Song brothers to head to the Southern Region as quickly as possible, to disseminate the news and notify all major Holy Lands to initiate their defensive Formations.


    Having confirmed the level of this spatial gateway, Chu Zheng immediately dismissed the idea of gathering more people.


    Facing beings of Fifth Order up to Sixth Order, Soul Condensation Cultivators, no matter how many, would simply be sending themselves to death; it waspletely unnecessary to attempt this.


    If dealing only with Sixth Order, the Lihuo Spear could still manage to cope somewhat.


    What he could do now was to prepare the Sword Array in advance to see what kind of being would emerge from the other end of the spatial gateway and then rely on the Lihuo Spear to strike them back.


    Afterward, he would retreat to Taixuan, holding out with the Formation and waiting for news from the battlefield on Geng Yiyang''s side.


    If it came to it, he would have to consider thest resort Geng Yiyang had prepared for Taixuan.


    The stars were profoundly unpredictable, and with his current level of Cultivation, Chu Zheng genuinely felt unconfident about facing the myriad unpredictable elements of the universe.


    With changes on the scale of stars urring frequently in the universe, a slight misstep could lead to his death en route, turning into unremarkable cosmic debris.


    By then, the Cangyun Realm might no longer exist, and no one would remember that he had once been there, nor would anyone know who he was.


    This oue was uneptable to Chu Zheng.


    After a moment of reflection, Chu Zheng, using the Five Elements directions, concealed the gathered Heavenly Aura Swords into the void, actively plunged into the deep sea, and began hunting Sea Demons.


    The only method he could think of to quickly enhance his physical strength was the ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, which he had acquired from the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier.


    [ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique (Sixth Order): A Martial Dao Divine Ability that consumes demons to supplement oneself, umtes Blood Fiend for Body Refinement, and upon reachingplete mastery, one can capture dragons with a single hand.]


    He had never had the time to practice this Divine Ability since acquiring it, and now, he finally had the opportunity.


    However, two months was too short a time, even if there were some achievements, they would likely be very limited.

 Chapter 216: Chapter 157: Alien Creatures, Burying the Void and Destroying the Realm_2

    The mighty creatures of the vast ocean, the majority of which are characterized by their enormous size and plentiful flesh, could provide Chu Zheng with an abundant supply of nutrients.


    Chu Zheng left a sliver of his divine sense through the sword array, paying attention to the movements of the spatial channel, and then he continued to dive deeper.


    Soon, he found a rather suitable monster fish, tens of meters long, with a hundred fins growing on its belly, sharp as knives, cutting through the heavy waves as it swam, exuding an oppressive force.


    [Sword Eye Fish (Third Order): A fish demon that lives in the deep sea, its fin isparable to spirit iron, and can be used to refine high-quality magic treasures.]


    A Third Order sea demon, already equal to a Soul Condensing Monk, in the deep sea, the sea demon''sbat power is undoubtedly a notch better.


    The moment it discovered Chu Zheng, the Sword Eye Fish charged straight at him. Its belly fins fluttered, stirring upyers of undercurrents within the heavy waves, with enough force to crush gold and iron.


    Chu Zheng didn''t move an inch, his eyes flickered slightly. He used the Space Condensing Art to immobilize the Sword Eye Fish, then opened a spatial channel and collected it along with arge volume of sea water into his Small World, following right after.


    Separated from the deep sea, the Sword Eye Fish was clearly very ufortable; its entire body inted instantly.


    With Chu Zheng''s current strength, dealing with these mere Third Order sea demons posed no pressure at all.


    He raised his hand and pointed out a ray of sword light, slicing the whole fish in half, and in the next moment, the Method of Qi Absorption operated. He directly drew out the essence from its flesh and blood and absorbed it into his belly.


    The ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique required nourishment by consuming demons, and refining the flesh and blood into essential blood Qi still required some time.


    Now, Chu Zheng, by using the Method of Qi Absorption, directly skipped this step, undoubtedly saving a great amount of time.


    As the essence of flesh and blood entered his body, Chu Zheng felt a tremor in his muscles and bones, his flesh swelled, and his Qi Strength seemed to have increased significantly in an instant.


    As the ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique operated, his body gradually covered with a faintyer of Blood Fiend, with the effect of protective Qi enhancement.


    With the increase of blood Qi, the feeling of fullness deep in his brow eased somewhat.


    Clearly, the method was effective.


    Chu Zheng let out a slight sigh of relief, did not linger longer, left the Small World, and continued to hunt sea demons.


    ...


    ...


    Outer space.


    The spatial channel was sealed off byyers of arrays. As the number of arrays increased, Geng Yiyang''s pressure was significantly lessened. He only needed to manipte a burst of Immortal me to barely fend off the many Heretic Cultivators eyeing him covetously from the periphery.


    As time passed, both sides suffered casualties. At this moment, the battle hade to a semi-halt, and both sides needed time to recuperate.


    Not only did the cultivators of the Cangyun Realm cherish their lives, but so did the cultic cultivators from all across the Myriad Realms. They were not entirely aligned with one faction, and there were disputes among them.


    Ji Yuyan looked up at the suppressed Magic Treasures and let out a sigh.


    If the Immortal Treasures had not been suppressed, their situation would be much better, but obviously the Prohibition Army Order could notst forever and would eventually run out of power some day.


    What they had to do now was to hold out as long as possible. When absolutely necessary, they would detonate the Immortal Treasures directly, which would be enough to engulf the entire star domain in an instant.


    Moreover, there was a certain chance that the explosion would destroy the entrance to the spatial channel, which was the ultimate measure ofst resort.


    On an inconspicuous dead star, several Qi Cultivators gathered together, closing their eyes and regting their breath, appearing calm. However, in their quiet transmission, there was an undercurrent surging:


    "ording to the deductions of several Dao Lords, the Ancestral Dao had once left traces in the Cangyun Realm, the difference between before and after should not exceed twenty years, perhaps there will be clues of its whereabouts within the realm."


    "With our minor cultivation, pursuing the traces of the Ancestral Dao is indeed too forced."


    "The Ancestral Dao has been hidden for a long time. If anything unexpected happens, it will rewrite the pattern of the entire Great Universe. Now, several Dao Lords are entangled with Tribtion Qi, avoiding the world and transforming their tribtions, trying to find a way to cross the Life and Death Tribtion. We can only rely on ourselves."


    "I heard from the Mysterious Universe Dao Lord that the Ancestral Dao''s Life and Death Tribtion is extremely terrifying, almost equal to facing the entire Great Universe. Even if we cannot find its whereabouts, we must not let other beings detect it. The worst-case scenario would be to destroy the Cangyun Realm to help the Ancestral Dao sever all the causal threads of this realm and avoid trouble."


    Qi Cultivators seize Heavenly Fate for themselves, not for others. As Qi Cultivators themselves, they do not reap any benefits from the Ancestral Dao.


    But if anything untoward happens to the Ancestral Dao, and Heavenly Fate scatters, the situation of the entire universe will be imbnced in an instant. As long as the Second-fold Immortal Martial attains more than half of the Heavenly Fate, they will be able to start an all-out Taoist Orthodoxy war directly through the Heavenly Dao, forcing the Myriad Heavens and Realms into open conflict.


    By that time, with the suppression assisted by Heavenly Fate, the Second-fold Immortal Martial would be able to gradually nibble away at the hundred paths, until all rivals and heretic cultivators were swept clean, all must die.


    "Cangyun, a Great Realm on its own, was devoured two-thirds by the Immortal Alliance in the past, iming it was for the salvation of the world, always the same old ruse. With the suppression of the Heavenly Dao True Spirit, and leveraging the Great Realm''s status, they encroached on Heavenly Fate, supplying the Immortal Alliance with an endless stream of fresh blood Qi, and seizing Heavenly Life for themselves, who could be more powerful than them?"


    "But from what I see, this matter is not easy, the Immortal Alliance is indeed difficult to deal with. If we show too much concern for Cangyun Realm, it might backfire. If the whereabouts of the Ancestral Dao are leaked because of us, it would be a grave mistake."


    "However, as of now, Cangyun should be of no importance to the Immortal Alliance."


    Several Qi Cultivators exchanged information briefly and quickly reached a consensus.


    "Then let''s prepare for the worst, the safety of the Ancestral Dao is of utmost importance, everything else is secondary."


    Burying Space and Erasing Worlds is thest resort.


    ... Discover hidden tales at M-V-L


    ...


    Cangyun Realm, Rift Valley Sea.


    Since Chu Zheng began hunting sea demons, more than a month had passed.


    His physical strength had undergone a breakthrough growth, perfectly amodating his Primordial Spirit,


    With the continuous push of elixirs, Chu Zheng was only one step away from thete Soul Condensing Realm, and his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation had also greatly improved, with his Dao Embryo bing much stronger.


    Deep in the ocean, Chu Zheng, who was hunting sea demons, paused for a moment and then rapidly swept towards the sea surface.


    A Flying Boat approached cautiously, moving towards the spatial passage, its body azure blue and skimming the sea surface with great care. If not for Chu Zheng''s Sword Array constantly monitoring the surroundings, he wouldn''t have noticed this Flying Boat at all.


    Soon, Chu Zheng neared the sea surface and saw the approaching Flying Boat with his own eyes.


    [Dark Gold Boat (Fifth Order): Top Quality Magical Treasure, crafted by a demon Artifact Refining Master, with extremely strong defense.]


    Demons? Northern Demon ins?


    Other than the Northern Demon ins, there would be no other force capable of refining a magical treasure of this level.


    A trace of doubt flickered in Chu Zheng''s eyes. This Dark Gold Boat was clearly headed for the spatial passage. Coupled with the information previously provided by the interface, he couldn''t help but specte.


    Could it be... that this sudden spatial passage is rted to the Northern Region Demon Race?


    Chu Zheng did not ponder further, burst forth from the water, holding the Lihuo Spear, and blocked directly in front of the Dark Gold Boat.


    Regardless of the Flying Boat''s purpose, Chu Zheng did not intend to let it near the spatial passage, so as to avoidplications.


    There were about twenty figures on the Flying Boat, all of a half-human, half-demon appearance, with their cultivation and Qi fluctuating around the Soul Condensing Realm.


    Soul Condensing demons could speak humannguage, transform into human form, but were still distant frompletely changing form; they bore distinct traits of the Demon Race, such as scales and armored eyes, wings, and furry tails, and so on.


    Seeing Chu Zheng, who suddenly emerged, the Flying Boat was filled with unrest, and a questioning shout erupted:


    "Who are you?!"


    In the demonmunity, Chu Zheng was not particrly renowned, with hardly any demons knowing about him.


    Soon, four demons walked out from the Flying Boat, surrounding Chu Zheng with a discreet formation, their ws and des shing with a cold light, and a fierce intent to kill simmering within their bestial eyes.


    In an instant, tensions rose, and without wanting to get entangled with them, Chu Zheng decided to strike first, pointing his spear horizontally.


    A zing Immortal me burst forth, condensed into an Aura, and in an instant turned the Dark Gold Boat into a pool of molten iron, incinerating the demons within as well.


    Killing intent boiled in Chu Zheng''s eyes; under immense pressure, he no longer wanted to specte about these unknowns. Facing the four demons surrounding him, he spoke with an icy tone:


    "I''ll give you three breaths'' time to state your purpose, or you die."

 Chapter 217: Chapter 158: Plan to Kill Them All

    As dusk arrived, the remnants of sunset bled like blood.


    The lingering light of the sun filled the vast ocean, sparkling golden red amidst the waves, with the shadows of giant beasts flitting by, swimming beneath the water.


    Amidst this peaceful scenery, the void was filled with a chilling killing intent.


    Chu Zheng stood out of nowhere, surveying the four remaining demons, his eyes almost materializing his murderous intent.


    Discover stories with M-V-L


    For over a month, the number of sea demons he had killed was countless. Due to the progress of his physical body, his body had swelled significantly. Whenever he slightly stirred, his body would be enveloped by a visibleyer of blood-red aura, like a god of ughter on Earth, nearly condensing into substance.


    "Please hold your hand! We are only ordered toe here to find the space portal!"


    "The message from our n said that soon there will be a path leading to the outer realm opening nearby, a path of life, and a Demon Emperor will meet us to leave the Cangyun Realm and avoid disaster."


    "We mean no offense, please show mercy!"


    Staring at the Lihuo Spear in Chu Zheng''s hand, the four surviving demons, not even pausing to mourn their kin turned to ashes, hastened without hesitation to exin the purpose of their visit.


    In their understanding, bowing to the strong was not shameful, or rather, the concept of shame was absent from their minds.


    "Avoid disaster?"


    Upon hearing these words, a spark shot through Chu Zheng''s mind as he pressed, "Did the Demon Race know they were going to lose this battle well in advance and thus made preparations? Or is there another hidden reason? Where does the other end of the space portal lead to?"


    In an instant, many thoughts crossed his mind, at least now he could confirm that the Northern Region Demon Race definitely had connections with the outer realms, otherwise, they would not consider opening a space portal here.


    If not for the portal''s location appearing specifically on the migration path of the Eastern Territory Song n, it likely wouldn''t have been discovered by anyone until it opened.


    The four demons exchanged nces and then simultaneously focused on a Wolf Demon among them, who had the strongest cultivation, already at Soul Condensing Realm Perfection. Aside from his green fur, his face had almostpletely resembled that of the Human Race, just a step away from a full transformation.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze followed,nding on him, and his panel quickly transmitted sinct information.


    [Qing Mu (Third Order): Belongs to the Green Wolf Tribe, recently seeded as the Green Wolf Tribe n Leader, born with exceptionally strong bloodline power, shows signs of Ancestral Return, with space for certain bloodline transformations.]


    "You answer."


    Chu Zheng pressed the spear against Qing Mu''s throat, the tip''s sharp aura cutting through the strong beast skin, traces of blood staining the yet undimmed green fur.


    "I do not know the specifics."


    Sensing the sharp presence at his throat, Qing Mu felt a dryness in his throat and hoarsely said:


    "A message was secretly passed among a few major ns, stating that the Cangyun Realm is about to be invaded by evil demons, urging us all to evacuate the realm. This message was transmitted by a Demon Immortal in the Immortal Alliance about half a year ago."


    "This space portal was likely opened temporarily by a Demon Emperor, leading to a Life Star, capable of amodating us for recovery and reproduction."


    The Demon Emperor, far stronger than the Shape-shifting Demon King, isparable to the peak of Human Race''s Immortal Tribtion Realm, with a strength of Seventh Order.


    "Since the Immortal Alliance can open a portal, why has no onee here to reinforce? Why doesn''t the Human Race know about this news?"


    Midway through speaking, Chu Zheng suddenly realized, Demon Immortal? Half a year ago?


    His mind churned rapidly, excavating all the information he had received previously, sorting through it all.


    If calcted by time, half a year ago was exactly when he informed Geng Yiyang about the Giant Marsh space portal.


    That was also the time when the Immortal Alliance received the message about the outer realm evil demons.


    On the Human side, including Ji Yuyan who is a Pseudo-Immortal, no one received any orders to retreat, yet the Demon Race did, and someone even came specifically to open a secretive space portal, allowing these demons to safely leave the realm.


    Was this the individual idea of that unknown Demon Immortal, or an intentional act by the Immortal Alliance?


    Many terrifying assumptions arose in Chu Zheng''s mind, momentarily giving him chills.


    The space portal above Giant Marsh posed a much greater threat than the one opened a short while ago.


    Unlike normal beings, those outer realm evil demons could no longer be considered as such; just from Geng Yiyang''s descriptions, Chu Zheng could feel the monstrous nature of these creatures.


    Moreover, the evil energy could erode mana and even the Divine Soul, indicating aplete change in the environmental conditions, an irreconcble conflict.


    In that Demon Immortal''s words, the Cangyun Realm was about to be invaded by evil demons. Does he refer to these outer realm evil demons, or the recently opened portal?


    Regaining hisposure, Chu Zheng steadied his emotions and stared intently at Qing Mu, speaking gravely:


    "Many Wolf Demons from the Northern Region have also gone to the outer realm battlefield. What about their lives if you just leave like this?"


    "I also do not know."


    Qing Mu hesitated, "My father passed the position of n Leader to me a few days ago, telling me to make future decisions on my own."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng had already understood that those Shape-shifting Demon Kings who went to the outer realm had also prepared for death.


    The only difference was that they had left a way back for their own tribes, whereas the Human Race had not.


    Their participation in the war was clearly to reassure the Human Race, or perhaps to conceal information about that Demon Immortal.


    However, regardless of the reason, the space portal not far away was increasingly closer to opening, leaving not much time for Chu Zheng.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 218: Chapter 158: Plan, Kill Them All_2

    Chu Zheng finally organized his thoughts, gradually sorting the tangled information in his mind, and soon several most likely guesses emerged.


    First, the Immortal Alliance''s n might be to give up the Cangyun, and bury the evil demon portal of this region along with the external invaders currently intruding, into the starry sky once and for all.


    The second possibility was to drive away the tiger and swallow the wolf by connecting two space portals, using the power of the outer demons to deal with the enemies beyond this space channel.


    Beyond these two possibilities, there was a third one... that the message previously reported to the higher authorities by Geng Yiyang was suppressed by that Demon Immortal.


    But in such a case, Zhao Tingxian, who currently presided over the Heavenly Dao, couldn''t possibly be unaware.


    Based on this, Zhao Tingxian might have his own ns and was very likely in cahoots with that Demon Immortal...


    Chu Zheng shook his head, dispelling the numerous spections in his mind, and looked towards Qing Mu, his gaze regaining its cold focus:


    "Send a message, inform your kin, and say that a space portal has been discovered here, and gather them at this location."


    Upon hearing this, Qing Mu''s gaze shifted slightly, nced at the Lihuo Spear in Chu Zheng''s hand, and asked with a trembling voice, "What are you nning to do?"


    Chu Zheng didn''t speak, but just held the Lihuo Spear tighter, Qing Mu''s fingertips trembled, but under the immense pressure of death, he still transmitted the message, spreading the news of the discovered space portal throughout the entire sea.


    Soon, in the void, waves of aura fluctuations transmitted, and the demon Qi became increasingly dense.


    "In front of you all, to kill your kin causes harm to Heavenly harmony, I''ll send you on your way first."


    Chu Zheng soon sensed many approaching demon auras. He no longer hesitated, and after a low murmur, he raised his hand with a horizontal sweep of his spear, ughtering four demons including Qing Mu, allowing demon blood to drench his entire body.


    Regardless of the truth, the fact he saw was that the Demon Race had betrayed the Human Race, trying to escape alone. He no longer wanted to waste his energy thinking about anything else.


    What he needed to do now was to kill all the demons converging towards this location.


    ording to thew of the Immortal Alliance, those who retreat in the face of battle will be executed.


    It''s ironic, he was now the master of a Holy Land, barely counted as part of the Immortal Alliance; enforcing thew, was not considered overstepping.


    In an instant, several figures rapidly approached, their bodies grew wings, obviously demon birds, their speed was terrifyingly fast, far exceeding the typical Cultivators of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    The moment they saw Chu Zheng, the group of demon birds didn''t hesitate at all, attacking instantly, already sensing the thick demon blood Qi on Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng didn''t unleash the Divine Fire, his figure gradually vanished into the void, and he first sealed the void with the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation to avoid rming the subsequent demons who continued to rush towards this location.


    Hum¡ª


    The next moment, the Sword Formation lit up, five-colored divine lights isted all fluctuations.


    After several breaths, the Sword Formation dissipated, demon blood mixed with skeletons fell into the ocean, several feathers drifted down, devoid of any sign of life.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.


    In the Northern Demon ins, after so many years of recuperation, even though there was predation among the ns, the number of demons bred was still astoundingly high.


    If it weren''t for the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, the Lihuo Spear, and the robustness of the Heavenly Aura Sword far surpassing top-quality magical treasures, Chu Zheng wouldn''t know how many weapons he would have had to shatter just to annihte the iing enemies.


    The space portal in the Rift Valley Sea became more apparent, a very obvious crack had appeared, rising and falling as if it were breathing.


    Soon, a very distinct special spiritual energy surged out from the space crack.


    Though it was spiritual energy,pared to that within the Cangyun Realm, there were significant differences, with an otherworldly aura of the Heavenly Dao permeating through it.


    The portal had been open for several days without any movement, until nearly ten dayster, when a slight ripple urred.


    A somewhat ethereal figure crossed through the space portal, arriving above the Rift Valley Sea, but was stunned by everything before its eyes.


    The crimson ocean, with its thick waves like blood, asionally revealed skeletons within the foams, now emerging on the surface, now smashed back into the abyss, within a radius of thousands of miles, a deste and horrific painting was formed.


    A blood-coloured figure sat cross-legged in midair, arge spear lying horizontally on hisp, his robes a deep red - it was unclear whether this was their original color, or they had been dyed by fresh blood. The crown on his head was also soaked in demon blood, showing no true color.


    Chu Zheng calmly observed the neer, his face soon transmitting information.


    [Feng Yue (Sixth Order): An incarnation of the Demon Emperor, newly condensed, affected by thews of Heaven and Earth, itsbat power weakened, onlyparable to a cultivator at the Early Tongxuan Stage.]


    There was no trace of demon Qi on Feng Yue''s body, dressed in fine clothes, nearly in his forties, and if not for the panel''s hint, Chu Zheng would never have thought that the handsome man before him was a giant demon.


    Upon seeing this incarnation, Chu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.


    As he had anticipated, the Demon Emperor was already equivalent to a fighter of the Immortal Tribtion Realm of the Human Race, ranked at the Seventh Order, and fundamentally unable to traverse across realms through this spatial channel.


    "These... did you kill them?"


    Feng Yue looked at the endless bones in the vast ocean, feeling a chill in his head and feet for a moment. He hade here at the behest of a Demon Immortal, unaware whether any of the mingled bones contained the bloodline of Demon Immortals.


    With the situation turning out this way, his return empty-handed was inevitable, and punishment was certain.


    Chu Zheng bowed his head, wiped the blood off the Lihuo Spear, and nodded:


    "What you see before your eyes, I have killed all."


    Crack¡ª


    Faint spatial fissures spread from beside Feng Yue. He tightened his palm and repeatedly said:


    "Good, good, good."


    His eyes were filled with killing intent, but he did not advance to strike. He recognized at a nce the reality of the Lihuo Spear, a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure at its peak state, a manifestation of his that he simply could not handle.


    Feng Yue suppressed the rage in his heart and spoke coldly:


    "Young fellow, what is your name?"


    "Chu Zheng."


    "I have remembered it."


    Feng Yue''s expression regained itsposure, only the killing intent remained in his eyes:


    "If you can live a bit longer, this name... many Demon Immortals within the Immortal Alliance will know it."


    "That would be for the best."


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained utterly unrippled, the killing intent of a Demon Emperor insignificant in his eyes.


    "I have seen many with exceptional talents, but sometimes high talents do not mean you can live long."


    Feng Yue dropped this line, said no more, and turned to step into the spatial channel.


    Chu Zheng, unmoved, bowed his head to wipe his spear, muttering:


    "I am not yet twenty, grant me another ten years, and I will take your head, hardly more difficult than killing them. You are likely to die before me."


    Feng Yue''s steps hesitated, he abruptly turned around, giving Chu Zheng a deep look, as if to engrave his figure into his eyes.


    "If you don''t wish to leave, then stay."


    Chu Zheng raised his head, the Lihuo Spear in his palm had already disappeared without a trace.


    Feng Yue felt a sudden st of evil wind above his head. In his haste, he looked up, only to see a void melted by Divine Fire.


    The intense Divine Fire engulfed the spatial channel, and in the blink of an eye, Feng Yue''s figure melted into a wisp of blue smoke, leaving no trace behind.


    The spatial channel faintly twisted, as a terrifying burst of energy caused it to teeter on the brink of copse.


    ...


    ...


    In the outer space, stars shimmered like a sea.


    On a meteor, Shang Zuling''s gaze was downcast, her back straight as a pine tree, her originally slightly yellowplexion now a bit pale.


    Her eyes scanned the people of myriad realms in the distance, beginning to ponder.


    From birth, a voice inside her had told her she was a descendant of the Immortal King. The origin of this voice was unknown to her, but her bloodline informed her she could contact this voice at any time.


    Yet she had never attempted such a thing and did not have much confidence.


    But the current situation had reached a point where she had no choice but to try.


    In front of the myriad realms'' camp, stood a towering figure, propping up the heavens and shouldering the Earth, the meteor but a ything at its fingertips.


    Laws of Heaven and Earth, the true Divine Skills of the Qi Refining lineage.


    This was a true Heavenly Immortal, surrounded by clearly visible Immortal Light, who, even without undergoing the thunder tribtion, had relied on his own strength to cultivate a pure Immortal Body and foster genuine immortal power.

 Chapter 219: Chapter 159: Immortal Kings Projection, Deciding Fate

    Qi Refining Lineage, Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, Cultivate Jade Bones, Constructing the Dao Embryo, gathering the Golden Core, Qi Refining into Spirit, to this point essence, qi, and spirit all reach Perfection, then entering the Returning to Void Realm, Hold the One and Keep the Prime, bing a Pure Yang Primordial Spirit, stepping into Dao Integration.


    Entering Dao Integration, after enduring a hundred cmities, one can finally be a Heavenly Immortal, the hardships one must endure during this process are unimaginable.


    Speaking of the difficulty of cultivation, Qi Refining is actually far more challenging than the Immortal Path, not only demanding extremely highprehension but also possessing a lofty threshold for entry; without sufficient talent, it is immensely difficult to aplish anything in Qi Refining.


    Previously, regarding Qi Cultivators, Shang Zuling had little understanding, having no concept at all in her mind of what level a Heavenly Immortal truly reached.


    But now, she did.


    The Heavenly Immortal before her, merely standing there without taking action, the formidable qi emanating from him had nearly crushed most of the Cangyun Cultivators in the Cangyun Realm.


    Ji Yuyan''s fingertips trembled slightly, his breathing slightly disordered, scabs covered his cheeks, his expression indiscernible.


    His body was covered in deep, bone-exposing wounds, his clothes ragged; amidst consecutive defenses, his not yet fully transformed Immortal Body shattered countless times, often forcibly reassembled, his essence now less than a tenth of what it initially was.


    Among all the Cangyun Cultivators, he faced undoubtedly the greatest pressure.


    Even with the aid of Immortal me, Geng Yiyang could not stand alone against these Myriad Realmbatants who''d entered the Seventh Realm for long, necessitating that he risk his life to share the burden.


    Had it not been for Ji Yuyan fortifying himself deeply in advance in preparation for transcending the tribtion, and preparing arge quantity of restorative Immortal Pills and healing Immortal Elixirs, he would have copsed long ago.


    However, the appearance of this Heavenly Immortal undoubtedlypletely shattered the bnce that was being barely maintained previously.


    This Heavenly Immortal was definitely not a neer to the Heavenly Immortal Realm; his aura was ancient and robust, his foundation unfathomably deep, among the Heavenly Immortals likely one of the strongest, sufficiently rivaling an Immortal Path Lord.


    Facing such an entity, let alone now with the seal on the Immortal Treasure, even if the dozen or so Immortal Treasures above his head could be used at will, Cangyun''s chances of victory were minimal.


    With this thought, Ji Yuyan sighed lightly, lifted his gaze to the distant twinkling stars, a hint of mncholy in his eyes, in a gxy far beyond his reach,y his homnd he could no longer return to.


    Before stepping onto the Immortal Path, he had imagined countless times his own end but never thought that one day, to protect a Great Realm with little connection to his own, he would die here, even unable to leave behind his remains.


    Regarding the possibility of Immortal Alliance reinforcements arriving, he had already lost hope.


    Since the conflict began, over two months had passed; if the Immortal Alliance was to dispatch aid, even at its slowest, they should have sent one or two True Immortals by now, but so far, nothing had arrived.


    Assistance from Myriad Realms, however, arrived batch after batch; now, even individuals from the Heavenly Immortal Realm hade.


    Not far behind him, Geng Yiyang withdrew his Immortal me, reverting to his previous aged state.


    Even without the Heavenly Immortal''s arrival, his lifespan wouldn''t havested much longer; now, he seemed like a candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.


    Being buried in the starry sky was also a death he had never imagined.


    "Heaven has a virtue of good life, your cultivation to this point has not been easy."


    The profound Dao voice echoed across the starry sky, causing slight ripples, resounding like a great bell or drum, deafening:


    "Cangyun was once my homnd, I wish not to create too much ughter, adding to karma, let us stop here."


    Under the imposing image of a great Dao bearing down, these two seemingly understated sentences were filled with an oppressive force that was hard to refuse,


    No Cangyun Cultivator doubted that this Heavenly Immortal could tten them all with a single p.


    "As fellow cultivators, today I honor you as Superior Immortal!"


    Ji Yuyan gave a bitterugh, "Superior Immortal, can you ensure our paths of immortality continue uninterrupted?"


    The response was a prolonged silence.


    The dispute over the Taoist Orthodoxy is a matter of Heavenly Fate, even if these Immortal Path Cultivators could avoid death, they could not continue their cultivation, nor could their descendantse into contact with the Immortal Path.


    To a cultivator, being unable to continue cultivation is akin to death.


    If the hundred paths could truly coexist with the Immortal Path, this dispute over the Taoist Orthodoxy would not havested so many years.


    The words of that Confucian Daoist Monk were not false, indeed the hundred paths could amodate the Immortal Path, provided that Immortal Path stops here and subsequently has no followers.


    Facing the deathly silence, Ji Yuyan''s body lit up with Immortal Light, the scabs on his face bing even more ferocious:


    "As long as we live, continue to cultivate, then the luck of Immortal Path continues; ultimately, even if we have to die, imprisoned until the end of our lives, how is that different from dying in battle now?!"


    "Superior Immortal, hold back, we are willing to surrender!"


    "I am willing to surrender too!"


    Before Ji Yuyan''s words fell, responses continuously came from a distance.


    He abruptly turned to look back, a group of Shape-shifting Demon Kings spoke in turn, their expressions fraught.


    Being of the Demon Race, they differed fundamentally from Immortal Path Cultivators, the Heavenly Fate having little impact on them; in the Immortal Alliance, as mounts for the Demon Race, or as mountain guardians in Myriad Realms, they could continue to survive.


    Being a mount was preferable to extinction.


    Seeing this, Ji Yuyan couldn''t help but frown deeply, his eyes shing with extreme ferocity, and he growled through gritted teeth:


    "ursed beasts!"


    Facing Ji Yuyan''s sweeping gaze, the group of Shape-shifting Demon Kings showed no fear, not waiting for Ji Yuyan to act, they rapidly fled toward the Myriad Realms camp.


    In just a short moment earlier, they had already quietly moved to the edge of the battlefield, and now with a slight shift, they moved beyond the Array set by many Cangyun Cultivators and entered the Myriad Realms camp.

 Chapter 220: Chapter 159: Immortal Kings Projection, Judging the Sky_2

    As they ran, they all reverted to their original forms, shedding their human disguises. Under the starry sky, the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers growling, and phoenixes chirping and cranes crying, filled the air.


    In the Myriad Realms, without permission, no foreign beings had the right to maintain a human form, which was considered an overstep.


    They were well aware of this unspoken rule.


    At this moment, there was no pressure in their hearts. Calcting the time, the younger generations of all races within the realm had already escaped; the Cangyun Realm was doomed sooner orter, so there was no need to needlessly sacrifice their lives.


    Seeing this scene, the expressions of many Cangyun Cultivators turned somewhat dismal; unlike these demons, they had no way out.


    Ji Yuyan''s breathing became more chaotic, and after a moment, determination shed in his eyes. He turned back and waved his sleeve, activating the array that sealed the entry to the spatial passageway.


    The Immortal Treasures were suppressed in midair, unable to move, only the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures that had not yet been used could barely be retrieved.


    He sent all the retrievable Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures into the passageway along with a six-character decree:


    [All demons must be exterminated!]


    The remaining Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures naturally knew what to do.


    Despite Ji Yuyan''s actions, the many Demon Kings who had merged into the Myriad Realms'' forces showed no sign of concern; their kin had already left Cangyun by this time.


    "Leave the Immortal Treasures and Immortal me behind, I''ll hold them off for a while."


    Ji Yuyan''s voice resounded in the minds of many cultivators:


    "Go back and check on your disciples and students. I won''t be able to manage much after my death, so you can make your own decisions."


    The implicit meaning was that he was letting these cultivators go; after the Myriad Realms entered Cangyun, they could choose to surrender.


    Although the path of immortality was cut off, they could at least save their lives.


    A hint of fatigue involuntarily emerged between Ji Yuyan''s brows.


    After igniting the Immortal me and the Immortal Treasures, the area near the spatial passageway should produce a massive amount of turbulence. Reopening it would take at least ten to fifteen days.


    This was thest dy he could manage.


    The reinforcements from the Immortal Alliance were dyed; now that the tides had turned, this was all he could do.


    However, after Ji Yuyan transmitted his message, not a single person moved to step into the spatial passageway.


    "What is there to fear in death? If Immortal Ji is willing to sacrifice his life for Cangyun, so are we."


    "If the path to immortality is severed, it''s better to die on the battlefield than to barely survive in this world. What meaning is there to such an existence?"


    "My Song n had four True Immortals among my ancestors. As a prominent True Immortal family, fleeing the battlefield would disgrace the honor of our predecessors."


    Under a toppled nest, how can there be unbroken eggs?


    In the Myriad Realms'' invasion of Cangyun, the most valued descendants and disciples would have their paths to immortality severed.


    They had the potential to reach higher realms but now had to stop here. For a cultivator, this was a hundred times more terrifying than death.


    As fellow cultivators, they could naturally empathize with this feeling.


    From the moment they set foot in the spatial passageway, they had put their lives aside.


    Moreover, major powers that had survived to this day usually had some life-saving tricks up their sleeves. Beforeing here, most had already arranged their affairs.


    Rather than entering the spatial passageway wasting time with tugs and pulls, it was better to stay and send news of their death as quickly as possible, letting their descendants flee for their lives.


    Ji Yuyan scanned the crowd of cultivators and his gaze stopped on Geng Yiyang.


    "Why are you looking at me?"


    At the brink of death, Geng Yiyang''s tone was devoid of the previous respect, and his cloudy eyes shed with a hint of amusement:


    "Before I left, I had already arranged all my affairs. At this point, to return disgraced would ruin the reputation I''ve protected all my life. Besides, some people would rather see me dead sooner."


    Among the crowd, Geng Yiyang''s mindset was undeniably the most rxed; he knew that Chu Zheng pursued a Heretic Path, and even if the Myriad Realms invaded Cangyun, the worst-case scenario, with Chu Zheng''s methods, survival wouldn''t be difficult. At the very least, he would preserve a Fire Seed for Taixuan.


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze shed briefly towards the Taixu Saint Lord, not far away. He considered half-raising an outcry over the deaths of You Ziyun and Ye Yulou years ago, but then it struck him that he was close to death as well.


    After the Myriad Realms enter Cangyun, the Tai Xu Holy Land will cease to exist, and questioning these matters now seemed utterly meaningless.


    Years of cunning plots among the various Holy Lands, under the overwhelming presence of the Heavenly Immortal''s Dharma Aspect from the Myriad Realms, now seemed petty and pitiful.


    The gaze of the Taixu Saint Lord met his, and in mutual understanding, they fell into silence.


    A cold, solemn aura spread, almost freezing the void, heavy with the scent of death.


    Watching this scene, Shang Zuling, who sat cross-legged on a meteor, took a deep breath. Her body surged with a brilliant blood light, and strands of fresh blood seeped from the pores of her skin, forming a mysterious talismatic pattern in the void.


    These old beings were prepared to meet their deaths nobly, but she was not yet ready to die. Her path as an Immortal had only just begun. How could it be cut so short?


    The reason she had chosen the name ''Ancestral Spirit'' was due to the protection of her ancestor''s spirit within her. Yet, until today, she had never thought she would one day ask that ancestor for help.


    Reluctantly, wanting to break free from her ancestor''s constraints to prove her own extraordinary nature, Shang Zuling had no choice but to seek help from that never-before-met ancestor.


    Cangyun Immortal King.


    In an instant, the talismatic pattern had formed. Shang Zuling hesitated only briefly before she squeezed out the activation incantation through clenched teeth:


    "Ancestor, save me!"


    Hum¡ª


    The variegated aura in the starry sky suddenly stagnated, and the flow of time seemed to slow, until it halted.


    The Heavenly Immortal standing before the Myriad Realms'' camp''s lines suddenly changed his expression, an involuntary sh of terror crossing his eyes as he felt the Tribtion Qi engulfing him start to churn.


    He had been in seclusion for a long time, greatly advancing his cultivation, and had even ascended two minor levels without yet managing to transform his tribtion. He had hurried to this battlefield because of the Ancestral Dao, a matter of great importance.


    Experienced with traversing tribtions, he was confident enough to dy the explosion of his great tribtion.


    But now, under some unknown influence, the previously calm Tribtion Qi had exploded prematurely!


    What shocked him even more was that after the outbreak, the Tribtion Qi had violently surged, seemingly endless, and in the blink of an eye, it had transformed from a routine tribtion into a life-and-death great tribtion, and it was far from over.


    Seeing this, he did not hesitate, using a Secret Technique to temporarily suppress the Tribtion Qi.


    Then, with a flip of the palm of his Communicating Heaven Dharma Aspect, he instantaneously connected through space and time. He moved several Qi Cultivators and a small part of the Seventh Order Cultivators from the Myriad Realms camp light years away, far from the battlefield.


    However, the brief dy allowed the life-and-death great tribtion''s Qi to escte further, ultimately morphing into a death tribtion.


    A visible ck mist emerged from the overflowing Immortal Light of the Dharma Aspect, filled with ominous signs.


    Many cultivators of the Myriad Realms'' camp, along with the newly defected Demon King, had no idea what had happened, and looked puzzled.


    But in the next moment, their expressions changed dramatically. Their bodies seemed to be immovably sandwiched within an invisible barrier, unable to move the slightest bit, their Manapletely suppressed, unresponsive no matter how they tried to activate it.


    Hum¡ª


    A bridge of Immortal Light, forming a rainbow that bridged time and space, emerged from the end of the universe, extending to them. Wherever it passed, Immortal Light overflowed, creating endless extraordinary scenes.


    In an instant, under the starry dome, a figure abruptly appeared, indistinct and somewhat ethereal, as if just a shadow.


    Only the Heavenly Immortal had the energy to speak, his tone tinged with sadness:


    "Projection of the Immortal King..."


    Facing the projection of an Immortal King, he had no chance of survival. The brief moment of dy had cost him thest opportunity to escape.


    The power of the Immortal King, through the residual Qi between heaven and earth, had instantly understood the causes and consequences of the situation, without needing any exnation.


    His eyes cast down, without making a move, the Heavenly Immortal''s Dharma Aspect began to dissolve, like snow into boiling soup, along with his physical body, disintegrating in the blink of an eye.


    The many cultivators in the Myriad Realms, still unresponsive, followed suit, turning into cosmic ash.


    The next instant, a profound whisper echoed under the starry sky:


    "Zhao Tingxian, having failed in his duty to oversee the Heavenly Dao, due to personal desires, concealed the presence of the outer realm demons without reporting. He shall be executed, proceed to the Immortal Alliance to receive your punishment, followers to be judged equally."

 Chapter 221: Chapter 160: Sudden Change, Evil Energy Leaks Out

    Cangyun Realm, Rift Valley Sea.


    Chu Zheng sat in the void, refining the Blood Fiend within him. Having in so many of the Demon Race, the progress of his ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique was astonishing; it had reached minor aplishment in just a short time.


    Now, relying solely on his physical body, ordinary cultivators in the initial stage of the Soul Condensing Realm were no match for him.


    The physique ofmon Divine Infant Great Ability cultivators also couldn''tpare to Chu Zheng now, who bore the power of the Spirit and Soul without the slightest bit of stress.


    With the continuous supplementation of elixirs, the growth of Chu Zheng''s Spirit and Soul was advancing by leaps and bounds.


    Some time ago, his Immortal Path Cultivation had progressed further, stepping into thete stages of the Soul Condensing Realm. His Qi Refining''s Cultivation had also increased considerably, just one step away from theter stages of the Dao Embryo Realm.


    At this rate, it would only take a few months at most before he could try to condense a Divine Infant and, after strengthening his Dao Embryo, attempt to reach the Golden Core Realm.


    For a Qi Cultivator, forming a Life-bound Golden Core is undoubtedly a qualitative transformation. By inscribing Divine Skills atop the Golden Core, one can possess the power to move mountains and fill seas.


    However, in such a short period, killing too many had not been without impact on Chu Zheng. Ominous energy surged around him, and he struggled to control his emotional fluctuations.


    Below him, the ocean once dyed red with blood was now barely traceable, as huge shadows were faintly visible, patrolling among the waves.


    This ce had seen Fifth Order and even Sixth Order Sea Demons appear, all attracted by the abundant Blood Qi, devouring all the debris that had fallen into the sea.


    This is the distinction betweennd and the boundless ocean; onnd, traces of this battlefield would remain for hundreds of years.


    No sea demon dared to act rashly against Chu Zheng, for the Lihuo Spear by his side possessed a strong deterrent power against them.


    "Zhao Tingxian has neglected his duty in managing the Heavenly Dao, concealed the report of the Evil Demon Realm incursion due to his own personal desires, and shall be executed for his crime. Proceed to the Immortal Alliance to ept punishment. Those who apanied him will be dealt with in the same manner."


    A divine announcement suddenly rang out, spreading across the entire Cangyun Realm, jolting Chu Zheng from his secluded meditation. He looked around in shock, with numerous doubts surfacing in his mind.


    From whence this voice originated, Chu Zheng did not know, but he surmised it must be someone from the Immortal Alliance.


    The most crucial was the mention of Zhao Tingxian.


    He had harbored suspicions about Zhao Tingxian before, but could not confirm them.


    He just couldn''tprehend what Zhao Tingxian stood to gain by hiding the news of the Evil Demon Realm and allowing the spatial channel to open.


    Now with certain evidence at hand, Chu Zheng put himself in the position of Zhao Tingxian, and after much consideration, he could onlye to two conclusions.


    One possibility was that Zhao Tingxian desired something from the Evil Demon, or rather, he sought to use them to achieve certain goals.


    Based on this, Chu Zheng spected that the Myriad Realms'' invasion was likely not anticipated by Zhao Tingxian, or perhaps it disrupted some of his ns.


    The voice mentioned the Evil Demon Realm instead of the Myriad Realms.


    Hiding the news of the Evil Demon Realm would undoubtedly be a far greater sin than concealing the invasion from the Myriad Realms.


    Moreover, since the Demon Race had received news and started preparations half a year ago, it was evident that Zhao Tingxian must have had ns for the spatial channel above Giant Marsh.


    Before Chu Zheng entered the Cangyun Secret Realm, there had been no whispers about the Myriad Realms invasion through this spatial channel.


    Chu Zheng''s second guess was somewhat terrifying; he thought of Zhao Tingxian''s path of cultivation.


    In his previous meditations, he had made many spections about the path Zhao Tingxian followed in his cultivation.


    Born with a Fire Spirit Body, andter by serendipity bing part of the Tai Xu Holy Land, Chu Zheng previously surmised that Zhao Tingxian might haveprehended the mysteries of Yin and Yang by practicing thebination of fire and water, which led to his current cultivation status.


    Chu Zheng''s path, the way he cultivated Immortal Law, had many simrities to that of Zhao Tingxian.


    The Yin Yang Spirit within his Niwan Pce was the result of his trials based on the rtionship between the Evil Demon Realm and the current universe, founded on the Way of Yin and Yang.


    Considering Zhao Tingxian''s current level of cultivation, he must have a profound understanding of the Way of Yin and Yang.


    Perhaps Zhao Tingxian discovered some immense secret on the Evil Demon''s body, rted to his own path of cultivation, which led to his current arrangements.


    After pondering for a long time, Chu Zheng gathered his thoughts, stood up, and prepared to head towards the spatial channel between the northern and southern regions to see the situation.


    Since the Immortal Alliance had sent reinforcements, he anticipated that the situation would likely turn for the better, and he might receive some good news.


    As for Zhao Tingxian, now that the Immortal Alliance had spoken, no matter what ns he had before, he would likely not escape death. There was no need to think too much about it for now.


    Before Chu Zheng could start on his way, a streak of Spiritual Light came from the sky andnded beside him.


    A Jade Umbre slowly unfolded, casting down strands of Spiritual Light.


    "The Flowing Cloud Umbre?!"


    Seeing the unexpected return of the Flowing Cloud Umbre, Chu Zheng was momentarily surprised. His first reaction was that reinforcements from the Immortal Alliance had arrived and the battle in the outer realm had ended.


    The Flowing Cloud Umbre conveyed a message, sharing with Chu Zheng every scene it had witnessed in the battle of the outer realm.


    After entering the spatial channel, it had no knowledge of the subsequent events and was unclear about the current state of affairs.


    Chu Zheng''s brow furrowed with concern as he flipped his palm, a Dragon of Divine Fire emerging into view.


    This Divine Fire could reveal whether Geng Yiyang was alive or dead; since the fire still burned, Geng Yiyang must still be alive...

 Chapter 222: Chapter 160: Sudden Change, Evil Energy Leaks Out_2

    He no longer lingered, took out the Star-shatter Shuttle, and rushed non-stop to the entrance of the space passage.


    ...


    ...


    Giant Marsh Country.


    The moment the divine sound arose, heavy thunder clouds enveloped tens of thousands of miles, obliterating the sun from the sky. The entire Giant Marsh was cast into utmost darkness, where one could not see their own fingers.


    Only the asional shes of lightning could bring a trace of light.


    Boom¡ª


    Dazzling lightning roiled within the clouds before quickly solidifying into a Thundering Giant Sword spanning more than a hundred thousand miles, which then shed down thunderously.


    Crack¡ª


    Along with a crisp cracking sound, a fissure abruptly appeared at the Sky Summit, and visible grey mist started to seep out, enveloping Giant Marsh like a fog, quickly dissipating at an rming rate.


    A considerable portion of the grey mist was swept up by the thunderclouds and turned into a grey long arrow, shooting deep into the starry sky and disappearing into the Chaos in the blink of an eye.


    Momentster, the thunderclouds dispersed, and the sun''s radiance fell, yet it was unable to prate into the Giant Marsh anymore.


    Thick grey clouds obscured the firmament, and an indescribable, eerie aura spread throughout the mountains, rivers, and vegetation.


    The spiritual energy was gradually eroded and consumed. Soon, cultivators noticed something amiss as the mana within them started to decline. The air around them seemed to be mixed with some intense poison, starting to corrode their bodies.


    At the same time, within their minds, illusions proliferated. Their Divine Souls experienced unprecedented fierce impacts. For a moment, their spiritual consciousness became clouded, nearly plunging them into an endless nightmare.


    In the numerous rivers and waterways of Giant Marsh, the water began to boil. Many water demons were the first to transform, as if their bodies had been taken over by some alien force, and their power surged to varying degrees.


    Soon, the water demons began toe ashore, plunging the entire Giant Marsh into chaos, resulting in countless bloody ughters.


    Only cultivators above the Entry Dao Realm managed to maintain some rationality and sent out calls for help to the outside world.


    Due to the presence of the alien realm space passage, the Holy Lands had set up defensive lines in this area. They soon noticed the anomaly and sounded the rm to the outside world.


    At the same time that the space passage in Giant Marsh was opened, an even more astonishing event urred above a stretch of the sea.


    Here was the entrance to the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    Thunderclouds shrouded tens of thousands of miles of the sea area. The Immortal Patterns that suppressed the Cangyun Secret Realm were activated, appearing intricate andplex, profound and indecipherable.


    These Immortal Patterns, created by a supreme Immortal King, had be partially damaged over time and needed repair.


    The rumbling of lightning resounded once more, crystallizing again into a Thundering Giant Sword, which abruptly smashed down.


    Boom¡ª


    The earth-shaking explosion spread throughout the Cangyun Realm, and the massive surge of energy instantly created a vacuum of tens of thousands of miles in the sky above the vast ocean.


    The endless sea water was instantlypressed, and the marine creatures in that area, even if their strength was as high as the Fifth or even Sixth Order, could not make the slightest noise. In the blink of an eye, they were all ground into blood that stained a vast expanse of the sea.


    Crack¡ª


    A gigantic fissure abruptly emerged on the barrier of the Cangyun Secret Realm, spanning thousands of miles, clearly visible.


    The Immortal Patterns above it twisted and changed, intertwining into a, struggling to repair the breach.


    Before the breach could heal, the Thundering Giant Sword shed down again. The might wrapped around this de was even more terrifying, instantly severing the Immortal Patternspletely.


    The next instant, lightning solidified into a palm nearly a million miles wide, sweeping across the Secret Realm, grabbing countless spiritual objects wrapped in treasure light and arge number of corpses, and throwing them all into a space passage.


    As the barrier of the Cangyun Secret Realm was breached, streams of immense spiritual energy began to flow into the Cangyun Realm, instantly altering the environment of heaven and earth.


    In that instant, the Heavenly Dao underwent tremendous changes. After a violent rolling of the thunderclouds above the firmament, they quickly dissipated, restoring calmness.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng exhaustedly urged the Star-shatter Shuttle forward, spending a day to finally arrive in front of the space passage.


    At this time, there were already quite a few figures at the space passage, all with cultivation fluctuations above the Divine Infant stage.


    Cultivators that had ventured to the other side of the alien realm had already begun to return.


    Soon, Chu Zheng spotted Geng Yiyang and others in the crowd.


    A smile unconsciously surfaced on his face but vanished in a moment.


    Compared to when they left, there were far fewer people around Geng Yiyang.


    The head of the Punishment Hall, Ge Yuan; the head of the Artifact Refining Hall, Qi Ying; the master of the Alchemy Hall, Gong Ru Long; and more than a dozen Great Mysterious Elders were no longer present.


    It was ultimately due to his advancing age and the decline from his heyday that the slightest carelessness in the battlefield beyond his domain could lead to catastrophe.


    If it wasn''t for Geng Yiyang''s need to control the Immortal me, he most likely wouldn''t have been able to return.


    Geng Yiyang slowly walked up to Chu Zheng, cleared his throat with a soft cough, and smiled:


    "Let''s go, it''s time to go home."


    This time, being able to return and nce at Taixuan once more was already no small feat.


    Chu Zheng was about to speak when suddenly, a vast tide of Spiritual Energy swept by from the side.


    All the cultivators noticed this change, their expressions varied, and those with cultivation reaching the peak of Tongxuan all revealed shocked and delighted expressions in their eyes.


    "Quickly return to Taixuan!"


    With an excited look in his eyes, Geng Yiyang eximed.


    "I can feel the imminent arrival of the Immortal Tribtion!"


    An unusual motion came from the control panel, and after Chu Zheng nced at it, his expression was slightly startled.


    The daily refresh count for fixes rose steadily and soon stayed at twenty.


    At the same moment, utilizing the keen sensitivity of a Qi Cultivator, he perceived the changes in Heavenly Fate, which felt extremely simr to what he had experienced in the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    He quickly surmised that something must have happened within the Cangyun Secret Realm to lead to such a change.


    ...


    ...


    Upon returning to the Tai Xu Holy Land, Geng Yiyang immediately began secluded cultivation.


    If he could step into the Immortal Tribtion Realm, there would be a chance to extend his limited lifespan, and naturally, he did not want to miss this opportunity and needed some time to prepare.


    A few dayster, the turmoil in both the Cangyun Secret Realm and the Giant Marsh spread quickly among the various Holy Lands, causing a seismic stir.


    With the copse of the Cangyun Secret Realm, the Heavenly Dao True Spirit inside was released, and the Heavenly Fate Laws naturally underwent significant changes.


    In the ancient Cangyun Realm, there existed a hundred Taoist Orthodoxies, among which inevitably included a part of the Heavenly Fate belonging to other orthodoxies, greatly affecting the Immortal Path cultivators.


    This was also true for Chu Zheng. The proportion of Heavenly Fate he upied was greatly reduced, but since he originally possessed arge share, there wasn''t much overall change, and he even gained some benefits.


    Regarding Giant Marsh, various forces paid close attention, sessively revealing Immortal Treasures and setting up grand formations topletely seal off the Giant Marsh.


    However, apart from some mentally disturbed magical beasts and cultivators, they did not encounter any traces of evil demons.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the Immortal Alliance sent three True Immortals, bringing thetest news from the alliance.


    The current war situation with the Myriad Realms was stable, with mutual gains, and on the whole, the Immortal Alliance had the upper hand.


    It wouldn''t be long before this war would subside.


    Zhao Tingxian, who had been in charge of the Heavenly Dao, was derelict in his duties and had been expelled from the Immortal Alliance. This news was for the cultivators throughout the Cangyun Realm.


    Beyond this public information, as the Holy Master of the Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, taking advantage of his status, also became privy to many secrets.


    The most astonishing of these was rted to Zhao Tingxian.


    Refusing to submit to thew, Zhao Tingxian took advantage of the Immortal Alliance''s unpreparedness, killed a Celestial Lord who hade to hold him ountable, and fled into the Chaos Sea.


    The incident in the Cangyun Realm was not solely his doing, as many within the alliance, including several Immortal Venerables and even an Immortal King, were involved.


    Given therge scale of the situation, with too many involved for collective punishment, and with the Immortal Alliance currently unable to spare manpower to pursue and kill, they could only temporarily let it be.


    After the Cangyun Immortal King''s verdict, the space passage of the Giant Marsh Country was breached along with the defenses of the Cangyun Secret Realm, releasing the Heavenly Dao True Spirit.


    If it hadn''t been for their inability to do so, the Cangyun Immortal King would have already personally dealt with this matter.


    For the Immortal Alliance, this situation was extremely thorny, as they were unable to spare another Immortal King to suppress the Heavenly Dao in the Cangyun Realm.


    Zhao Tingxian''s crime was one of betrayal against the alliance.


    ording to Immortal Alliancew, the punishment should be the annihtion of his lineage, the extermination of his n, the end of his descendants, and the severing of reincarnation.


    However, considering the meritorious services of Tai Xu Holy Land in resisting the evil demons of the Myriad Realms, and after several True Immortals pleaded on their behalf, the Immortal Alliance waived the death penalty for the Tai Xu Holy Land, but the blood rtives of Zhao Tingxian could not escape death.


    Nheless, the True Immortals were a stepte; after scouring the entire Cangyun Realm, they found not a single blood rtive of the Zhao n.

 Chapter 223: Chapter 161: Vast Universe, Immortal Tribulation

    Several True Immortals applied the Bloodline Tracing Method, but failed to find anyone rted to Zhao Tingxian by blood in the Cangyun Realm.


    The disappearance of the Zhao n descendants undoubtedly caught many by surprise.


    In order to avoid oversights, several True Immortals retraced Zhao Tingxian''s cultivation path, starting from Tai Xu Holy Land, and soon located the Great Zhou Dynasty.


    The Great Zhou Dynasty was just over three hundred thousand miles from Giant Marsh, and had been affected at the outbreak of evil energy, now already within the scope of its envelopment.


    Ordinary humans cloaked in evil energy were not as severely affected like the cultivators; they just encountered more epidemics. A considerable number of these humans, after being eroded by evil energy, became physically stronger and gradually more violent, losing their ability tomunicate, and began to undergo "demonization."


    This process would continue for quite some time until they were fully transformed into demons.


    After these ordinary humans transformed into demons, a small portion possessed strength far exceeding that of ordinary cultivators, bing a part of the Evil Demon Realm.


    The Royal Family of Great Zhou had disappeared without a trace. After a series of tracking and locating efforts, several True Immortals found themselves near the entrance of a spatial passage, reaching an almost impossible conclusion.


    It was highly likely that these descendants of Zhao Tingxian had ventured into the spatial passage themselves, heading to the other end in the Evil Demon Realm.


    This conclusion, undoubtedly, baffled everyone as it was akin to walking towards one''s own death.


    After being invaded by evil energy, such beings were no different from the dead.


    The three True Immortals were utterly perplexed, yet they dared not delve deeper into the spatial passage to investigate the details on the other side.


    Doing so might provoke the evil demons on the other side, leading to uncontroble changes.


    Now, with no evil demons having crossed from the other end of the spatial passage, taking this opportunity tomence sealing repairs was deemed the best decision.


    To be cautious, while beginning the sealing repairs, the True Immortals also disseminated some information about the Evil Demon Realm to various powers to avoid being caught off guard by potential uncontroble changes.


    Chu Zheng also received a detailed report on the Evil Demon Realm.


    Externally, the Evil Demon Realm, referred to as ''Vast Universe'' by the Immortal Alliance, is a vast region not inferior to the Great Universe in size.


    Even with the might of an Immortal King, entering it is like a drop in the ocean, unable to probe its vast boundaries.


    The Vast Universe is filled with dense evil energy, having a substantial impact on all beings from the Great Universe, with even Immortal Kings unable to linger long therein.


    Among the evil demons, there exists a very strict hierarchical system, with demonized humans and wild beasts, the lowest level of evil demons, known as ''Deste Demons.''


    Deste Demons have low intelligence, incapable ofmunication, and are broadly ssified into four sses, varying greatly in strength.


    The fourth ss Deste Demons have strengthparable to cultivators of the Spirit Spring Realm; first-ss Deste Demons pose a threat to Divine Infant Great Abilities, even capable of ying them.


    Above the Deste Demons are those deemed as ''evil demons'', categorized into low, medium, and high ranks. Still, their power spans even wider, with high-ranking evil demons equivalent to Demi Immortals of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, some even posing a threat to True Immortals.


    From the Evil Demon Boundary onward, two branches of beings appeared in the Vast Universe, one as ''evil spirits'' and the other as ''demon monsters.''


    Evil spirits,cking physical bodies and akin to the Primordial Spirit state of cultivators, excel in upying the bodies of living beings, using them as their own facade.


    Higher-ranking evil spirits are extremely intelligent, even capable of essing memories residual in the bodies they upy, using them as a guise to conceal their evil nature and blend into the Great Universe.


    This bears a uncanny resemnce to what Chu Zheng knows as ''Skin Painting.''


    The other category, demon monsters, represent another extreme, possessing less intelligence but fearsomely robust physiques, far surpassing cultivators who practice Martial Path.


    Beyond their strength and intelligence, there is a fundamental difference between evil demons and Deste Demons.


    Evil demons continuously emit evil energy, altering their surrounding environment. If undisturbed, given enough time, high-ranking evil demons can single-handedly demonize an entire Great Realm by themselves.


    This is undoubtedly terrifying.


    Above evil demons are titled ''Leaders,'' simply because they have the capability to rally evil demons into an army, instantly bridging countless demons across the void, forming an immense army of myriad demons.


    This level of evil demons appears almost indistinguishable from the beings of the Great Universe.


    The strength variance among Leaders is even greater, with ordinary Leaders already capable of matching True Immortals and even Celestial Lords. The top leaders cannot be rivaled except by an Immortal King.


    No being has seen those above the great leaders among evil demons, akin to the elusive giants beyond Immortal Kings in the Great Universe, rarely lingering long in the same spacetime.


    The growth rate of evil demons, especially evil spirits, is astonishing.


    Evil spirits, after upying the bodies of cultivators, draw on the residual nutrients within the bodies to quickly master the Divine Secret Skills that ordinary cultivators take years toprehend.


    They are even capable of transmitting this umted knowledge to other evil demons through certain mediums.


    Thus, encountering an evil demon entails a decisive life-or-death struggle. Even if one is defeated, the remains must never remain intact.


    The information Chu Zheng received about the Vast Universe emphasized that the evil demons are not natural beings but rather alien entities created for the annihtion of the Great Universe.

 Chapter 224: Chapter 161: Vast Universe, Immortal Tribulation_2

    Demons are born to kill the many creatures within the Great Universe, theirmon foe. This is an absolutely irreconcble contradiction.


    Even in the struggles between Taoist orthodoxy, all must set aside their differences in the face of demons.


    After processing the information about the demons, Chu Zheng became pensive for a moment.


    From this information, it seems that demons from beyond, fundamentally speaking, have no great difference from the creatures within the Great Universe; they canmunicate, possess intelligence, have their own thoughts, and disy a clear concept of hierarchy.


    They are undoubtedly a race of intelligence.


    The struggles within the Taoist orthodoxy are also a matter of life and death, just that the demons are more extreme, even to the point where they cannot coexist with other beings, only assimtion or death.


    The Zhao n took the initiative to step into the spatial channel and head towards the Vast Universe. This news inevitably made Chu Zheng ponder deeply.


    He vaguely suspected whether Zhao Tingxian had discovered some earth-shattering secrets and wanted to try something using the Cangyun Realm''s spatial channel.


    Moreover, within the Immortal Alliance, there were Immortal Kings and even several Immortal Venerables intentionally protecting Zhao Tingxian, which made the information quite intriguing.


    As for the motives of Zhao Tingxian, Chu Zheng could not specte at the moment. But given that previously Zhao Tingxian had allowed the Demon Race to leave the realm, it was certain that there were Immortal Venerables from the Demon Race supporting him.


    Inside the Immortal Alliance, factional disputes exist along with external worries and internal troubles, probably also on the brink of danger.


    That Cangyun Immortal King who made the decision on the battlefield beyond the realm. His stance may also be somewhat ambiguous, giving Zhao Tingxian ample preparation time.


    Even giving him the opportunity to open the spatial channel and release the Heavenly Dao True Spirit within the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    Apart from the information about the demons, the True Immortals from the Immortal Alliance conveyed another crucial piece of news.


    The sudden emergence of the spatial channel for this invasion of the Myriad Realms was because the Heavenly Dao barrier had been unexpectedly breached.


    The specific reason behind this is still being investigated by the Immortal Alliance.


    The breach of the Heavenly Dao barrier means the world coordinates of Cangyun Realm can no longer be hidden, and constructing spatial channels will be extremely easy.


    However, even if the Heavenly Dao barrier were not breached, this spatial channel would arrive in the Cangyun Realm in just over a decade at most.


    The Cangyun Realm is quite special, once the homnd for many cultivators among the Myriad Realms. Its world coordinates are not exactly a secret in the Myriad Realms.


    This great battle has been long nned by the Myriad Realms, with the Cangyun Realm merely being an insignificant episode in it.


    After someparisons, Chu Zheng finally confirmed his previous suspicion. The time when the Heavenly Dao barrier was breached coincided with when he was in the Cangyun Secret Realm, receiving the Ancestral Dao''s inheritance.


    It seems that the breach of the Cangyun Realm''s Heavenly Dao barrier is likely rted to that Ancestral Dao.


    It appears this invasion from the Myriad Realms was prompted by his actions, happening a decade earlier than expected.


    After much thought, Chu Zheng sighed softly, stood up, and headed towards the Giant Marsh.


    Just as he approached the area enveloped by demonic energy, Chu Zheng suddenly felt a disturbance deep in his mind.


    The panel underwent another change, with the daily refresh of repair times surging again, reaching an astonishing sixty-plus asions.


    The demonic energy before him could also serve as supplemental energy for repairing the panel.


    This discovery instantly startled Chu Zheng. If this were true, given some time, he couldpletely resolve the trouble brought by the demonic energy on his own.


    As Chu Zheng fully entered the area covered by demonic energy, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth was nearly exhausted, yet the number on the panel continued to increase, finally stopping at eighty-five.


    Speaking merely in terms of energy concentration, the evil energy flowing out of the spatial channel was more than four times the concentration of the current Cangyun Realm''s nature''s spiritual energy!


    This was even before any demons entered the realm, and it was uncertain if the other end of the channel was opened, but such astonishing changes had already urred.


    Chu Zheng tried to operate his cultivation technique, actively absorbing a strand of demonic energy into his body.


    Actively absorbing,pared to identally inhaling demonic energy, was worlds apart. In that instant, Chu Zheng''s body waspletely unguarded against the demonic energy.


    Once the demonic energy entered his body, it surged like a dragon, instantly rushing into Chu Zheng''s dantian. From the lower dantian, it traveled upward, heading straight for the Niwan Pce.


    In a sh, the umted Blood Fiend from his previous demon ying burst forth, an indescribably intense killing intent explosively expanding from his heart, beginning to assault his Divine Soul.


    Had it not been for his constant vignce and strong Divine Soul, he would have nearly lost his senses in that moment.


    After suppressing the rampaging demonic energy within his body, a flicker of spiritual light shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes, revealing his personal information.


    [Chu Zheng (Third Order): Evil Qi invades the body, affecting the Immortal Bone, Dantian, and Dao Embryo to varying degrees. The speed of cultivation and recovery is greatly suppressed, showing signs of demonization, but it is repairable.]


    Chu Zheng immediately chose to repair it. After his body recovered, the evil Qi that had entered his body hadpletely dissipated.


    Having personally experienced the changes after the evil Qi invaded his body, Chu Zheng developed a clearer understanding in his mind.


    The evil Qi amplified the killing intent in his heart, causing demons of the mind to appear in an instant. Originating from within himself, they were unstoppable. If he lost control of his mind and spirit, his ultimate fate would be to be a walking corpse.


    This power was not something he could control at present, at least not the current him.


    After a moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng did not linger here any longer and turned to return to Taixuan.


    Now that a True Immortal was stationing in Cangyun, he believed that no significant disturbances would ur and seized this opportunity to enter seclusion for cultivation for a period.


    Before returning to Taixuan, Chu Zheng used the Heavenly Divination Technique to sense Song Lingqing''s whereabouts. After confirming her location, he sent out a letter.


    The content of the letter was simple, merely advising Song Lingqing to return to Taixuan for the time being.


    The current situation in the outside world was chaotic; it was best to be cautious in all matters.


    ...


    ...


    After returning from the battlefield beyond the realm, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land received gratitude gifts from various forces.


    If it were not for Shang Zuling calling forth the projection of the Immortal King, they would have been reduced to ashes with their bones nowhere to be found by now.


    In this regard alone, Shang Zuling conferred a great indebtedness to the various forces that could not be erased.


    Several Great Holy Lands even tapped into their most profound reserves and sent endless Immortal Precious Medicines to express their gratitude for Shang Zuling''s life-saving grace.


    This was also a means of forming a good rtionship; with an offspring favored by the Immortal King, one could imagine their future achievements.


    Among the Five Great Holy Lands, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land had the strongest, and this battle solidified its position, unassably holding the reins of Cangyun without any doubts.


    As the Holy Master of Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng also delivered a significant gift, acting most generously. He prepared one thousand middle-quality Magic Treasures, one hundred high-quality Magic Treasures, twenty top-quality Magic Treasures, and a number of elixirs.


    Merely throwing out one top-quality Magic Treasure could make any cultivator in the Divine Transformation Realm envious.


    This disy of wealth made many cultivators marvel at the deep reserves of Taixuan.


    However, in reality, most of these were items Chu Zheng had repaired himself, hardly tapping into Taixuan''s reserves. This time, to express his gratitude to Shang Zuling, he truly made a significant sacrifice.


    ...


    ...


    The opening of the Cangyun Secret Realm affected the environmental setting of the world far beyond just making the spiritual energy more abundant.


    The barriers between heaven and earth stiffened considerably. The might of many cultivators'' actions were now limited by the Heavenly Dao, including Immortal Treasures whose powers were also somewhat suppressed, no longer as dreadful as before.


    Previously, if there were no Heavenly Dao restrictions, a strike from an Immortal Treasure could sink the Cangyun Four Regions. Now, that was no longer possible.


    This also meant that Immortal Treasures could now be used within the Cangyun Realm.


    Taixuan Holy Land.


    Boom¡ª


    A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, heavy thunderclouds enveloped the entire Taixuan Holy Land, obscuring the sun.


    Chu Zheng stepped out of the secret chamber, looked up at the sky, and watched the tribtion clouds, instinctively holding his breath.


    Immortal Ascension Tribtion!


    For Geng Yiyang, this signified both a chance at life and a formidable challenge.


    If he could ovee this barrier, he would be able to continue his path of immortality and seize further opportunities.


    But if he failed, death was the only oue.

 Chapter 225: Chapter 162: Immortal Tribulation Emerges, Martial Path Resurges

    Immortal Path cultivators who face the Heavenly Tribtion undergo a trial given by heaven and earth. After surviving nine bolts of tribtion lightning and crossing over, one bes a True Immortal, granted with a prolonged lifespan.


    Qi Cultivators do not face Heavenly Tribtion, but simrly, they encounter many cmities. Without weathering these trials, their cultivation cannot grow.


    Especially after reaching the Unity Realm Stage, the strength of Qi Cultivators'' cultivation is closely linked to the cmities they have ovee. The more tribtions they endure, the stronger theirbat power bes.


    Cmities represent an unavoidable stage for cultivators, adhering to the naturalw of survival of the fittest.


    To exist in this world, living beings must absorb energy.


    In their initial state of ignorance, without any cultivation methods, living beings depend on fighting with other species, hunting, or consuming nts to fulfill their needs.


    In this process, they invariably encounter various dangers and enter the cycle of the Heavenly Dao, bing part of heaven and earth.


    The path of cultivation involves drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to nourish oneself, thus eliminating the need to risk hunting for energy. Strictly speaking, this already exceeds the normal principles of the Heavenly Dao cycle.


    Were there no external interference, the number of cultivators bing immortals would increase constantly.


    The Immortal Ascension Tribtion is an additional threshold imposed by the Heavenly Dao, specially designed for Immortal Path cultivators, topensate for the missing cycle and to weed out those not fated for immortality.


    It''s precisely because, to a certain extent, the path of Qi Cultivators does not contravene thews of the heavenly cycle, that they do not face Heavenly Tribtion.


    Surviving the cmities proves that you are stronger than other cultivators and, by right, should gain stronger power and upy more resources in the world.


    The mighty are always strong. It is so for this reason.


    The tribtion clouds were as ck as ink, with lightning shing through them like strips of fabric, thunder booming the moment the terrifying outline of the tribtion clouds were illuminated, falling into the eyes of the surrounding cultivators, stretching beyond sight.


    This was Chu Zheng''s first time witnessing an Immortal Path cultivator facing tribtion. The horrifying Tribtion Qi emanating from within the clouds made him feel somewhat apprehensive.


    At this level of Tribtion Qi, if it were to descend upon him at this moment, he would instantly be turned into ash with no chance of survival.


    Before he could contemte further, a figure soared from the mountain peak towards the southwest, moving so swiftly that in the blink of an eye it was tens of thousands of miles away.


    The dense tribtion clouds overhead followed suit, sweeping across the sky above Taixuan City and rolling towards the southwest.


    Geng Yiyang''s fleeing speed was so fast that Chu Zheng could only barely keep up by controlling the Star-shatter Shuttle.


    Only after half a day did Geng Yiyang finally halt his flight, surrounded by a vast ocean, devoid of human traces, where external forces would have no effect.


    Chu Zheng did not approach too closely, standing hundreds of thousands of miles away, observing Geng Yiyang''s aura with his Spiritual Eye.


    At this moment, the energy within Geng Yiyang was extremely unstable, like the waves beneath his feet, continuously undting.


    Boom¡ª


    The clouds in the sky did not allow Geng Yiyang much time to prepare. After a short while worthy of a tea break, a bolt of lightning nearly ten yards thick ferociously crashed down.


    The speed of the lightning was so fast that even with Chu Zheng''s eyesight, he saw only a glimpse of an afterimage. In the next instant, a massive wave of energy had already swept over.


    Even from hundreds of thousands of miles away, Chu Zheng still felt an overwhelming colossal strength, taking several steps back before he could stabilize his stance.


    The Immortal Tribtion Realm was four great realms higher than his current level. If he were any closer, he might have been injured.


    Once he had regained his senses, Chu Zheng looked up to see a mass of Divine Fire fiercely burning in the void, vaguely forming into a crimson dragon, filled with intimidating heat. The seawater near the surface had already begun to boil, producingrge amounts of steam.


    Noticing that Geng Yiyang''s aura had surged, Chu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, a flicker of joy passing through his eyes.


    In the early stages of the Immortal Tribtion, one must endure three Heavenly Tribtions. With this first strike, only a single bolt of heavenly lightning was needed to be endured to begin the transformation into an Immortal Body and cultivate a strand of Immortal Qi.


    No matter how strong Geng Yiyang''s cultivation was, with his lifespan nearly depleted and his strength diminished to less than seventy percent, Chu Zheng had been uncertain about his ability to withstand the Heavenly Tribtion.


    Now that the heavenly lightning had fallen, it was set in stone.


    As the Divine Fire gradually dissipated, Geng Yiyang''s energy soared, and faintly within him, the aura of an Immortal began to take shape.


    Just as Chu Zheng was about to step forward, a sudden sense of rm shed through his mind, and he abruptly looked up, his expression drastically changing.


    Despite one bolt of lightning passing, the tribtion clouds in the sky did not disperse. The Tribtion Qi grew heavier, and after rolling around for a moment, began to gestate lightning once again.


    Instantly, Chu Zheng realized that having lingered at the peak of the Tongxuan Realm for so long, Geng Yiyang faced more than just a single bolt in his tribtion. This was due to his considerable backlog of potential.


    Soon, another bolt of lightning descended with even greater ferocity, striking like a heavy hammer and instantly plunging Geng Yiyang deep into the sea.


    Boom!


    The strike stirred up huge waves for thousands of miles on the ocean''s surface, with water surging skyward, washing over the heavens, and numerous Sea Demons caught in the tumultuous waves were carried along with the tide, tossed into the Nine Heavens.


    Having no choice, Chu Zheng retreated another thousand miles away. Before he could get a clear view, another bolt of lightning crashed down from the tribtion clouds, disying a terrifying divine might.


    After a while, the tribtion clouds slowly dispersed, and the blue sky became clear and bright.


    Chu Zheng hurriedly stepped forward, rushing directly towards the center of the tribtion area.


    A figure sat cross-legged above the sea, the surrounding water for tens of thousands of miles was smoothed out by an unseen hand, sleek as a mirror.


    After withstanding three sessive bolts of heavenly lightning, Geng Yiyang''s cultivation hadpletely stabilized in the early stages of the Immortal Tribtion Realm. The Immortal Power within him had reached a certain magnitude, which was several times stronger than the average cultivator who had recently entered the Immortal Tribtion.

 Chapter 226: Chapter 162: Immortal Tribulations Emerge, Martial Path Resurges_2

    The most significant change was his appearance; he now looked just past fifty. His once fully silver hair was now half ck, clearly indicating a prolongation of his lifespan.


    "Congrattions, Holy Master."


    Chu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of joy in his eyes. Now that Geng Yiyang no longer had to worry about his lifespan, the position of Taixuan Holy Master could be rightfully returned to its original owner.


    Carrying the future of so many disciples was indeed burdensome and restrictive for him.


    "You are the Holy Master now," Geng Yiyang slowly opened his eyes:


    "Taixuan honors you, and you may simply call me ''Elder''."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng repeatedly shook his head, "The Holy Master has now entered the Immortal Tribtion, with both lifespan and physique unharmed, at the prime of his life. The position of Holy Master..."


    "The position of the Holy Master is no child''s y."


    Geng Yiyang interrupted sternly, then chuckled lowly:


    "There''s no need for such formalities between you and me. I have been the Holy Master for many years, and would have stepped down long ago if there had been a sessor."


    After speaking, as if worried that Chu Zheng might take offense, he softened his tone and added:


    "When your cultivation reaches my level, I will take back the Holy Master token, and choose someone else to pass it on. Does that sound good? Consider it a favor to me."


    This was merely a temporary measure. It would take hundreds of years before Chu Zheng could enter the Immortal Tribtion Realm, and what would happen then was uncertain.


    Having entered the Immortal Tribtion, the passion for seeking the Dao that had died many years ago was now rekindling. He wanted to venture further on the path to immortality within his lifetime, and the position of Taixuan Holy Master was something he was genuinely ready to leave behind.


    Immortal Tribtion...


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement:


    "Alright."


    Calcting the time, it should not take long for him to enter the Immortal Tribtion. Geng Yiyang had helped him a lot, so holding the position of Holy Master for a few more days would not hurt.


    Besides, with many Elders still in Taixuan, it wouldn''t require much effort from him.


    Chu Zheng''s prompt agreement was somewhat unexpected to Geng Yiyang, but after reflecting deeply for a while, he found no oversight and stopped overthinking it. Together, he and Chu Zheng returned to Taixuan.


    ...


    ...


    The scenes of crossing the Tribtion were being simultaneously enacted in various ces across Cangyun Realm. Every few days, the sound of thunder would explode.


    Since Zhao Tingxian took control of the Heavenly Dao, there had been no presence of Immortal Tribtion Realm existences in Cangyun Realm.


    This was partly rted to the natural environment, but in the eyes of Tongxuan Cultivators from various Holy Lands, it was most likely that Zhao Tingxian was unwilling to lower the Immortal Tribtion, preventing them from bing Immortals.


    Now that the opportunity to transcend the Tribtion had arisen, Cultivators of the Immortal Tribtion Realm emerged, especially from True Immortal Noble Families, major Holy Lands, and most notably, every Great Saint without exception sessfully crossed the Tribtion.


    Within a short period of time, the native Immortal Tribtion Realm Cultivators of Cangyun surpassed the number of ten.


    Those who could not ovee their Immortal Tribtion and thus perished were only a few.


    The weak had mostly died on foreign battlefields, and those who returned alive were the strong who had been through trials, robust in their own right.


    Beyond affecting these top cultivators, environmental changes also impacted many ordinary people, especially Martial Path Grandmasters in many kingdoms.


    The shifts in Heavenly Fate brought a revival trend in the Martial Path. Within a short period of time, the number of martial masters entering the Yuan Aura Realm experienced an explosive increase.


    The change did not stop there; due to the changes in the Laws, Martial Path practitioners were able to absorb much more nature''s spiritual energy, and many martial masters still in the Qi Condensing Realm began to rapidly approach the strength of Immortal Path Cultivators in the Spirit Spring Realm.


    ording to traditional Martial Path realm ssifications, the Martial Path Qi Condensation directly corresponds to the Immortal Path''s Spirit Spring, and Yuan Aura is equivalent to Entry Dao Realm Cultivators.


    However, previously suppressed by the natural conditions, the strength of all Martial Path practitioners was forcibly reduced by an entire order, and now they were only gradually recovering.


    This change was quickly noticed by a few True Immortals, who did not stop it and even ordered that Immortal Path Cultivators should not interfere with these Martial Path practitioners.


    Given that the Immortal Alliance and Martial Hall were now on the same side, and with an envoy from the Martial Hall soon to visit Cangyun Realm,pletely exterminating the Martial Path was out of the question.


    The changes in the Heavenly Dao Laws had undoubtedly had a profound impact on Song Lingxue. Her cultivation speed had increased nearly tenfoldpared to before, progressing at a rapid pace.


    Moreover, the quality of the Aura within her body became stronger day by day, while herbat power expanded dramatically, pushing her toward the Entry Dao Realm.


    This was merely a microcosm of the Martial Path beginning to revive.


    ...


    ...


    With Geng Yiyang''s sessful transcendence of the tribtion, coupled with the return of numerous elders, Chu Zheng found much of the pressure lifted from his shoulders.


    He no longer needed to consider other matters and could focus on cultivating in peace.


    Not long after returning to Taixuan City, Chu Zheng received a message from Song Lingqing. She declined his suggestion to temporarily return to Taixuan for refuge.


    Presently, she was on her way to the Cangyun Secret Realm, hoping to try her luck and possibly encounter her own Immortal Fate.


    After the seals of the Cangyun Secret Realm were opened, many of its ruins were revealed, but they were temporarily sealed by a True Immortal from the Immortal Alliance.


    In the Cangyun Secret Realm, some areas were suppressing ancient evils that had not been fully eradicated, requiring a period of cleansing before they could be safely opened to cultivators.


    Currently, including the Holy Lands, many cultivators were stationed near the Secret Realm, ready to enter and explore at any moment, each hoping to get a share of the spoils.


    Chu Zheng did not join the crowd; he simply issued a secret edict to the Southern Territory Song n, instructing them to dispatch over a hundred cultivators to the vicinity of the Cangyun Secret Realm to look for ancient artifact fragments.


    He no longer needed to waste time in such controversial locations, and the benefits were not necessarily substantial.


    The True Immortal had sealed the Cangyun Secret Realm early not only to clear out the evil beings but likely also to sweep clean the Wonderous Treasures within, leaving only scraps for those waiting outside at best.


    Regarding the possibility of Wonderous Treasures escaping the notice of the True Immortal, let alone the slim chances, even if any were left, they were not something the current Chu Zheng could tame.


    The Southern Territory Song n had gradually gotten back on track.


    Although the old ancestor, Song Xiao, had died in the outer regions and had not returned alive, the Family Head, Song Yusang, thanks to the changes in the natural environment and some Spiritual Medicines found within the Secret Realm, had made some progress in his cultivation.


    Recently, he had sessfully condensed his Divine Infant and stepped into the Divine Infant Realm, able to preside over major affairs.


    This level of cultivation was not considered strong, but in Taixuan City, with Chu Zheng''s backing, it was sufficient to make a mark.


    Significant changes had urred in the Eastern Territory Song n; its n Leader, Song Tingkui, had sessfully transcended his tribtion and stepped into the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    This elevated the Eastern Territory Song n''s situation, offering them more choices.


    Regarding this, Chu Zheng was not overly concerned. After aiding Song Lingxue''s cultivation for a few days, he once again began his retreat.


    He aimed to quickly perfect his Soul and begin cultivating the "Eternal Cmity Treasure Record."


    Regardless of the role yed by the Ancestral Dao in this affair, the "Eternal Cmity Treasure Record" was a genuine Tenth Order spell.


    Included within it was the Star Capturing Heaven Method, of utmost importance; as his Qi Refining''s Cultivation increased, the retreat proved fruitless, and he must find a way to resolve the umted Tribtion Qi.


    This incarnation method, capable of transcending true tribtions through a void body and dissolving the terrifying Tribtion Qi, was undeniably crucial.


    ...


    ...


    In the central part of the Southern Region, Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    During this period, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land was bustling with activity.


    Following the thank-you gifts from the great Holy Lands and the True Immortal noble families, many Sects with Divine Infant Cultivators visited bearing gifts.


    The thank-you gifts received in this period alone could match the efforts of a Holy Land over thousands of years.


    Many forces came not only to express their thanks but also with another purpose¡ªto gauge the intentions of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    The Primordial Spirit Holy Land, now undoubtedly the leading voice in the Cangyun Realm, dictated many initiatives; without their approval, other powers dared not act rashly.


    The focus of many Sects was on the Northern Demon ins.

 Chapter 227: Chapter 163: Soul Condensing Realm Perfection, Star Capturing Heaven

    ```


    The Demon Race had broken their alliance, and the Northern Region had been thoroughly cleansed in this period, transforming into and without masters, fertile and unimed. Aside from the carcass of magical beasts, vast Spirit Veins, and treasures of the earth and sky, there was nothing else.


    The gaze of many Sectsnded on this region.


    This leaderlessnd, even the Holy Lands coveted earnestly. However, their main focus stillid upon the Cangyun Secret Realm for the time being.


    After all, when it came to the quality of the Spirit Veins, the Cangyun Secret Realm was far superior to thends of the four regions as they were now.


    But with the upheaval caused by the outsiders yet unresolved, and with the True Immortals of the Immortal Alliance still present, no one dared to openly discuss the division of thisnd.


    At the main peak of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, feasts had been unending in recent days, with a constant flow of guests like clouds.


    Upon his throne, the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord Shang Tianshu, dressed in splendid attire with hair ck as ink, appeared to be in his forties, at the prime of his life.


    At this moment, as he looked upon the guests in the hall, his eyes were full of smiles.


    Having stepped into the Immortal Tribtion, his lifespan was greatly extended; he might even have the opportunity to touch the True Immortal Realm.


    After Shang Zuling''s actions, no one in the Cangyun Realm would ever again question the status of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    Although the Shang Family, as descendants of the Immortal King, needn''t worry about their survival like ordinary Sects or Holy Lands, it would be a dishonor to their ancestors if they were not recognized publicly.


    Ji Yuyan stepped slowly into the main hall. He had been severely injured in the battle of the outer realm, and had been recovering quietly during this time.


    "Immortal Ji."


    Shang Tianshu did not dare to neglect him and rose to greet him.


    When they had set out for the outer realm battlefield, he had not intended to take Shang Zuling with them. Now it seemed, had it not been for Ji Yuyan''s insistence, they might have all met their end there.


    The cultivators within the hall rose to their feet and bowed, their expressions filled with gratitude and respect.


    As an outsider, Ji Yuyan had done the utmost that anyone could have done for the Cangyun.


    "No need for such formalities."


    Ji Yuyan swept his gaze around the hall, not finding Shang Zuling, he felt puzzled.


    "Where is Shang Zuling?"


    "Ancestral Spirit suffered great exhaustion in the outer realm and has been in closed-door cultivation these days to restore his depleted Yuan Qi."


    Hearing this, Shang Tianshu immediately spoke and headed towards the outside of the hall:


    "Please follow me, Immortal Ji."


    The two left the main peak together, heading straight for a Spirit Peak.


    ...


    ...


    In an instant, they reached the summit of a ten-thousand-zhang Spirit Peak.


    Giant ancient trees stretching up to the heavens, nearly a thousand zhang tall with canopies extending for dozens of miles, obscured the sky and blotted out the sun.


    Shang Zuling was seated at the base of a tree, herplexion pale, with earthy Spirit Crystals beneath her, pulsing with profound spiritual energy.


    Momentster, Shang Zuling slowly ended her cultivation and opened her eyes, standing up to bow:


    "I have seen Immortal Ji."


    Her expression was devoid of much fluctuation, seemingly unsurprised by Ji Yuyan''s arrival.


    "I havee to express my thanks and also to bid farewell," Ji Yuyan spoke in a calm voice, "The Immortal Alliance considers my role in this battle significant, and taking into ount my severe injuries, they have granted me leave to return to my homnd to recuperate."


    With those words, he took out a set of Battle Armor and handed it to Shang Zuling:


    "A Semi-Immortal Treasure might not catch your eye, but it is a token of my regard. Please ept it without refusal."


    Upon hearing this, Shang Zuling hesitated slightly, then bowed and epted it with both hands:


    "I am underserving, but gratefully receive it."


    To refuse further would be impolite.


    "Should you have the opportunity,e visit me in the Heavenly Guardian Star Domain, and allow me to entertain you, fulfilling my duties as a host."


    Talking about his native home brought waves of emotion into Ji Yuyan''s eyes as he realized the value of things once lost and regained.


    "Thank you for your assistance this time. I wish you a safe journey," Shang Zuling thanked him quietly.


    "With your talents, you will surely enter the Minor Immortal Realm soon, and Chu Zheng as well. The future is long, and you both have plenty of time," Ji Yuyan said, not lingering long before turning to leave, eager to return home.


    Watching Ji Yuyan depart, Shang Zuling put away the Immortal Armor, her brow furrowed.


    "Ancestral Spirit, ever since you returned from the outer realm, you''ve seemed heavily preupied. Why is that?"


    Seeing this, Shang Tianshu was somewhat puzzled. It would seem that with the Cangyun Immortal King''s intervention, bringing order to the Myriad Realm''s invasion, it should be a joyous matter. Yet, Shang Zuling did not seem very happy about it.


    "It''s nothing, just that my Blood Qi is depleted, leaving myplexion poor," Shang Zuling said with a slight shake of her head, lowering her eyelids to hide the turmoil within.


    They had prevailed in the battle amidst the stars of the outer realm, but something felt amiss to her.


    This Cangyun Immortal King, it seemed he had note specifically for her.


    The moment her bloodline was activated, she became like a coordinate in time and space, pointing the way for Shang Cangyun''s projection.


    Those cultivators from the Myriad Realms did not seem to be a concern for Shang Cangyun. After arriving, he only mentioned the name of Zhao Tingxian and did not speak a single word to her.


    With his status as a Heavenly Judge, such behavior was not surprising, but Shang Zuling still felt an eerie strangeness about the whole affair.


    After the Immortal King''s projection vanished, she faintly felt that something inside her had disappearedpletely. The voice that had once been at the bottom of her heart was also gone without a trace.


    Now, she was no longer able to make any connection with that ancestor, as if her value to Shang Cangyun was only to provide that one-time coordinate, nothing more.


    As she pondered this, Shang Zuling couldn''t help feeling inexplicably lost.


    Although she had always considered seeking help from an ancestor shameful, she held immense aspiration for this youngest Heavenly Judge in the Immortal Alliance, whom she aimed to catch up to.


    Seeing Shang Zuling''s hesitant expression, Shang Tianshu knew she wasn''t speaking the truth. However, given her special status, he couldn''t press further and pretended not to notice:


    ```

 Chapter 228: Chapter 163: Soul Condensing Realm Perfection, Star Capturing Heaven_2

    ```


    "Worry and overthinking only harm the spirit; there is no need to trouble yourself further. Rest well, and if there is any spiritual object youck, tell me at once. I will arrange for someone to search for it,"


    "Will the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects still proceed this session?"


    Shang Zuling thought of what Ji Yuyan had said, and with Chu Zheng in mind, she posed this question.


    "The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects will be held as scheduled; however, this session should see fewer deaths and injuries than previous ones."


    Following the invasion of the Myriad Realms, all sects on the surface were now allies in the same boat, and furthermore, it was unanimously agreed that there was no need for a fight to the death for the top title in this session''s Tournament.


    Moreover, after the battle beyond the realm, the peakbat powers of various sects had suffered losses to varying degrees; it was now a time for recuperating and gathering strength.


    Shang Zuling took out the Hidden Dragon List and nced at it. Since it hade into her possession, she had never touched it until Chu Zheng emerged out of nowhere and she asionally looked at it.


    This nce, after seeing the rankings on the Hidden Dragon List, elicited a soft exmation from Shang Zuling, and a sharp glint flickered in her eyes.


    [Hidden Dragon List''s second-ranked, Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, age twenty, cultivation level: Soul Condensing Realm Perfection.]


    Soul Condensing Realm Perfection? Second on the Hidden Dragon List?!


    Regaining her senses, even Shang Zuling couldn''t help but be somewhat horrified by the terrifying speed of Chu Zheng''s progress.


    Reaching Soul Condensing Realm Perfection at the age of twenty was not frightening, as Shang Cangyun had reached it at just neen.


    But Shang Cangyun had only been fifteen when he first entered the Soul Condensing Realm, and with his talent, it took him almost four years to reach Perfection.


    Chu Zheng, however, had only taken one year.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Observing the evident shock on Shang Zuling''s face, Shang Tianshu was somewhat puzzled, extended his Divine Sense, and nced at the Hidden Dragon List.


    In the next moment, his body stiffened slightly, and any lingering excitement from surviving the Immortal Tribtion vanishedpletely.


    "How could it be so fast!"


    For a time, Shang Tianshu''s forehead bulged with veins, his breath involuntarily became somewhat hurried; he even began to suspect that Chu Zheng might be a reincarnated Immortal King who retained his True Spirit and was rebuilding on the Immortal Path.


    Otherwise, there was simply no exnation for such a speed of cultivation progression.


    Given this pace, before the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects begins, Chu Zheng could absolutely step into the Divine Infant realm, or even higher.


    The position of Shang Zuling, top-ranked on the Hidden Dragon List, was no longer secure as a mountain, now threatened greatly.


    "Chu Zheng..."


    Shang Zuling murmured softly, the slight gloom that had enshrouded her mind cleared away, feeling excitement she had not felt in a long time.


    Since the name Chu Zheng had appeared, it had consistently brought her surprises, and now, she might well be witnessing a miracle.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, which had seemed rather unremarkable, now suddenly seemed filled with allure.


    Shang Zuling took a deep breath; no matter what the exalted Immortal King was thinking, one day she would reach that realm, and then she could personally ask him.


    Whaty before her now was the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Chu Zheng.


    There were over six years left until the tournament began, by which time, who knows what level Chu Zheng''s cultivation would reach.


    At that thought, Shang Zuling couldn''t suppress a sense of anticipation; the emergence of a peer who was stronger than her would undoubtedly also serve as a challenge for her.


    ...


    ...


    The silver moon hung high.


    The splendid stars ignited the coolness of the night, starlight in clusters, casting a glimpse of the vast universe''s light and shadow.


    The pitch-ck night sky was dyed red by the continuous volcanoes within the Taixuan Holy Land, emanating a bloody hue.


    At the summit of Divine Peak, Chu Zheng sat beside the Spiritual Spring, his breaths long and steady, his skin radiantly luminous. He wore a loose crimson robe that, despite its width, could not conceal the mighty physique tempered by countless battles through demon blood.


    A stick of Spirit Condensing Incense was nted not far away, burning with faint wisps of green smoke.


    ```


    Within the Niwan Pce at his brow, the Yin Yang Spirit moved incessantly, inhaling and exhaling the rich Chaos Qi.


    After a period of seclusion, his Cultivation had advanced further, stepping into the perfection of the Soul Condensing Realm.


    The Dao Embryo had also grown noticeably, with his Qi Refining''s Cultivation reaching thete stage of the Dao Embryo Realm, only one step away from the Golden Core Realm.


    By now, his Divine Soul had finally grown strong enough to begin practicing the ''Eternal Cmity Treasure Record.''


    At the same time, he could also attempt to perform the ''Star Capturing Heaven,'' a Mysterious Divine Technique, detaching the first strand of Soul Division to try the Cmity Transformation Method.


    At this moment, he was bathing in incense, adjusting himself to the best state, and as the Yuan Qi flowed within him, his Spirit entered an unprecedentedly active state.


    After a while, a faint glow shed at his brow, and his Soul strode out, one ck and one white, two Spirits standing back to back underneath the starry sky.


    The next instant, the Spirit slowly raised its head, its pupils swirling with mysterious Talisman Seals, clearly capturing the trajectories of the stars streaking across the firmament.


    In that instant, his consciousness seemed to enter the cosmic starry sky, with many stars within reach.


    However, in his perception, most of these starlights were dead and lifeless, devoid of any vitality.


    This meant that at the end of the starlight, therey a Dead Star, or perhaps even the stars no longer existed, reduced to cosmic ash.


    In the process of searching and selecting, the power of Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul was rapidly depleting, and after a short while, he had to withdraw his Divine Sense.


    In just a short moment, sweat poured down him, his face pale, and a throbbing pain came from deep within his soul.


    With the restoration underneath his control panel, hisplexion soon recovered, and he immediately resumed his attempts relentlessly.


    The Cangyun Realm was just a corner of the universe, and the starlights visible from here were very limited. Chu Zheng, now not being picky, just wanted to find a world with vitality to make his first attempt.


    After several continuous attempts, Chu Zheng finally made a discovery: within a faintly red starlight, there was a weak aura of the Heavenly Dao.


    This meant that the world at the end of the starlight still existed in the universe.


    Without any hesitation, Chu Zheng detached a strand of Divine Sense, injected all the energy from his Spirit into it, and sent it into the starry sky, flowing up against the starlight at a speed countless times faster than light, venturing deep into the universe to explore.


    It was like using the starlight as a channel; it was less about crossing distances and more about traversing time and space.


    Following the starlight, the vision within that strand of Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense reflected a rapidly evolving civilization, tumultuous and prolonged.


    ...


    On the destend, humans wrapped in Beast Skins fought against giant beasts with robust Blood Qi, surviving through hunting and gathering. Over time, they gradually formed Tribes, surviving together against the elements.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, humans donned armor and wielded sharp swords and spears; the giant beasts were almost entirely eradicated. Without external enemies, humans fell into chaotic infighting, establishing territories, electing leaders, and wars erupted, foreshadowing the rise of Ancient Dynasties.


    ...


    After countless years, the change of dynasties had be the norm, with the social stratification growing more pronounced. A slew of fervent followers worshiped royal blood, forcing those of royal lineage onto the throne.


    Wars grew increasingly fierce; from swords and spears evolved more perfect weapons of war, terrifying siege weapons emerged, capable of destroying cities and fortresses with effortless ease.


    ...


    In the era of divided dynasties, figures impactful enough to alter the course of events emerged, with followers numerous as fish swimming across a river. Their armor was unmatched, melting the hundred dynasties into a single, unified federation, mustering the strength of the whole world to explore the stars beyond their domain.


    ...


    The once rudimentary species that wore Beast Skins and drank blood developed terrifying weapons capable of destroying stars, prompting one interster war after another in a quest for resources.


    ...


    The bizarre and astonishing visions almost made Chu Zheng lose track of where he was.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, his strand of Soul Division finally reached the end of the starlight.


    Though the journey wasn''t powered by his own strength, the energy within his Divine Sense was nearly spent.


    At this moment, he needed a body to rest and recover; otherwise, before long, this strand of Soul Division would dissipate.

 Chapter 229: Chapter 164: Temporal Gap, Accident

    Under normal circumstances, the secret technique "Star Capturing Heaven" should be freely usable only in the Refine Spirit Realm.


    If the Divine Soul is not strong enough, after crossing the vast starry sky, the Soul Division will be too weak. It won''t have time to find a suitable body before dissipating, making the effort futile.


    For a Qi Cultivator whose Cultivation is not yet strong enough, Soul Division is an extremely heavy burden. A single failed attempt requires a long period of recovery.


    It was only Chu Zheng who, with the support of the panel, could start the attempt recklessly.


    In the "Eternal Cmity Treasure Record," numerous failed cases are recorded to caution those whoe after.


    When choosing a body, the Soul Division mostly can only opt for the weak-souled children or naturally ignorant fools; otherwise, the consciousness of the Soul Division is easily influenced¡ªand might even end up benefiting others.


    Moreover, the state of the body''s health must be stable. If it is on the verge of death or a body in severe illness, the shock of the Soul Division entering the body will most likely result in immediate death.


    Therefore, some Qi Cultivators who undertake the tribtion of Soul Division choose to reincarnate from birth,ying a solid foundation from the congenital stage. However, this path is fraught with great risks.


    In the fetal stage, one ispletely unable to act on one''s own volition, filled with uncertainty. If one does not cultivate, the Soul Division might fall into the confusion within the womb, enter a deep slumber, and might never get a chance to awaken in this lifetime, effectively wasting time.


    Yet, if one does cultivate, due to the fetus''s special congenital nature, progress can be extremely rapid, making it easy to cultivate a foundation that is too contrary to the natural order, thus attracting attention from the cosmos and bringing cmities upon oneself¡ªwith the slightest carelessness leading to death.


    This is undoubtedly a dilemma.


    Soon, Chu Zheng found a small city that stretched for several miles.


    The long street was bustling and lively, with the mor of carts and horses, and the throngs of people presented the myriad facets of life.


    Viewing the rolling worldly atmosphere on the street, Chu Zheng momentarilypsed into a daze.


    Through the visions of starlight seen by his Soul Division, he had already witnessed terrifying warships traversing the cosmic space.


    In his anticipation, under normal circumstances, what should appear before him would be a highly developed civilization, not the backward scene like the everyday ancient dynasty currently before his eyes.


    Without further thought, Chu Zheng continued wandering between heaven and earth, searching for a suitable body, but despite a prolonged search, found none appropriate.


    As time passed, the Soul Division grew weaker. He tried opening the panel to repair the feeble Soul Division, but to no avail.


    In the judgment of the panel, his original body was at its peak and required no repair.


    After a while, following his instincts, Chu Zheng floated toward a range of low hills where Yin Qi was rampant, slowing down the dissipation of his Soul Division''s power.


    Looking around, he saw a deste graveyard with overgrown weeds and disordered tombstones scattered across the area, some half-covered by dust and vegetation, rendering the inscriptions illegible.


    Without a doubt, this was a Mass Burial Mound.


    The sky had darkened, and two silvery moons hung high in the heavens, their moonlight showering down and coating the world in silvery frost.


    Night mist wafted from the wild graves and barrows, with ghostly will-o''-the-wisps flitting in and out, casting a chill.


    asionally, a breeze rustled the treetops, stirring up freshly scattered paper money with a rustling sound.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, operated his Qi-refining Technique, drawing in a bit of Moonlight to stabilize his Soul Division. This was only a temporary measure; he still needed to find a body soon.


    After a brief rest, just as Chu Zheng was preparing to leave, three men carrying a rush mat slowly approached the Mass Burial Mound.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze lingered on the rush mat, which wrapped a body still warm. He sensed that the Yang Qi hadn''t dissipated, and there was onest breath that hadn''t been let out.


    For his current state, this was ast resort attempt.


    Moreover, he wanted to use this opportunity to confirm a suspicion of his own.


    Under Chu Zheng''s gaze, the three men found a corner, dug a shallow pit just big enough to amodate the rush mat, and threw it in, covering it lightly with soil.


    Under the erosion of the surrounding Yin Qi, thest bit of Yang Qi within the rush mat began to escape at an rming rate.


    The living prefer to rest in peace within the earth because only after being covered with soil can one sever thest ties to the world.


    After weighing his options briefly, Chu Zheng hesitated no longer. He immediately drifted underground and took possession of the nearly cold corpse.


    If what he imagined didn''t work, then this time, he would have to give up.


    The instant he entered the body, Chu Zheng couldn''t reverse the rapidly fleeing vital energy of the body. At this moment, he reopened the panel.


    This time, the information provided by the panel finally changed.


    [Tree Root (Zeroth Order): Thirteen back wounds from knives, prating through the five viscera, Essence Blood almost fully drained, only a faint will left unscattered, beyond salvation (repairable).]


    Chu Zheng chose to repair without hesitation, and a potent life force instantly infused into the heart channels. Starting from the brain''s nerves, the entire body revived at an astonishing rate.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Chu Zheng pushed open the rush mat and sat up from the shallow pit, drawing in deep breaths. The air was filled with the mixed stench of blood and rotting corpse smell, nauseating to the senses.


    But at that moment, Chu Zheng could not care less about these issues, for his eyes shone with a terrifying brilliance, unable to conceal the excitement within.


    The repair panel had worked!


    This meant that,pared to ordinary Qi Cultivators, he possessed another essential advantage.

 Chapter 230: Chapter 164: Temporal Discrepancy, Accident_2

    As for the selection of the body, Chu Zheng now had greater freedom.


    This level of damaged body, once a Qi Cultivator''s divided soul took possession, there would be no signs of life.


    However, for Chu Zheng, there was no need to think so much. In the future, when incarnating to undergo tribtions, he just needed to find a recently deceased corpse. As long as the divided soul could take possession, he could rely on the repair panel to mend the damages on the body.


    This body, judging by the age of the bones, was not yet fourteen years old, still a half-grown child. Having died a violent death in the wilderness, the body had been stabbed thirteen times, each strike aiming directly at vital organs, clearly there were some undercurrents involved.


    A whileter, Chu Zheng regained his senses and pulled up the panel.


    [Name: Tree Root (Chu Zheng)]


    [Cultivation: Zeroth Order]


    [Cultivation Technique: None]


    [Repair Master: Fourth Order (2000/2000)]


    [Remaining repairs for the day: 1]


    [Currently repairable: None]


    Compared to his own panel, this one that appeared this time was much simpler, with cultivation techniques and divine skills, physique, Immortal Bone, all vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the most basic information.


    The spiritual energy between heaven and earth was exceedingly sparse, and the number of repairs refreshed daily had dropped to an unprecedented once per day.


    Nevertheless, this wasn''t important to Chu Zheng, who merely needed a body to incarnate and endure tribtions.


    This ce was too far from the Cangyun Realm. In this lifetime, it was highly unlikely that there would be any connection, there was no need to think about repairing anything.


    His task was to try his best to cultivate the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, attract Tribtion Qi to his body, and share the pressure of his true self.


    Chu Zheng did not hesitate at all, immediately sat cross-legged, activated the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, and began locating the Qi sensation.


    To deceive the Heavenly Dao and transcend tribtion with a void body was naturally not something so simple to achieve.


    Cultivating this method, this body would gradually resemble his true self more closely, three parts in form, seven parts in spirit. This was the remarkable aspect of the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record.


    Entry into the Method of Qi Refining rted to an elusive understanding, based on Chu Zheng''s estimate, even though he had changed bodies, the time it would take for him to channel Qi into his body wouldn''t be much different from his initial attempt back at the Song Residence.


    However, the result of his attempt to find the Qi sensation this time far exceeded Chu Zheng''s expectations.


    Back in the Song Residence, when he first tried the Great Circtory Qi Guideline, Chu Zheng took two and a half hours to sessfully channel Qi into his body, which was considered a decent talent in Qi-refining technique.


    This time, it only took him a quarter of an hour, ten times faster than the previous attempt!


    Even after the Yuan Qi had circted in his body for a while, Chu Zheng still hadn''te to terms with it. The speed at which he''d entered was somewhat exaggerated, even leaving him somewhat in disbelief.


    This had nothing to do with his cultivation experience. Finding Qi sensation was not something that you could do faster the second time just because you had done it once; it all depended on one''s innate understanding.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng finally came back to his senses, pondered for some time, and was still unable to conclude anything, only able to attribute this to the variations of the world.


    He closed his eyelids and continued cultivating.


    ...


    ...


    At dawn, as the sun began to rise, it brought the first trace of pure Yang Qi.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged amongst the mass burial mound, his breath long and steady, ignoring the stench entering his nostrils. His spirit concentrated and Qi circted, absorbing the rising Yang Qi from between heaven and earth to bnce the Yin Qi inside his body.


    Overnight, his body had undergone a drastic transformation; the frail body had suddenly increased in Qi strength by a hundred pounds.


    But that was it.


    From a thatched hut to a skyscraper, the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, a step that even someone with high talent and understanding could not skip, needed to be taken one step at a time, and could not be rushed.


    After stabilizing his condition, Chu Zheng left the mass burial mound.


    His first task was to find some food to satiate his hunger, absorb the Qi of the grains to nurture his body, and then learn about this new world to see if he could find some old medicine to increase his cultivation faster.


    He could not fast until he reached the Spirit Transformation Realm.


    Chu Zheng moved swiftly through the wilderness with agile strides, resembling an agile ape.


    Without having to concern himself with his own life or death, his mindset was more rxed andfortable than ever before; it felt like he had let go of some shackles deep within his soul and reached a new level of liberation.


    For a Qi Cultivator, attaining such rity of thought was a rare joy in the world.


    Chu Zheng raced along, and after a while, he finally arrived in front of a city.


    The city walls were thirty feet high, marked by therge characters "Yuncao City."


    A gentle breeze brushed his face, and Chu Zheng smelled a hint of fishiness. Not far from this ce was arge river.


    After pausing for a moment, Chu Zheng turned and left. At this moment, his body was muddied and crusted with blood scabs, which could attract unnecessary trouble.


    Moreover, given the condition of the Tree Root before, there were likely still some troubles lingering around him.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng arrived by the river, washed off the blood, repaired his tattered clothes, tidied himself up, and stepped slowly into Yuncao City.


    On the west side of the city near the riverbank, a huge port was built, hosting over a thousand ships. Looking up, it was swarming with people.


    Chu Zheng carefully observed the passersby, cautiously exploring the cultivation system of this world in front of him.


    After discreetly gathering information for half a day, Chu Zheng gradually let his guard down.


    This world, to his surprise, was more fragile than he had imagined. There were martial artists, but those who had managed to cultivate Inner Qi were rare masters, few and far between.


    For Chu Zheng, after a hundred days, he would be able to stand at the summit of this world. He could cultivate in peace, preparing for the impending tribtions.


    After wandering around the city for a while, Chu Zheng found a job in a pawnshop, where he began his systematic cultivation while keeping a low profile.


    In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.


    ...


    ...


    Cangyun Realm, Taixuan Holy Land.


    At the summit of Divine Peak, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes.


    After the Soul Division, he could now do some simple tasks based on the situation, though he might appear somewhat foolish, he didn''t need to constantly watch over his main body.


    Mainly because his current Divine Soul cultivation was still shallow, using one soul for two purposes was somewhat strenuous. He could only rely on transferring most of his attention to manage both sides.


    Chu Zheng slowly got up and suddenly sensed something unusual.


    After calcting for a moment, a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.


    ording to the Soul Division''s sensory feedback, he had spent at least a month on that star, yet here in the Taixuan Holy Land, only four or five hours had passed.


    This significant disparity in the flow of time left him momentarily bewildered, unsure of what had gone wrong.


    In the same universe, how could there be such a huge disparity in the flow of time?


    This inevitably reminded him of a myth from a previous life.


    A day in heaven, a year on earth.


    ...


    ...


    At dawn.


    Forty miles outside Yuncao City, among the deste mountains.


    A slightly ethereal gateway slowly opened, and dozens of figures, both men and women, walked out in single file.


    Leading them was a woman in her early twenties, with long legs, fair skin, dressed in a green outfit, looking somewhat dashing.


    She turned back, looked at the people following her, smiled, and cupping her hands in greeting, she said,


    "Good morning, dear travelers. I am your guide for this trip, Zhuo Xiu, and you can call me Xiao Xiu. I would like to start by thanking you for your trust in ''Gxy Travel Agency'' and your great support."


    "Our journey willst for seven days and six nights. I will take you to deeply understand an ancient dynasty that existed over five thousand six hundred years ago, simr to the Tianyao Federation."


    "In this journey, I will enable you to personally experience what life was like for people living under those conditions back then."


    At this point, Zhuo Xiu''s expression turned slightly helpless, "Due to the current technological limitations of the Federation, time travel is not yet achievable, and we can only use this method to observe the lives of ancient people."


    "Now, I will inform you of some regtions in advance..."


    "First, please take good care of your valuables. If anything is lost, you will bear the responsibility yourself."


    "Second, it is strictly forbidden to damage the local ecology or reveal any information about the Tianyao Federation to the natives of ''Dongan Star.'' Vitors will face substantialpensation charges initiated by the Gxy Travel Agency; note: starting from five million Federation Currency, with no upper limit."


    "Third, please ensure your personal safety. If you encounter danger, you may defend yourself. ording to the peacew of the Tianyao Federation, volume five, article thirteen, the life safety of the citizens of the Tianyao Federation is of the utmost importance, and they possess unlimited right to self-defense."


    "Therefore, damage caused in this defense, the Gxy Travel Agency, will not hold you responsible."

 Chapter 231: Chapter 165: Tianyao Federation, Trouble

    The sun leapt from the edge of the Earth, and the early light began to show.


    Yuncao City.


    On the bustling streets, a group of dozens of people moved slowly with the crowd.


    "Above Dongan Star, there''s only the Yuangu Dynasty, a nation that has been inherited to this day for five hundred and seventy-six years, with a poption of seven hundred and sixty-five million thirty thousand and more, in a state of positive growth, with an average lifespan of around sixty-five years, quite different from the current Tianyao Federation in many ways, including thenguage and written script."


    Zhuo Xiu, walking at the forefront, did not speak, yet her voice clearly echoed in the minds of each traveler through the imnted chip behind her head.


    "Yuncao City is the core transportation hub of the Yuangu Dynasty, and due to the backward production forces, water transportation is used to save a lot of costs, resulting in a thriving water transportationwork that extends in all directions within the territory of the Yuangu Dynasty."


    "Being a transportation hub, in Yuncao City, you can almost see the local customs of all regions of the Yuangu Dynasty. Seven days and six nights arepletely sufficient for you to experience them."


    "On Dongan Star, there are cultivators who practice ancient martial arts, among whom the excellent ones can match the strength of the first-generation Gene Evolvers."


    Hearing this, the faces of many travelers showed an interested expression, as Gene Evolvers are the elite selected by the Tianyao Federation, and with the aid of Tianyao Evolution Liquid, their strength is practically superhuman.


    Being able to achieve this through cultivation is actually quite difficult.


    As they continued walking, a burst of giggling and chattering suddenly came from the street side. Turning their heads, they saw a panorama of dancing light veils and fluttering ribbons, with fair and delicate skin faintly visible in between.


    With water transportation gathering the rare treasures of the world, naturally, it also includes beauties from all over, and brothels are virtually a pir industry in Yuncao City, truly a cave of gold where annual output is considerable.


    Among the travelers, a few men unconsciously slowed their pace, their gazes wandering uncertainly.


    "Brothels are an inescapable part of the historical development of ancient dynasties; to some extent, the operational status of brothels can reflect the rise and fall of a dynasty, after all, it is tied to the consumption power of ordinary people."


    "In principle, I do not rmend having rtions with the indigenous poption, as due to the differences in bodily antibody colonies, the exchange of bodily fluids can lead to the risk of epidemics."


    Zhuo Xiu, unsurprised, stopped and turned around to remind:


    "Dongan Star is currently the private property of our Gxy Travel Agency. Should an epidemic ur leading to poption reduction and affecting the ecological environment, the travel agency will legally seekpensation."


    "If you are particrly interested in an indigenous person, you can submit an application to the Gxy Travel Agency, which will collect their blood and gic samples to custom-make a seventh-generation bionic doll for you,plete with a second-generation smart chip, programmed with the identity background you request, and delivered to your residence. Ites with a ten-year warranty and free repairs, offering great value for the price."


    Hearing this, a few travelers somewhat disappointedly withdrew their gazes, giving up the chance to experience the local customs of Yuncao City.


    Soon, the group found an inn to settle down temporarily, after which Zhuo Xiu individually inquired about the needs of the many travelers.


    After instructing them on what to pay attention to, Zhuo Xiu took a few travelers who were still interested in knowing more and began wandering around Yuncao City.


    ...


    ...


    Water transportation is vital to the livelihoods of a nation.


    Fromrge-scale grain distribution, imperial court tax revenue, military pay, court expenses, and officials'' sries to the small-scale movement of goods by traders and the cirction of silver coins, all rely on water transportation.


    In Yuncao City, not only are there Martial Arts Experts rarely seen in the martial world, but there is also a stationed elite army outside the city, ready to suppress any unrest at a moment''s notice.


    This ce is a treasure-trove, where even the water is rich with oil floating on the great river.


    For those wealthy merchants, there are times when they are away from home with no cash to hand, and pawnshops exist for this very reason.


    There are dozens of pawnshops in Yuncao City, not to mention the hundreds.


    The Fu Kang Pawnshop where Chu Zheng worked was unremarkable among them.


    Behind the counter, taller than a person''s height, Chu Zheng rested his chin in one hand, pretending to nap.


    Since discovering the significant discrepancy in time flow rates, most of Chu Zheng''s attention had remained at his incarnation''s location.


    With his Spiritual Eye and his own expertise as a Cultural Relic Restorer, in just a month, he had easily be the most discerning assessor in Fu Kang Pawnshop.


    Even if he spent a hundred years here, for Cangyun Realm it would be less than a year¡ªa rare opportunity for Chu Zheng to slow down and focus on improving his Mind Cultivation.


    All the way along, his cultivation had risen too fast, and his Mind Cultivation was gradually bing insufficient to control the surging power within his body without ws.


    Lacking a capable teacher''s guidance, he had to fumble by himself, relying on his own feelings to find and mend the gaps in his cultivation.


    Ding¡ª¡ª


    The wind chime hanging at the door jingled as a medium-built man in his thirties, whose movements suggested slyness, walked in.


    "How much is this worth?"


    The man held his head down, lifting a bundle wrapped in a handkerchief over his head and cing it on the counter.


    Chu Zheng lifted the handkerchief with his finger, nced at it, and his brows slightly furrowed.


    Wrapped in the handkerchief was a Jade Thumb Ring, stained with blood, edged with gold thread, and emanating a clearly visible Yin Qi.


    The ring had a strong earthy smell, and even without consulting the information panel, Chu Zheng''s years of experience allowed him to judge that the ring had recently been unearthed.


    The man before him was most likely an Earth Rat, one who scavenged for valuables in graves.

 Chapter 232: Chapter 165: Tianyao Federation, Trouble_2

    In my past life, I really disliked these kinds of people, because most Earth Rats have quite limited perception. Some ceramic stele inscriptions of considerable value were regarded as worthless in their eyes, and they would carelessly destroy them without a second thought.


    But now, Chu Zheng couldn''t be bothered to argue with these people. Along the way, the number of people he had killed was countless. In terms of karma, he probably bore a much heavier burden than those who plundered graves for a living.


    "One old ring, three taels of patterned silver."


    After a quick estimate, Chu Zheng casually named his price, applying a double discount.


    The ring was of decent quality and could fetch between thirty to fifty taels of silver on the resale market.


    "That little? Can you add more? I''m willing to pledge my life on it."


    Upon hearing this, the man suddenly looked up, his expression hesitant. After he got a clearer view of Chu Zheng''s face, he stiffened for a moment, then, after taking a closer look, he suddenly let out an exmation as if he had seen a ghost:


    "Tree Root?!"


    Hearing that, Chu Zheng lifted his head and narrowed his eyes, pondering for a moment before recognizing the man in front of him.


    That day, when he first arrived in this Star Domain, among the three who had discarded a corpse, this man had been among them.


    A flicker of Spiritual Light shone in Chu Zheng''s pupils, and soon information was transmitted through the interface.


    [You Dawu (Zeroth Order): Bone age thirty-two, Tomb Robber, frequently enters and exits mausoleums, internal organs eroded by Yin Qi, will not live past forty. (Fixable)]


    Thinking of the thirteen stabs in the back of Tree Root, Chu Zheng became thoughtful. Combining the current information, it was highly likely that the murder stemmed from an inequitable division of the loot causing internal strife.


    At this moment, You Dawu''s expression was extremelyplicated, with fear, disbelief, and a hint of ferocity flickering in his eyes.


    The sensitivity of a Qi Cultivator was incredibly sharp, and the fleeting intention to kill certainly did not escape Chu Zheng''s perception.


    The kind-hearted are nowhere to be found among those who deal with tombs all day.


    Chu Zheng watched You Dawu quietly before suddenly standing up, reaching from behind the counter to grab the man by the neck and dragging him behind the counter.


    Two months had passed since he began practicing Qi-refining Technique, with barely twenty days left until the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation. His Qi Strength was nearing ten thousand jin, far beyond what an ordinary person like You Dawu could withstand.


    Chu Zheng stepped on You Dawu''s neck and nced up at the tightly closed shop door before finally saying:


    "I ask, you answer. If you tell half a lie, I''ll send you to Mass Burial Mound, understand?"


    You Dawu''s mind was muddled at the moment, and it took a while for him to respond.


    Feeling the shoe about to crush his neck, he dared not hesitate and forced out a word through clenched teeth:


    "Understood."


    "Why did you kill Tree Root?" Chu Zheng asked casually.


    "It wasn''t me who wanted to kill you, it was Yan Lang who ordered me to. Your mother was killed by him, and he also set fire to your family house. It has nothing to do with me!"


    "Was it really you who stabbed him thirteen times?" Chu Zheng''s brow raised slightly, adding a bit of force to his foot. He meant to test You Dawu with the question, but had not expected such a quick confession.


    Given the thirteen fatal stabs to a fourteen-year-old boy, each aimed at vital organs, he saw no trace of mercy in You Dawu.


    Clearly unable to follow Chu Zheng''s line of thinking, You Dawu felt bewildered for a moment, and only when his breathing becamebored did he growl with a red face:


    "I can''t remember how many stabs. I had no choice ¨C with elders to look after and children to feed, how could I dare go against Yan Lang?"


    The blood rushing to his head clearly made You Dawu''s thoughts even more confused. He rambled on without waiting for Chu Zheng to ask further, spilling most of the situation.


    The Tomb Robbers working with You Dawu numbered five, with Yan Lang as their leader, skilled in martial arts, a former member of the Imperial Guards of the Yuangu Dynasty. But, for offending a powerful person''s son, he was wrongfully imprisoned.


    During his exile, he took advantage of an unguarded moment to kill the soldiers escorting him and escaped. He then gathered a few henchmen and turned to banditry on the waters.


    However, due to the strict management of water transport by the Imperial Court and frequent purges by Martial Arts Grandmasters leading elite Imperial Guards, the bandit business declined, leading them to be Tomb Robbers.


    Tree Root''s involvement with such a dangerous thug was purely idental.


    Tree Root''s ancestors had been Martial Schrs, but the family had fallen on hard times. His grandfather, who had some martial skills in his lifetime, secured a Tomb Guardian''s job for his descendants. Although it wasn''t enough for immense wealth, it could ensure a life offort.


    But unpredictable disasters ur ¨C his father died early due to chronic illness, and his mother was frail, bedridden for many years. Life became increasingly difficult.


    A Tomb Guardian often needs to enter the mausoleum to maintain the mechanisms of the tomb pathways, preventing them from falling into disrepair and being taken advantage of by Tomb Robbers.


    Yan Lang set his sights on that grand mausoleum, and after some investigation, under the pretense of seeking treatment for his mother''s illness, he coaxed theyout of the traps from Tree Root, then murdered him to silence the witness.


    His methods were very clean and efficient; after the murder, he even set fire to the old house to stage it as an inside job.


    Chu Zheng was already aware of what happened afterwards.


    Yan Lang was naturally sly and overly cautious. Almost always on guard, he waited more than two months after robbing that grand mausoleum before he started selling off the loot.


    In fact, over the past few days, You Dawu had visited multiple pawnshops and sold over twenty funerary objects¡ªall without a hitch, smooth sailing, until his encounter with Chu Zheng today.


    It was simply a twist of fate, for if Chu Zheng hadn''t entered Tree Root''s body, the incident wouldn''t have happened at all.


    After listening, Chu Zheng remained silent for a long while before he finally spoke:


    "How many of you are currently in Yuncao City? Where are Yan Lang and the others now?"


    At this moment, You Dawu was barely breathing, his eyes lifeless. Upon hearing the question, he whispered weakly:


    "All at Ping''an... Inn."


    Ding¡ª¡ª


    Before Chu Zheng could reflect any further, the wind chime by the door tinkled, signaling the arrival of another guest.


    Chu Zheng straightened up, nced over, and saw five people¡ªtwo women and three men¡ªall dressed in brightly polished attire, their clothing so new it bore no signs of ever being washed.


    The leading woman appeared to be about twenty years old, full of a brisk and resolute aura.


    "Shopkeeper, show us some treasures to look at. If I like something, I''ll buy it. These people behind me are not short on silver."


    The woman looked at Chu Zheng, her eyes curved with a hint of a smile.


    Chu Zheng sized up the group, furrowed his brow slightly, feeling an eerie sense of discord about these people. The spiritual light in his pupils flickered, and soon messages appeared on his face panel.


    [Zhuo Xiu (First Order): Bone age fifty-two, second-generation Gene Evolver of the Tianyao Federation, senior guide at Gxy Travel Agency, highly experienced. (Details)]


    [Detailed information: Imnted with the fourth-generation ''Tianyao Genesis Series'' chip at the base of the skull, has Tianyao Star Domain Network login ess, advancednguage sync trantion function, live transmission recording function, and an emergency rm system that can upload an rm to the ''Gxy One'' central hub within one minute.]


    Chu Zheng quickly scanned the information of the others and soon had a general understanding; these individuals did not belong to this world, or rather, they did not belong to this star.


    Looking at the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng fell into a deep thought.


    It seemed that what he saw in the starlight was not an illusion¡ªthis star indeed fell under the jurisdiction of a rather powerful civilization.


    Yet, he stillcked some information and could not fully analyse his current situation.


    "Shopkeeper, why aren''t you speaking?"


    Zhuo Xiu approached with a yful grin, tip-toeing and resting one hand on the counter, she suddenly flipped over and sat down on it, her tone flirty, "If you don''t have any impressive treasures, we''ll just leave."


    She particrly enjoyed teasing such fourteen or fifteen-year-old youths. The shyness of youth was always appealing.


    Before her words even finished, Zhuo Xiu noticed the figure of You Dawu under Chu Zheng''s feet. At the same time, a red light flickered in her eyes, bringing up a light screen:


    [Warning: The target native''s power is closing in on that of a first-generation Gene Evolver, and is currently engaging in criminal activity.]


    [Danger Assessment: A-level]


    The smile on Zhuo Xiu''s face instantly froze.


    Chu Zheng remained expressionless as he suddenly increased the pressure under his foot.


    Crack¡ª¡ª


    Hearing the voices and desperately struggling, You Dawu''s body suddenly went limp.


    The crisp sound of a broken neck clearly entered Zhuo Xiu''s ears.


    Chu Zheng lowered his eyelids, speaking indifferently:


    "What does the guest wish to purchase?"

 Chapter 233: Chapter 166: Reunion, Yan Lang

    Looking at the prompt from the chip, Zhuo Xiu felt a chill in her heart, leapt off the counter, and took several steps back.


    The strengthparable to a first-generation evolver, meant that this seemingly harmless boy could tear apart tigers and split bears with his bare hands, no less formidable than some of the top predators on wilds.


    What was more crucial was the danger rating, A level.


    The degree of danger was not directly rted to strength; some herbivores, thoughrge, were gentle and not very dangerous.


    The higher the danger level rating, the more severe the target''s propensity for violent crime, a judgment made by the chip based on the frequency of the target''s brain waves, which was extremely precise.


    When preparing for criminal activities, the state of brain waves is highly abnormal; at A level, there was a risk of violence breaking out at any moment.


    For a moment, Zhuo Xiu''s heart pounded; she was not too worried about her own safety.


    She had once taken tourists to watch ancient battlefields firsthand, and as a second-generation gene evolver, she had also gone through real war trials and participated in interster wars.


    While her experience in life-and-death fights was not extensive, with her strength surpassing Chu Zheng, she should have a good chance of subduing him.


    The key issue was that the few travelers behind her were not evolvers but ordinary people. Even though their physical fitness was much higher than the natives of Dongan Star, it was still difficult for them topare with transcendent beings.


    In other words, it was easy for them to die.


    Moreover, if any one of them were injured, it would affect her future career.


    Chu Zheng sensed Zhuo Xiu''s nervousness, nced at the few travelers behind her, and quickly understood, patiently repeating the question he had just posed,


    "What would you like to buy?"


    Not wanting to provoke Chu Zheng, Zhuo Xiu''s eyes shifted slightly, a sh of inspiration struck her mind, and she thought of the ring on the counter and immediately asked,


    "That ring, how much silver?"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng looked down at You Dawu, who had already breathed hisst, and said softly,


    "This item is a dead pawn, priced at fifty pieces of patterned silver. If the guest likes it, you may purchase it."


    "I''ll buy it."


    Zhuo Xiu did not waste words with Chu Zheng, reached into her sleeve, pulled out a silver ingot, ced it in front of Chu Zheng, picked up the ring, and turned to leave.


    "Wait a moment, guest."


    Chu Zheng''s voice came from behind her; Zhuo Xiu''s mind tensed, and she suddenly turned around, her eyes full of vignce.


    "You forgot to take the receipt."


    Chu Zheng bowed his head, penned the receipt quickly, and stamped it with the seal of Fu Kang Pawnshop.


    There are rules to follow in business.


    Zhuo Xiu took the receipt, looking back with every step, leading the few travelers out of the pawnshop.


    Only after leaving the pawnshop did Zhuo Xiu finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Is that child really that dangerous?"


    "Miss Zhuo, aren''t you a bit too nervous?"


    Once outside the pawnshop, the travelers all wore faces of disbelief; they had not seen the corpse at Chu Zheng''s feet.


    If not for the few words Zhuo Xiu reminded them through the chip, they would have already started asking questions inside the pawnshop.


    "His aggressiveness isparable to some ancientrge carnivores, a top terrestrial predator."


    Zhuo Xiu''s expression was very serious, warning them with a hint of caution,


    "I am considering everyone''s safety. The natives here are very dangerous for you, and I hope you also take your safety seriously."


    The travelers didn''t seem to care much, merely nodding nonchntly.


    In response, Zhuo Xiu felt a wave of helplessness.


    Living in a peaceful environment for a long time, people''s guard tends to unconsciously lower. Nowadays, most citizens in the Tianyao Federationck a sense of crisis.


    These people living in the Ancient Dynasty are actually quite dangerous, not only in terms of power but more so psychologically.


    In past interster wars, she had seen many evolvers stronger than her perish due to their carelessness.


    One must always be very cautious of uneducated,wless mobs.


    However, speaking of this to the travelers now was merely a waste of effort; years of habits cannot be changed overnight.


    After all, it was just a seven-day trip that passed in the blink of an eye.


    Zhuo Xiu turned to look back at the pawnshop and felt an urge to visit the Government Office in Yuncao City to ask the locals to deal with the dangerous element in the pawnshop.


    But after hesitating for a while, she gave up on the idea.


    She was a guide; her main aim was to lead the travelers through their sightseeing trip. Getting involved in the troubles among these natives was just a waste of time.


    Moreover, it was just a native who had died, worthless.


    ...


    ...


    Inside the pawnshop.


    As he watched Zhuo Xiu and the others leave, Chu Zheng looked down at the hefty silver ingot, deep in thought.


    The way Zhuo Xiu handled the silver earlier was very casual, and he noticed some clues simr to a storage space technique.


    ording to the information previously provided by the panel, Zhuo Xiu was a second-generation gene evolver of the Tianyao Federation, her strength already at the first order, equivalent to a cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm.


    This was merely a guide; judging from thebat sequence of a civilization, a guide is by no means abatant.


    The reliance of the Tianyao Federation was probably not just the cosmic warships he saw in the stars; the creatures therein might follow a different path of life evolution.


    This point could be of some reference value for his cultivation path.


    The wisdom of old, using other mountains'' stones to polish jade, is indeed worth leveraging.

 Chapter 234: Chapter 166: Reunion with Yan Lang_2

    However, rashly making contact with Zhuo Xiu now would probably not be easy, and might even rm the enemy. He needed to remain hidden for a while longer and wait for the opportunity.


    Since Zhuo Xiu acted as a guide today, leading these people here and had even prepared the appropriate attire, it meant that this ce must be quite a famous tourist destination within the Tianyao Federation.


    Even if Zhuo Xiu left, there would likely be no shortage of tourists in the future. Time was on his side, and he had all the time in the world.


    Chu Zheng got up, closed the shop door, casually hung up a ''closed'' sign, then retrieved a straw mat from inside, rolled up You Dawu''s corpse in it, and ced it in a corner.


    It was still early outside, unsuitable for disposing of the body. Besides, he also needed to prepare a set of night clothes for activitiester in the evening.


    In addition to You Dawu, he needed to deal with Yan Lang and his crew as quickly as possible to prevent futureplications.


    Chu Zheng wasn''t worried about troubles befalling him, but just as with the encounter involving Tree Root previously, You Dawu''s death here could inadvertently involve other innocent people due to Yan Lang.


    Facing such poisonous snakes from the gutter, the best course of action was to strike them dead with a single blow and resolve the problem once and for all.


    ...


    ...


    In Yuncao City, there were over a hundred inns of various sizes. The inns to the west of the city charged the highest prices, simply because they were closer to the port and docks. From a window, one could see the great river''s ceaseless flow and their own ships.


    Ping An Inn was among them, ranking as a well-knownrge inn, and naturally, the prices were not cheap.


    The sky gradually darkened, and the setting sun cast a brilliant silhouette amidst the ancient buildings with green tiled roofs.


    The main hall of the inn was filled with tables and chairs, upied by merchants and gant warriors from the jianghu, toasting and chatting. The topics ranged from the affairs in the highest of temples, the Golden Throne Hall, to the most ordinary happenings in the marketce¡ªno subject was off-limits for these people of all walks of life.


    As for the truth of these talks, it was up to oneself to discern.


    On the second floor, schrs and poets chanted by the Angry River, enjoying the sunset and engaging in poetic exchanges.


    The scene of a historic and flourishing Ancient Dynasty was vividly depicted within this single inn.


    In a corner of the main hall, four burly men sat around a table, fraught with an absence of greens but brimming withrge servings of meat and poultry.


    They ate and drank like the bottomless, their mouths dripping with grease, and their mere act of dining revealed a bandit-like demeanor.


    However, in a gathering ce for all sorts of people, there were many whose table manners were even worse than theirs, so they didn''t attract much attention.


    Dining, one man looked up at the sky and said indistinctly,


    "Why hasn''t Dawue back yet?"


    The man''s head was wrapped in a tea-colored headscarf, his skin dark and face rugged yet honest-looking.


    Sitting opposite him was a lean man, his hair graying and his face lined with age, giving him a somewhat elderly appearance. He immediately took up the conversation,


    "Maybe he sneaked off to a brothel."


    Before he finished speaking, the muscr, bare-chested giant to his left let out a coldugh,


    "You think Dawu''s like you? Can''t live a day without the lips of a brothel girl."


    "Besides, he can''t even pull out a couple of copper coins, let alone have silver. If he dared to embezzle silver and sneak some fun, wouldn''t he fear Wolfhead chopping him up?"


    The men took turns speaking, while the big man seated by the window, eating in silence, was nearly forty with a face marked by the weather, a long scar on the left side, and narrow eyes as sharp as swords, giving him a fierce look.


    In the blink of an eye, thest ray of the setting sun disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving no trace.


    Two silver moons rose into the sky, suspended high above.


    Inside the main hall, guests came and went, the atmosphere growing livelier as time passed.


    In the corner, the three who had spoken earlier were no longer chatting idly, instead wearing cold expressions and staring intently at the entrance, except for the scar-faced man, who seemed insatiable and continued eating.


    Momentster, a group of people entered the inn, their faces bearing smiles, led by a woman in her early twenties.


    "Wolfhead, look what that girl has in her hand."


    The lean man suddenly shouted in a low voice, his expression sour.


    Hearing this, the scar-faced man gnawing on a chicken leg halted his motion, lifted his head, and fixed his gaze on the object in the entering woman''s hand.


    A gold-threaded jade thumb ring was twirling and flicking gracefully on her slender fingertips.


    After observing for a moment, he ground the chicken bone in his mouth, swallowed, and spoke calmly,


    "When night falls and the ce quiets down, drag her to the ship, probe her, and make sure there are no slip-ups."


    Upon hearing this, the three men rose from their seats. The lean man headed for the kitchen, the brawny half-naked man proceeded upstairs, and the seemingly honest man went straight out of the inn.


    Over an hourter, four individuals reconvened in the elegant private room on the third floor.


    "I''ve found out, just arrived in town today: River-crossing Dragon, spending freely, should be a fat prize. I''ve looked, several of them have some strength, but possess no Inner Strength, won''t be difficult to handle,"


    the honest-looking man spoke first, his brow slightly furrowed as he added:


    "Da Wu hasn''te back yet, I''m afraid it''s more likely bad news than good. Just don''t know if these people did it. Thatss seems like the leader, hard to gauge her depth, could be a bit of a handful."


    "Then let''s snatch a few, leave a note, and force them toe out of the city to talk,"


    Yan Lang pondered for a moment and changed his earlier n:


    "There''s a Grandmaster in the city, causing trouble will invite problems."


    ...


    ...


    The season had turned to deep autumn.


    The night grew darker, the cold wind more biting, seeping into the marrow of one''s bones.


    A shadow silentlynded in the midst of Ping An Inn. Chu Zheng''s eyes were sharp as lightning, searching through the window for any trace of Yan Lang and his men.


    Just as he started looking, several figures flew out from the back of the inn, each carrying a person, moving rapidly with a brisk pace, heading straight for the city outskirts.


    Chu Zheng''s pupils flickered with Spiritual Light, and he quickly discovered the information he was looking for.


    [Yan Lang (Zeroth Order): Former Imperial Guard of the Yuangu Dynasty, Tomb Robber, had a fortuitous encounter in his early years, possesses the Inner Strength of a full zodiac cycle, almostparable to a Martial Arts Grandmaster.]


    Besides Yan Lang, the people being carried, ording to the information on the panel, were all citizens of the Tianyao Federation, clearly tourists who hade here to sightsee.


    This meant Zhuo Xiu should also be inside Ping An Inn.


    Just as Chu Zheng was about to follow them, a figure suddenly burst out of the inn, without the slightest deviation, chasing directly after the departing Yan Lang and his men.


    Zhuo Xiu...


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng concealed his aura and slowly followed.


    Tracking and locating someone was clearly not a difficult feat for the Tianyao Federation.


    Quite the coincidence.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but sigh slightly, Yan Lang was truly audacious, probably without any idea of the kind of person he had provoked.


    Zhuo Xiu, after all, had reached First Order, to mortals that was equivalent to an Immortal, simply not someone these few could deal with.


    Even Grandmasters, Great Grandmasters, in front of a being of First Order, were nothing but chickens and dogs.


    With just one finger, Zhuo Xiu could easily crush Yan Lang and his men to death.


    In a blink of an eye, Chu Zheng followed Zhuo Xiu''s trail out of the city, running several miles before stopping at a mountain pass.


    He found a treetop and quietly slipped into it, settling down to watch.


    The development of this affair hadpletely surpassed his expectations, and now, all he could do was watch the show unfold.


    Yan Lang stood at the mountain pass, showing no signs of breathlessness, his face cold andposed, his palm tightly gripping someone''s throat; a little pressure would be enough to kill.


    At this moment, a sense of dread filled his heart. This woman''s speed was terrifyingly fast, even when he exerted his Qinggong to the fullest, he couldn''t shake her off in the slightest; she had caught up to him in the time it took to make a cup of tea.


    He knew very well that this time, he had probably hit a snag.


    "Let him go, whatever you want, I can give it to you,"


    Zhuo Xiu said in a steady voice, showing no sign of impatience, but inwardly she was burning with anxiety.


    The lives of these tourists were each more precious than thest, and any mishap would mean the end of her career as a tour guide.


    The moment she learned of the situation, she had already activated the rm system, and now all she needed to do was to stall for time, waiting for the central processing unit to respond.


    Yan Lang tightened his grip and shouted harshly:


    "I want ten thousand taels of silver."


    "I''ll give it to you!"


    Without any hesitation, Zhuo Xiu reached into her sleeve and pulled out a stack of silver notes:


    "Ten thousand taels in silver notes, let him go, and I''ll ensure your safe departure."

 Chapter 235: Chapter 167: Tianyao Federation Cosmic Law

    Are you serious?!


    Looking at the silver note in Zhuo Xiu''s hand, even Yan Lang, who had weathered many storms, couldn''t help but be stunned for a moment.


    One hundred thousand taels of Snowke Patterned Silver was enough for him to livefortably for most of his life.


    After snapping out of it, he turned his head to look at the people beside him and uttered a low shout, "Bring it here to take a look."


    A burly man with a towering stature stepped forward, took the silver note from Zhuo Xiu''s hand, and presented it to Yan Lang.


    Seeing the genuine silver note, Yan Lang''s cheeks trembled slightly, his scar twisted like a centipede, and his eyes zed with intense fire.


    He lowered his head to gaze at the person he was holding in his hand, and in that instant, uncontroble greed surged into his mind.


    He had not expected these people before him to be worth so much money.


    One hundred thousand taels of Snowke Patterned Silver, and this woman didn''t even blink an eye when offering it, indicating that these people''s identities must be extraordinary.


    Even bloodline members of the ordinary Royal Family might not be worth this much.


    After this job, he couldpletely retire and live in seclusion, no longer needing to live a life on the edge of the knife.


    For a moment, Yan Lang was almost spellbound, his mind filled with visions of a carefree life as he gazed at the silver note before him.


    "Release them."


    Zhuo Xiu suppressed her anger and reminded him.


    "I''ve changed my mind."


    Yan Lang came to his senses, took a deep breath, and said tentatively with a hint of testing,


    "I want one... one million, one million taels of Gold!"


    Before he finished speaking, everyone behind Yan Lang took a deep breath.


    One million taels of Gold was equivalent to ten million taels of silver, enough for them to spend for ten lifetimes, enjoying all the glory, wealth, and luxury in the world.


    "I don''t have that much silver note on me right now, just let them go, give me two days, and I can give it to you."


    Hearing this, Zhuo Xiu''s heart grew even more enraged, but she still agreed without any hesitation.


    After all,pared to the life of a federal citizen and her own future career, so-called gold and silver were utterly inconsequential.


    Her straightforward attitude gave Yan Lang pause, making him feel like he had underbid.


    Driven by rapidly expanding greed, he changed his terms once more:


    "I have six people in my hands right now, one million taels of Gold per person, today I''ll return two of them to you."


    Then, he took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and spoke hoarsely,


    "I''ll give you two days to gather six million Gold Notes. Two dayster, we meet here again. You give me the Gold Notes, and I''ll return the remaining four people to you, square and fair."


    Yan Lang''s greed both shocked and angered Zhuo Xiu, and just as she was about to speak, a light screen suddenly appeared in front of her eyes, shing with dazzling red lights.


    [Your emergency call has been acknowledged by Gxy One. The fastest armed reinforcement will arrive in about five hours.]


    [During these five hours, the life safety of a federal citizen cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, based on aprehensive judgment, as the only person on the scene withbat experience, you are the best choice for emergency response.]


    [Sergeant Zhuo Xiu, ording to our records, you belonged to thebat sequence of the Fifth Division of the Third Legion of our Federation. You are an excellent soldier of the Tianyao Federation. Based on the assessment of indigenous forces on Dongan Star, your abilities are fully sufficient to deal with the current situation. Are you willing to undertake this responsibility?]


    Zhuo Xiu snapped back to reality, raised her head to look at Yan Lang and the others in the distance, her eyes brimming with an irrepressible killing intent.


    This man''s boundless greed had pushed her patience to the limit.


    Looking at the light screen before her, Zhuo Xiu did not hesitate and chose to agree.


    [Sergeant Zhuo Xiu, thank you for your bravery. ording to the emergency protocol of the Tianyao Federation Cosmic Law, your military rank is temporarily restored. Temporaryw enforcement authority is granted, and military standard equipment ess is unlocked.]


    [Digital armor has been sent to your spatial code, please check immediately.]


    [Please ensure the hostages'' safety at all costs, the Federation stands with you.]


    As thest message shed by, Zhuo Xiu''s expression shifted, and she suddenly raised her hand. An ephemeral light emerged from the void andnded on her exterior.


    Then, in an instant, the light solidified into a suit of silver-white battle armor thatpletely enveloped Zhuo Xiu.


    This eerie transformation left Yan Langpletely dumbfounded, having no idea what had just happened. The three men behind him were even more overwhelmed, now totally spellbound.


    Zhuo Xiu drew out a spherical object and tossed it into the air.


    Boom¡ª


    Following a spark, an invisible ripple instantly spread out, enveloping a few hundred yards in its scope.


    Chu Zheng, who was crouching in the shadows of the trees, felt as though he had been struck on the back of the head by a heavy hammer. A mass of disorderly information rushed into his mind, subjecting his Divine Soul to an indescribable shock, scattering his thoughts, resulting in a momentary system crash.


    By the time he had collected himself, the situation before him had already drastically changed.


    The six people who had been captured by Yan Lang''s group had now all been freed, and were scattered on the ground in disarray.


    At the foot of the mountain, only Zhuo Xiu, d in the silver-white battle armor, and Yan Lang''s four-person team remained.


    Yan Lang, looking at his empty palms, turned pale. In just an instant, he had no understanding of what happened. By the time he came to his senses, the people in his hands had vanished without a trace.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng''s face suddenly became stern, and he immediately activated his Spiritual Eye, focusing on Zhuo Xiu.


    The information from the panel quickly entered his mind.


    [Tianyao War God Series Armor (Second Order): The third upgraded version of the Tianyao Federation War God series, standard military equipment, flight speed 3000km/h, equipped with mid-level firepower, carrying four Typhon II-type explosive projectiles, capable of performing a radius of three hundred kilometers area sweep. (Detailed)]


    Looking at the information provided by the panel, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be surprised.


    What surprised him was not the strength of the armor, but the method by which Zhuo Xiu acquired it.

 Chapter 236: Chapter 167: Tianyao Federation Cosmic Law_2

    If Zhuo Xiu had had this set of battle armor from the beginning, she wouldn''t have wasted so much time with Yan Lang and the others, and she definitely wouldn''t have offered a silver note to negotiate.


    This Tianyao War God Series Armor must have just recentlye into Zhuo Xiu''s hands by some means.


    Transporting such a set of armor across the universe in an instant, even the powerful beings from the Tongxuan Secret Realm would hardly achieve that.


    "You have all vited Volume One, Article Three of the Tianyao Federation Cosmic Law,mitting an unforgivable crime against my federation''s citizens and severely threatening the lives of my federation''s citizens. Zhuo Xiu, byw, sentences you four to death."


    With the armor equipped, Zhuo Xiu''s aura had changed drasticallypared to before, the electronic synthesized voice from the armor cold and merciless.


    She slightly twisted her palm, and there appeared a silver-white pistol in her hand.


    Without the slightest hesitation, Yan Lang clutched the hundred thousand taels of silver notes he grabbed, turned, and fled, his inner strength surged like a cloud-stepping swallow, he moved dozens of meters in a step, and in the blink of an eye, he disappearedpletely into the dense forest.


    The remaining three finally reacted and hurriedly followed suit, fleeing desperately, cursing their parents for not giving them an extra pair of legs.


    Such a monster, beyond theirprehension, didn''t spur even a trace of resistance inside them.


    Zhuo Xiu didn''t pursue, the red light on the facete flickered, locked on the few men, and then she fired four shots into the sky.


    After shooting, she did not bother to check the oue; she simply disengaged the armor and turned back to wake up the six stunned travelers.


    Soon, all six woke up. From the data on Zhuo Xiu''s chip, they had seen what just urred. Their first reaction wasn''t fear but excitement and regret.


    This thrill of life-and-death adventure, they rarely had the chance to experience; unfortunately, they were unconscious at the time and unable to experience its intricacies themselves.


    Zhuo Xiu could only sigh lightly at this and led the group back to the inn.


    Only after Zhuo Xiu and her group had left did Chu Zheng move his body and started to follow the direction Yan Lang had fled in.


    Soon, by following scant clues, he found Yan Lang.


    Yan Lang''s body was under an ancient tree so wide it would take three people to encircle it, his head already vanishing without a trace, and the stump of his neck scorched ck as if seared by high heat, with not a trickle of blood.


    In his palm, he still tightly clutched the bundle of silver notes.


    The deaths of Yan Lang and the others were purely self-inflicted, their greediness led to such an end.


    Indeed, if he had simply taken the silver notes and left, Zhuo Xiu probably wouldn''t have pursued them to kill.


    However, with Chu Zheng behind them, even if they had decided to stop in time and leave immediately, they wouldn''t have survived the night; their fate was sealed.


    Chu Zheng stepped forward, pried open his fingers, counted the silver notes, then started searching the body.


    Soon, he gathered some items: a bundle of silver notes, a few pieces of broken silver, totaling a few thousand taels of silver, and two martial arts manuals.


    Chu Zheng nced at them and tossed them aside.


    Zeroth Order martial arts, with no potential whatsoever. With his current level of insight, a nce was all he needed to see through them, with nothing worthwhile.


    After confirming there was nothing overlooked, Chu Zheng stood up and left; the idea of giving Yan Lang a proper burial never crossed his mind.


    The forest teemed with wild wolves; this end, for Yan Lang, was suitable.


    As for the bodies of the other three, Chu Zheng didn''t n on searching for them. Yan Lang had so little to his name, the rest could be imagined, not worth the effort to investigate.


    ...


    ...


    The following morning.


    The sun rose, sweeping away the chill of the night. The treetops gleamed with morning dew, bursting with vitality.


    Ping An Inn.


    "I''m very sorry, dear travelers, this sightseeing trip is going to end ahead of schedule,"


    Zhuo Xiu stood in front of the many travelers, her face expressing apology:


    "Due to my negligence, you were put in danger, and even your central nerves have been damaged to varying degrees by the drugs, for which I am truly very sorry."


    "After you return, you can seek medical treatment on your own, and then send the medical center''s billing statement to my private email. I, Gxy Travel Agency, will reimburse all the medical expenses for this incident, and the travel costs will also be fully refunded."


    Regarding this, the reactions of many travelers varied; some were left wanting more, some discontented, while others, feeling a bit frightened, were ready to leave this contentious ce.


    After all, many people considered their own safety of utmost importance, valuing their lives above all else.


    Not everyone was willing to risk their lives for the thrill of adventure.


    This incident also had a significant impact on Zhuo Xiu.


    Though these travelers hadn''t suffered any physical injuries, the anesthetic drugs of this era had severe side effects on the human body, damaging the central nervous system and even causing cognitive disorders.


    Under her leadership, these tourists had sustained these injuries, and even though she had tried her best to avert irreversible consequences, her career as a guide was likely to suffer a major blow.


    A group left the inn in high spirits.


    Zhuo Xiu looked up and surveyed her surroundings when her expression suddenly turned perplexed.


    In the corner of the bustling street, an unforgettable youth was sitting at a wonton stall by the roadside.


    Feeling her gaze, Chu Zheng put down his bowl and met Zhuo Xiu''s eyes with a nod and a smile.


    The two looked at each other from across the street, silent for a long time.


    During this period, Zhuo Xiu looked several times at the armor stored in her space, hesitated for a long time, but eventually chose to let it go.


    After all, the youth had never troubled her, and even though he had killed, it should be the locals who judged him.


    For her to take action now would seem too much like misdirected anger.


    Until this youth harmed a federation citizen, she had no reason to strike him.


    Without another nce, she turned and led the group of travelers out of Yuncao City, setting off on their return journey.


    Chu Zheng watched as the group disappeared from view, picked up his bowl, and downed the wontons in one gulp before getting up to leave.


    At first, he hadn''t understood why Yan Lang had provoked Zhuo Xiu. It was only after he dealt with You Dawu''s corpse yesterday that he realized it.


    It must have been because of that jade thumb ring, a series of unfortunate misunderstandings had caused troubles for Zhuo Xiu because of him.


    Chu Zheng didn''t think this was his fault, as Zhuo Xiu had wanted to buy the thumb ring herself, which was beyond his control.


    It was just an extreme coincidence.


    Chu Zheng slowly left the city and found a site with good feng shui; he hired several skilled craftsmen and built a luxurious tomb for Tree Root, thereby settling a lingering obsession.


    Previously, he had been short on money, but now he had some spare cash to settle these trifles.


    He had visited Tree Root''s old home, only to find nothing but ashes left.


    Chu Zheng had already resigned from his job at Fu Kang Pawnshop in the morning since it was initially just a way to make a living; now, he did not need to waste his time there anymore.


    Chu Zheng stayed in the countryside for over half a month, until the tomb waspletely restored, and he had crossed the hundred-day threshold, entering the Spirit Transformation Realm.


    This time, entering the Spirit Transformation, his feelings were vastly different; the power was much weaker than when he was in Cangyun Realm, several times weaker.


    The change in nature''s spiritual energy significantly affected cultivation; shallow waters cannot breed a True Dragon.


    In such a ce sparse in spiritual energy, Chu Zheng''s cultivation wouldn''t be strong, despite refining Qi until death, unless he used the Method of Qi Absorption, and gradually depleted all the stars.


    However, the killing that would cause was far too severe.


    Chu Zheng leisurely made his way back to Yuncao City.


    Compared to when he left, many changes had happened outside the city gates, with several portraits of newly wanted criminals disyed.


    One portrait was unmistakably that of Tree Root.


    "Yuanfeng Royal Tomb Guardian, surnamed Tree, named Root, used of plundering the tomb he guarded..."


    Chu Zheng scanned the wanted poster and fixed his gaze on the reward amount listed at the bottom, frowning:


    "Why only a hundred silver?"

 Chapter 237: Chapter 168: Name Change, Debris

    By noon, the flow of people before Yuncao City was like a woven tapestry.


    Before the city tower, a bounty list was posted, with a nce revealing no fewer than twenty-odd posters.


    Committing crimes through martial arts was not anything new since ancient times; with the vastness of the world, even for Grandmasters with profound inner strength, seeking someone was like searching for a needle in the ocean, relying only on wanted orders to find clues.


    Chu Zheng scanned over these wanted posters, the reward amounts varying. The highest was worth a hundred thousand taels of silver, for a Grandmaster who had vanished without a trace for nearly twenty years.


    The most recent news about this Grandmaster was that they had appeared near the Imperial Capital, and considering the safety of the Imperial Capital, the reward for this Grandmaster had recently increased by a significant amount.


    As for the bounty on Tree Root, it was only a hundred taels, ranked at the very bottom. In fact, if it weren''t for the issue concerning the tombs of lords and princes, Tree Root would not even qualify to be on the list.


    Chu Zheng stared at the wanted posters for a moment, then stepped out from the crowd and approached the wanted orders.


    This action immediately attracted the attention of many people. Soon, someone recognized that his appearance was identical to the one on the wanted orders, stirring up a wave of whispers.


    "My surname is Chu, and my name is Zheng, not Tree Root."


    Chu Zheng lifted his hand, took down the wanted order, turned back to face the crowd, and spoke in a calm voice:


    "From today onwards, I im to be the number one under the heavens. Those who disagree,e find me in the Imperial Capital. I will stay in the Imperial Capital for two years, giving everyone an opportunity."


    He could no longer use the name Tree Root; walking the world without his real name made this life''s trials and tribtions meaningless for him.


    Now that he had reached Spirit Transformation, the people on this were hardly a challenge for the current Chu Zheng.


    He did not n to stay on this for too long; he intended to acquire as many resources as possible in the shortest time, push his cultivation to the pinnacle, and then contacting the Tianyao Federation was his next course of action.


    Lingering here, with a weak foundation, was like a Hidden Dragon trapped in shallow waters, a sheer waste of time.


    "Presumptuous!"


    "Audacious scoundrel!"


    Shing¡ª¡ª


    Angry shouts mixed with the sounds of swords and sabers being drawn exploded in unison.


    The Imperial Guards stationed near the wanted orders reacted immediately, drawing their des and encircling Chu Zheng like a pack of wolves.


    "Imperial Guards apprehend the thief, bystanders step back!"


    A general d in dark armor, holding a long spear, strode over with the might of a dragon and tiger. The nging of his iron armor resounded, and with a long howl like a booming bell, it shook the field, clearly having cultivated inner strength.


    He leaped up suddenly, shattering more than a dozen blue bricks; as his imposing figure rose into the air, his long spear came down like a giant axe aimed at Chu Zheng''s crown. The strike, with Colossal Strength of thousands of pounds, would tear apart even tigers and wolves.


    Chu Zheng was unmoved; he neatly folded the wanted order and ced it in his pocket, then turned and headed towards the port.


    Whoosh¡ª¡ª


    A rumbling gust of wind sounded in the void, a mighty whirlwind that appeared from nowhere, sweeping up by Chu Zheng''s side, sweeping in all directions.


    The furious charge of the dark-armored general, along with dozens of Imperial Guards, were all swept away by the hurricane, like leaves in the wind, pushed back hundreds of yards.


    In the Spirit Transformation Realm, possessing Divine Abilities and Techniques, to mortals he was nothing less than an Immortal, an insurmountable barrier.


    Chu Zheng strode across the street without a sideways nce, quickly reaching the vicinity of the port.


    The Imperial Guards following him numbered in the hundreds; facing several hundred elite warriors in iron armor, including masters who had cultivated inner strength, even amon Grandmaster would taste defeat.


    Learning from their previous encounter, these Imperial Guards didn''t approach Chu Zheng, but drew Strong Bows and crossbows, loading them with Feathered Arrows gleaming with cold light.


    Swish¡ª¡ª


    In the blink of an eye, two volleys were loosed; the arrows sliced through the air, their piercing whistles echoing continuously, a terrifying sight with a thousand arrows filling the sky.


    Chu Zheng stopped in his tracks, his robe billowing gently; as the crossbow arrows approached within three yards of him, they all fell to the ground, not a single feather touching him.


    "No more than three offenses; provoke me again, and I''ll take your heads," he said ncing at the nearby Imperial Guards, his low voice halting the movements of hundreds of soldiers. The arrows were nocked, yet no one dared to shoot.


    All were martial practitioners, and in just two short exchanges, they had recognized the vast gulf between them and Chu Zheng¡ªan unbridgeable chasm, and to engage again would likely be suicidal.


    In that moment, the expressions of the many captains of the Imperial Guards, as well as the martial bystanders, were filled with utter shock.


    Since the inception of the Yuangu Dynasty 576 years ago, there had never been someone who regarded hundreds of elite iron-armored soldiers as nothing.


    Moreover, the youth before them looked to be only fourteen or fifteen years old; even if one had practiced martial arts since the womb, they should not possess such inhuman strength.


    Under the gaze of hundreds of Imperial Guards, Chu Zheng entered the port, randomly picked a small boat, and took out a silver note worth a hundred taels, tossing it to the boatman:


    "I''ve bought this boat," he said sinctly.


    Once the boatman carefully verified the authenticity of the silver note, joy spread across his face, and he hurriedly disembarked and went ashore:


    "As you please, hero."


    Chu Zheng, without a word, lightly activated the Yuan Qi within him; at the stern, a hundred-yard wave erupted like an arrow, speeding down the river, straight toward the Imperial Capital.


    Even in the bleakest ofnds, heaven sometimes yields ancient medicine and Heavenly and Earthly Treasures; the Imperial Pce was bound to be filled with countless rarities, making it the most time-efficient destination.


    ...


    ...


    Yuncao City was well-connected, and in just one night, the news of a peerless young Grandmaster''s emergence spread like wildfire throughout the world, causing a sensation.


    To be merely fourteen or fifteen and openly dering to be the foremost under the heavens.


    This was the first time in recorded history that anyone had dared to make such an audacious im.


    But with him single-handedly repelling hundreds of Imperial Guards and thousands of arrows falling without touching a feather, many had witnessed this astonishing feat with their own eyes¡ªit was genuine and substantial.

 Chapter 238: Chapter 168: Rename, Wreckage_2

    As the news spread, the name Chu Zheng became increasingly well-known on this star of Stars.


    The term Tree Root, however, was mentioned by no one.


    Chu Zheng traveled down the river, not rushing his journey, and only arrived at the Imperial Capital of the Yuangu Dynasty several dayster.


    By then, the Imperial Capital was already under full lockdown, with armies of ten thousand stationed on all sides, fully armed and vignt, patrolling the five districts day and night, the city alight with non-stopnterns.


    The Imperial Court had given considerable attention to this young master who had appeared out of nowhere.


    Recently, the soldiers guarding the city had all been reced by elite Imperial Guards, and Grandmasters personally guarded every gate diligently to prevent any oversights.


    The morning was misty with drizzling rain.


    As the season moved toward winter, the climate became colder still.


    In front of the vermilion gates of the Imperial Capital, the crowd was sparse. In these days, the scrutiny for entering the city had been extremely stringent, causing many merchants and citizens to sense something unusual and gradually reduce their outings.


    A figure emerged from the blurred veil of rain and walked slowly towards the gate of the Imperial Capital.


    Chu Zheng was d in a light cyan robe, his hair held up with a wooden hairpin in a Daoist bun, his eyes scanning around with a hint of divine charm.


    As his cultivation advanced, his appearance was also changing imperceptibly.


    In front of the city gate, there were very few people.


    On one side of the vermilion gate, a temporary tea tent was set up, under which sat an old man in his sixties, boiling tea.


    Looking up at the rain for a moment, he saw Chu Zheng, and his originally calm expression instantly turned solemn.


    The young man emerging from under the rain was dressed in a long robe, without a single wet spot, wearing a pair of fabric shoes that were impably clean, devoid of any mud.


    These two details alone were enough to show that the young man''s martial arts had reached a superhuman level.


    Considering the recent rumors, it wasn''t hard to identify the identity of the person before him.


    Soon, the presence of Chu Zheng was also noticed at the city gate. His age, around fourteen or fifteen, quickly drew the attention of the many Imperial Guards.


    The old man under the tea tent slowly stood up, his figure swift like the wind, and in the span of a few breaths, he crossed a hundred yards andnded in front of Chu Zheng.


    "I am Zhou Shan, and I have met the young Grandmaster today. I hope you will not hesitate to enlighten me."


    Zhou Shan saluted with cupped fists, his eyes full of solemnity. The moment he saw Chu Zheng, he knew the rumors were true.


    The young man before him had a realm far beyond that of a Grandmaster.


    Chu Zheng did not speak, but slowly extended his hand.


    Zhou Shan''s expression changed dramatically; the slightly youthful palm expanded rapidly in front of his eyes, in an instant covering the sky and almost obscuring his entire view. There was no escape.


    He withdrew swiftly, and after a few moments, he stopped, his back firmly pressed against something.


    Behind him was the city wall, with no escape.


    The hand still loomed before him, neither far nor near, like a Divine Peak, capable of crushing him to death should it fall.


    Chu Zheng slowly withdrew his hand and walked towards the city gate.


    Light returned before Zhou Shan''s eyes; his back was drenched in cold sweat, his face somewhat dazed as he watched Chu Zheng''s retreating figure, leaning against the city wall and sliding down to sit, unable to recover for a long time.


    The gap was too vast...


    The gap between him and Chu Zheng was as if they were not walking the same path.


    He was on the mortal path, while Chu Zheng trod the path of the Immortal.


    This was a fundamental gap that could not be crossed.


    Seeing the Grandmaster defeated without a fight, none of the numerous Imperial Guards dared to make a move. They retreated to either side, clearing the way for Chu Zheng.


    Zhou Shan got up and followed behind Chu Zheng, keeping a moderate distance.


    He was a Grandmaster of the Imperial Court; if Chu Zheng were to assassinate the emperor and plunge the world into chaos, even though he was no match, he would have to fight to the death, even if it cost him his life.


    The hundreds of Imperial Guards trailed far behind, not daring to step over the boundary.


    Passing by a wonton stall, Chu Zheng stopped, sat down, and had a bowl of wontons.


    Simple wontons, nothing out of the ordinary, but he always inexplicably felt like pausing here for a while.


    Eventually, it seemed to have be a habit for him.


    The street was utterly silent; the vicinity had already been cleared by the many Imperial Guards.


    Zhou Shan watched Chu Zheng, his brows furrowed tightly; he really couldn''t understand what Chu Zheng intended to do.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng stood up and headed straight for the Imperial Pce.


    News of Chu Zheng entering the city had spread to the Imperial Pce beforehand; many grandmasters had already assembled there.


    As he approached the grand gates of the Imperial Pce, there stood hundreds of figures, with no fewer than thirty grandmasters among them, the rest being experts who had developed their Inner Strength.


    It was unsurprising for an empire at its peak to have such a foundation.


    Gazing at the crowd blocking his path, Chu Zheng took a deep breath. His Yuan Qi lightly stirred, and a great fire ignited behind him, soaring more than ten zhang. In the next instant, the mes condensed into a human figure, like a deity overlooking the pce walls.


    Facing such a mystical scene, the many grandmasters'' faces were filled with shock, retreating again and again, unable toprehend.


    In their eyes, this was not martial arts, but Immortal Law.


    In the next instant, before Chu Zheng could speak, the figures in front of the pce gates suddenly dispersed, revealing a middle-aged man dressed in imperial robes.


    Chu Zheng nced at him and recognized his identity.


    The Son of Heaven of the Yuangu Dynasty, Liao Shizhao.


    "Please, Superior Immortal, restrain your Divine Skills."


    Liao Shizhao bowed deeply, "May I ask, Superior Immortal, what brings you here? Should there be any orders, none in the Yuangu Dynasty will disobey."


    The appearance of this zing deity had already proven the gap between them, mere mortals, and Chu Zheng; there was no need for further futile efforts.


    Chu Zheng dissolved the great fire behind him and spoke slowly,


    "Open the Imperial Pce''s treasury; let me take a look."


    Such an understanding reaction suited his intentions exactly.


    Upon hearing this, Liao Shizhao was stunned but promptly ordered someone to open the treasury.


    As Chu Zheng had expected, the treasury indeed contained some Heavenly and Earthly Treasures and several hundred-year-old medicines, which were quite useful to him at this time.


    After browsing around, Chu Zheng gained quite a bit. After leaving the treasury, he used the Divine Skills ''Transmute Stone to Gold'' and gave Liao Shizhao a gold pce, worth as much as the items he had taken.


    "Arrange for someone to help me search for some old medicines; you won''tck Silver."


    Chu Zheng casually remarked, and before Liao Shizhao and the grandmasters could react, he had already left the Imperial Pce. Sitting on the city walls of the Imperial Capital, he began using the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures and the many old medicines to enhance his Cultivation.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.


    This past year, Chu Zheng had been sitting on the city walls of the Imperial Capital without moving an inch, bing a unique part of the scenery.


    His actions within the Imperial Pce had spread throughout the world, even bing exaggerated, and everyone began to regard him as an Immortal descended to earth.


    Consequently, no one dared toe here to challenge him.


    Chu Zheng had no interest in the imperial throne, which was more than good news for the Yuangu Royal Family.


    They naturally met all of Chu Zheng''s requests; over this year, numerous grandmasters and many Imperial Guards had been tirelessly searching for old medicines and precious treasures for him.


    Besides these, Liao Shizhao, fearing Chu Zheng might grow bored, asionally sent him some peculiar tales to pass the time.


    Chu Zheng would read these messages, though most were of little use.


    Until one day, a piece of news caught his attention.


    A squad of Imperial Guards, deep in the mountains, had discovered a depression full of Divine Iron.


    For the people of this, anything that could not be damaged by weapons was termed Divine Iron, essentially just high-density metals.


    The presence of so much ''Divine Iron'' must have a cause.


    Ten to one, it had something do with the Tianyao Federation.


    Chu Zheng thought for a moment and immediately set off, leaving the Imperial Capital. It took him half a month, but he finally arrived at the depression mentioned in the message.


    Before him was a vast pit thousands of zhang in radius, scattered with many metallic wreckage, all overgrown with moss, obviously having been there for some time.


    Hidden deep in the mountains, this pit was rarely visited; if not for the Imperial Court spending a great deal of effort in gathering information and conducting visits, it would have taken many years before anyone discovered it.


    The moment he touched the metallic wreckage, the panel quickly gave a prompt.


    [Patrol Ship (Fourth Order/Iplete): Mounted on the Tianyao Federation''s ''God of the Starry Sky'' gship, equipped with an Intermediate Energy Core, Advanced Search Radar, Advanced Firepower Deployment, loaded with two Tianyao VII Type Bombing Missiles, capable of suppressing lower rank Stars on its own, repairable (0/1000) (Details)]


    [Detailed Information: Crashed three hundred years ago due to a shattered central core, emergency escape system was not activated, all crew members perished, missing high-grade alloys and some precisionponents.]


    Chu Zheng nced at the information on the panel and gathered all the wreckage in the depression in one ce, reducing the repair count to three hundred.


    In less than a year, he would be able to repair this patrol ship and use it to leave this star.

 Chapter 239 Chapter 169 Permissions

    The appearance of this wreck undoubtedly resolved a great deal of trouble for Chu Zheng.


    Recklessly contacting the people of the Tianyao Federation was not an option, and they would certainly not ept a native from an inferior star.


    If he was to leave this star, the warship was indispensable.


    After searching the vicinity thoroughly and ensuring nothing was overlooked, Chu Zheng casually ordered the Imperial Guard to deliver aged medicine here monthly before dismissing them all.


    Transporting it back to the Imperial Capital would be a waste of time; it would be better to repair it right here, where he could also seclude himself for some time.


    The presence of this warship here revealed much information to Chu Zheng.


    The situation of the Tianyao Federation was not entirely stable. Hostile forces existed, and at least three hundred years ago there had been enemies.


    The rating given by the panel was not without basis. Since this patrol ship could be ranked alongside a cultivator of the Divine Infant Realm, it sufficiently proved the true power of this warship was no weaker than that of a typical Divine Infant Great Ability.


    Being able to destroy a Fourth Order warship, even the emergency escape system had not had time to activate, the strength of the opponent shall not be underestimated.


    Chu Zheng did not dwell on these thoughts any further and settled down in the valley, beginning another period of seclusion.


    A year in this ce passed while only three days went by in the Cangyun Realm, this significant difference in the flow of time left Chu Zheng much leeway.


    In reality, he quite enjoyed this slow practice of cultivation, without any burden or sense of urgency, feelingpletely rxed and at ease.


    Unfortunately, this stability was only temporary and could notst long.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, winter passed and spring arrived, and a year had psed.


    This seclusionsted a year, during which Chu Zheng sat like a statue in the valley, indifferent to the changing seasons, drawing upon the essence of the sun and moon daily,muning with heaven and earth, and enhancing his cultivation with the most simple method of Qi refining.


    This reiteration of the Qi Refining path also brought him many new insights and a somewhat different understanding of the Qi Refining Art.


    Dozens of miles away from the valley, a temporary camp had been cleared out as a ry station for delivering sustenance to Chu Zheng, guarded by several Grandmasters.


    Every few months, Liao Shizhao would lead many princes and princesses to visit Chu Zheng.


    Even though Chu Zheng never paid him any attention, he remained tirelessly enthusiastic.


    It was time for another visit, and under Liao Shizhao''s leadership, a procession of the royal descendants came grandly over mountains and ridges and arrived at the entrance of the valley.


    Liao Shizhao had a prosperous lineage, with over a hundred children. Excluding the very young ones, nearly all of them came here.


    The valley was surrounded by early spring greenery.


    Sunlight prated through theyers of leaves, casting patchy shadows below.


    Underneath an ancient tree, a young man in a Taoist robe sat cross-legged. His face had distinct contours, and his eyebrows were long and sharp, lending him a fierce appearance, while his aura seemed ethereal and transcendent.


    An invisible gentle breeze swirled beside the young man, lifting his robe and hair, bringing a refreshing and soothing presence.


    Liao Shizhao signaled the others to stop and prepared to pay their respects.


    In the previous two visits, Chu Zheng had not opened his eyes to see him, and this time, he held no hope either, ready to pay his respects and leave, deeming it a form of worshipping the gods for good fortune.


    The temples were only filled with y bone stone embryos, they could notpare to the True Immortal before them.


    Sensing the movement, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes. In the one year that had passed, the repair of the patrol ship had nearly concluded,cking only the final touch needed that very day.


    This also meant, it was time for him to leave.


    "Greetings, Superior Immortal!"


    Seeing Chu Zheng open his eyes, Liao Shizhao''s expression brightened slightly. He bowed deeply, followed by all the royal descendants behind him.


    Many princesses covertly raised their heads to look at the young man under the tree. Upon opening his eyes, his face seemed instantly endowed with spirit, unconsciously making people feel affinity.


    "Today, our fate ends here. Considering your dedication in searching for Heavenly and Earthly Treasures on my behalf, I shall fulfill one of your wishes."


    Chu Zheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid Qi and stood up, saying,


    "What is your wish?"


    Upon hearing this, Liao Shizhao was both shocked and delighted. After a moment, his throat turned dry, his voice tinged with a hint of trepidation, he hoarsely asked,


    "May I ask the Superior Immortal, is there an Art of Longevity?"


    In terms of power and glory, he was at the pinnacle of the world, desiring nothing else but the ancient legend of longevity, which alone held allure for him.


    In Liao Shizhao''s eyes, Chu Zheng''s abilities were akin to Divine Communication, certainly holding secrets to extending life. He even suspected that the fourteen or fifteen-year-old appearance of Chu Zheng was far from his actual age.


    "I cannot live forever, nor do I believe in immortals in this world."


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly and gestured for him toe closer: "Step forward."


    Liao Shizhao stepped forward as instructed.


    [Liao Shizhao (Zeroth Order): Emperor of the Yuangu Dynasty, with a certain level of Inner Strength Cyltivation, physically depleted, overworked, deficient and not nurturing, damaging his lifespan, will not live past sixty-five. (Repairable)]


    Now approaching his sixties, if nothing unexpected urred, the hidden ailments in his body would erupt in the next few years, his condition worsening.


    Find more chapters on empire


    Chu Zheng ced his hand on Liao Shizhao''s crown and repaired the ailments in his body.


    A momentter, Chu Zheng withdrew his hand and spoke gently, "Live with a pure heart and few desires, cultivate your moral character, and you will have another sixty years of life."


    This act was equivalent to extending Liao Shizhao''s life.


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, several older princes behind him froze, uncertain of how to react.


    Sixty years¡ªthey did not even know if they could live that long. Could they still have a chance at the throne in their lifetimes?

 Chapter 240 Chapter 169 Permissions_2

    ```


    "Thank you, Superior Immortal!"


    Liao Shizhao''s eyes were full of gratitude, he could feel that his body had undergone an astonishing transformation.


    The once sore and weak knees and waist were now strong and vigorous, his energy levels were unprecedentedly high.


    He did not mention the Art of Longevity again, but instead knelt directly on the ground, bowing deeply as if to a god or Buddha.


    Though he had not achieved immortality, he was content, for to witness a hundred years of worldly glory, among the emperors of former dynasties, it was only he who had achieved this feat!


    Chu Zheng waved his hand dismissively and turned to walk towards the valley.


    The moment his figure disappeared at the mouth of the valley, the rock walls on both sides roared thunderously, transforming the valley entrance into a sheer cliff hundreds of feet high, without the slightest trace remaining.


    It was only then that Liao Shizhao remembered the first words Chu Zheng had spoken.


    Our fate together ends today.


    He stood in ce for a long time, feeling a sense of loss, unwilling to leave for a long while.


    ...


    ...


    In the center of the valley, a hundred-meter-long silver-grey battleshipy quietly.


    Chu Zheng walked unhurriedly to the side of the battleship, using up today''s repair quota, and soon a prompt appeared on the panel.


    [Patrol Ship (Fourth Order): A patrol ship mounted on the Tianyao Federation''s ''God of the Starry Sky'' gship, originally destroyed, now thoroughly repaired by your great efforts, equipped with an intermediate energy core, advanced search radar, advanced firepower deployment, carrying two Tianyao VII Type Bombing Missiles.]


    After nearly a year, the patrol ship was finally fully repaired.


    Including the year he spent in the Imperial Capital, Chu Zheng had been on this star for over two years now.


    With the nourishment of the abundant vegetation essence Qi, his cultivation progressed steadily each day, and now he was in thete stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm, nearing perfection.


    This speed, inparison to his true body, was undoubtedly much slower, but in this world, it was already remarkably valuable.


    In fact, the speed of Qi refining of this incarnation was nearly ten times faster than that of his true body in the Cangyun Realm.


    Without it, even with the aid of numerous old medicines, it would have taken him at least twenty years to reach this point.


    More importantly, as his cultivation grew, one thing made Chu Zheng extremely puzzled.


    He had not felt the slightest bit of Heavenly Fate''s blessing.


    The Qi Refining Lineage could not be separated from the influence of destiny, seizing Heavenly Fate to fight for one''s own, was the way to progress.


    Even in the early days of Qi refining in the Cangyun Realm, Chu Zheng could feel the feedback from heaven and earth.


    But on this star, he hadn''t felt any response at all.


    He wondered whether it was because the influence of this star was too small, or if the Heavenly Dao here was too weak; he felt no assistance from Heavenly Fate and was not subjected to any suppression. There was nothing, as if in a void.


    This made him increasingly uncertain about which power''s dominion he was currently within.


    In the Great Universe now, the two paths of Immortal Martial ounted for forty percent of Heavenly Fate, the Myriad Heavens and Realmsbined for thirty percent, the remaining twenty-five percent belonged to the Ancestral Dao, and the final five percent was scattered throughout the Chaos Sea.


    Where he was now, he did not know which area it was part of.


    Chu Zheng shook off these thoughts and leaped down from the patrol ship, opening the hatch and stepping inside.


    As soon as he entered the ship, a mechanical voice sounded in his ear.


    "Current coordinates: Dongan Star, connecting to the internalwork of the star domain."


    "Network connection sessful..."


    "Retrieving information..."


    "Retrievalplete, environmental sample verificationplete, no anomalies, all previous data lost, attempting recovery..."


    Experience tales at empire


    "Recovery failed..."


    Listening to the sessive voices, Chu Zheng''s gaze shifted slightly, and he quickly understood that he had overlooked a serious problem.


    His habit had prevented him from realizing the vast differences between such warships and magic treasures.


    With the technology of the Tianyao Federation, these kinds of warships would inevitably have some form of artificial intelligence system.


    This was different from an Artifact Spirit in magic treasures; it was purely a systematic program that did not function simply by being obtained.


    Moreover, once the warship was repaired, it would certainly make autonomous contact with the Tianyao Federation.


    Through thework, the Tianyao Federation would likely discover the existence of the warship very quickly...


    Before Chu Zheng could think further, the mechanical voice rang out again:


    "An unidentified person detected in the cabin, verifying identity..."


    "Information retrieval failed, no piloting authority, initiating expulsion protocol."


    Chu Zheng''s brow furrowed slightly, and his figure began to fade into the void.


    ```


    Invisibility Technique.


    He wasn''t quite sure if this Divine Skill could deceive the patrol ship''s search system.


    But regardless, he had to make an attempt.


    Having waited here for a year, he naturally wasn''t willing to give up easily.


    The next opportunity, who knows when it woulde, to make contact with the Tianyao Federation through other means, he didn''t know how much energy and time it would consume.


    Chu Zheng held his breath and focused, concealing his breath to the ultimate extent, like a stubborn stone, unmoving.


    Soon, the mechanical voice echoed in the cabin again:


    "Searching, target lost, no unauthorized personnel in the cabin, no anomalies, docking with internalwork."


    "Confirm docking code, verify identity information, Lieutenant Fer, Junior Lieutenant Cheng Qiao, deploying holographic projection..."


    Hum¡ª


    Before the voice faded, a sh of light and shadow passed, and suddenly two figures appeared in the empty cabin, a man and a woman.


    The man had golden short hair, wearing a tight battle suit, with a robust physique.


    The woman had chestnut ear-length hair with a small ponytail at the back of her head, also wearing a tight battle suit, somewhat lean, with clear muscle lines in her waist, buttocks, and legs, exuding visible explosive strength.


    "Lieutenant Fer, are you sure this is the patrol ship lost three hundred years ago?"


    The woman''s hologram circled the cabin with some confusion, "This doesn''t look like an antique from three hundred years ago at all..."


    "Junior Lieutenant Cheng Qiao, you have to believe in the Federation''s technology, the information codes all match up, there''s no mistake."


    The blond man approached the central console, retrieving arge amount of information.


    Chu Zheng had exceptional eyesight, he quickly scanned the information, initially memorizing broadly, then slowly digesting the details.


    Fortunately, for him who had almost observed the development of the Tianyao Federation from the sidelines, these textual informaion were not unfamiliar. Otherwise, he would only be able to memorize a bunch of gibberish now.


    "The ship has no records for the past three hundred years; the previous records have all been lost and cannot be retrieved."


    Lieutenant Fer''s brow furrowed, and soon he pulled up another image.


    The image disyed Chu Zheng''s face along with a series of analytical data.


    "Beep¡ª"


    Looking at the values that emerged on the panel, both of them had their faces tighten.


    "Could there be a mistake?"


    Cheng Qiao showed a shocked expression, "How can the energy value of this local be so high, more than ten times higher than that of second-generation Evolvers? It''s almost catching up to the third-generation armor values."


    As the two were marveling, the image suddenly twisted, and in the next instant, the figures disappeared out of thin air.


    "This..."


    Seeing this bizarre scene, the two officers, ustomed to grand spectacles, were both stuck in a cognitive freeze.


    Disappearing into thin air, it was quite a cognitive challenge.


    After a while, the two came back to their senses. After a brief discussion, they decided to have the patrol ship return first, using the Federation''s core technology to see if they could restore the lost information.


    As for that unusually overpowered local, they would have to think about itter.


    Under Fer''s adjustments, the mechanical voice in the cabin sounded again:


    "Dockingplete, preparing to initiate space leap, Lieutenant Fer, please set the leap region."


    "20,000 kilometers above Dongan Star."


    Boom¡ª


    A momentter, the warship shook violently, like a sharp sword piercing the heavens, shooting straight into the sky.


    ...


    ...


    Outside the valley, watching the silver behemoth take to the skies, many Royal Descendants immediately fell to their knees in worship, repeatedly bowing, believing they had witnessed a divine miracle.


    Watching the warship head straight into the starry sky, Liao Shihua was unable to regain his senses for a long time.


    He suddenly had many questions in his mind.


    Could Chu Zheng''s abrupt emergence imply that he might not be from this Star?


    Above the firmament, with so many stars, could they all be like their current world, harboring different forms of life?


    Could the gods and buddhas of the legends have truly existed?


    A flood of questions filled the mind of this Son of Heaven, and after a long while, he shook his head, his expression somewhat forlorn.


    These questions, perhaps he would never have the chance to unravel them in this lifetime.

 Chapter 241 Chapter 170 Human Rights, Commodities

    The magnificent starlight crisscrossed beneath the dome of the starry sky, illuminating the dark universe.


    In the endlessly distant beyond, countless star domains and nebe were scattered everywhere, like brightmps, visible yet unattainable.


    Any creature that saw the vast universe for the first time would feel its own insignificance, and Chu Zheng was no exception.


    At this moment, as he looked out the porthole at the vast expanse of starry sky, his expression was somewhat dazed.


    This was his first time standing at this angle, touching the universe''s starry sky, vast and enchanting, filled with too many secrets that he could not fathom.


    Certain worlds were utterly insignificant to the entire universe.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, slowly returned to his senses, and the starlight outside the porthole fell into his heart, where a seed seemed to sprout, breaking through the soil and starting to grow wildly.


    Facing such a universe, focusing only on one small world seemed rather shortsighted.


    Worlds would eventually perish, while the starry sky remained eternal.


    If there came a day when he could make all beings in the universe chant his true name, inscribing his name under this starry expanse...


    Then... only then would his life not have been in vain.


    But first, he had to reach the end of the path of cultivation, and at least surpass that Ancestral Dao.


    After all, even the pinnacle figures who monopolized two and a half parts of Heavenly Fate, within the current Great Universe, few knew their names.


    He could not yet see the back of that Ancestral Dao, but that did not mean he wouldn''t be able to in the future.


    Chu Zheng slowly raised his hand, as if he was grasping the specks of starlight through the porthole, his eyes zing like fire.


    ...


    ...


    The spiritual energy in the starry sky was pitifully scarce, the panel''s daily refresh of repair times directly dropped to zero, and the environment was extraordinarily harsh.


    When Chu Zheng used the panel to supplement his own Qi, it took him a long time to fully replenish it.


    This was a dead zone, utterly devoid of life, Chu Zheng couldn''t even feel the slightest presence of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.


    Faced with this situation, Chu Zheng could only minimize his movements, curling up in a corner, to conserve Qi.


    Since the patrol ship set sail, the projections of those two from the Tianyao Federation had vanished, leaving the patrol ship to navigate autonomously.


    Before long, more than two months had passed.


    This period was undeniably extremely tedious and dull for Chu Zheng, unable to cultivate, with no increase in the Qi within his body, which added to his irritability.


    If most of his consciousness were transferred back to his true body, naturally he would not feel the hardship, but Chu Zheng had not done so.


    Feeling irritability was enough to prove that his skill in cultivating his temperament was stillcking, needing more refinement.


    Buzz¡ª


    Inside the cabin, which had been silent for over two months, suddenly there was a stir, and several holographic projections appeared, entering the cabin.


    After a brief inspection, the patrol ship began to descend, like a ship slowly entering a massive harbor.


    Around it floated numerous warships of various colors, thergest of which spanned tens of thousands of yards, over a thousand timesrger than the patrol ship Chu Zheng was on, a veritable behemoth of war.


    As his gaze swept over, various pieces of information surged into Chu Zheng''s mind; just among the warships docked in this harbor, there were no less than ten of the Sixth Order, each capable of rivaling a Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortal in power.


    Among them was one of the Seventh Order, and its data made Chu Zheng somewhat rmed.


    [Star God Heavenly Battleship (Seventh Order): ''God of the Starry Sky'' series third generation reformed main battleship,manding twelve Annihtor-ss warships, equipped with Star God-ss energy core, Annihtion-ss firepower, spatial scanning radar, loaded with twenty-four regr Annihtor Cannons, one Heavy Armament-ss Annihtor Main Cannon, capable of shattering all stars under a diameter of thirty thousand kilometers with one strike, and carries twenty miniature quantum annihtion bombs, possessing the ability to conquer star domains on its own.]


    At Seventh Order, equivalent to an Immortal of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, capable of dominating within the star domains, achieving this as a mortal was indeed admirable.


    Chu Zheng unconsciously held his breath, watching the patrol ship where he stood, slowlye to a stop in the harbor.


    Hisss¡ª


    The cabin door opened, and about a dozen mechanical figures walked in; Chu Zheng nced at them and understood immediately.


    These were ordinary intelligent robots belonging to the Tianyao Federation, responsible for maintenance.


    Clearly, for arge federation that spanned the starry sky, a patrol ship returning was not a major event; they did not send people to deal with it immediately, but rather sent a group of maintenance robots.


    Chu Zheng maintained his Invisibility Technique, brushing past these robots.


    Woo¡ª


    Just as he stepped out of the cabin door, before he had time to deactivate his Invisibility Technique and stretch his limbs, a shrill rm sounded above his head.


    In just a few breaths, several small drones hovered over his head, their pale blue gun barrels scanning around, ominously locking onto his skull.


    Chu Zheng froze for a moment, then quickly realized.


    Clearly, the detection radar enveloping this area was far more precise than that on the patrol ship, seeing through Chu Zheng''s Invisibility Technique and detecting his presence.


    After all, this was just a First Order Invisibility Technique, barely enough to conceal his form, and would be exposed even to the Divine Sense of ordinary Cultivators.


    In the surrounding heavens and earth, there was again a trace of thin Qi, and the panel''s daily repair count rose to two times.


    The concentration of spiritual energy here was much higher than that of the previous star.


    Chu Zheng nced at the drones overhead and directly essed their detailed information.


    [Drone (First Order): God of the Sky series 11th generation drone, equipped with lightser weapons, possessing extremely precise auto-targeting radar, its only w being poorbat endurance.]

 Chapter 242 Chapter 170 Human Rights, Commodities_2

    After a few moments, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered subtly as he deactivated the Invisibility Technique, willingly exposing himself to the numerous drones.


    Living in a developed civilization of the Tianyao Federation scope, moving around in this region would be nearly impossible without identity information.


    Perhaps it would be better to directly contact the Tianyao Federation¡ªcurrently in their eyes, he must seem merely a native with not much threat. After going through some procedures, there should not be much danger.


    After all, to the colossal entity that was the Tianyao Federation, Chu Zheng was truly insignificant.


    Soon, several tens of individuals d in armor appeared andpletely surrounded Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng nced at them¡ªthey were all Second Order, dressed just as Zhuo Xiu had been outside Yuncao City.


    It seemed that this type of armor had already reached mass production capability within the Tianyao Federation.


    This was undoubtedly quite terrifying¡ªfor Second Order wasparable to the Entry Dao Realm of cultivators and even for those with Middle Quality Immortal Bone, it would take ten years of diligent cultivation to reach this realm.


    Yet the Tianyao Federation could effortlessly produce countless cultivators of the Entry Dao Realm.


    Moreover, considering the many warships, setting aside those Immortal Treasures that suppressed fortune, the forces Chu Zheng now saw,pared to Cangyun before the great changes between heaven and earth, were evenly matched, if not stronger.


    And what Chu Zheng saw now could still be only a fraction of the Tianyao Federation''s full strength.


    Before Chu Zheng could speak, two individuals approached quickly, said nothing, and directly forced Chu Zheng to the ground, their powerful strength breaking his arm bones.


    The rest, all armed, were on full alert, ready to instantaneously reduce Chu Zheng to pulp should anything amiss ur.


    Psst¡ª


    A numbness spread from the back of Chu Zheng''s neck as a wave of drowsiness surged over him, and a notification shed on the panel that his body was being eroded by a strong anaesthetic.


    Immediately after repairing his own condition, Chu Zheng still feigned unconsciousness while dispersing the Qi within him into the limbs and bones of his body.


    From the initial analysis of the two people who had boarded the ship, it was clear that the Tianyao Federation had the means to observe energy fluctuations. Although he was unsure if this would remain undetected, it was still better to be cautious.


    Only when Chu Zheng''s eyes were tightly closed, and his breathing became regr, did some of the tension in his body ease, followed by a cold voice from above:


    "Report, patrol ship number: 424356, which disappeared suddenly three hundred and fourteen years ago, has returned. An Alien Realm native has been caught stowing away and is now sessfully subdued."


    ...


    ...


    The silvery-gray metallic room, its walls and ceiling, shimmered with a cold metallic luster.


    A mirrored one-way ss reflected the scene within the room, the figure''s face obscured by long hair hanging down as several metal chains suspended it in midair.


    Snap¡ª


    Intense light struck Chu Zheng''s face as strands of electricity surged from his limbs, bringing a wave of intense pain.


    Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head with a frosty expression; this method of waking was far from friendly.


    The electric current that was introduced into his body was retained by Chu Zheng. He reversed the Thunder Method, transforming Yin and Yang with thunder into the Five Elements, eventually converting them into ordinary Qi, which he absorbed into his body.


    This action was quite exhausting and even slower than direct cultivation itself, an inefficient and thankless task.


    Chu Zheng lifted his head and looked toward the one-way ss not far opposite, where the disheveled reflection grew colder.


    The Tianyao Federation''s reaction was vastly different from what he had anticipated. During the process of being brought to this metallic room, he did not perceive any indication from the Tianyao Federation that they regarded him as a person.


    This journey into the Alien Realm seemed not to be as smooth as he had imagined.


    ...


    ...


    Behind the one-way ss was aboratory, where a vast screen disyed various physical data about Chu Zheng.


    "The muscle and bone density of experiment No. 173 vastly exceeds that of the first generation of Gene Evolvers and is even much higher than that of the second generation."


    "Tests show that the subject has a high tolerance for pain, with no observed stress response, not excluding the possibility of electrical storage; no discharge was observed after electrocution."


    "He appears simr to those natives we''ve encountered practicing Ancient Methods, capable of tapping into their own potential. This likely also entails certain thresholds, with no broad replicability."


    In a flurry of discussion, a middle-aged man nearing his forties slowly walked up to the ss mirror, looking at Chu Zheng suspended in midair like a dead fish, slightly furrowed his brow, and expressed slight disinterest:


    "This native''s invisibility ability is somewhat troublesome. Imnt the chip, monitor his physical condition, inocte him with the necessary vines, and then send him to the Reformation ce. Someone there should like him."


    As his words fell, he turned around and walked to another light screen.


    In a simr silver-gray room, a rugged man in tattered clothes was chained. At that moment, his expression was furious, bellowing and howling like a wild beast.


    Seeing this, a flicker of excitement passed through the middle-aged man''s eyes: "Increase the electric current!"


    In the space port, encountering some smuggling natives was nothing unusual; every day there were several who emerged from nowhere.


    This was also considered a diversion in their monotonous life.


    ...


    ...


    Reformation ce.


    This ce held all sorts of creatures of unknown origins, humans, wild beasts, and humanoid beings.


    What the Reformation ce did was to tame these natives'' wild natures, transform them into pets, and then disy them on stands for selection.


    This was an amusement park for the wealthy, allowing close contact with native beings from various stars in the universe, an opportunity not avable to ordinary citizens.


    After three months in the Reformation ce, Chu Zheng had deeply understood one fact.


    The protectionws of the Tianyao Federation only applied to true citizens of the Tianyao Federation; here, natives had no so-called human rights.


    It was just like the Immortal Alliance, which only stood on the side of the Immortal Path Cultivators.


    But the biggest difference was that the Immortal Alliance killed off other Taoist orthodoxies only in battle.


    Whereas the approach of the Tianyao Federation was to turn them into ves for amusement, an attitude that was much more exaggerated than that of Immortal Path Cultivators before mortals.


    Reflecting on this again, Chu Zheng realized that the people on his entire star had essentially been in a state of captivity.


    Throughout the taming process at the Reformation ce, Chu Zheng had been exceedingly cooperative and soon sessfully graduated from the Reformation ce.


    He became quite a qualified product, now disyed in a showcase.


    In avishly decorated pce, piles of alloy iron cages were ced.


    Chu Zheng squatted among the cages, dressed in a white jumpsuit, and his hands and feet were shackled with extremely heavy chains, weighing tens of thousands of pounds.


    Had he not previously concealed his Immortal Bone, these chains would have been even heavier.


    "Father, I want him."


    A soft call came from above his head, and Chu Zheng looked up to see a father and daughter.


    A girl nearing sixteen, in a dress, her cheeks slightly flushed, and her eyes full of fondness.


    The father, wearing an exquisite suit with gold trim, hair partially gray, eyes deep.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze tightened slightly, and his back progressively tensed, sensing the fluctuations of Tribtion Qi, an invisible spiritual perception raising an rm.


    A cmity was approaching.


    Soon, he sensed the source of the cmity.


    It was indeed from the seemingly harmless girl in front of him.


    The girl''s look wasn''t that of seeing a person, but rather of viewing prey.


    In her gaze, fondness mixed with clear and evident greed.


    As a product, Chu Zheng clearly had no right to choose his buyer, and within moments, the control of the chip behind his head had already passed into the girl''s hands.


    An alloy-forged iron chain tightly fastened around his neck.


    The girl, following behind her father, took brisk steps and led Chu Zheng away from the Reformation ce.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 243 Arena, Kill

    The moment Chu Zheng left Reformation ce, he almost felt as if he were in another world.


    The taming process inside Reformation ce was unbearable for ordinary people. Had Chu Zheng shown any signs of resistance, it would have been excruciatingly painful.


    It was akin to being shattered to pieces and then reassembled, far more terrifying than brainwashing.


    Returning to his senses, Chu Zheng nced at the father and daughter duo, a trace of Spiritual Light flickering in his pupils.


    Soon, all the information about the two entered Chu Zheng''s mind. To his surprise, neither of them had chips imnted at the back of their brains.


    There might be some hidden issues involved.


    [Qi Shanyong (Second Order): Bone age sixty-three, third-generation Gene Evolver of the Tianyao Federation, Chairman of Star Peak Corporation. (Detail)]


    [Detailed information: During the third evolution, his genes mutated, and he developed a hidden illness. His lifespan drastically reduced, with an estimated thirty years of life remaining, constantly immersed in seeking various methods of life extension. (Repairable.)]


    [Qi Hua (First Order): Bone age fifteen, second-generation Gene Evolver of the Tianyao Federation, the only daughter of the Chairman of Star Peak Corporation. (Detail)]


    [Detailed information: Has taken too many lives, surrounded by Blood Fiend, fond of raw food, and already showing signs of Demon Transformation.]


    Qi Shanyong was still manageable, but the issues with Qi Hua were quite rming.


    The human heart is fickle. Straying off the path, bing consumed by inner demons, one would fall into malevolence.


    This kind of malevolence, though somewhat different from the malevolent beings in the hidden realms of the Vast Universe, was equally terrifying. They were ferocious beings that had almostpletely eradicated all Spirituality.


    Qi Hua was already wrapped in Blood Fiend. The beings she had killed numbered no less than a thousand, and perhaps even thousands.


    Considering her age, this was undeniably frightening, as her killing seemed almost unceasing.


    Moreover, even the repair panel could not pull her back from the evil path. After all, this was merely another path, not an Ipleteness.


    Qi Hua, humming an unknown tune, led Chu Zheng, following behind Qi Shanyong onto a flying vehicle.


    Soon, the flying vehicle soared into the sky, paused for a moment, then tore through the sound barrier, unleashing a majestic tidal wave of air as it headed directly north.


    ...


    ...


    A whileter, the flying vehicle slowed down and descended onto a spaciouswn.


    Chu Zheng silently observed, gaining a clearer understanding of Star Peak Corporation''s power.


    Having been in the Tianyao Federation for some time, he had already acquired a general understanding of its basic information.


    The star he now stepped onto was named ''Heaven''s Gift,'' one of the Tianyao Federation''s several crucial Main Stars.


    A thousand years ago, it did not belong to the Tianyao Federation. Another civilization thrived here until the Tianyao Federation took over the star after interster warfare, and named it Heaven''s Gift.


    The original inhabitants of this star became ves. Only a few exceptional ones could attain the status of lower-ss citizens and enjoy a minuscule portion of ordinary citizens'' privileges.


    Here, the Tianyao Federation established a governing district, along with logistics, amodating a total of four million Gene Evolvers in its iron army and housing a poption of 24.6 billion people. Continue your journey at empire


    The star was already crowded, making every inch ofnd valuable. To have such a vastwn in such an environment was undoubtedly a luxurious affair.


    The instant the flying vehicle came to a stop, Qi Hua could not wait to pull Chu Zheng out of the hatch, her face full of excitement:


    "Father, I''m going to take a bath first. I want to try him outter!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    To this, Qi Shanyong smiled indulgently, love filling his eyes, "Be careful."


    "I know!"


    Qi Hua pulled Chu Zheng away without looking back. Momentster, they entered a mansion. There were maids visible all around; they were not bionic machines, but living people.


    Without exception, the information about these people all marked them as lower-ss citizens, clearly descendants of the indigenous people of this star.


    Before Chu Zheng could take a closer look, Qi Hua had already dragged him into a massive room¡ªmore a pce than a room.


    Columns of jade supported the enormous dome, and the dark red walls were iid with unknown gems. Complicated patterns wove into gorgeous designs, intecing gold and silver, the extravagance extreme.


    Thick plush curtains hid the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. At the center of the room was a snow-white, softrge bed, big enough for ten people to lie across.


    Once inside the room, Qi Hua casually tied Chu Zheng to a column and immediately began to undress. In just a few breaths, she waspletely nude.


    Watching Qi Hua hop into the bathroom, Chu Zheng''s gaze turned slightly cold.


    The sense of modesty in humans is something that arises in the presence of one''s peers.


    Like in his previous life, the vast majority of people would not mind stripping and bathing in front of their household cats and dogs.


    This alone made it evident that Qi Hua never considered him a person.


    Shortly after, Qi Hua emerged from the bathroom, not bothering to dress, with only a towel draped over her neck, glistening water droplets rolling down her fair skin, shimmering in the light as if coated with a sheen.


    She walked straight up to Chu Zheng, reached out to touch his head, and spoke with a smile, "Can you understand what I''m saying?"


    Because she was so close, Chu Zheng could smell her fragrance, mixed with an elusive scent of blood.


    "Yes," Chu Zheng nodded, "Miss Qi, I..."


    Until this moment, he still held onto the hope of escaping safely, wanting to negotiate with Qi Hua.

 Chapter 243 Arena, Kill_2

    The Tribtion Qi beside him was surging, but it hadn''t transformed into a death tribtion, there was still room for maneuver.


    "Good to know you can understand."


    However, Qi Hua had no intention ofmunicating with Chu Zheng. After cutting off his words, she turned and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.


    The thick plush curtains slowly opened, revealing the huge floor-to-ceiling window.


    Beneath the windowy an extremely vast arena, spanning thousands of feet, forged from extremely sturdy alloy, its durability evident at first nce.


    At least, with Chu Zheng''s current strength, he was utterly unable to break through it.


    Qi Hua pped her hands, and the ground of the alloy arena cracked open, slowly raising a metal cage.


    The cage imprisoned a beast nearly nine meters long, resembling an ancient crocodile, with a horn on its head, sturdy limbs, and a body covered with thick scales, short teeth, and slightly yellowish eyes.


    [ck Gold Beast (First Order): A social and omnivorous creature of a different kind living in the deserts of Quicksand Star, generally mild-mannered.]


    Before Chu Zheng could take a closer look, Qi Hua''s voice came from one side,


    "If you can survive today, I will reward you."


    Before the echo of her words had faded, the floor-to-ceiling window shook violently and slid open to both sides.


    Qi Hua licked her lips, slightly excited as she grabbed a chain with one hand and forcefully flung Chu Zheng into the middle of the alloy arena.


    ck¡ª


    The moment hended, Chu Zheng heard a clear sound of a lock opening by his ear.


    The iron cage opened instantly, and the Scale-covered Beast broke free and charged directly at Chu Zheng. Before he could stabilize himself, its massive, powerful tail had already smashed hard against his chest.


    Boom!


    Chu Zheng was thrown into the air, mming hard against the alloy wall, his chest visibly caving in, a few ribs broken.


    After gathering himself, Chu Zheng nced at Qi Hua, a murderous intent surging wildly in his heart.


    Thud thud thud¡ª


    The dull sound of footsteps echoed as the ck Gold Beast charged at him again, its single horn splitting the air, producing a series of oppressive whooshing sounds, terrifying in its intensity.


    By the floor-to-ceiling window, Qi Hua held a wine ss in her hand, the cup swirling with a thick, blood-red liquid, her eyes filled with excitement, her fair skin flushing visibly.


    Chu Zheng forcibly suppressed his emotions and focused on the approaching ck Gold Beast.


    Its huge form and strong muscles made it somewhat challenging, but he had ways to directly damage its organs; he had just been momentarily distracted, which led to his injury.


    Instantly, Chu Zheng channeled Yuan Qi into his palms and, taking advantage of his agility, brushed past the ck Gold Beast,nding dozens of palms on its chest and abdomen, infusing more than ten strands of Yuan Qi, which quickly shattered its internal organs.


    Boom¡ª


    The heavy body of the ck Gold Beast copsed with a thud, blood gushing from its mouth and nose, emitting pitiful whimpers. After a brief struggle, it could no longer rise.


    Chu Zheng nced at it, essed its detailed information, and a realization shed in his eyes.


    No wonder the ck Gold Beast hadn''t shown even a hint of its mild nature from its actions just now.


    Its body had been injected with arge amount of stimnts, and inside the cage, it had to constantly endure strong electric shocks, which naturally made it appear irritable.


    p p¡ª


    Qi Hua pped, her face beaming with an increasing smile.


    Soon, a physically fit maid entered the arena, holding a short knife and a porcin te, swiftly slicingrge chunks of flesh from Chu Zheng''s chest, abdomen, and thighs, all still faintly twitching and blood-drenched, and ced them on the te.


    The maid turned back, directly presenting the te to Qi Hua.


    Qi Hua lifted the wine ss in her hand, drained it in one gulp, and then took a few hot pieces of flesh into her mouth, savoring them as if enjoying a delicacy, her tender lips tinged red with blood, a sinister glint in her eyes showing through.


    Only at this moment did Chu Zheng realize that Qi Hua''s teeth had already begun to sharpen, crisscrossing each other.


    In such a state, she was no longer human, only one step away from a Demon Transformation.


    Although his mind was seething with murderous intent, Chu Zheng''s expression remained as calm as water, as he was still notpletely sure of his capabilities.


    Only after reaching the Jade Bone Realm could he attempt a challenge.


    ...


    ...


    After winning a battle, Chu Zheng''s treatment changed, pleasingly earning his own metal cage, locked away in a sunless underground.


    Besides himself, there were dozens of cages ced in the underground.


    Chu Zheng scanned them one by one until suddenly, his gaze paused.


    [Nie Longhu (Second Order/Eighth Order): Bone age twenty-eight, an embodiment of a Heavenly Immortal undertaking tribtion, with awakened enlightenment.]


    [Detailed Information: A disciple lineage of the Great rity Primordial Daoist Lord, has practiced up to this day, enduring 974 tribtions.]


    Looking at the information on the panel, a flicker of interest passed through Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    Qi Hua''s luck is hard to define as either good or bad, aside from him, they actually chose someone who was a Heavenly Immortal undergoing demon transformation.


    After regaining hisposure, he couldn''t help but fall into deep thought again. From this Nie Longhu, it was evident that many other Qi Cultivators also likely mastered the technique of transformation through tribtion.


    It was unclear whether this technique originated from the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record or if other cultivators from the Taoist School had independently discovered this path.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng slowly closed his eyes and began to engage in cultivation.


    Now was not the time to consider these matters.


    The nature''s spiritual energy on Heaven Sent Star, although not dense, was still much betterpared to the previous star, sufficient to maintain his normal cultivation routine.


    Now, he was on the verge of reaching the Jade Bone Realm, and it wouldn''t be long before he could break through.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than two months had passed.


    Under the nourishment of nature''s spiritual energy, Chu Zheng naturally stepped into the Jade Bone Realm.


    Considering that this body had been practicing Qi-refining Techniques for over three years now.


    Three years to Jade Bone, though iparable to his original body, was still far beyond the ordinary Qi Cultivator under such harsh conditions.


    Boom¡ª


    A dull, loud sound awakened Chu Zheng, who was immersed in cultivation.


    He stood up, slowly raised his head, and looked at the gradually brightening light above with a calm expression.


    Every two weeks, he would enter the metallic arena and face a battle.


    This was also his only chance to get close to Qi Hua.


    Soon, the iron cage slowly rose and stopped in the middle of the arena.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the distance, the giant floor-to-ceiling windows opened slowly, and Qi Hua, draped in a sheer gown, sat by the window, dangling her jade-like legs, seemingly in good spirits.


    Not far from the cage stood a young man, his face filled with terror, clearly Chu Zheng''s opponent for this time.


    nk¡ª


    The iron cage slowly opened, yet Chu Zheng didn''t move an inch.


    Seeing this, Qi Hua stopped swinging her legs, her eyes filled with confusion.


    Chu Zheng locked his gaze on Qi Hua before the floor-to-ceiling windows and slowly raised his hand, forcefully plunging it into the back of his skull, his fingers urately grasping a chip.


    Spurt¡ª


    The chip, mingled with blood sma, was violently torn from his body by Chu Zheng.


    Under the effect of the repair panel, the heavily damaged back of his head healed instantly, and the chip was crushed to bits.


    Then, he raised his hands again, one grabbing his hair, the other grasping the iron chain on the side of his neck.


    nk¡ª


    Under colossal strength, the iron chain, along with the vertebrae of Chu Zheng''s neck, was brutally torn off.


    Chu Zheng, holding his own head, swung it in mid-air with the wind.


    Ordinary humans could still live a few moments after decapitation, but for a Qi Cultivator like Chu Zheng, after having his head chopped off, he could even have time to drink a cup of tea before dying.


    Under the repair of the panel, the flesh and blood on his neck started to regenerate at a visible rate.


    Such a bizarre scene instantly stunned Qi Hua, who froze in ce, and for a moment, she couldn''t even react.


    Boom!


    A piercing screech exploded from within the alloy fighting arena.


    Blurry in front of Qi Hua''s eyes, in the next moment, Chu Zheng already stood in front of her.


    Bang¡ª


    A palm, without the slightest hesitation, thrust into her mouth, pinning her firmly to the ground.


    With fierce light radiating from his eyes, Chu Zheng leaned close to her ear,


    "How does it taste?"


    "Mmm¡ª"


    With her tongue and teeth utterly shattered, Qi Hua could no longer speak but only let out muffled whimpers, her eyes filled with terror.


    Discover hidden tales at empire


    Chu Zheng restrained the expression on his face, returning to indifference, withdrew his hand, slowly clenched his fist, and smashed it down with force.


    Bone fragments mixed with red and white fluids sttered.


    Qi Hua was not Chu Zheng,cking the ability to regrow her head. In a sh, she was dead beyond revival.

 Chapter 244 Skin Painting as Cocoon, A New Identity

    At the instant Chu Zheng crushed the chip, the Reformation ce discovered an anomaly.


    In the vast silvery-white room, numerous virtual screens flickered with various information and data, asionally emitting a sharp beep.


    Beep¡ª


    Another sharp sound resonated, and a young woman turned her gaze toward it, scanning the information that appeared. She quickly reached a conclusion:


    "Number 46¡ª173, the chip has been destroyed, forcibly excavated and damaged with external force, over thirty percent of brain tissue is damaged, survival rate extremely low, even if he survives, likely to lose all mobility."


    Not far away, an older man heard this and said indifferently, "Check, who took away number 46¡ª173?"


    The woman bowed her head, and after a couple of breaths, she lifted it again, with a look of realization on her face: "It was... Miss Qi Hua."


    Hearing the name Qi Hua, the man waved his hand dismissively, shifting his gaze:


    "Don''t bother with him anymore, managing tost more than two months before losing Miss Qi''s interest is already quite an achievement, delete his file records."


    "Yes."


    Many indigenous beings die every day, some within the Reformation ce, and even more at the hands of their buyers.


    But no one would be held ountable for these indigenous lives, for after all, indigenous beings are not federal citizens.


    The Reformation ce is merely a marketce for pets and doesn''t possess any enforcement authority, moreover, there are nows mandating the protection of these natives.


    ......


    ......


    Within the cold, silent alloy fighting arena.


    In front of the shattered floor-to-ceiling window, Chu Zheng casually pulled over a fluffy curtain and slowly wiped the blood off his hands.


    Without permission from Qi Hua, the maids stationed outside would not enter, lest they disturb the youngdy''s enjoyment.


    However, if too much time passed, those perimeter maids would definitely check on the conditions within the arena; Chu Zheng didn''t have much time left.


    Looking at the unrecognizable corpse before him, he pondered for a moment, then turned back into the arena, following the iron cage''s ascending pathway into the underground, arriving in front of the cage where Nie Longhu was being held.


    Nie Longhu sat cross-legged in the cage, immovable as a mountain, exuding an obviously tranquil qi, serene as water, free of any hint of anxiety, slowly cultivating.


    Even if Qi Hua hadn''t died by Chu Zheng''s hand, as soon as this Heavenly Immortal umted enough strength, he would likely still face an inevitable death.


    Noticing Chu Zheng''s approach, Nie Longhu did not stop, but continued to circte his Circuit of Qi.


    After a long while, only afterpleting a full Circuit of Qi did he slowly open his eyes.


    Nie Longhu had previously sensed the fluctuations in Chu Zheng''s qi, and with no sign of surprise, he spoke in a calm voice, "Which Dao Lord do you hail from, fellow Daoist?"


    "We alle from the Ancestral Dao, there is no question of lineage."


    Chu Zheng casually sidestepped the topic, stating bluntly:


    "I killed Qi Hua and need to find a way to escape. There''s not much time."


    Discover stories with empire


    To attempt a forceful escape on his own was certainly an option, but on Heaven Sent Star, it would still be difficult to move a single inch; this was a cure for the symptoms, not the root.


    Upon hearing this, Nie Longhu''s brows slightly furrowed: "You disrupt my tribtion sequence; you''re breaking some rules."


    Killing Qi Hua brought with it inevitable greater troubles, and he could very well be implicated, with Qi Shanyong taking out his anger on him, leading directly to his death, a foreseeable oue.


    Surviving as a Heavenly Immortal''s incarnated tribtion was not easy. Even as a Heavenly Immortal, it would take him several years to recuperate before he could embark on the next one.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    To shield a Heavenly Immortal from tribtion, this incarnation''s cultivation would at least need to be at the Unity Realm Stage to be barely sufficient.


    If this incarnation died too soon and failed to absorb enough Tribtion Qi, over the next few years, it''s unpredictable what might happen to his true form.


    The tribtion sequence of a Qi Cultivator is often unpredictable; even the most basic natural cmities and man-made disasters are indiscernible, with no knowing from where death might strike.


    Chu Zheng naturally didn''t know about these rules, nor was he inclined to ask.


    He gave Nie Longhu a faint nce, slowly rolled his sleeves, and said in a calm tone:


    "How about I repay you with one tribtion right now?"


    As a fellow at the Jade Bone Realm, coupled with the fact he possessed a healing panel, even facing an incarnation of a Heavenly Immortal, Chu Zheng had no reason to be apprehensive.


    This tribtion, if Nie Longhu couldn''t withstand it, then his incarnated journey through tribtion was likely toe to an end prematurely.


    The moment Chu Zheng rolled up his sleeves, Nie Longhu''s mouth slightly twitched, as he perceived the surge of Tribtion Qi next to him beginning to roil; Chu Zheng was not joking in the slightest.


    A momentter, he took a deep breath, as if he had made some great resolution, and said in a measured tone,


    "Let me out, I have a way."


    Time was running short, so Chu Zheng didn''t ask any further questions and directly opened the iron cage, taking the lead towards the ground.


    One after the other, the two quickly exited the underground, arriving in front of Qi Hua''s corpse.


    Looking at Qi Hua''s corpse, Nie Longhu slightly furrowed his brow, "The demonic Qi on this woman''s body is heavier, even if you hadn''t killed her, she probably wouldn''t have lived much longer."


    Upon hearing Nie Longhu''s words, Chu Zheng''s eyes shed, clearly this Heavenly Immortal knew many secrets of which he was unaware.


    Before he could ponder further, a crisp crackling sound suddenly emanated from Nie Longhu''s body, his towering form began to shrink, rapidly bing shorter and slender.


    Then, Nie Longhu slowly extended his hand, sliced open Qi Hua''s skin, and peeled off pieces of skin thin as cicada wings, cing them on his own body.


    The moment the skin attached to his body, in the blink of an eye, it adhered and fused into one piece, smooth and like new.


    Watching Nie Longhu''s actions, Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed involuntarily, and he murmured subconsciously,


    "Skin Painting..."


    "Skin Painting? This term is quite interesting, self-exnatory."


    Nie Longhu heard Chu Zheng''s whisper and exined,


    "This is a method of the demonic beings within the Vast Universe; often having to contend with them, one must make some progress, for staying behind closed doors will only lead to a dead end."


    "I see..." Chu Zheng came to a realization.


    "You truly do note from a Daoist Sect of Qi Cultivators."


    Nie Longhu nced at Chu Zheng and spoke indifferently, "This is a Divine Skill that all Heavenly Immortals must master. If you were from the Daoist Sect, you would have surely known about it, and you also know the name ''Vast Universe.'' It seems the power behind you is not simple either."


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but fall silent for a moment. A Heavenly Immortal who had survived countless tribtions was indeed not one to be taken lightly; within a few words, Nie Longhu had already probed much information.


    "I won''t inquire about the lineage of your teacher; as fellow Qi Cultivators, you should understand that cultivation is not easy."


    Nie Longhu didn''t speak further on the matter and slowly attached the facial skin. In an instant, he was indistinguishable from Qi Hua, his eyes shining with a cunning and agile light.


    Even Chu Zheng was somewhat unable to tell at this moment whether this person in front of him was Qi Hua or not.


    Looking at Qi Hua''s shattered head, Nie Longhu shook his head slightly, feeling a bit of regret,


    "You have wasted a pair of eyes worth their weight in gold. Many things here need to be confirmed by a membrane in the eyes; this thing is hard to simte toplete likeness."


    "You seem to have a deep understanding of this ce?" Chu Zheng was somewhat surprised; this Heavenly Immortal in front of him had given him too many surprises, nothing like an ancient relic who had experienced a thousand tribtions.


    "When in Rome, do as the Romans do; without understanding this world, how can one live a long life? Did you take the trouble to project a Soul Division here just to meet your death?"


    With a low murmur, Nie Longhu''s gaze suddenly swept towards the door not far behind him.


    Because they had spent quite a long time, some maids had quietly stepped in, wanting to check on the situation.


    "Get out!" Nie Longhu suddenly roared sharply, his voice piercing and with a prating force identical to Qi Hua''s, true and false indistinguishable.


    The maids immediately retreated with faces full of panic, not daring to stay in the slightest.


    "Do you have a way to deal with the chip in the back of the head?" Chu Zheng regained his thoughts and looked towards the back of Nie Longhu''s head.


    Granted, the appearance could be changed, but the imnted chip was undoubtedly a ticking time bomb.


    "Wait until I master the art of ''Head Recing Immortality,'' and I can break it with a flick of my finger."


    Nie Longhu apparently had no immediate solution, but after freezing for a moment, he suddenly came to his senses, his eyes narrowing,


    "You have a way?"


    If Chu Zheng could resist Qi Hua, then the chip was certainly unable to threaten him.


    Chu Zheng did not deny it, nodded slightly, made his hand into a sword gesture and with a bolt-like swiftness, stabbed directly at the back of Nie Longhu''s head.


    "It might hurt a bit, just bear with it."

 Chapter 245 Forming Golden Body, The Secret of the Ancestral Dao, Chaos Sea

    Experience tales at empire


    Facing the sudden move by Chu Zheng, Nie Longhu suppressed the impulse to counterattack subconsciously.


    He didn''t sense any killing intent, and besides, without his help, this fellow daoist of unknown origins wouldn''t have survived.


    Chu Zheng''s sword finger pierced through the back of Nie Longhu''s head, and in an instant, he extracted the chip within. The repair panel almost simultaneously started operating,pleting the repair immediately.


    The process was so rapid that Nie Longhu didn''t even have time to react. He only felt his thoughts break for an instant, and the chip was already in Chu Zheng''s hand.


    Crack¡ª


    Watching the chip crumble to pieces between Chu Zheng''s fingers, a trace of solemnity shed in Nie Longhu''s eyes. He hadn''t noticed what technique Chu Zheng had just used.


    The only trace left behind was the spiritual energy of nature around them that, in that moment, became much thinner.


    That undoubtedly proved that Chu Zheng had just used some kind of divine skill.


    However, now was not the time to think about these things.


    "Fellow Daoist, follow me."


    A hint of firelight shed on the tip of Nie Longhu''s finger, incinerating Qi Hua''s mutted corpse, then he turned and headed towards the door.


    "Where are we going now?" Chu Zheng caught up, looking somewhat puzzled.


    "Qi Shanyong aided the tyrant, and his karmic obstacles are profound. I collected him today, which is also acting on behalf of the Heavenly Dao."


    As he transmitted his voice, Nie Longhu kept moving, soon leaving the estate:


    "Having subdued Qi Shanyong, Fellow Daoist, you can impersonate his identity as a cover for your actions. His forces wield no small power on this star and can save us from much trouble, and are worth using."


    He seemed extremely familiar with the estate''s surroundings, and after walking for a while, he led Chu Zheng to a small building.


    In front of the small building was an oasis with an attached pond. Qi Shanyong stood by the shore in slightly loose ck clothes, his eyes slightly closed, his pose somewhat strange.


    Chu Zheng immediately noticed something off¡ªQi Shanyong was practicing some kind of Breathing Technique, slowly absorbing nature''s spiritual energy.


    But the efficiency seemed rather low.


    No one was around, there was no disturbance, and everything was very quiet.


    Feeling the approach of the two men, Qi Shanyong opened his eyes, nced at Chu Zheng, and immediately frowned:


    "Where''s his chain? Why is he being so willful? What if he hurt you, then what?"


    Nie Longhu didn''t bother with any idle talk, and quickly stepped forward, his palm manifesting a vision of windswept clouds mixed with the sounds of dragon roars and tiger howls.


    In the blink of an eye, before Qi Shanyong could react, the delicate and fair palm had already pressed against his chest.


    Thump¡ª


    Qi Shanyong''s feet shifted slightly, and an internal thump sounded from within. After a few breaths, he fell backward, blood spewing from his seven orifices, dead on the spot.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng felt a chill in his heart. Nie Longhu''s control over his power was undoubtedly at a kind of extreme pinnacle. Qi Shanyong''s body showed no visible injuries, but his internal organs were thoroughly shattered into a bloody pulp.


    Watching Nie Longhu start skinning the body, he asked subconsciously:


    "Will this not interfere with the tribtion process?"


    Having previously used the identity of Fu Quanliang as a precedent, Chu Zheng had always held some psychological shadow about such methods; that was the closest he hade to death.


    Even though the environmental conditions of heaven and earth are different, and in Cangyun Realm, he was the only Qi Cultivator, there were stillmon factors.


    "It seems Fellow Daoist has suffered before."


    Nie Longhu didn''t seem surprised by Chu Zheng''s reaction and shook his head slightly:


    "Here, there are no Heavenly Dao Laws to uphold, so using such methods asionally is of no concern."


    Soon, he used his divine skills once more, helping Chu Zheng to put on the skin of Qi Shanyong, and then he destroyed the corpse and erased all traces.


    "My surname is Nie, given the name Longhu by my master. I am a disciple of the Great rity Primordial Daoist Lord lineage, my master is the North Spirit Golden Immortal. He cultivates in the Chuyun Cave of Liyang Mountain within the Guangyuan Realm, and has been doing so for thirty-eight thousand four hundred years."


    Once the dust had settled, Nie Longhu got straight to the point, voluntarily disclosing his own background, and then he inquired:


    "May I ask, fellow Daoist, from which celestial home do you hail?"


    "My surname is Chu, given name Zheng. As for my background¡­ it is inconvenient to disclose. I hope fellow Daoist Nie will not take offense."


    Nie Longhu treated Chu Zheng with sincerity, and Chu Zheng did not excessively hide anything, but when it came to discussing his background, he hesitated for a moment.


    A Heavenly Immortal like Chu Zheng was still a bit too powerful for the current Cangyun Realm, not to mention, behind Nie Longhu there was the existence of a Golden Immortal level being.


    "Chance encounters are like drifting water; it''s normal for Daoist Chu to have reservations."


    Nie Longhu didn''t mind this at all.


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng voiced the question he had been suppressing for a long time: "Is this ce part of the Myriad Realms or is it among the All Heavens?"


    "Neither," Nie Longhu shook his head: "This ce belongs to the Chaos Sea."


    "Chaos Sea?" Chu Zheng''s heart shook violently; he remembered Zhao Tingxian.


    After betraying the Immortal Alliance, Zhao Tingxian had fled into the Chaos Sea and vanished without a trace.


    He had not expected that by arbitrarily choosing a world to travel to, he would also end up in this ce.


    "In the Myriad Realms'' Great Realm, the Heavenly Dao Laws are basically under someone''s control. Alien Realm soul divisions wanting to enter are simply impossible; they would be directly exterminated, the risk is extremely high, and as for the All Heavens¡­ there are few of the Human Race, making survival even less likely."


    Nie Longhu sighed softly: "Only in this Chaos Sea, though also rampant with alien species, can it be considered a purend, yet untouched by various forces."


    From Chu Zheng''s question, Nie Longhu had already seen hisck of experience and quickly came to a conclusion:


    "Fellow Daoist, you are quite fortunate this time."


    For a Qi Cultivator entering a world like the Tianyao Federation to experience tribtions, this was already a very good start.


    ......


    ......


    Thanks to the face of Qi Shanyong, Chu Zheng was granted a brief respite.


    After stabilizing, the first thing Nie Longhu did came as a surprise to Chu Zheng.


    He crafted a Golden Body for the Ancestral Dao.


    Within the confines of a temple spanning thirty feet.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Looking at the y model that had been formed in front of him, Chu Zheng appeared somewhat hesitant; this y model was almost identical to the one he had seen in the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    The only difference was that this one seemed to look even more like his true self.


    "Do you feel that this statue resembles your true appearance when you look at it?"


    Seeing Chu Zheng lost in thought, Nie Longhu couldn''t help but let out a faint smile:


    "I was abandoned by my parents at a young age and raised on the charity of others, never having seen the faces of my mother and father. When I first saw the Ancestral Dao Statue, I was quite startled, it seemed almost exactly like myself. At that time, I almost suspected the Ancestral Dao to be my birth father."


    "Later, my master told me that the Ancestral Dao has severed all karma, unaffected by the myriad ordeals of the world and the Heavenly Dao. This Divine Statue, for the Ancestral Dao, represents invisible threads of karma; thus, no one can recreate his likeness."


    "But the Ancestral Dao is there, impervious to erosion. By using a specific method, one can still craft his Golden Body, yet what beings see is their own true likeness."


    Nie Longhu provided an answer to Chu Zheng''s doubts.


    This once again exceeded Chu Zheng''s expectations; the countenance of the Ancestral Dao could not be captured bymonce means.

 Chapter 246 The Power of Incense, Energy

    "Fellow Daoist Nie, what is the purpose of crafting this golden statue?"


    Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled as he looked at the golden statue before him.


    Nie Longhu had used only the most ordinary y, devoid of any spiritual energy, just like what Chu Zheng had seen in the Cangyun Secret Realm before.


    The statue he had previously encountered in the Cangyun Secret Realm was originally of high rank, reaching the Fifth Order.


    This statue before him, ording to the information disyed by his Spiritual Eye, was also just an ordinary divine statue, which had not reached any Entry Stage and did not possess any divine mysteries.


    He really could not see what use such a golden statue might have.


    "To collect a portion of the incense from this realm for the Ancestral Dao."


    Nie Longhu lit three sticks of Pure Incense, respectfully bowed three times, then ced them in the incense burner, turning around to exin:


    "The Ancestral Dao is not one of the Incense Fire Deities. The incense within this golden statue can guide those whoe after and also serves as a contingency for the Ancestral Dao."


    "With the Ancestral Dao''s level of cultivation, even if faced with a dreadful cmity and his original form was obliterated, as long as one golden statue remains, there is a chance for rebirth, preventingplete extinction."


    At this, Nie Longhuughed lightly: "In all my years of cultivation, I have never enjoyed the slightest bit of the Ancestral Dao''s blessing, but I have constructed golden statues for the Ancestral Dao, no less than eight hundred if not a thousand."


    Qi Cultivators seek Heavenly Fate for themselves and not for others. Even as Qi Cultivators, they cannot enjoy any benefits brought by the Ancestral Dao.


    The path of a Qi Cultivator is destined to be one of extreme solitude, everything besides oneself is mere illusion.


    Yet, for the sake of constructing a statue for the Ancestral Dao, he was still willing.


    It was a mountain, supporting the lineage of the Taoist School, representing the pinnacle a Qi Cultivator could aspire to reach... representing the end of the road he might someday attain.


    Nie Longhu was more than willing to do things for beings of such stature.


    A flicker of understanding passed through Chu Zheng''s eyes. Perhaps, once upon a time in the Cangyun Realm, there was a Qi Cultivator who arrived there and constructed that temple, forging a golden statue.


    Suddenly, a spark shed across his mind, and looking at the statue before him, he gained some insight.


    The fact that the Ancestral Dao alone possessed two and a half portions of Heavenly Fate may have some inextricable connection with these golden statues scattered throughout the Myriad Heavens and Realms.


    However, this was only his spection with not much concrete evidence.


    Chu Zheng stepped forward, raised his head to look at the golden statue that bore a striking resemnce to himself, lit three sticks of Pure Incense, and bowed deeply three times.


    The moment he lifted his head, he felt a trace of confusion. Was he worshipping the Ancestral Dao, or was he worshipping himself?


    In that moment, Chu Zheng seemed to vaguely grasp some of Nie Longhu''s thoughts.


    In the eyes of many Qi Cultivators, this was likely equivalent to worshipping their own future self.


    One day, to sit in the position of the Ancestral Dao was perhaps the goal of all Qi Cultivators.


    "These past few days, I have been observing the stars at night and after some calction, found some clues."


    Without paying too much attention to Chu Zheng''s thought process, Nie Longhu turned to share his recent findings:


    "This Star Domain must once have been a Great Realm surrounded by many Life Stars. For some reason, the Great Realm experienced drastic changes and copsed, with the consciousness of Heavenly Dao nearly dissipatingpletely."


    "The remaining Life Stars began to wander, gradually evolving into this expanse of starry skies. Over time, Heavenly Fate settled and showed signs of revival. However, due to theck of nature''s spiritual energy, civilizations like the Tianyao Federation that lean towards external things came into existence."


    "Such civilizationsbine their understanding of nature with practical applications of learning,prehend and utilize Universal Laws, and with the frail bodies of mortals, they have carved out a path capable of ying Immortals and eradicating Deities, which they call ''technology''."


    Everything in the universe operates ording to its ownws, and the stars are no exception. Nie Longhu''s proficiency in star observation was remarkably high, far beyond Chu Zheng''s reach.


    This profound foundation, derived from a Heavenly Immortal, was something Chu Zheng knew would take him an indeterminate amount of time to match. Continue reading at empire


    After digesting this information, Chu Zheng instinctively asked: "Are there many civilizations like the Tianyao Federation in the universe?"


    From many of Nie Longhu''s reactions, it was clear that he was not encountering such a technological civilization for the first time.


    "Not a few, but the vast majority have a low ceiling, managing to rival only those at the Refine Spirit Realm is already difficult. For cultivators at the Unity Realm Stage, they are but easily extinguished."


    As he said this, Nie Longhu suddenly shifted the topic:


    "But there are always exceptions. Within the Myriad Realms, there is one Great Realm that has developed technology to its pinnacle, containing terrifying weapons capable of contending with Golden Immortals, and even capable of reversing time and space within a small scope."


    "Reverse time and space?"


    Chu Zheng was shocked; this was somewhat unimaginable within his concepts.


    Reversing time and space was different from traversing it; reversing time meant reverting events that had already urred back to their origin, effectively overturning certainws.


    Prosperity and decline, gains and losses, life and death, these could all be changed.


    Even those above the Immortal Kings and up to Daluo Golden Immortals simply traverse through the river of time, not reverse it.


    "Reversing time and space naturally has many constraints, but this is enough to prove its power," Nie Longhu added without borating further.


    Actually, the true strength of a technological civilization lies in its ability to mass-produce its peakbat forces, provided there are sufficient resources. This single aspect is enough to make all forces wary.


    Resources are always scarce; even the most powerful worlds need to replenish energy and cannot use it without constraints.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Thus, that particr technological civilization was directly restrained within a single Great Realm and has made no progress in expanding outward for many years, having nearlye to a standstill.

 Chapter 246 The Power of Incense, Energy_2

    If it weren''t for its many useful methods in the Myriad Realms, coupled with the fact that the Mo Family had established trade rtions with it, exchanging what each needed, that part of the Great Realm might have ceased to exist long ago.


    The potential of the Human Race is boundless and endless, no matter what situation they are in, there will always be those who adapt to the environment first, leading the tide.


    Nie Longhu changed the topic and seemingly casually said, "Do you still remember, my friend, when you first started cultivating, how long it took to channel Qi into your body?"


    After a slight ponder, Chu Zheng told the truth:


    "Less than two and a half hours, and this time, undergoing incarnation and tribtion, it was even quicker."


    "My friend''s insight can be considered excellent, with a bright future ahead and much to achieve,"


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed, Nie Longhu''s eyes revealed a touch of amusement: "I was a bit quicker than you, my friend, it only took me a little over an hour."


    Realizing Qi sensation in two and a half hours was already considered as having fairly good insight among many Qi Cultivators, butpared to him, it was still a considerable distance.


    As for what Chu Zheng mentioned, that his Qi-refining Technique became faster after undergoing incarnation and tribtion, Nie Longhu didn''t pay much attention to it.


    With his previous experience, if he were to undergo incarnation, he could control the Channel Qi process within an hour. Even if Chu Zheng was faster, it would still take him at least around two hours.


    Two hours,pared to him, was much too long.


    Channeling Qi into the body in one hour, this speed was already considered Divine Speed among Qi Cultivators, and many Mysterious Immortals weren''t as fast as he was.


    If one could find Qi sensation in about half an hour, that would qualify as the talent of a Golden Immortal.


    As for faster, as far as he knew, none have appeared yet.


    After all, aside from the Ancestral Dao, no second Daluo Golden Immortal has emerged yet within the Qi Refining Lineage.


    The Daluo Golden Immortal is a legendary realm for Qi Cultivators, one that no one has yet managed to reach.


    After hearing a rough idea from Nie Longhu, Chu Zheng had some general impression of his own talent.


    It seemed there ought to be quite a few with a cultivation speed like his.


    He originally thought that his talent belonged to the upper echelon, but now it seemed there was still some distance.


    From Nie Longhu''s expression, it seemed that speeding up the process of channeling Qi into the body after undergoing incarnation and tribtion was not such a rare urrence.


    ...


    ...


    In the following days, Chu Zheng''s life was quite stable, cultivating methodically every day.


    Star Peak Corporation, among the top ten major groups on Heaven Sent Star, possessed almost boundless wealth.


    As the chairman of Star Peak Corporation, Chu Zheng didn''t need to do anything, as various electronic documents were automatically sent to his mailbox punctually and at set times.


    What he needed to do was to sign them, cultivate, and then watch the assets of Star Peak Corporation rise day by day, monotonous and dull.


    Nie Longhu spent a lot of money to get a lot of Gic Evolution Fluid, which Chu Zheng was somewhat resistant to.


    Looking at the previous body information of Qi Shanyong, this Evolution Liquid had a certain chance of causing gic mutations.


    Clearly, there were significant side-effects, and even with a repair panel, Chu Zheng had no ns to touch such a thing.


    [Gic Evolution Fluid (Second Order): Tianyao Federation''s third-generation God Creation Series Gic Evolution Fluid, primarilyposed of Star Origin Liquid. After injection, there is a 30% chance of birthing Spiritual Energy. (Detail)]


    [Detailed Information: There are some risks involved, with a high chance of inducing uncontroble gic mutations in the human body, along with side-effects such as infertility, reduced lifespan, etc.]


    From the information provided by the panel, it wasn''t hard to see that this Gic Evolution Fluid indeed had significant ws.


    However, the Evolution Liquid currently produced by the Tianyao Federation had already reached the fifth generation, said to have astonishing effects.


    Looking at the slight ripples of the azure liquid in the ss tube in his hand, Chu Zheng looked puzzledly at Nie Longhu and asked in confusion:


    "What do you mean by this, my friend? I fear this item might..."


    "This item is refined from Spiritual Liquid extracted from the core of Stars, with a chance to cause the Human Race to mutate and develop minor Divine Skills. The side-effects are significant, but for us Qi Cultivators, it''s nothing short of a tonic,"


    As he spoke, Nie Longhu opened a bottle of Evolution Liquid, took a sip, and used the Qi Absorption Method Chu Zheng was all too familiar with.


    A faint blue breath emerged and was drawn into Nie Longhu''s mouth.


    In Chu Zheng''s Spiritual Eye, the Evolution Liquid in the ss tube gradually became transparent, turning into water that was utterly ordinary.


    After absorbing a bottle of Evolution Liquid, Nie Longhu''s aura had noticeably increased by a margin.


    Chu Zheng suddenly understood, followed suit, and absorbed the essence of a bottle of Evolution Liquid. Find your next read on empire


    In the blink of an eye, a pure stream of Yuan Qi entered Chu Zheng''s body and transformed into his own Yuan Qi without much effort, rivaling the effects of several Second Order Spirit Pills.


    Setting other factors aside, the purification techniques of the Tianyao Federation alone could be deemed brilliant.


    "Good stuff..."


    Chu Zheng slowly exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, his eyes lighting up with a glint. This thing was a significant boost to his cultivation.


    "You must not be greedy. Given our current level of cultivation, we can consume a maximum of three bottles per day. Otherwise, the meridians and Dantian could be damaged, and the healing would take even longer, which would be counter-productive," said Nie Longhu.


    Chu Zhengpletely ignored this piece of advice from Nie Longhu. With the repair panel, he didn''t care about so-called meridian damage.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ...


    ...


    Having tasted the benefits, Chu Zheng began to formally employ the power of Star Peak Corporation, procuring Evolution Liquid on a massive scale.


    However, as this was a military-regted item not allowed for private resell, a small amount might be manageable, butrge quantities could easily attract unwanted trouble.


    In response, Chu Zheng quickly started preparing.


    Money can make the devil turn millstones. Assuming the role of chairman of Star Peak Corporation, Chu Zheng threw aroundrge sums of money and soon corrupted many officers stationed on Heaven Sent Star, acquiring arge stash of Evolution Liquid, totaling tens of thousands of vials.


    However, most of the Gic Evolution Fluid belonged to the second generation with only First Order quality; its energy was not as instantly impactful as the third generation''s.


    But for Chu Zheng, it was already sufficient.


    The money spent, naturally, was astronomical, enough to make any major financial group''s heart bleed.


    But Star Peak Corporation''s money was seemingly inexhaustible. Not to mention thepany''s capital, even the personal savings of Qi Shanyong were enough for Chu Zheng''svish spending, merely a string of numbers.


    This was thanks to the blessing that Qi Shanyong had never imnted a chip.


    If he had imnted a chip, all his assets would have been frozen immediately upon his death, and would not be unfrozen until the will was dered.


    With the advent of the Evolution Liquid, Chu Zheng''s cultivation level began to advance by leaps and bounds. Unlike Nie Longhu, who had many considerations, Chu Zheng devoted himself to cultivation with single-minded focus.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than twenty years had passed since Chu Zheng arrived at Heaven Sent Star.


    Over ten years ago, Chu Zheng had already sessfully condensed a Dao Embryo, and now he was in thete stage of the Dao Embryo Realm, only one step away from his original cultivation level.


    As for Nie Longhu... he had only just reached Jade Bone Perfection and was still some distance away from the Dao Embryo Realm.


    With such scarce nature''s spiritual energy avable in this ce, without the Evolution Liquid, Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed would plummet to rock bottom. Even if he spent the greater part of each day cultivating, the results would be minimal.


    Evolution Liquid was not easy to produce and, being a military-regted item, every movement was closely watched.


    Chu Zheng didn''t want to attract trouble, so he could only gather as much Evolution Liquid as possible within the greatest limit, which was still an insignificant result.


    As time passed, the amount of Evolution Liquid he could collect became less and less.


    In recent years, the military had paid even closer attention to Evolution Liquid. There were seldom opportunities forrge quantities to flow out. The asional shipments consisted of only tens of vials, barely enough to fill the gaps between Chu Zheng''s teeth, like a drop in the bucket.


    The environment was deteriorating, and it was necessary to seek change.


    ...


    ...


    Early in the morning, with the dew still fresh.


    Inside the manor, on thewn, two figures sat opposite each other.


    Over the years, Chu Zheng would often seek Nie Longhu out to exchange cultivation insights and discuss applications of various Divine Skills.


    In this respect, Nie Longhu''s experience far surpassed his, making him an excellent mentor.


    While they were exchanging thoughts, Chu Zheng''s eyes suddenly shone with understanding; he immediately closed his eyes to experience it thoroughly.


    After he closed his eyes, Nie Longhu began to scrutinize him from head to toe, furrowing his brow, his face etched with disbelief.


    He always felt something was wrong. Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed should not be like this, at least not faster than his own.


    Even now, he was already an entire major realm behind Chu Zheng.

 Chapter 247 The Supreme Council, Intergalactic War

    ```


    As his contact with Chu Zheng deepened, Nie Longhu began to notice many incongruities.


    Chu Zheng was unclear about some of the basic paths of Qi Refining; with the use of certain Divine Skills, he was half-informed, relying solely on his own feelings.


    In such a state, he did not at all seem like one from the authentic Mysterious Gate, nor like he had a mentor. It was more like he had identally obtained a Qi-refining Technique and then blindly practiced without guidance.


    But the terrifying part was that, even going by feeling, Chu Zheng could casually use various Divine Skills, and although he might be a little rusty at first, within a few days at most, he could do it with ease, and even progress to understand and apply the concepts broadly.


    Since Chu Zheng mostly asked rather basic questions, Nie Longhu couldn''t help but be curious about the extent of Chu Zheng''s cultivation.


    To incarnate and transcend tribtions, as far as he knew, one had to be at least at the Returning to Void or even at the Dao Integration Realm Stage before attempting it, otherwise the damage to the Divine Soul''s origin was too great, a loss outweighing the gain.


    Yet from his perspective, Chu Zheng''s performance did not at all resemble that of a cultivator at the Returning to Void or Dao Integration Realm Stage.


    He began to suspect that Chu Zheng''s own cultivation level might only be at the Refine Spirit Realm or even... lower.


    If that were truly the case, then Chu Zheng''s talent would be far beyond what he had confessed.


    But now, Nie Longhu was unable to verify the truth of the matter. Chu Zheng was already at the Soul Condensing Late Stage, a full major realm higher in cultivation than him, and from just this fact, some clues could be discerned.


    If Chu Zheng was indeed a Qi Cultivator who had advanced alone, with such talent, pulling him into one''s sect would be beneficial for the entire Great rity Primordial Daoist Lord lineage.


    As Nie Longhu was weighing the options, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and sincerely expressed his thanks:


    "Thank you, fellow Daoist, for resolving my doubts."


    The experience Nie Longhu possessed was invaluable to him.


    Especially the techniques for condensing a Golden Core; these were the results of countless attempts by predecessors and would be of great help to him in condensing his Golden Core.


    "Would fellow Daoist like to join our Great rity Primordial Daoist Lord lineage? I could introduce you to a Golden Immortal, and perhaps a mentor-disciple rtionship may ensue," Nie Longhu pondered for a while before finally extending the olive branch.


    The cosmos is vast beyond measure, and the chance encounter with another Qi Cultivator when one transcends tribtions is incredibly slight, unless both are already in the same ce.


    Meeting is fate, and at this moment, Nie Longhu sincerely hoped to invite Chu Zheng to join the sect.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Chu Zheng could feel Nie Longhu''s earnestness and pretended to hesitate for a while before shaking his head and politely declining:


    "My talent is mediocre; I''m afraid it might tarnish your sect''s esteemed reputation, so I must decline."


    His own circumstances were too special; aside from Qi-refining Techniques, repairing his panel was his foundation.


    In the presence of those at the Golden Immortal level, he didn''t think he could conceal his true state well. Living a life of partial concealment was distressing and nowhere near as uplicated and peaceful as solitary cultivation.


    With the conversation having reached this point, Nie Longhu did not continue to persuade. It was enough to mention it and leave it at that.


    Entering the Golden Immortal Sect was not something one could do on a whim; such opportunities were rare. If Chu Zheng was unwilling, Nie Longhu would not force the issue.


    If he appeared overly enthusiastic, it could also be disrespectful to his own sect elders.


    Beep beep...


    Suddenly, a message appeared on the smart lightputer on Chu Zheng''s wrist, urgent and originating from themander of the Heaven Sent Star Military Partition, Su Huafeng.


    Chu Zheng opened the message, and immediately a projection materialized before him. He saw a man, nearing thirty, with handsome features, brown hair, and ck pupils, nine feet tall with broad shoulders and an upright stature like a pine.


    "Director Qi, we may have trouble," Su Huafeng said gravely.


    "Five days ago, the Federation held its decennial parliamentary assembly and issued a deration of war. The Tianyao Federation is about to wage war against another unknown Star Domain. All legitors will visit the main stars to review the troops."


    ```


    ```


    "Because of you, Director Qi, I have made exceptional requests for a lot of Gic Evolution Fluid over the years, but the army hasn''t received the corresponding fresh blood needed as a supplement. We''ll discuss the specifics when we meet."


    As his words ended, the projection slowly dissipated.


    Chu Zheng, lost in thought, turned to Nie Longhu, "Fellow Daoist, what do you think?"


    "Don''t wade into muddy waters. Leave Heaven Sent Star, find any random star, I have the method for extracting Star Origin Liquid, which should be enough for both of our cultivations," Nie Longhu replied decisively, without any hesitation.


    Star Domain wars are quite terrifying, where Third Order and Fourth Order are just cannon fodder. Their current level of cultivation paired with the influence of Tribtion Qi, would mean certain death.


    "That''s exactly what I''m thinking."


    Nie Longhu''s idea was exactly in sync with Chu Zheng''s. He also didn''t want to stay on Heaven Sent Star for long.


    As the Gic Evolution Fluid he received became scarcer, he had already considered this n.


    Even the battleship for crossing the starry skies had been secretly prepared by him, ready to leave at any moment.


    Recently, the prices Su Huafeng offered him had been getting steeper, and his undisguised greedy demeanor made Chu Zheng unwilling to endure any longer.


    Now that Nie Longhu had a method to extract Star Origin Liquid, as long as they entered the starry sky and found a few stars with residual energy, it would be enough to sustain their cultivation for a considerable time.


    Compared with dealing with these people on Heaven Sent Star and wasting time, Chu Zheng would rather endure the silent void of space.


    ......


    ......


    After making some brief preparations, Chu Zheng, along with Nie Longhu, hurried to the military headquarters where Su Huafeng was located.


    Over the past twenty-odd years, under Chu Zheng''s deliberate arrangement, Nie Longhu had acquired a new identity, shedding the skin of Qi Hua and bing a master of ancient Qi Techniques.


    For the power of Qi Shanyong, providing a legitimate civilian identity was a trifling matter.


    As for Qi Hua''s whereabouts, Chu Zheng imed to the public that he had sent him to study on other stars.


    This im did not arouse any suspicion at all, since Qi Hua was at the right age to attend higher educational institutions.


    Soon, the two of them stepped into the headquarters and met Su Huafeng.


    After a round of pleasantries, just as they were seated, Su Huafeng couldn''t wait to speak:


    "Director Qi, have you thought of how to deal with the congressman who is about to visit?"


    "Why should I think of a way to deal with him? What does it have to do with me?"


    Chu Zheng looked genuinely perplexed, "For those Gic Evolution Fluids, I paid for each one, nearly double the market price, and for the most recent batch, even triple."


    "You sold these drugs to me, so naturally, that''s legal."


    Chu Zheng understood well Su Huafeng''s real intent. He simply wanted him to think of a way to deal with the visiting congressman.


    In the past, Chu Zheng would not have chosen to break with Su Huafeng and would have started to think of ways to cope.


    But at this moment, the situation was different, because he was already preparing to leave Heaven Sent Star.


    When that congressman arrives, he could, in the name of Star Peak Corporation, legitimately send out the battleships, with no need to go through Su Huafeng''s cosmic defense zone.


    "Qi Shanyong, are you joking with me?!"


    Readtest chapters at empire


    Su Huafeng suddenly stood up, his expression brewing with the thunderstorm of impending rage.


    ```

 Chapter 248 Change in Situation, Alien Species

    Looking at Su Huafeng, who was clearly on the verge of fury, Chu Zheng''s expression remained calm, utterly unmoved.


    Su Huafeng was very strong. Setting aside armor and other external enhancements, he was also a fourth-generation Gene Evolver of The Federation, his physical strength alreadyparable to an Immortal Path Cultivator of the Entry Dao Realm. He had evolved a kind of iplete Fire-controlling Divine Power, and his lifespan had been extended to five hundred years.


    Beyond his personal strength, hemanded a Seventh Order battleship, along with a fleet of more than ten Sixth Order battleships, one of the main fleets of the Tianyao Federation.


    If this were in the Cangyun Realm, facing such a being who controlled vast Sixth Order and even Seventh Order powers, Chu Zheng would inevitably avoid provoking him and would not directly tear his face like this.


    But this was the Tianyao Federation.


    The Tianyao Federation had an extremely sophisticated legal system. Once imnted with a chip, one would be under the surveince of the Federation''s Heavenly Eye. Even if Chu Zheng were an ordinary citizen condemned to death, Su Huafeng would need to follow a highly cumbersome process to kill him and did not have the authority to execute him on the spot.


    In most civilizations formed mainly by ordinary people, thews must protect the rights of the ordinary people.


    This was an invible irond rule.


    The rule where the strong dictate everything applied in the Tianyao Federation as well, only it was deeply buried underground, not tantly disyed, much more implicit.


    Su Huafeng might have been strong, but he was far from being the one who made the rules; hence, at times, he too could only be confined within certain frameworks.


    Moreover, Chu Zheng''s current identity was the person in charge of Star Peak Corporation.


    Star Peak Corporation was one of the top ten major conglomerates on Heaven Sent Star, influencing various industries. Even councilors would not dare to move against him easily.


    "Director Qi, if this is your attitude, then there is nothing left for us to discuss."


    Looking at Chu Zheng''s unconcerned expression, Su Huafeng took a deep breath and his expression returned to calm:


    "I''ll remind you, interster wars require massive logistical support. If necessary, I will utilize a Federation mandate to requisition all resources under Star Peak Corporation. If you defy this, it will be considered a crime against humanity, and I will legally sanction you."


    This statement was an evident threat, intending to use Star Peak Corporation to force Chu Zheng to yield.


    As for this so-called threat, neither Chu Zheng nor Nie Longhu, who was quietly listening, showed any reaction.


    For them, money was as worthless as dirt.


    For this, Su Huafeng obviously couldn''t entirely imagine it, and theplete asymmetry of information had already doomed all his ns to be futile.


    "When the timees, Director Su, juste and take it."


    Chu Zheng ignored Su Huafeng''s words and asked the question he was most concerned about:


    "May I ask when will the councilor arrive?"


    This was his main reason for seeing Su Huafeng, representing the time he would depart from Heaven Sent Star.


    "Nine days."


    Su Huafeng, with an icy expression, replied briefly, then directly summoned his guards.


    Clearly, after being rejected by Chu Zheng, he no longer intended to waste time entangling with Chu Zheng and was nning his next step.


    Chu Zheng and the other person were not at all interested in his so-called ns.


    ...


    ...


    Nie Longhu was the first to step out of the military headquarters.


    At this moment, he had already begun determining the next stars to visit based on the star signs; in his eyes, these stars were no different from dust, staying here was just a waste of time.


    To find a few Life Stars and cultivate in seclusion for hundreds of years, progressing to Returning to Void and even Dao Integration, then he could start exploring the Chaos Sea.


    The only advantage of the Chaos Sea was that the flow of time was different from that in the Myriad Heavens and Realms, at least a hundred times slower; in some special areas, there even existed a thousand-fold difference in the flow of time.


    Within the Qi Refining Lineage, there had always been a rumor that the remaining half of Heavenly Fate in the Chaos Sea had been intentionally left by the Ancestral Dao, specifically to give the Qi Cultivators a chance at life.


    Otherwise, even with the method of incarnating through tribtions, the growth rate of Qi Cultivators would be greatly limited.


    A millennium in one lifetime, if one had to survive through millions of cmities, who knows how many years it would take, and the lifespan of a Heavenly Immortal might also be hard to sustain.


    "In nine days, we can set out towards that direction."


    Nie Longhu raised his hand pointing southwest of the sky, speaking slowly: "There is vitality there; it should have a star with an ample supply of Yuan Qi."


    To this, Chu Zheng naturally had no objections and directly instructed through the smart brainputer to begin gathering information about this interster war.


    This was to be cautious; if they went in the wrong direction and directly entered the battlefield, it would be akin to courting death.


    In a highly informationally-developed civilization like the Tianyao Federation, news spread extremely rapidly.


    Chu Zheng gave a few casual instructions, and within half an hour, he received a detailed dossier on the Tianyao Federation Council''s meeting.


    After briefly reviewing the dossier, Chu Zheng understood part of the whole story. Experience new stories with empire


    This interster war had been initiated by the Tianyao Federation.


    In recent years, the development of the Federation had gradually stagnated.


    The explosive growth of the poption brought a heavy burden, forcing the Federation to carry out massive energy mining on various stars, but the speed of energy mining was far slower than the pace of poption explosion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    This also led to energy shortages in many areas, and the Tianyao Federation could only further expand its range of exploration.


    About three months ago, during one of these explorations, the Tianyao Federation discovered a small Star Domainposed of Life Stars.

 Chapter 248 Change in Situation, Alien Species_2

    In this star domain, there were hundreds of stars,rge and small, suitable for human habitation, and this discovery naturally filled the entire Federation with great joy.


    So many Life Stars clustered together could hardly be a coincidence. A more likely possibility was human intervention.


    After attempting tomunicate to no avail, the Tianyao Federation took the next step.


    However, when a patrol shipnded on a small star, it suddenly encountered devastating blows, and the vanguard teamposed of seven patrol ships waspletely wiped out with no survivors.


    And yet, ording to the detection instruments of the Tianyao Federation, there were no entities with such a high energy level on that star.


    To prevent further incidents and to disy its own firepower, the main ship of the Tianyao Federation directly used the Annihtor Cannon to perforate that star with a diameter of only a few thousand kilometers.


    However, this action triggered an immediate chain reaction, and in thest images transmitted back by the warship, the energy index shown on the detection instrument skyrocketed.


    Then, after a sh of bright light, the small fleet led by three Sixth Order warships waspletely annihted, with no further messages transmitted back.


    Such a massive loss was extremely rare in the history of the entire Federation.


    In response, the Tianyao Federation''s decision was quite resolute. Without any hesitation after the council meeting, it chose to go to war.


    With over a hundred Life Stars, many of which were not inferior to the Federation''s Main Star, and the power that obliterated an entire fleet, it was enough proof that this was an extremely powerful force.


    The presence of such a high-level force near one''s own territory was undoubtedly a dangerous signal. Now that hostilities had urred, this battle had to be fought regardless.


    Otherwise, if the enemy struck first, the Federation would undoubtedly be in a very passive position.


    After sorting through the information, Chu Zheng ryed it all to Nie Longhu.


    "The Tianyao Federation doesn''t stand much chance in this battle," Nie Longhu remarked, his expression bing focused.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s confusion, he immediately exined:


    "In the Chaos Sea, there are numerous alien species, some of which are strong and most fond of devouring Life Stars to supplement themselves. So many stars clustered together means that the aura of the Life Stars must be incredibly intense..."


    At this point, Chu Zheng fully understood, a slight shock in his heart, as Nie Longhu''s words were clear.


    To have over a hundred Life Stars clustered together in a region fraught with alien species and yet remain intact,


    Either these stars had a way to conceal their own aura, or the owner of these hundred or so stars was far stronger than the alien species that wandered around.


    Clearly, thetter was much more likely.


    The roaming aliens, at the very least, possessed the strength of Seventh or even Eighth Order, and if they were stronger than these aliens, even if the Tianyao Federation had some hidden trump cards, they would still likely not be a match.


    "Better leave as soon as that congressman arrives. This battle might spell doom for the Tianyao Federation. If we get entangled in this catastrophe, it would be a huge trouble," said Nie Longhu, shaking his head with no trace of concern.


    He had lived longer than the history of the Tianyao Federation. He had seen the rise and fall of civilizations too many times, and had even personally directed more than one.


    To the Great Universe, nothing short of reaching the highest realm mattered¡ªall else were mere dust, destined to enter the cycle of reincarnation, again and again.


    At this moment, Chu Zheng''s state of mind was very stable. This incarnation was merely a trial.


    In this life, his goal was to form the Golden Core; doing so would be a sess and could umte experience for his main body''s breakthrough.


    He was now close to reaching the Perfection of Entering the Dao Embryo, with the Golden Core within reach. Keeping away from troubles and focusing on cultivation was the right path.


    Before leaving Heaven Sent Star, Chu Zheng had many things to do, such as converting those cold numbers into usable resources, and figuring out how to obtain a couple sets of high-grade armor for protection.


    In the cosmic space, there were too many uncertainties. Chu Zheng had devoted most of his energy to cultivation over the years, having no time to forge Magic Artifacts, andcked means of self-protection.


    The armor from the Tianyao Federation was not inferior to high-grade Magic Treasures for him, fitting for protection.


    Besides, Chu Zheng had also copied a lot of data from the Tianyao Federation, including some core technologies he was quite interested in, such as the ultimate utilization cycle of energy, space folding technology, and the transport of objects through space.


    These things were not only useful now, but also of great use to Chu Zheng''s main body, especially the space folding technology.


    Traversal of space, that at least required the power that Ninth Transformation Divine Infants or even cultivators in the Tongxuan Realm could master.


    Now, such a method was in the hands of mortals, indeed beyond belief.


    After leaving the military headquarters, Chu Zheng immediately began preparations.


    First and foremost was armor.


    Star Peak Corporation had its own armor production line, but most were for civil use andcked weapons equipment, making theirbat effectiveness worrisome.


    To address this, Chu Zheng chose the simplest method: he threw out countless Federation Currency, began to look for contacts, and started procuring high-grade armor.


    Under the influence of money, people willing to work for him swarmed like fish crossing a river, and soon, prospects for the armor began to take shape.


    In just two days, two sets of armor wereid out before Chu Zheng.


    [Tianyao War God Series Armor (Fifth Order): The sixth generation modified version of the Tianyao Federation''s God of Destruction series, breakthrough development in single soldierbat power, equipped with a micro-god-level energy core, annihtion-ss firepower deployment, super scanning radar, and mounted single-soldierser heavy weapons, capable of independently suppressing small Life Stars and clearing space debris within small ranges. (Details)]


    The armor exuded a deep blue color, its surface resembling zed crystal, reflecting a myriad of divine lights; intense energy fluctuations were restrained within crystalline clear conduits, flowing slowly.


    At the Fifth Order level, it could rival a Cultivator in the Divine Transformation Realm, withbat power no less than somerge warships.


    For Chu Zheng, even if this armor was damaged in battle, he could repair it, merely requiring some time, much more convenient than magic treasures.


    Such high-level armor was top-secret within the entire Tianyao Federation.


    If not for Heaven Sent Star being the main star of the Tianyao Federation,bined with the influence of the Star Peak Corporation, it would have been impossible for Chu Zheng to obtain such armor.


    He didn''t even look at the price, simply transferring the funds directly.


    With these two sets of armors in hand, even if he encountered trouble in the starry sky, he could deal with it.


    ...


    ...


    Time passed in the blink of an eye.


    Soon, a visitor of astonishing status arrived on Heaven Sent Star.


    The highest governing body of the Tianyao Federation was the Supreme Council consisting of nine councilors.


    And now, one of the nine councilors, Besha, was visiting Heaven Sent Star.


    Being among the few with the highest status on this star, Chu Zheng naturally received an invitation and was qualified to personally wee this distinguished figure.


    At the same time, the warship Chu Zheng had prepared was already parked in the harbor, ready to depart at any moment.


    The usually busy harbor was deathly silent that day, almostpletely cleared out, without a single sound to be heard.


    The safety of a councilor took precedence over everything else.


    Whirring¡ªn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Soon, a fiery red cosmic warship slowly entered the deserted space harbor.


    On the entrance tform, only a few dozen individuals stood, all of them top-tier figures on Heaven Sent Star.


    Su Huafeng stood at the forefront, dressed in a military uniform, spotless, her face fixed in seriousness.


    The warship gradually stabilized, and a hot wave of air swept over them.


    Hiss¡ª


    The hatch opened, and a line of people slowly walked out, with a woman appearing to be in her forties at the forefront, her hair lightly touched with gray, an ordinary face, and she wore an extremelymonbat suit which didn''t seem the least bit special.


    Trailing behind her were more than ten figures d in armor, fully armed, with no discernable features.


    A light shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes as he scanned the armor, his heart slightly shocked.


    The lowest grade among these armors was also at the Fifth Order, and there were even two pieces at the Sixth Order.


    With the power of technology, the Tianyao Federation had elevated individualbat capability to a level that could rival a Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortal!

 Chapter 249 Probing, The Must-Kill List

    Cultivators of the Tongxuan Realm, not one who hasn''t braved many perilous trials and battled through blood from among the thousands of cultivators to achieve their current level of cultivation.


    The armors before me are equivalent to Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, yet they are different.


    Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures have developed their own consciousness, nearly akin to living creatures. Refining a single Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure requires an immense expenditure of effort and Spiritual Materials, as well as a great deal of energy to nurture and awaken its spirituality.


    Each Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure is a unique existence in the world.


    These armors, however, are but inanimate objects, yet they possess replicability and have condensed the Tianyao Federation''s most essential and advanced technologies, possessing terrifying power as well.


    Moreover, the artificial intelligence installed in these armors has an IQ far surpassing that of the average Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure.


    Between the two, it''s hard to say which is stronger or weaker.


    "Thank you all for waiting."


    Besha walked down the stairs at a measured pace, a gentle smile on her face. Her gaze first fell on Su Huafeng as she nodded in greeting:


    "It seems ourst meeting was over thirty years ago. I am no longer in my youth, but you, General, still look as young as ever."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It was thirty-seven years ago, Councilor. It is my honor that you still remember me," Su Huafeng replied with a bow, his demeanor gentle.


    Chu Zheng stood aside, lost in thought. ording to the information from his Spiritual Eye, Besha was not a Gene Evolver, but a very ordinary mortal, for whom living past a hundred would already be quite an achievement.


    A mortal like this could control a fearsome weapon capable of easily destroying Stars, all because of the Tianyao Federation''s special regtions.


    To maintain the purity of the Federation, Gene Evolvers were not allowed to serve as Federation Councilors.


    Because Gene Evolvers live much longer than ordinary people, over time, their influence would be deeply entrenched, impossible to shake.


    Humans, on the other hand, are different. After a hundred years, they pass away and their souls disperse, leaving behind no entanglements. Even if someplications remain, other Councilors would have the opportunity to intervene and stop them.


    Every Councilor is among the most elite of their generation, and this prominence is not measured by the strength of their power, but rather other attributes, such as a strong spirit of self-sacrifice.


    Federation Councilors are a group of devotees who have given up the chance of immortality, dedicating all of themselves to the Federation.


    Federation citizens generally refer to them as ''Great Pioneers''.


    Each Councilor''s genes are among the highest quality in humanity, and should they be willing to inject a Gene Evolution Potion, the possibility of failing to evolve is almost non-existent.


    To a living being, resisting the temptation of gic evolution is tremendously difficult, especially for a group that belongs to the top echelon of elites.


    This is no different from rejecting Bing an Immortal. The things one must forsake and the temptations one must leave behind are hard for ordinary people to imagine.


    Besha exchanged greetings with many leading figures from Heaven Sent Star, quicklying to Chu Zheng.


    After the greetings, Chu Zheng did not stop there but continued:


    "Councilor, may I inquire when the starship wars are likely to begin?"


    Upon his query, a hush fell over the surroundings. Even though this was no secret, those present did not wish to broach the topic.


    War often signifies massive military expenditures. If the Federation couldn''t produce the funds, they would have to be extracted from their own pockets, which would feel like bleeding them dry.


    "There will be about a year''s preparation time, as the assembly of the fleet takes time," Besha replied without avoiding Chu Zheng''s question. Her voice was warm and her eyes, though slightly cloudy, showed a gentle radiance of someone who had seen through the veil of worldly affairs after years of lived experience, as if having perceived the essence of life.


    Chu Zheng was momentarily surprised. He had only seen such a gaze in Geng Yiyang.


    But how long had Geng Yiyang been alive? More than ten thousand years, whereas Besha appeared to be under fifty, and was barely over seventy.


    Regaining hisposure, Chu Zheng said calmly:


    "I am willing to support all of the Federation''s decisions. Therefore, I have decided to transfer all my assets, including my shares in Star Peak Corporation, to the Federation, to supplement the military funds."


    Before he could finish speaking, a chorus of gasps sounded from around, including Su Huafeng. Everyone was at a loss as to what Chu Zheng was thinking.


    To donate all one''s assets in a single stroke meant plunging oneself from the clouds to the bottom rung of the Federation, with no prospect of rise ever again!


    Especially Su Huafeng, who at that moment could hardly maintain the smile on his face. His mouth twitched involuntarily. Before he could make a move to retaliate, Chu Zheng had already self-destructed, leaving Su choked with frustration, yearning for release.


    Besha, however, did not show much surprise. After pondering for a moment, she counter-questioned: "What do you want?"


    Having paid such a steep price, the demandedpensation must naturally be out of the ordinary.


    Upensated generosity was called sacrifice, and even if the words were adorned nicely, she did not see this quality in the man before her.


    To give something, always one sought something in return. Such was the way of the world.


    "In exchange, I hope the Councilor can provide me with a batch of Gene Evolution Potions and some of the core technology rted to space travel," Chu Zheng stated his terms without hesitation, then added, "Regarding the Gene Evolution Potion, Director Su had already delivered a batch to me earlier. Councilor, you only need to provide the rest."


    If one asked for nothing, it would only seem suspicious.


    The Gene Evolution Potion was equivalent to a Spirit Stone, and the space travel technology would also be of great help to him.

 Chapter 249 Testing the Waters, The Hit List_2

    In reality, what he most desired was the armor of the Sixth Order, but he was well aware that such high-grade armor was extremely rare within the entire Tianyao Federation and simply not something money could buy.


    Even the entire Star Peak Corporation was far from sufficient.


    Hearing what Chu Zheng had said, Su Huafeng, who wasn''t far away, appeared slightly startled and full of confusion. Chu Zheng''s words were undoubtedly helping him.


    With just a few words from Chu Zheng, it meant that Star Peak Corporation would have to pay twice for the same batch of potions.


    Even though he was now the Commandant of the Heaven Sent Star Military Partition, being short such arge batch of Evolution Potions would incur a great responsibility upon him and he would be punished.


    But the words of Chu Zheng had resolved a considerable amount of trouble for him.


    As for Su Huafeng''s thoughts, Chu Zheng wasn''t very concerned. The reason for his actions was because he didn''t want to get entangled with Su Huafeng at this critical moment, which would waste a lot of energy.


    After all, as the Commandant, Su Huafeng had control of a significant amount of troops and warships. If he looked for an excuse to pursue him, Chu Zheng would not be able to escape.


    The Star Peak Corporation, an immutable object, held no value whatsoever to Chu Zheng.


    It was merely a matter of speaking a word, and if it could reduce some trouble, it was naturally for the better.


    "What do you need these for?"


    In response to Chu Zheng''s request, Besha showed a trace of curiosity in her eyes.


    "To wander the stars until I die of old age." Chu Zheng''s answer came without hesitation.


    This was indeed his real thought.


    "Mr. Qi, you are a fascinating man. Maybe we could have dinner together and then talk at leisure."


    Besha offered the invitation with a faint smile.


    Chu Zheng did not refuse, following behind Besha as several suits of armor subtly surrounded him, maintaining a safe distance.


    Soon, the group arrived at the hotel where Besha was staying.


    Aside from Chu Zheng, the others were asked to leave.


    During the meal, Beshapleted the transfer of stock ownership for the Star Peak Corporation and all its subsidiaries, through Chu Zheng''s intelligent light-brain.


    In turn, the Gene Evolution Potion and data on space-shuttle technology would be delivered to the battleship designated by Chu Zheng within two days.


    Up to this point, things had gone quite smoothly.


    However, after the handover waspleted, Besha didn''t stop there. The conversation began to spread toward the cosmos, epassing everything from astronomy to geography, nothing was off-topic.


    As she spoke, Besha gently stroked her wrist, where a jade bracelet was worn; it was very translucent:


    "It''s said that this bracelet is an ancient artifact from two thousand years ago, its origin no longer traceable."


    Chu Zheng nced at it and instantly concluded in his mind that it wasn''t more than a hundred years old, possibly a new item within thest fifty years.


    He didn''t even need to activate the Spiritual Eye; relying on his own experience, he could tell at a nce.


    For the technology of the Tianyao Federation, determining the age of an item was notplicated. Besha obviously hadn''t used this method to discern the authenticity of the bracelet.


    Or perhaps, authenticity wasn''t very important to her.


    The entire Tianyao Federation, from top to bottom, had no habit of venerating antiques. To a technologically advanced civilization, the antiquity often meant obsolescence and was not desirable.


    For an interster federation as vast as this one, dwelling on the past would bring no growth.


    Their pace was too fast, and sometimes, naturally, many things would be left behind.


    The evolution of genes had determined that they were constantly moving towards the future. The past could be studied by a few, but it was destined not to be mainstream.


    "I''ve heard that Mr. Qi has never remarried after your wife''s death. Don''t you feel lonely in your daily life?"


    As the alcohol fumes rose, a blush tinged Besha''s cheeks, and her conversation gradually shifted, reaching into the realm of each other''s private lives.


    From this point, the meal began to feel somewhat torturous for Chu Zheng.


    Besha was a person with high emotional intelligence; talking with her wouldn''t make someone feel ufortable. But the issue was that this sense of ease made Chu Zheng feel very uneasy.


    After a moment, Chu Zheng was the first to put down his utensils and made his excuses to leave.


    He politely declined Besha''s offer to continue the conversation in her room and quickly left the hotel.


    ...


    ...


    The night sky of the neon-lit cityscape made the lights of the high-rise buildings shine more brightly than the stars above.


    Besha leaned against the window, watching as Chu Zheng hurried onto the flying vehicle, and couldn''t help but let out a light chuckle.


    Hearing this, a ck-d man not far away looked slightly puzzled, "Councilor, I remember you personally added Qi Shanyong to the red list. Why didn''t you kill him?"


    "Do you think he looks like a director of Star Peak Corporation?"


    Besha slowly took off the jade bracelet on her wrist and casually threw it into the trash bin, "Rather than a corporation director, he''s more like a greenhorn who can''t hide anything in his eyes, although he does have some insight."


    She shook her head slightly, her eyes still smiling, "The hard work of generations of his family, he let go without the slightest hesitation. It can only mean that the hard work wasn''t his, so naturally he won''t feel the pain."


    The man in ck soon realized, his expression changing slightly, "He''s not Qi Shanyong? Then Qi Shanyong..."


    "Is probably dead."


    Besha''s expression returned to calm, the flush on her face gradually fading, "Given Qi Shanyong''s deeds, his death is not a pity. Since this man willingly handed over Star Peak Corporation, spare his life."


    Upon hearing this, the ck-d man immediately asked cautiously, "Then what about the Gene Evolution Potion and materials you promised him?"


    "Give him the materials, but as for the potion... The Tianyao Federation hasn''t mined new Stars for a long time, and the stock of Gene Evolution Potions is already low, it can''t be wasted recklessly."


    After pondering for a while, Besha said slowly, "Just give him some. He won''t dare toe back and square ounts with me."


    With a firm answer, the man in ck immediately turned and left. In the room, there was emptiness, leaving only Besha alone.


    She walked slowly to the window, staring at the splendid neon lights of the outside world, lost in thought.


    Remembering how Chu Zheng had responded earlier, she raised her hand to stroke her cheek, the light in her eyes dimming slightly.


    If she were thirty... no, fifty years younger...


    Would his reaction have been any different?


    The forever young theme seems to be an unavoidable topic.


    Especially when she saw Su Huafeng that day, the strong sense of disparity was inevitably heartbreaking.


    The moment she became a councilor, her life had entered a countdown.


    From the perspective of all humanity, her feelings are not significant.


    When necessary, she must shed some emotions to make the most correct judgment.


    ...


    ...


    Just after returning to the manor, Chu Zheng''s smart light brain received a message.


    From Su Huafeng.


    "Director Qi, thank you for your generosity. I''ve prepared some gifts for you, which have been sent to your warship. May your star journey be smooth," it read.


    Chu Zheng nced at it, ignored it, sat down, and began to make the final adjustments.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    At the agreed time, Chu Zheng and Nie Longhu boarded the warship docked at the port.


    The gifts from Su Huafeng were part of the Energy Core, enough for the warship to travel in the universe for a hundred years.


    To Chu Zheng''s disappointment, the Gene Evolution Potions on the warship were far less than he had imagined, much less.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Fortunately, the technical materials on spatial traversal were notcking too much and were of considerable value.


    After discussing with Nie Longhu, Chu Zheng chose not to dy any longer and directly started the warship, slowly sailing into the starry sea.


    Just as Chu Zheng was about to discard his light brain, a message caught his attention.


    ''The Tianyao Federation''s Baptism.'' Explore stories at empire


    Opening the message and scanning it, Chu Zheng''s heart tightened slightly.


    Most of those he had gone to pick up that day were on the death list,


    Su Huafeng was demoted and punished, and within the Military Partition, thousands of military officers,rge and small, were implicated. For Heaven Sent Star, this was undoubtedly an earthquake.


    No citizen expressed dissatisfaction; the words ''Federation Councilor'' held iparable public trust.


    This thunderous, bloody method made it hard for Chu Zheng to associate it with Besha from that evening.

 Chapter 250 Life-bound Golden Core

    Besha''s methods were resolutely iron-blooded, and as the heads of Heaven Sent Star residents rolled, praises echoed throughout the virtualwork.


    It was a baptism from the Federation, scrubbing away many of the chronic ills guing Heaven Sent Star, but it also brought obvious disadvantages.


    The situation began to get chaotic, with arge influx of military resources into the armed forces, causing prices to surge sharply, and the lives of the lower ss remained unchanged, even bing more difficult.


    Chu Zheng briefly scanned some of the information and then destroyed the smart brain processor.


    He had no intention of getting entangled with the Tianyao Federation any longer. Once in space, such a device would be useless.


    The Gene Evolution Potion given to him by Besha was quite rare, but in terms of value, it still did notpare to the gift given by Su Huafeng.


    For these substances, Nie Longhu didn''t care. By finding any Life Star and extracting some Star Origin Liquid, he had enough to cultivate with Chu Zheng for a long time.


    Chu Zheng pulled up the nearby star map and turned his head to ask Nie Longhu for direction:


    "Fellow Daoist Nie, where shall we head next?"


    Nie Longhu looked at the swirling starlight around them and, after some calctions, immediately indicated the direction.


    Chu Zheng looked at the radar, making a rough identification. This direction was gradually moving away from the Tianyao Federation.


    In the universe, orientations are topsy-turvy, with no discernible north, south, east, or west, and even with a star map, Chu Zheng could only identify a general direction.


    He had previously gathered some information about the Federation''s battle, but its exact location was a top-secret matter. There was no way to know it, so now he could only take it one step at a time, which was somewhat safer than staying in the Tianyao Federation.


    After setting the destination, the massive warship slowly entered the cold cosmos, heading towards an unknown Life Star.


    ......


    ......


    The journey through the starry sky was monotonous and boring.


    The warship required vast amounts of energy for space jumps, and after each leap, a long time was needed for replenishment.


    In the blink of an eye, nearly two years had passed.


    During these two years, both Chu Zheng and Nie Longhu had to rely on the Gic Evolution Fluid within the warship to cultivate, and the efficiency of their cultivation was very low; most of the Evolution Fluid went into Chu Zheng''s body.


    Inside the main cabin, a simple metallic pool had been improvised, mixed with arge amount of Gic Evolution Fluid, emitting micro-waves of ripples and a spiritual light.


    Chu Zheng sat shirtless within the Evolution Fluid, operating the Circuit of Qi as he slowly drew in energy from it. Continue your story on empire


    After two years, even in the harsh environment, his cultivation had stepped into the Perfection of the Dao Embryo Realm, and he was finally able to start trying to condense his Life-bound Golden Core.


    This was his first attempt at condensing a Golden Core; he had never thought that the incarnation he used to endure cmities would reach this realm first.


    Within his Dantian, the Dao Embryo that held Yuan Qi was nearing its critical point, with the Yuan Qi as thick as Jadescent Nectar. The Perfection of the Dao Embryo, in some Taoist Orthodoxies within fellow cultivators'' inner alchemical traditions, was also known as ''Condensation''.


    Without hesitating, Chu Zheng started topress the Dao Embryo, squeezing and further pressing down on the Yuan Qi within. The walls of the Dao Embryo began to converge, sealing off.


    Not far away, Nie Longhu sensed fluctuations in the aura and opened his eyes, barely concealing his surprise.


    So soon?


    He always found Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed somewhat exaggerated. When they first met, Chu Zheng''s cultivation was simr to his own. Now, after more than twenty years, he had just barely condensed a Dao Embryo, while Chu Zheng was already beginning to try to condense a Golden Core.


    In such a ce where Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was scarce, to have such evolutionary progress was incredible.


    Chu Zheng''s cultivation, which he had witnessed growing day by day, couldn''t be faked; it was solid and without fault, raising no questions.


    This only made it more puzzling; such speed indicated that Chu Zheng''s talent could not possibly be as he imed in the past, taking over two hours just to Channel Qi into his body.


    Looking at Chu Zheng, who was deep in cultivation with his eyes closed, Nie Longhu subconsciously stroked his beard, only to find nothing there, and couldn''t help but frown in contemtion.


    At this moment, Chu Zheng was too preupied to pay attention to anything else. Inside his Dantian, the Dao Embryo that had been open was nowpletely converged, turning into a ruggedly angr irregr grey sphere.


    Sturdy and indestructible, enduring uncorroded through endless years is gold; smooth and immacte, pure and unsullied is cinnabar.


    The Golden Core,bining the merits of both, was far from a true Golden Core in such a state.


    Yuan Qi waspletely isted by the Dao Embryo''s barriers, and Chu Zheng couldn''t use any of his own energy. He could only rely on drawing energy from the outside to polish this ''Golden Core.''


    Waves of powerful energy from the Evolution Liquid were absorbed into his body, condensed into extremely rough sandpaper, surrounding the Golden Core and continuously polishing it.


    This was a time-consuming task of grinding away patiently.


    Months flew by in an instant.


    During this period, Nie Longhu stopped cultivating and instead kept a close watch on Chu Zheng, asionally replenishing the depleted Evolution Liquid for him.


    He had begun to glimpse something unusual; the process of Chu Zheng''s Golden Core condensation seemed too unfamiliar, as if he was condensing a Golden Core for the first time in his life.


    Chu Zheng''s true cultivation level might be much lower than he had previously spected.


    Under continuous refinement, the Golden Core within Chu Zheng''s Dantian gradually took shape, bing round and wless.


    Crack¡ª¡ª


    The next instant, the hazy Golden Core suddenly burst forth with a wisp of golden divine light, dazzling to the eyes.


    Soon, with piece by piece polishing, the Golden Core becamepletely dust-free and emitted a brilliant golden radiance.


    Chu Zheng became increasingly cautious, knowing that this step was of utmost importance.


    The Golden Core, though formed, was still a lifeless entity, unable to utilize any of the Yuan Qi within it.


    The Golden Core needed to ''open its orifices''.


    The breakthrough was far from over, only when the Spirit Apertures were opened and the Yuan Qi could flow freely, would the sess be consideredplete.


    In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.


    Plop¡ª¡ª


    A muffled sound came from within the Golden Core as a tiny Spirit Aperture was opened, and a stream of divine fluid tinged with golden light, like a gentle brook, trickled out from within the Spirit Apertures.


    The moment the Spirit Apertures opened, Chu Zheng''s mind was flooded with an unprecedented sensation of abundant pleasure.


    The Golden Core''s essence fluid, refined and of astonishingly high energy purity, allowed Chu Zheng to unleashbat power that had at least increased tenfold, despite not havingpletely broken through yet.


    Over the following two months, one Spirit Aperture after another was unlocked until six were opened, and Chu Zheng felt he had reached the limit.


    After steadying the Qi within his body, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes and immediately expressed his gratitude:


    "Many thanks to Fellow Daoist Nie for your protection."


    Without Nie Longhu standing by his side, this breakthrough would not have been so smooth.


    "It''s nothing, not worthy of thanks," Nie Longhu shook his head, and casually asked, "How many Orifices did Fellow Daoist''s Golden Core condense?"


    Chu Zheng opened his mouth, and the Golden Core flew out of his throat,nding in his palm. A wave of potent energy tide surged from the Evolution Liquid at his side and was devoured and refined by the Spirit Apertures in an instant.


    "Middle Quality, leaning towards the upper, you are quite lucky, Fellow Daoist. It seems this incarnation has decent potential."


    Nie Longhu nced at the Golden Core, nodded slightly, and voiced his congrattions.


    Witnessing the Golden Core for an instant, he had fully confirmed his previous spection that Chu Zheng''s true cultivation level of his main body was definitely not at the Golden Core Realm.


    A mere Middle Quality, leaning towards the upper Golden Core, could bepleted by him in at most a month, while it took Chu Zheng almost half a year, clearly very inexperienced.


    The Golden Core itself is divided into different levels, and the difference inprehension talent is hard to directly test at the Initial Qi Refining Phase, but it bes much more apparent at the Golden Core, serving as a more direct manifestation of innate talent.


    The more Spirit Apertures one has, the stronger the burst of Yuan Qi in an instant, and naturally, the stronger thebat abilities and the higher the talent.


    One to three Orifices are considered Lower Quality, four to six Spirit Apertures are called Middle Quality, and six to nine Orifices are High Quality.


    A Nine Orifices Golden Core is rare in this world, and even those with slightly lowerprehension abilities may have the opportunity to be Golden Immortals.


    Chu Zheng''s Middle Quality Golden Core will not encounter any impediments to his cultivation before the Return to Void and Merge with the Path; at the Returning to Void Realm, the Quality of the Life-bound Golden Core will gradually start to limit the speed of cultivation.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Because the speed of absorbing and exhaling Yuan Qi will gradually fall behind the pace of cultivation.


    Nie Longhu''s expression grew somber, for Chu Zheng hade into contact with the method of incarnation through tribtion without even reaching the Golden Core Realm.


    The information implied by this was somewhat terrifying.


    In his understanding, this was fundamentally impossible, yet Chu Zheng had indeed achieved it, which was beyond ordinary belief.


    Chu Zheng took the Golden Core back into his Dantian; he did not care about its Quality, as the gains from this tribtion were already substantial.


    His main body''s cultivation had not yet reached this stage, but the incarnate had taken this step ahead.


    With this experience, when his main body condensed the Golden Core, it would be much more natural, without any obstruction.


    At this moment, he was already looking forward to seeing what Quality Golden Core his main body would be able to condense.


    His own foundation was far superior to that of this incarnation, and he expected it would bring him a pleasant surprise.


    "We''re almost there."


    Chu Zheng nced at the star chart and suddenly stood up, his gaze shifting slightly.


    A small star, not more than twenty thousand miles in diameter, appeared in his sight, and its surface features were vaguely discernible.


    This nearly three-year-long voyage was finallying to an end.

 Chapter 251 Spirit Path Orthodoxy, Fifth Order Repair Master

    The star before him was slightly smaller than the homnd of Chu Zheng''s past life as he remembered it.


    At a nce, vast dense jungles dominated thendscape, with oceans covering less than half, all radiating with vibrant Life Yuan Qi.


    "Lucky us, this star is quite young. Even just a small part of it will be enough for us to use for a hundred years," he said.


    Watching the nearby star, Nie Longhu disyed a satisfied look. His incarnate body was ordinary, but a hundred years was enough time to step into the Golden Core Realm.


    Upon reaching the Golden Core Realm, one would possess the basic capability to survive in the universe. Through the Method of Qi Absorption, one could barely manage to survive without relying on a battleship.


    Chu Zheng parked the battleship on a nearby dead star, cing the armor, evolution liquid, energy core, and other portable items into the foldable space.


    Then, the two of them boarded a small patrol ship and, through the main ship, opened a gateway to another space.


    The Tianyao Federation''s space transition technology had matured considerably; opening a fixed-point space portal was not difficult.


    Relying on their current cultivation levels, physically crossing the starry skies still presented some difficulties, mainly because it required a lot of time.


    ......


    ......


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    A gigantic portal of light abruptly appeared beside the star. The patrol ship slowly moved out and silently entered the atmosphericyer.


    The moment they entered the star, Chu Zheng felt a slight fluctuation in the repair panel. He nced at it and saw the daily repair count had risen from zero to three.


    The concentration of energy on this star was rtively high.


    Soon, the patrol shipnded between mountain ranges. The loud rumble of the heavy engines startled countless birds and elicited roars of groups of animals.


    After disembarking from the patrol ship and looking around, Chu Zheng suddenly had a change in expression. "Fellow Daoist Nie, I''ll go and scout around."


    "There are signs of human settlement over there; I''ll take a look. We''ll meet back hereter," Nie Longhu replied, pointing beyond the mountains. In the next instant, his figure had already disappeared.


    Chu Zheng looked in the direction he had gone and could faintly see a city over a hundred miles away, judging from the concentration of Yuan Qi, it was not small.


    However, at the moment, he was preupied with other matters and took out a set of Fifth Order armor.


    [Tianyao War God Series Armor (Fifth Order): The sixth generation modified version from the Tianyao Federation''s God of Destruction series... The surface has some minor ws, not detrimental, repairable (0/2)]


    The two sets of armor he had collected; only one set was brand new, the other had been used before.


    There were just some minor scratches on the surface, which did not affect its usage, so he had not worried about it.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, pulled up the panel, and used today''s refreshed counts on the armor.


    The armor instantly restored to its pristine condition, and simultaneously, a stream of information flooded into his mind from the panel.


    [As your experience increases, your repair skills have be more expertly refined. Now you have be a Fifth Order Repair Master. Years of umtion have significantly improved your perceptiveness.]


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Golden Core Realm Initial Stage (Fourth Order)]


    [Cultivation Technique: Eternal Cmity Treasure Record]


    [Divine Skills: Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), Riding the Clouds and Driving the Mist (Fourth Order), Heavenly Divination Technique (Fourth Order), Object Control (Fourth Order), Transmute Stone to Gold (Fourth Order)...]


    [Repair Master: Fifth Order (0/4000)]


    [Remaining Repair Counts for Today:1]


    [Current Repairable: None]


    Indeed.


    Watching the changes on the panel, a gleam of excitement that he could not suppress shed through Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    The upgrading of the panel was not limited to his own cultivation base. If it were so, through the avatar undergoing trials, he could have the rank of the Repair Master advanced ahead of time.


    Once the Repair Master''s level was sufficient, he could begin to repair the umted Immortal Treasures and fragments of Immortal Pills, and then feed them back to his original body to rapidly increase his cultivation level.


    The enhancement of the Repair Master rank had further strengthened Chu Zheng''s Spiritual Eye, allowing him, indistinctly, to begin seeing the crevices in the void.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Crossing these gaps would allow for traversing space silently, with a speed far greater than flying.


    The roaring sound of tearing through the sound barrier, at any time, was very conspicuous.


    The great divine skill ''Shrinking Earth into Inches'', essible only to cultivators at the Refine Spirit Realm, was already vaguely perceived by Chu Zheng who had just entered the Golden Core Realm.


    Collecting his thoughts, Chu Zheng searched around.


    Within the entire mountain range, there were several beasts nearing demon transformation. Their strength was not formidable, with the strongest being just on par with a cultivator of the Spirit Spring Realm. However, they had already grasped the essence of absorbing the essence of sun and moonlight, taking their first glimpse into the cultivational methods of the Demon Race.


    Soon, he returned to the battleship, silently waiting for Nie Longhu to return.


    An hourter, Nie Longhu finally returned, his expression slightly solemn:


    "This ce should be and nourished by incense and spirituality, belonging to a deity named ''Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial.'' To dare use the title of Great Saint Heavenly Venerable, this Incense Fire God in its true form must possess strength that could at least rival a Mysterious Immortal."


    Upon hearing the term Mysterious Immortal, Chu Zheng was taken aback, as Nie Longhu was merely a Heavenly Immortal.


    A Mysterious Immortal was only below a Golden Immortal, and many Immortal Venerables and Immortal Kings within the Immortal Alliance were of this realm.


    In a Great Realm such as the Cangyun Realm, an Immortal King''s word could determine life and death.


    After a brief moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng still decided to investigate this deity''s background.


    He employed the Earth Element Divine Skill, burying the patrol ship underground, and then followed Nie Longhu towards the city to explore.


    ......


    ......


    On the main street, it was bustling, with shouts and calls of vendors ovepping each other.


    As noon approached, wisps of cooking smoke rose in the sky, and the fragrance of grains permeated every corner of the streets and alleys.


    The thick air of daily life mixed with the noisy crowd was extremely lively.


    Standing at the street corner, Chu Zheng felt somewhat dazed for a moment.


    On the Heaven Sent Star, he rarely interacted with others; in the silent expanse of space, he could only see Nie Longhu.


    Such bustling humanity, he had been away from it for nearly thirty years. At this moment, he could not help but feel somewhat emotional.


    Nie Longhu noticed the unusual expression on Chu Zheng''s face and could not help but shake his head, his eyes slightly dim.


    Chu Zheng, after all, had too little experience, and his emotions were easily stirred, a feeling he had not experienced in a long time.


    Cultivators who reach the Supreme level forget emotions, not because they are heartless, but because they have experienced so many things that there are fewer and fewer things in this world that could provoke their emotions.


    It is the same with ordinary people; apart from some who never progress, the older ones usually have much strongerposure than the younger, getting used to life and death, they can often remain calm in the face of changes.


    Just like himself, ustomed to life and death, it was difficult for many things to provoke an emotional response anymore. For cultivation, this was a good thing, but it was also not so good.


    Being overly rational could mean missing many opportunities for emotional touchpoints, and moments of enlightenment often hide within these opportunities of emotional fluctuations.


    Chu Zheng slowly progressed, brushing past vendors and pedestrians, the air of someone detached from worldly concerns gradually fading.


    In the blink of an eye, he hadpletely blended into the bustling crowd in Nie Longhu''s eyes, disappearing without a trace.


    After making a round along the main street, Chu Zheng stopped in front of a dumpling stall, had a simple bowl of dumplings, sat for a moment, and then walked towards the center of the city.


    Even across half of the city, Chu Zheng could easily see the rising plumes of incense smoke there.


    ......


    ......


    In the center of the city, a magnificent temple stood, resplendent in gold and jade, indescribably opulent.


    Chu Zheng activated the Invisibility Technique and entered the temple silently.


    The divine statue on the high tform was lifelike, about thirty years old, with a tall posture, a purple gold crown on his head, and each strand of hair clearly visible, draping over his shoulders. His eyes were deep, demeanor solemn, and aura calm.


    The statue was draped in an ornately long robe, the craftsmanship extremely delicate, obviously with much effort put into it.


    Chu Zheng looked up at the divine statue, a faint spiritual light shing in his pupils. After seeing the information above the statue, his expression turned pale in an instant.


    [Spirit-Awakened Divine Statue: A high-grade True God''s Golden Body, which, after years of consuming incense, has be spirit-awakened, possessing mystical powers, titled ''Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial.'' Invoke its true name: ''Zhao Tingxian'' to summon and activate the divine statue.]

 Chapter 252 Star Origin Liquid, War

    ```


    Zhao Tingxian?!


    As he looked at the information provided by the panel, Chu Zheng drew in a sharp breath, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    He had never thought that he would see the name Zhao Tingxian again under these circumstances.


    Having traversed the endless universe, he had not anticipated any further intersection with Zhao Tingxian, let alone so soon.


    The Golden Body before him sat high upon the divine tform, incense burned prosperously, and the stream of worshippers was endless; the prosperity of the incense offerings was beyond increase, and the thick willpower of incense fire was almost visible to the naked eye.


    Compared to the Ancestral Dao Golden Body he had seen before in the Cangyun Secret Realm, which was covered in dust, the difference was enormous.


    "Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial..."


    Contemting Zhao Tingxian''s divine title, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but ponder a great deal.


    A deity''s title is not chosen at random; it is greatly rted to their power attributes and their story of bing a deity.


    Every deity has a history of propagation, detailing the specific process of bing a deity; this is extremely important. Without such things, a deity would forever remain an illusion in the minds of believers, unable to collect the purest willpower.


    From this title, it''s clear Zhao Tingxian indeed came into contact with The Power of Yin and Yang. As for where Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning originates, there must be other hidden details.


    Chu Zheng immediately opened the detailed information of the Divine Statue, his expression subtly changed after a quick nce.


    The Divine Statue before him had reached the Fourth Order and enjoyed more than thirty thousand years of incense offerings.


    Even considering the vast difference in the flow of time in the Chaos Sea, Zhao Tingxian must have begun propagating his teachings and cultivating followers at least hundreds of years ago.


    Ever since Chu Zheng came into contact with the Immortal Path, the name Zhao Tingxian had continuously appeared around him; one could say it was a name he had long heard of.


    But this moment was the first time he had seen Zhao Tingxian''s specific appearance.


    From this Divine Statue, it seemed that the man had far-reaching sight and had prepared his path of retreat early on.


    Chu Zheng even began to wonder if Zhao Tingxian had foreseen the dramatic changes that would ur in the Cangyun Realm long ago and had been prepared to defect from the Immortal Alliance for hundreds, if not thousands of years.


    Otherwise, the existence of this Divine Statue before him was inexplicable.


    By calction, Zhao Tingxian''s true form has been in the Chaos Sea for quite some time; considering the time flow of the Chaos Sea, his strength has likely improved.


    Previously, he had the power to y a Celestial Lord; now, it''s highly likely he has be an Immortal Venerable.


    Or perhaps, his strength had always been at the Immortal Venerable Realm, and not the Eight Tribtions True Immortal as stated by the Immortal Alliance. This possibility was undoubtedly greater.


    Immortal Venerable, the supreme level of the Immortal Path; one step further, and one bes an Immortal King, the true pinnacle of the universe.


    In a Great Realm like the Cangyun Realm, one could decide its fate with a single word.


    If so, Zhao Tingxian''s current strength would have ced him at the pinnacle of the cosmic pyramid.


    Chu Zheng rubbed his temples and fell into deep thought; Zhao Tingxian possessed exceptional talent, bing an Immortal and attaining the Dao at a young age, controlling the Heavenly Fate of an entire realm.


    From what little clues there were about Zhao Tingxian, it appeared his ambition was no small matter, and his goals were vast.


    Now proiming himself a deity, cultivating the Incense Fire Divine Path, absorbing the willpower of incense offerings, and nurturing so many followers.


    It''s likely that hundreds or even thousands of years ago, he had begun his machinations.


    Having plotted for so long andbined with the demonic invasion of the Cangyun Realm, the things he intends to do are probably astonishing.


    After some reflection, Chu Zheng soon associated these thoughts with the Immortal Alliance.


    Chu Zheng had always been cautious of the Immortal Alliance. The words of the True Immortal remnant soul from the Song Family Secret Realm lingered in his mind.


    Since ancient times, those from the Cangyun Realm who achieved True Immortality and entered the Immortal Alliance never returned, with Zhao Tingxian being the exception.


    Based on the timeline, it''s highly possible that after Zhao Tingxian took control of the Cangyun Realm''s Heavenly Dao, he uncovered certain secrets, leading to this series of changes.


    After a while, Chu Zheng gave up on further spection; the information he had was too scarce to analyze useful truths.


    Once his current incarnation''s ordeals were over, he could return to Cangyun and, utilizing his identity as the Taixuan Holy Master, investigate secrets not known tomoners.


    No matter what, there would always be some trace left behind. Even if only fragments and broken scrolls were passed down, Chu Zheng could reconstruct the specific whole picture.


    After lingering for a while longer, Chu Zheng turned and left the temple.


    On this star-like nurturing ground beneath his feet, who knows how many more Zhao Tingxian has.


    With tens of thousands of years past, it''s hard to imagine what role Zhao Tingxian is ying in the current Chaos Sea.


    ...N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ...


    Having left the temple, Chu Zheng looked around, not knowing when Nie Longhu had disappeared from sight.


    The crowd bustled about him; each believer exiting the temple wore gentle smiles on their faces, with calm expressions and peaceful minds.


    They needed only to worship on a set schedule each month to receive the deity''s protection, ensuring harmonious winds and rains, and peace for the nation.


    This made Chu Zheng momentarily dazed; for these mortals, living peacefully for a hundred years was a given, with no need to fret over their livelihood.


    On this single point, it seemed... much better than many of the lower-ss citizens on the stars above; they didn''t need to ponder too much, only to live, reproduce, and then turn their descendants into devout followers of the deity.


    Just by doing this, before the Incense Fire God''s death, they could keep on living, as the deities truly would protect their followers, which was the source of their power.


    Chu Zheng came back to his senses and shook his head; the children on this star, from the moment they were born, had already been stripped of their future, which was somewhat too tragic.


    ```

 Chapter 252 Star Origin Liquid, War_2

    After circling around the city and not discovering Nie Longhu''s figure, Chu Zheng did not wait in ce but returned to the mountain range where the patrol ship was hidden.


    The longer he stayed in the city, the greater the possibility of attracting karmic ties, which could lead to unnecessary trouble.


    For this Star, he was but a passerby, with no need to intervene too much.


    People''s feelings are not the same; if he interfered forcefully, these believers would only see him as a demon disrupting their peaceful lives.


    Several dayster, Nie Longhu finally returned to the valley.


    In these days, he had roughly traveled around the entire Star and gained a lot of information.


    This Star had only one kingdom, with a poption of more than three billion, from the monarch to civilians, who were mostly devotees of Deity.


    The temples on the entire Star totaled ny-nine, with countless divine shrines and altars, many of which were worshipped inmon people''s homes.


    "The strongest on this Star is merely equivalent to a cultivator at the Dao Embryo Realm; they pose no threat to us," Nie Longhu said with a slightly serious expression. "After all, this is and for a Deity''s spiritual nourishment; it''s not appropriate to stay for long. We should collect the Star Origin Liquid and leave this ce as soon as possible."


    With the power on this Star, and two Fifth Order armors on their bodies, the two did not have to worry about any threat and could practice cultivation with peace of mind for a while. Your next journey awaits at empire


    But the problem was that this Star had an owner, and extracting the Star Origin Liquid from an owned Star was entirely different.


    It was akin to provoking a Deity''s bottom line, no different from breaking into someone''s abode to plunder wantonly, the act of a bandit.


    "I appreciate your help, Fellow Daoist Nie," Chu Zheng nodded in agreement, as he did not know the method to extract the Star Origin Liquid and needed Nie Longhu to exert some effort.


    Nie Longhu grabbed Chu Zheng and activated an earth-escaping technique, sinking into the ground.


    The thick rock walls continuously split apart and then sealed again, and the two moved through them as fluidly as fish in water, quickly descending to the''s core.


    Rich Essence Qi of the Fire Element enveloped them, and as far as the eye could see, there were seas of magma.


    The temperature here was frighteningly high, difficult for ordinary cultivators to bear, and mortals would turn to ash upon contact.


    Nie Longhu didn''t pause at all, he sliced his fingertip and began drawing talismanic patterns in the air, swiftly condensing them into an array.


    Chu Zheng watched intently; these patterns were not hard to understand and could be easily remembered after just one nce.


    This array had some simrities with the Method of Qi Absorption, but with some subtle differences.


    Thud¡ª


    The boiling magma cracked open, creating a noticeable gap from which a stream of pale golden unknown Spiritual Liquid gushed forth.


    As the Spiritual Liquid entered the array, it circted for several Hours, shrinking a hundredfold, condensing into a wisp of colorless Essence Qi, with extremely dense Yuan Qi vibrations.


    Nie Longhu had a faint sweat on his forehead and slowly raised his hand, pushing this wisp of Essence Qi in front of Chu Zheng.


    [Star Origin Liquid (Fourth Order): Refined from the essence of lower-grade Life Stars, exquisitely crafted with high purity, can significantly speed up the cultivation rate of beings of the Fourth Order and below.]


    "Fellow Daoist Nie, how are Stars ssified in the universe?"


    Looking at the words ''Lower Grade Stars'', Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled.


    He had been curious about the ssification of Stars for a long time, and the Fragment of an Immortal Pill he had fortuitously obtained before, the Hundred Stars Elixir, was made with the cores of a hundred Lower Grade Stars as the main ingredient.


    Nie Longhu was no longer surprised at Chu Zheng''s asional questions that were almost consideredmon knowledge; after all, he had no mentor to guide him and was naturally ignorant of many things.


    "Within the Great Universe, Stars are basically divided into upper, middle, and lower grades."


    "Above the upper-grade Stars, there is another category of supreme Stars. However, strictly speaking, supreme Stars should not be considered Stars but should be called Small Thousand Worlds. They possessplete Heaven and Earth Laws, and the Heavenly Dao True Spirit has certainbat capabilities."


    "Combat capabilities?"


    Chu Zheng immediately thought of the Cangyun Realm, where a Heavenly Dao True Spirit in the Cangyun Secret Realm had to be suppressed personally by an Immortal King, suggesting its power was also extraordinary.


    "Your Cultivation is still shallow, and you can''t yete into contact with the Heavenly Dao Laws."


    Seeing Chu Zheng looking puzzled, Nie Longhu patiently exined:


    "Wind, fire, lightning, tide of Spiritual Energy; all these are manifestations of the Heavenly Dao''s power. Once your body returns to the Void and merges with the Path, you will naturally be able to connect with these Laws."


    "Creatures'' cultivation is reliant on the Heaven and Earth Laws, indeed at the cost of damaging the heavens for one''s own benefit, hence no matter what Taoist Orthodoxy, there will be Tribtion Qi visiting one''s body, only the manifestations differ."


    As soon as he spoke, Chu Zheng seemed to have an epiphany; Nie Longhu had already seen through his level of understanding and simply hadn''t pointed it out directly.


    "Above the Small Thousand World is the Middle Thousand World, where the Heavenly Dao Laws are moreplete, possessing a clearer sense of self-awareness."


    "Generally speaking, the Middle Thousand World already has a very strong instinct to reject outsiders, and when faced with an invasion from beyond its realm, it will produce a violent resistance."


    "Further up, the Great Thousand World, where the power of the Heavenly Dao has fundamentally changed, producing extraordinary beings who can rival a Golden Immortal and, with a single thought, suppress a Mysterious Immortal."


    "If a creature is born in this Heaven and Earth, the suppression it faces will be even greater. For example, in the Immortal Alliance''s Great Immortal Realm, those Immortal Kings and Immortal Venerables have no chance to fight back against the Heavenly Dao Judgment."


    Speaking up to this point, Nie Longhu assessed Chu Zheng''s reaction and then felt a slight surprise in his heart.


    On Chu Zheng''s face, there was no doubt, it was evident he was not unfamiliar with the Immortal Alliance, and he had even heard of the Great Immortal Realm.


    This was very intriguing; while many people knew of the Immortal Alliance, few had ever heard of the ''Great Immortal Realm.''


    Having no understanding of the cosmos yet knowing of the Immortal Alliance and even the Great Immortal Realm, it was very likely that Chu Zheng originally came from a region under the Immortal Alliance''s jurisdiction.


    At this thought, Nie Longhu''s brow twitched slightly, and he gestured the Array he had justid out:


    "Daoist Chu, I can teach you the method to extract the Star Origin Liquid, but just this alone, you must never mention this matter to anyone else in the future."


    "You and I meet by chance; after this tribtion, I will not recognize you, and you have not seen me, and please erase the name Nie Longhu from your mind."


    To avoid trouble in the future, Nie Longhu made his intentions clear upfront.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Qi Cultivators generally disliked getting involved in other people''s karma because it was uncontroble. A small mistake could trigger one''s own Tribtion Qi and easily lead to a big problem, light as a setback in one''s path, heavy as a risk to one''s life.


    A considerable number of Qi Cultivators, even after epting disciples, when the disciples leave to gain experience, would repeatedly instruct them not to mention their lineage outside, lest they bring disaster upon themselves.


    This was a double-edged sword; the lineage having enemies might bring unnecessary trouble to the disciple, on the other hand, they also worry that the disciple might provoke a truly fearsome opponent, leading to root and branch elimination, and possibly the cmity of lineage extinction.


    If the lineage still exists, there is a possibility of revenge in the future, but if the lineage is broken, then everythinges to an end.


    Now that Chu Zheng''s background was unclear, yet he had ties to the Immortal Alliance, it was too dangerous. As a Qi Cultivator, how he managed to survive in the Immortal Alliance''s territory was hard for Nie Longhu to imagine, but he had no interest in probing further.


    Because he had a hunch that Chu Zheng might be one of those old monsters from within the Immortal Alliance, sent specifically to test the Method of Qi Refining.


    In this way, Chu Zheng''s cultivation, which hadn''t reached the Golden Core Realm, was able to endure tribtions, which made sense; with an Immortal King''s protection, crossing the starry sky was not difficult.


    Faced with Nie Longhu''s sudden move to clearly draw a boundary, Chu Zheng was momentarily puzzled, and after a slight hesitation, he did not ask further but nodded:


    "Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Nie, I''ve taken note."


    It was merely a chance encounter, and after this tribtion, it was unlikely he would cross paths with Nie Longhu again in his lifetime.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, several months had passed.


    Deep within the heart of the earth, Chu Zheng was sweating profusely, continuously extracting Star Origin Liquid without rest.


    He needed to gather enough Star Origin Liquid as soon as possible to leave this ce.


    Stepping into the Golden Core and having not seen any activity from the Tribtion Qi for a long time, it now seemed to show signs of revival.


    Drip-drip¡ª


    An irritating, light sound came through, and Chu Zheng''s movements froze. He quickly realized that this was an rm from the battleship.


    There was a problem with that battleship that was parked in space.


    Chu Zheng immediately stopped what he was doing, and after a short while, returned to the surface.


    That battleship was extremely important to his current stage and could not be lost.


    No sooner had he stepped onto the surface than a tumultuous roaring filled the skies above him. Huge shadows swept across the sky, patrolling the heavens and the earth.


    Watching the warships filling the skies, Chu Zheng''s pupils slightly dted, staring at the stream of information from the Tianyao Federation that emerged before him, he was momentarily stunned.

 Chapter 253 Sudden Change, Asking God

    The sun hung high in the sky, but the space between heaven and earth was dim, as the descending sunlight was mostly blocked by swarms of battleships, casting only mottled shadows.


    Thoughts raced through Chu Zheng''s mind. With such arge number of battleships appearing here, it was definitely not for the purpose of conquering this single star.


    The grand moves of the Tianyao Federation were easy to understand with a little thought.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    This was the battlefield, and had the Tianyao Federation provoked Zhao Tingxian?!


    Watching the many battleships slicing through the atmosphericyers, wrapped in zing mes and rushing through space, a thunderous roar echoed in Chu Zheng''s mind, weighing down his heart.


    He had intended to stay out of it, but now he found himself caught in the eye of the storm.


    No matter how prepared he was, he hadn''t imagined that the Tianyao Federation would actually go to war with Zhao Tingxian at this moment.


    Soon, a patrol ship broke away from the group of battleships and headed straight for the valley where Chu Zheng was, clearly having detected the patrol ship beneath Chu Zheng''s feet.


    All being products of the Tianyao Federation, detection capabilities were only to be expected.


    Nie Longhu also sensed the external anomalies and came to Chu Zheng''s side.


    "Fellow Daoist Nie, let''s take cover for a moment."


    Quickly, Chu Zheng made a decision, pulling Nie Longhu along as he cast the Invisibility Technique and left the valley.


    Between Zhao Tingxian and the Tianyao Federation, it was hardly a choice for Chu Zheng.


    In this battle, the Tianyao Federation had no chance of victory. An existence as powerful as an Immortal Venerable simply couldn''t be countered by even the most advanced technology of Seventh Order.


    Read thetest on empire


    Even if the Tianyao Federation possessed some secret weapons capable of rivaling a True Immortal, they would still be as trivial as roadside weeds before an Immortal Venerable, easily uprooted.


    "The connection between the Incense Spirituality and the divine statues is quite close; the deity controlling this star will soon notice these battleships and is likely to respond."


    Nie Longhu''s thoughts were in perfect ord with Chu Zheng''s.


    Once the deity reacted, the invading battleships were doomed; the Incense Spirituality would not allow anyone to touch its devotees.


    Watching the battleships above, Chu Zheng had already begun nning his next move.


    Now that enough Star Origin Liquid had been umted, once these battleships were cleared out, he could easily collect some wreckage to repair a battleship and leave this troubled ce to find a new refuge.


    ...


    ...


    In a blink of an eye, half a day had passed.


    Masses of armored federation elites disembarked from the battleships, beginning to suppress the remaining resistant forces on this star.


    With their armor, the natives of this star had no chance to retaliate; their hastily organized counter-attacks were swiftly exterminated.


    But the fervent devotees of the Incense Spirituality couldn''t be subdued by force alone. Many faithful began flocking to the temples, forming defensive lines and resisting step by step.


    Around the star, ny-nine temples in total, the majority of devotees gathered at these temples, their resonant voices invoking the heavens, calling upon the title of the ''Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial'' for protection.


    The already substantial willingness began to swell dramatically, flowing into the divine statues. The ny-nine statues gradually took on a jade-like luster, shimmering with spiritual brilliance.


    The areas around the temples were crammed with devotees, none of whom surrendered but continued to resist fiercely, like moths to mes, fighting against a terrifying web of advanced weaponry with their flesh and blood.


    Facing an overwhelming barrage of fire, this was less a war than a one-sided massacre.


    None of the elite federal forces hesitated or retreated; they kept advancing, fingers tightly squeezed on triggers, never rxing for a moment.


    This was routine for them; as long as these natives didn''ty down their arms and surrenderpletely, the war would continue.


    Interster wars are often bloody and brutal. The Tianyao Federation''s rapid rise was tightly linked to its relentless plundering.


    Thousands of years of brilliant glory were built upon the ruins of many Life Stars and piles upon piles of bones.


    In the distant mountains, Chu Zheng''s gaze was fixed on the temples, his expression fluctuating.


    Zhao Tingxian had not made a move; the temples remained deathly still, emitting no signs of activity.


    This waspletely beyond his expectations.


    "Something''s not right."


    Seeing this, Nie Longhu also furrowed his brow; so much time had passed, and with the massive deaths of the devotees, it was logical that the deity would have reacted by now, but still, there was silence.


    With each breath, countless devotees were crushed into blood mud by the war machines, yet the resistance never ceased.


    Atop the divine altar, the divine statue''s radiance grew stronger; nourished by the heavy willingness, it disyed various divine phenomena, but none had yet taken action.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng took a deep breath and dispelled his Invisibility Technique.


    Before Nie Longhu could react, Chu Zheng had already boldly made his move.


    Inside his Dantian, the Six Orifice Golden Core circted massive amounts of Jade Liquid, bursting forth with mountain-moving power.


    Wrapped in golden light, a giant hand spanned the heavens, lifting off the dome of the temple. The majestically robed divine statue was exposed under the harsh sun, appearing momentarily like a corporeal body.


    Following this was a thunderous shout:


    "Where is Zhao Tingxian?!"


    The terrifing wave of sound swept through heaven and earth, causing ripples in the void, echoing to the Nine Heavens.


    Such a one-sided ughter was something Chu Zheng could not simply watch; moreover, since this was merely an incarnation, he could bear any consequences.

 Chapter 253 Sudden Change, Asking God_2

    The sudden turn of events brought a brief pause to the morous battlefield, and then, in the blink of an eye, countless gun muzzles had already locked onto Chu Zheng''s figure, firing instantly without the slightest hesitation.


    In the warws of the Tianyao Federation, no matter what unexpected incident urred on the battlefield, as long as it wasn''t from the allies, the highest precept was to immediately eliminate the unpredictable element.


    The gap between the stars was immense; some native inhabitants of certain stars possessed powers beyond the current understanding of the Tianyao Federation. To avoid unnecessary losses, striking first and using heavy firepower to obliterate them was never a mistake.


    After the battlefield was cleared, there would be plenty of time to slowly study their cellr tissue.


    The void emitted a sharp, piercing howl. Before the noise had even arrived, a terrifying barrage of firepower had entirely enveloped Chu Zheng, leaving not the slightest gap.


    In an instant, the Tribtion Qi beside Chu Zheng began to surge, a harbinger of death looming over him, and he almost smelled the pungent scent of his hair being singed by the intense heat.


    Buzz¡ª


    A divine lightdder descended from beyond the heavens, invisible ripples spreading out, and the void came to a standstill, bullets and shells including all kinds ofser beams pausing mid-air.


    Chu Zheng''s figure froze on the spot, the closest bullet having already touched his skin, bringing with it an indescribable scorching heat.


    Before he could think further, a figure slowly walked down thedder andnded in front of the temple.


    There was no trace of any aura leaking from the figure''s side, but Chu Zheng felt an unprecedented suffocating pressure, his flesh wailing, his bones nearly shattering, and his Divine Soul in violent turmoil.


    Barely gathering a trace of his senses, Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye.


    [Zhao Tingxian (Ninth Order): Cultivation at the Initial Realm of Immortal Venerate, former Master of Arms of the Immortal Alliance, candidate for Heavenly Judge, pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, Yin Yang Immortal Body, self-created Yin Yang Life and Death Scripturepleted, Heavenly Venerate Realm Incense Spirituality, slight overflow of evil Qi, Divine Origin clean, unaffected.]


    Zhao Tingxian.


    Chu Zheng''s breath hitched, he had finally met the main subject.


    Find adventures on empire


    Zhao Tingxian looked hardly different from his divine statue, appearing younger, not yet thirty, with long hair like clouds, a face exuding exceptional charisma, bright eyes that seemed to pierce the starry sky, d in a blue-white Immortal Robe adorned with stars and moons, radiating an unsurpassable air of transcendence.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhao Tingxian''s gaze fell on Chu Zheng, his eyes showing indifference, devoid of any emotional color.


    Suddenly, a transmitted message abruptly resounded in Chu Zheng''s mind, as clear and resonating as a great bell:


    "When I entered the Divine Infant phase, someone had lifted antern to guide me, giving me these words: in a thousand years, grant a Heretic Cultivator three reprieves from death. Subsequently, I received your birth chart."


    "At that time, I slightly divined your life; you are destined to be dominated by the cmitous star, without a guardian star, doomed to a life of misfortune, rarely achieving longevity."


    "The moment you were born, there was a Heavenly Fate warning, it was not yet the time, so I didn''t kill you, deceived the Immortal Alliance, sealed your pre-natal intelligence, granting you the first reprieve."


    "Seventeen yearster, for reasons unknown, your intelligence revived, and you entered the Qi Refining Lineage for the first time, once again stirring the Heavenly Fate of Cangyun, yet still I did not kill you, even shielding the Divination from view, granting you the second pardon."


    "Less than two yearster, your Five Elements Celestial Foundationpleted, using the foundation to manifest powerful Qi Refining Lineage Divine Skills, connecting with heaven and earth, once again attracting a syntonic response from the cosmos, changing Heavenly Fate dramatically. When Ji Yuyan was inspecting the realm, I intervened again to cover your tracks, thus granting you the third reprieve."


    "Chu Zheng, originally after three times, the cause and effect would have been severed. This time, you inadvertently disrupted a major n of mine, truly deserving death, but considering your youthful ignorance, I am sparing your life once more. Should there be a next time, I shall strike you down."


    Many transmissions happened in an instant, and before Chu Zheng could digest all the information, amanding voice echoed through the void.


    "Zhao Tingxian."


    A ripple exploded through thousands of miles of clouds, nearby starships instantaneously turned to dust, leaving no trace whatsoever.


    The figure robed in silver-white approached leisurely, without even being near, the cosmos was already cracking open, erupting with countless fissures.


    Chu Zheng nced from the corner of his eye, and a stream of information flooded into his mind:


    [Ming Tianyin (Ninth Order): Cultivation at the Initial Realm of Immortal King, Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance, Pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, Chaotic Immortal Body, slightly unstable aura, carrying injuries.]


    Ming Tianyin, nearing fifty, wore a solemn and dignified expression, his long hair mixed with strands of silver, exuding a profound majesty deep as the abyss, stepping forward as if he was treading on the starlight beneath his feet, the entire starry sky under his control.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng understood some of the background; the Immortal Alliance had not given up pursuing Zhao Tingxian, even dispatching an Immortal King personally into the fray.


    At this level, their true names held unimaginable power, capable of resonating across endless starry skies.


    The true name he had just called out had not only drawn Zhao Tingxian but had also rmed an Immortal King from within the Immortal Alliance.


    "I, by the decree of the Immortal Alliance, strip you of your Immortal Bone and subject you to punishment,"


    Though Ming Tianyin''s tone was indifferent, his eyes drooped with an undeniable domineering presence as he pointed his finger, releasing a beam of Immortal Light.


    Like a knife, the Immortal Light instantly tore through the Great Universe, carving out a terrifying vista of the Chaos.


    The frozen spacetime shattered in an instant. In the moment Chu Zheng was dumbfounded, his body was already shredded into a bloody rain by the surrounding web of firepower.


    The Golden Core within his Dantian, much stronger than his flesh, was knocked about wildly before vanishing in a blink.


    Chu Zheng summoned thest remnants of his Divine Sense and weakly sent a message to Nie Longhu, who was not far away:


    "Sorry for rashly dragging Fellow Daoist Nie into this. If there''s a chance in the future, I will apologize in person."


    Nie Longhu, currently only in the Dao Embryo Realm and far behind Chu Zheng, didn''t manage to escape theprehensive heavy fire attack in time and was reduced to a fragmented body, now barely a remnant soul.


    Upon receiving Chu Zheng''s message, his Divine Soul was greatly shaken, and he promptly replied:


    "There''s no need!"


    "You''ve never seen me, and I don''t know you. Our fates here have already ended! There will be no further meetings!"


    At this moment, Nie Longhu was nearly spitting blood. This incarnation''s trials had ended too swiftly, almost as if it had ended before it had even begun, unlike previous ones.


    ording to his own Heavenly Fate, before this incarnation reached the Unity Realm Stage, he wouldn''t have faced such perilous tribtions, as the tribtions of his main body were sufficient to alleviate and resolve them.


    The situation now was entirely caused by Chu Zheng.


    He had had a premonition that Chu Zheng was no ordinary individual, but a cultivator at the Golden Core Realm being able to invoke an Immortal Venerable, even startling an Immortal King, was beyond his imagination.


    Within the Taoist School, Immortal Kings, being only beneath the Golden Immortals in power and holding an exceptional status, had only a few Dao Lords above them.


    And cultivators at the Golden Core Realm... are as numerous as carps crossing the river, their numbers beyond measure.


    The karmic ties entangling Chu Zheng were too profound. At this moment, Nie Longhu was beginning to feel fortunate that Chu Zheng had not agreed to join his lineage.


    Otherwise, he guessed this would have brought cmity to his sect.


    If attracting an Immortal Venerable was possible at the Golden Core Realm, what disaster would Chu Zheng cause once he became an Immortal? It might provoke even the greatest figures of ancient times.


    Not to mention a Dao Lord, even if all of the Taoist lineage were to intervene, it might not be enough to resolve Chu Zheng''s tribtions.


    Such an anomaly might not live much longer, better to involve him as little as possible.


    Thest shred of Chu Zheng''s soul dissipated in an instant; in his final moment, he saw a burst of Immortal Light explode, the Star Domain instantly copsing, turning into cosmic dust.


    Amid it, a striking blood light rose, filled with grand Immortal charm.


    ...


    ...


    Cangyun Realm.


    Taixuan Holy Land.


    The night was deep, the sky filled with soft starlight.


    At the summit of Divine Peak, Chu Zheng suddenly opened his eyes, gasping heavily, his Divine Soul tumultuously swirling, struggling to calm down.


    A flood of information rushed back from his Soul Division, overwhelming and difficult to digest all at once.


    It took a while before Chu Zheng''s breathing steadied, his mind now brimming with numerous enigmas.


    Immortal Alliance, Zhao Tingxian, Myriad Heavens and Realms, Chaos Sea...


    This incarnation''s trials had abruptly provided him with a myriad of threads and mysteries, elusive to the grasp.

 Chapter 254 Soul Condensation into Nascent, Nine Orifices Golden Core

    This reincarnation and trial by ordealsted over thirty years, but within the Cangyun Realm, only three months had passed.


    For a cultivator, it was almost as fleeting as a snap of the fingers.


    The aura of thews between heaven and earth,pared to before, became even smoother and more wless. The Heavenly Dao True Spirit, which had been trapped, was gradually retaking control of the world before it.


    Feeling the familiar flow of mana within his body, Chu Zheng felt a slight sense of detachment. His soul had strengthened substantially, the Dao Embryo within his middle dantian expanded further, already reaching its limit, and he was already able to attempt the Gold Core condensation.


    However, at this moment, his thoughts were not focused on this matter. The words Zhao Tingxian had said to him earlier had a tremendous impact on him.


    If ording to Zhao Tingxian''s words, his arrival in this world was not three years ago, as he had thought, but actually over twenty years earlier.


    It was just that his prenatal intelligence had been sealed before this, and he had not yet awakened.


    Regarding the sudden awakening, Chu Zheng could not help but think of the repair panel. After he awoke, the panel appeared alongside him, clearly not a coincidence.


    Perhaps it was necessary for him to make a trip to the Tai Xu Holy Land. Zhao Tingxian had too many secrets. A thousand years ago, some had predicted that he would be reborn here and had made arrangements in advance, which inevitably made him a bit suspicious.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng collected his thoughts and rose to leave the mountaintop.


    During this period, he had devoted most of his energy to his incarnation, and the immense discrepancy in time required a few days to soothe his emotions.


    As he circled around the Holy Land, he found that Geng Yiyang was not present, unaware of his whereabouts.


    Ever since stepping into the Immortal Tribtion, Geng Yiyang''s mindset had undergone a tremendous change. With a still mind prone to action, he often went out and seemed somewhat restless.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As the environment changed, bing more suitable for cultivation, and with the example of Geng Yiyang before them, some of the Taixuan Elders who had previously given up had resumed their arduous cultivation, hoping to make further progress in their remaining years.


    The minor matters of the Taixuan Holy Land were now basically in the hands of Fu Quanliang. All Taixuan disciples, whether from the Inner or Outer Sects, respected him as their senior brother.


    Fu Quanliang seemed to quite enjoy this.


    Now carrying the title of Holy Master, Chu Zheng was free from responsibilities. With Fu Quanliang handling everything, he hardly had to worry.


    After circling around, Chu Zheng returned to his starting point.


    Midway up the mountain, he met with Li Mingzhou and others. As thews of heaven and earth changed, their paths of cultivation became much easier. They grew stronger with each passing day, gradually adapting to the environment.


    With a shift in status, an inevitable distance had formed between Chu Zheng and Li Mingzhou, something that human effort could not change.


    After staying for a short while, Chu Zheng took his leave and headed towards the mountaintop.


    The rising sun cast its light on the Divine Peak Summit. Explore more at empire


    In front of the pce, on the martial training ground, Song Lingxue sat cross-legged, as usual, practicing her techniques and studying Martial Dao Divine Abilities.


    On normal days, Chu Zheng rarely saw her rest ¨C it was as if a ferocious beast chased her, not daring to ck even for a moment. An invisible tension was always taut, making her even more stressed than him.


    After the major environmental changes, her cultivation entered a terrifying period of explosive growth. She had now stepped into the seventhyer of the Yuan Aura Realm, approaching the Martial Path''s Embracing Pill Realm ever closer. Her determination bing more evident, her actualbat strength,pared to a regr Late Stage Entry Dao Realm cultivator, had no differences.


    This was the truebat strength that the Martial Dao Yuan Aura Realm should possess, but under the distorted environment, being restricted for too long, it would inevitably require some time to recover.


    Sensing Chu Zheng''s aura, Song Lingxue slowly ended her practice. Her eyes nced over, emitting a faint glimmer:


    "When did you finish your retreat?"


    "Just a short while ago."


    Chu Zheng walked slowly onto the martial tform,y down next to Song Lingxue, resting his head on her knees, and gently closed his eyes, a hint of weariness in his brow.


    The myriad of secrets hanging over his head, the abundance of doubts, inevitably became a heavy burden, far from his previous carefree indulgence.


    The familiar warmth at the back of his head made him involuntarily rx, exhaling softly, and he felt sleepy.


    The smile in Song Lingxue''s eyes faded slightly as she raised her hand to smooth Chu Zheng''s slightly furrowed brow.


    She did not know what Chu Zheng was worried about, but she did not ask because she was unable to offer him any help.


    To ask now would only further recognize her own current powerlessness, serving no purpose.


    Cangyun Realm was still the Immortal Alliance''s Cangyun Realm. A temporary change in the Heavenly Dao could notst long, and the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects would still be held as scheduled. People from the Martial Hall would still arrive on time.


    The time she could spend with Chu Zheng was perhaps not much longer.


    Originally, she had thought she might rely on the people of the Martial Hall to take Chu Zheng and their family away, thus escaping the troubles of the Cangyun Realm.


    But ns can never keep up with changes. Times have changed; Chu Zheng is now the Holy Master of Taixuan, standing above the masses, esteemed by the Immortal Alliance, transcending the mundane world.


    Staying in Cangyun was obviously a better choice for Chu Zheng. Going to the Martial Hall would be equivalent to destroying his path.


    What''s more, the Martial Hall might not be any sort of paradise and could be even more dangerous.


    As her thoughts drifted, Song Lingxue''s fingertips gently traced Chu Zheng''s brow, caressing his features. The warmth from her fingertips made her momentarily lose focus.


    The breeze passed by, rustling the young man''s long hair. His face, deep in sleep, bathed in the gentle light of the early sun, showed a rare sense of tranquility and gentleness.


    Instinctively, Song Lingxue raised her hand to cover the youth''s eyes, blocking the falling sunlight, as if wanting to hold on to this brief moment of peace.

 Chapter 254 Soul Condensation into Nascent, Nine Orifices Golden Core_2

    Cultivators have such a long lifespan, and over such an extensive span of life, Chu Zheng will inevitably meet more outstanding women in the future.


    In the vast expanse of Cangyun''s beautifulndscape, stretching billions of miles, there are countless jade-like talents, not to mention the entire universe.


    Those who are a hundred times stronger in background, a hundred times more talented, and a hundred times more beautiful than her are probably as numerous as the stars in the sky.


    Moreover, she isn''t even by Chu Zheng''s side.


    After a long while, Song Lingxue bent down, gently kissed the young man''s forehead¡ª a touch and then a separation, with an unmistakable wistful look in her eyes.


    Her existence was like a willow catkin in the breeze, rootless, amidst the vast and boundless starry sky, where she could find no space to call her own and could only drift with the tide.


    Being at the mercy of circumstances, it could be no other way.


    ...


    ...


    After cultivating with Song Lingxue for a few days, Chu Zheng took some cultivation resources from the Supreme Profound Treasure Vault and immediately began to close off for secluded cultivation.


    His time was limited and not to be wasted. The stronger his cultivation, the more say he would have, with more leeway.


    If his power exceeded Zhao Tingxian and surpassed Ancestral Dao, all the troubles at this moment would cease to exist.


    By now his Divine Soul had already reached Perfection, and he could move towards the Divine Infant. The Dao Embryo was already wlessly round and full.


    After a short contemtion, Chu Zheng chose to congeal the Golden Core first.


    Firstly, he already had the experience once, and secondly, after forming the Golden Core, the transformation from Soul Condensation to Nascent would be even safer.


    After bathing and purifying himself with incense, casting off the impetuousness in his heart, Chu Zheng sat naked in the Spiritual Spring, circting the Grand Cirction, refining the Primordial Qi, and gradually increasing his cultivation.


    Originally, on the Immortal Martial Battlefield, Ji Yuyan had mentioned to him that after the Golden Core, there would be no turning back on the path of Qi Refining.


    This was something he always found somewhat iprehensible, but after experiencing incarnation through trials, he vaguely gained some enlightenment.


    The Golden Core Realm differspletely from the previous realms; this is the crucial step from Refining Essence into Qi to Refining Qi into Spirit.


    After the Golden Core, it''s about Refining Spirit; at this point, the marks Qi-refining Technique had left on him could no longer be erased, residing within his Divine Soul.


    Even if he were to forfeit his cultivation, in the eyes of Heaven and Earth, he would still be a Qi Cultivator. As his cultivation level rose, tribtions would still approach.


    Concerning this, a conjecture emerged subtly in Chu Zheng''s mind.


    The Heavenly Tribtions of the Immortal Path target Immortal Path Cultivators, but he is a Qi Cultivator with the Method of Transmuting Cmity. If he were to dissolve all the Tribtion Qi, when he reaches the Immortal Tribtion stage after attaining Tongxuan on the Immortal Path, would he still face Heavenly Tribtion?


    Conversely, if there were no Heavenly Tribtion to bear, would the original Heavenly Tribtion meant for the Immortal Path transform into an even more terrifying tribtion? That remains an unknown.


    Chu Zheng discarded the distractions in his mind and concentrated on his cultivation; the Dao Embryo soon began to seal shut.


    With the experience from before, Chu Zheng''s speed was considerably faster. Coupled with the abundant Spiritual Energy from Heaven and Earth, in just a month, the Golden Core had already taken shape.


    Crack, crack¡ª


    The moment the Golden Core took shape, without any need for Chu Zheng to act, nine crisp sounds followed in session.


    Discover more stories at empire


    In the blink of an eye, the Nine Orifice Golden Core was formed.


    Boom¡ª


    The instant the Golden Core opened its orifices, the Laws of Heaven and Earth underwent an anomaly, and thick golden clouds suddenly gathered above Taixuan.


    After a moment, there fell a sweet rain from the sky, carrying a magnificent five-colored divine radiance, pervading everywhere, and covering the entire Taixuan Holy Land.


    The golden luminous rain prated the Array, ignored the barriers of rock, and entered the bodies of all the cultivators of Taixuan.


    Many of the Taixuan Disciples, including many Elders in seclusion, underwent a cleansing. They reaped significant benefits, expelling many impurities from their bodies, advancing their cultivation, loosening their bottlenecks, and even experiencing certain transformations in their root bone qualities.


    Most of the luminous rain fell on Chu Zheng''s head, washing over the Yin Yang Spirit, heading straight for his Middle Dantian, converging into a goldenke.


    The Nine Orifice Golden Core hung above theke like a dazzling sun, swallowing and emitting vast divine energies, with its Spirit Apertures, opened iparably wider than the Golden Core congealed by the previous incarnation.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but take a deep breath, and with a slight quiver of the Nine Orifice Golden Core, Primordial Qi from within a thousand miles surged in an instant, all responding to his call.


    The more Spirit Apertures, the faster the speed of cultivation.


    ```


    Although it was only three more Spirit Apertures, Chu Zheng, upon a slightparison, found that the cultivation speed of the Nine Orifices Golden Core was more than a hundred times stronger than that of his Six Orifices Golden Core incarnation.


    This was inextricably linked to the size of the Spirit Apertures.


    With the Golden Core formed, Chu Zheng did not dy at all, immediately taking out an array of elixirs that nourished the Divine Soul and began the Soul Condensation into Nascent Soul Transformation.


    For ordinary cultivators, this phase was a matter of life and death that required caution and many attempts before they could start their breakthrough.


    But for Chu Zheng, there were no risks whatsoever. Even if his Divine Soul was harmed, he could instantaneously repair it through the panel, without having to worry about any potential side effects.


    The process of Soul Condensation into Nascent Soul Transformation went far smoother than Chu Zheng had anticipated, and there was even no need to use the panel for repairs.


    The light rain that had previously fallen from the sky above had incidentally cleansed his Soul, already adjusting it to its optimum state.


    Half a monthter, the Yin Yang Spirit underwent a transformation and sessfullypleted the Nascent Soul Transformation.


    After stepping into the Divine Infant Realm, Chu Zheng immediately sensed the difference: the spiritual energy between heaven and earth could bemanded at will, and the same techniques and Divine Skills, when disyed by a Divine Infant Cultivator, were tens or even hundreds of times more powerful.


    This was the reason why cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm were strictly forbidden from acting carelessly; they could easily destroy cities and obliterate nations, their lethal power far too great.


    This was also why Divine Infant Cultivators were revered as great powers.


    ...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ...


    Above the skies of Taixuan Holy Land, when the golden cloud spectacle appeared, cultivators above the Immortal Tribtion Realm within the Cangyun Realm all felt something, their expressions bing serious, eyes filled with confusion.


    Stepping into the Immortal Tribtion made them extremely sensitive to the movements of the Heavenly Dao, enabling them to quickly sense anything amiss.


    Tracing the source and discovering it was from Taixuan''s direction, many Immortal Tribtion Cultivators had various thoughts.


    Heavenly anomalies were something the Cangyun Realm had heard of only in tales from Ancient Times, often signifying the emergence of rare prodigies or monsters.


    The Talent of a being, when strong to a certain degree, could make even the heavens reluctant to let it be buried in obscurity, and at their breakthroughs, they would receive divine rewards to consolidate their foundation and enhance their chances of transcending tribtions.


    What''s more, some would have Heavenly Fate bestowing upon them, ensuring victory in every battle, sess in every gamble, turning bad luck into good fortune, thus turning danger into safety.


    Such individuals are also called the pets of the Heavenly Dao, the true ''Pride of the Heavens''.


    With Heavenly Fate being rtively fixed, the existence of a favored child by the Heavenly Dao often means that the Heavenly Fate carried by others would be diluted.


    Those who contest with a favored child of the same era often have an incredibly high rate of death and injury; among peers, only one person''s name is heard, and the rest fade into obscurity.


    Now that the anomaly had appeared in Taixuan, almost without needing to think, all cultivators immediately thought of Chu Zheng.


    Quickly, many Immortal Tribtion Cultivators realized an even more terrifying fact.


    Within a short period, Chu Zheng had made another breakthrough in his cultivation.


    Momentster, the changes to the Hidden Dragon List spread.


    [Hidden Dragon List, number one: Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, bone age twenty-one, Cultivation at the initial stage of the Divine Infant Realm.]


    [Hidden Dragon List, number two: Primordial Spirit Holy Land, Shang Zuling, bone age eighty-seven, Cultivation at the Mid Stage of the Divine Infant Realm.]


    Chu Zheng not only stepped into the Divine Infant Realm, but in the perception of the Heavenly Dao, his realbat power was even stronger than that of Shang Zuling.


    This change left a host of Immortal Tribtion Cultivators dumbfounded for a long while.


    No one doubted the uracy of the Hidden Dragon List.


    Shang Zuling, a descendant of the Immortal King, who cultivates the techniques of the Immortal King, has such profound foundations. Yet, he is still surpassed by Chu Zheng.


    Soon, this news reached the ears of cultivators from all Holy Lands, the change at the top of the Hidden Dragon List causing a great stir.


    Dayster, the news of Chu Zheng entering the Divine Infant Realm had spread like wildfire, shaking all four regions of Cangyun.


    A twenty-year-old Divine Infant Realm cultivator, the master of a Holy Land, evenpared to Shang Zuling, seemed somewhat inferior.


    Considering the actual age, Shang Zuling was more than a jiazi older than Chu Zheng and had received intensive cultivation from a young age, whereas Chu Zheng entered the Immortal Path halfway and had been cultivating for only a handful of years.


    The gap between them was something any cultivator could understand.


    ```

 Chapter 255 Questioning, Challenge Letter

    Ever since Chu Zheng topped the Hidden Dragon List, the winds of change swept through the Cangyun Four Regions.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Among the regions, rumors began to emerge, some said that Chu Zheng would be the first person since Shang Cangyun to ascend from amon cultivator to an Immortal King.


    This rumor was believed by many, who truly bestowed numerous treasures to the Taixuan Holy Land, volunteering to be vassals, pledging their loyalty, and paying annual tribute as subjects.


    Apart from that, numerous forces began to gravitate towards the Taixuan Holy Land, both openly and in secret.


    By now, Chu Zheng was like a Hidden Dragon leaving its abyss, its feathers growing fuller, and what''s more, times had changed¡ªhe was now the master of a Holy Land, someone no one in Cangyun dared to provoke.


    The most crucial point was the divine phenomenon that erupted during Chu Zheng''s breakthrough.


    This spectacle had been witnessed firsthand by many cultivators within Taixuan City, and some lucky individuals even bathed in the scattering light rain, reaping tremendous benefits.


    The words "heavenly phenomena" epass too many legends¡ªnumerous great beings from Ancient Times had such phenomena present at their birth, advancing a thousand miles in their cultivation each day.


    In the eyes of ordinary cultivators, such phenomena were stronger than any Immortal Bone, signifying Cangyun''s recognition of Chu Zheng. Even Superior Immortal Bones did not receive such distinction.


    While Superior Immortal Bones do asionally appear in the world, these heaven-sent phenomena are from Ancient Era tales¡ªunseen since then, without precedent, and perhaps without future sessors.


    This alone was enough to sway the stance of various forces.


    ......


    ......


    Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    Within the vast main hall, the Primordial Spirit Saint Lord, Shang Tianshu, was full of doubt.


    Not far in front of him, Shang Zuling held thetest Hidden Dragon List, slightly lost in thought.


    Facing the sessive strange urrences surrounding Chu Zheng, even Shang Zuling, whose state of mind was exceptional, couldn''t help but be taken aback.


    "Ancestral Spirit, Chu Zheng''s background may not be as simple as the world perceives, and cannot be measured bymon standards. There''s no need to be overly concerned," said Shang Tianshu, noticing Shang Zuling''s long silence, trying to offer reassurance: "It''s just a fleeting storm. The more it is so, the more it tests one''s cultivation. As the vast earth nourishes the spirit, one should observe the cycle of sun and moon, the reincarnation of heaven and earth, undisturbed by external affairs. There''s plenty of time ahead."


    What concerned him the most was that the speed of Chu Zheng''s cultivation progress could affect Shang Zuling''s dao heart.


    This was about Shang Zuling''s future achievements, which could not be taken lightly.


    "I must meet Chu Zheng," said Shang Zuling, shaking her head slightly after a pause, speaking calmly: "I cannot wait for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects."


    Her battle with Chu Zheng, if she did not act now, she might no longer have the chance to do so.


    There were still more than five years until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, and it hadn''t been five years since Chu Zheng stepped onto the Immortal Path. In five more years, his cultivation might reach an inconceivable level.


    Now might be the time when her strength was closest to Chu Zheng''s.


    Even with some reluctance, Shang Zuling had to admit, Chu Zheng''s meteoric rise was so abnormal it defied logic, far beyond her reach.


    During their first encounter in the Imperial Capital of Deste Wind Nation, Chu Zheng had not yet undergone Soul Condensing, and in less than two years, he had already entered the Divine Infant Realm.


    The gap was so wide not because she was weak, but because Chu Zheng was abnormally strong.


    Without any doubt about her own talent, Shang Zuling believed this battle was inevitable.


    Whatever the oue, it would serve as an exnation to herself.


    Otherwise, conceding without fighting would have a greater impact on her.


    "..."


    Seeing the resolute determination in Shang Zuling''s eyes without the slightest hesitation, Shang Tianshu remained silent for a while, then nodded:


    "I will help you submit a request to the Immortal Alliance and issue a challenge to Taixuan."


    "There''s no need," Shang Zuling abruptly shook her head, a hint of anticipation in her eyes:


    "I will write the challenge myself."


    ......


    ......


    After the Soul Condensation into Nascent Soul Transformation, Chu Zheng did not rush to emerge from his seclusion, but instead continued to consolidate his cultivation for over a month before finally stepping out.


    Before leaving seclusion, he took out the diary he hadn''t written in for a long time, pondered for a while with his pen in hand, and slowly wrote down a few sparse words:


    [In the fourth year of the New Calendar, my Soul Condensation transformed into a Nascent Soul, and the Golden Core was formed. But it cannot resolve the worries in my heart. Looking far and wide from a high ce, the path of cultivation is still boundless; the Dao is obstructed and long. I hope to remove the leaves covering my eyes and the mountains blocking the sky soon and solve the great puzzle in my heart.]


    Within just a few pages of the diary, four years of time were recorded. Every time he put pen to paper, Chu Zheng''s state of mind underwent significant changes.


    Looking back now, it all felt like a lifetime ago.


    Just as he came out of seclusion, he met Geng Yiyang.


    Geng Yiyang was clearly waiting for him on purpose. After sensing the anomaly in the heavens and earth, he had immediately rushed back to Taixuan.


    After confirming that Chu Zheng was unharmed, a joy that could not be expressed filled Geng Yiyang''s eyes. The implications of the celestial anomaly were just too significant.


    Bringing Chu Zheng into Taixuan might be the most correct decision he had made in his life.


    "Now you are the first on the Hidden Dragon List; the outside world is all abuzz with rumors about you, they say you are the second Shang Cangyun."


    Geng Yiyang thought that with Chu Zheng''s fondness for fame, such words would elicit some reaction from him. Unexpectedly, not a trace of happiness appeared on Chu Zheng''s face; he simply shook his head slightly, clearly not very concerned.


    "It''s just empty fame. I, who have secluded myself from the world for a hundred years, will be forgotten in an instant."


    Leaving a name among a few stars or a number of worlds no longer held any attraction for him now.


    Initially, he hade hurriedly, observing the world like a frog in a well looking up at the moon, only wishing for a lifetime of exaltation, without considering life or death.


    Now, what he sought was a name that wouldst throughout the ages, and the matters he needed to consider, naturally, were much more numerous.


    Brief moments of time no longer fell within his range of concerns.


    Geng Yiyang''s gaze sharpened as he sized up Chu Zheng, unable to hide his puzzlement.


    The impetuous air that was originally on Chu Zheng had vanished without a trace,pletely erased.


    In the time he had been absent from Taixuan, it seemed that some unknown changes had taken ce within Chu Zheng.


    ......


    ......


    After leaving Geng Yiyang, Chu Zheng took the initiative to visit the Scripture Pavilion of Taixuan. Find your next read at empire


    There, a book recorded the major events of Taixuan from ancient times to the present, with the great changes of Taixuan''s fate all included within.


    The words spoken by Zhao Tingxian, for the current Chu Zheng, were only clues that he could attempt to trace.


    Chu Zheng did not search for overly distant information but carefully searched the records of the past fifty years.


    Within thest fifty years, the most significant event was undoubtedly Chu Zheng''s session to the position of Taixuan Holy Master.


    Moving further back... anomalous movements in the spatial passage...


    Taixuan reopening the Sect Gate...


    The Immortal Alliance decreed a mandate. Heretic Cultivators in the Southern Region crossed the forbidden area; several Holy Lands were ordered to coborate in the investigation...


    These pieces of information, already known to Chu Zheng, he nced over quickly. Shortly after flipping through the records of more than twenty years prior, he discovered another piece of information rted to the Immortal Alliance.


    About twenty-two years ago, the Immortal Alliance had also detected an anomaly in the Heavenly Dao of the Cangyun Realm.


    At that time, the Immortal Alliance had also issued a mandate, and several Holy Lands went to search several times without sess. Following the fruitless efforts, the matter was dropped.


    On that asion, Taixuan had not managed to respond before the search had already concluded.


    Clearly, this was the first opportunity Zhao Tingxian had mentioned to him.


    Having obtained the information he wanted, Chu Zheng carefully searched through it once more to ensure nothing was overlooked. After confirming there were no omissions, he stood up, left Taixuan, and sent out a letter of visitation, heading to the Tai Xu Holy Land.

 Chapter 256 The Path of Zhao Tingxian, Discovery

    As the space passage was sealed once again, Cangyun Realm had returned to its former tranquility, and the conflicts between them had subsided considerably.


    However, the current situation of Tai Xu Holy Land was quite awkward.


    Not long ago, nearly the entire Tai Xu Holy Land had been turned upside down by several True Immortal Investigators of the Immortal Alliance, all to find any trace of clues rted to Zhao Tingxian, and almost all of their secrets had been unearthed.


    Zhao Tingxian''s betrayal of the Immortal Alliance and his escape into the Chaos Sea could be said to be the number one crime in the Immortal Alliance right now. Although the Immortal Alliance had not held Tai Xu Holy Land ountable, the Holy Land had also be much more cautious during this period.


    Apart from the Immortal Alliance''s True Immortals, the other major Holy Lands had sent people, except for Taixuan, to investigate information about Zhao Tingxian within Tai Xu Holy Land.


    This was a privilege granted by the Immortal Alliance; any person or force that discovered clues rted to Zhao Tingxian could enter Tai Xu Holy Land to verify them on their own.


    Even True Immortals could miss certain details, potentially leading to some clues being overlooked, which was why this precaution was taken.


    As for the other major Holy Lands, they had all done the bare minimum, symbolically sending people to have a look around, with Taixuan not even bothering to send anyone.


    After the True Immortals withdrew from Cangyun due to the pressure of the Immortal Alliance''s front lines, this matter had even more been pushed to the back of everyone''s minds and was no longer mentioned.


    Now, Chu Zheng suddenly presented himself with the identity of the Taixuan Holy Master and delivered an invitation to enter Tai Xu Holy Land for investigation, which naturally caused a huge uproar within the Holy Land.


    Everyone, from the Holy Master to the True Sessors, was on high alert.


    Their concern was not that Chu Zheng would actually find out anything, but that he might take the opportunity to cause trouble.


    The Immortal Alliance clearly valued Chu Zheng highly now, merely waiting for the right moment to lead him into the Minor Immortal Realm to be an Immortal and attain the Dao. His ascension was almost a foregone conclusion.


    Put simply, they could not afford to provoke Chu Zheng now.


    The Chu Zheng of the past had behind him only a crumbling and iplete Holy Land. Now behind him, besides Geng Yiyang who had stepped into the Immortal Tribtion, the Immortal Alliance also loomed vaguely in the background.


    ......


    ......


    Relying on the rapid speed of the Star-shatter Shuttle, Chu Zheng arrived at the gates of Tai Xu Holy Land two days after sending out the invitation.


    A vast river flowed over from the horizon, spanning countless miles, supported by an array that lifted it up, within which swarms of spiritual carp could be seen, and asionally a flood dragon swimming through.


    Deep within the mountain range, the clear sounds of dragons chanting and phoenixes singing could be heard, where majestic Immortal Peaks and Spiritual Springs shone together, stretching beyond the horizon.


    The great array that enveloped the entire Holy Land was already open, and a line of people stood before the array, clearly waiting.


    Taixu Saint Lord, Bai Zhixiao, dressed in a ck robe, stood at the forefront.


    In recent days, he too had sessfully ovee his tribtion and stepped into the Immortal Tribtion Realm, looking to be in his forties, seemingly in his prime.


    Chu Zheng was now the master of a Holy Land; regardless of his cultivation, his status was different, and it was only right for Bai Zhixiao toe out and meet him.


    "I would trouble the Holy Master to arrange for someone to lead the way. I wish to visit Zhao Tingxian''s cave dwelling," Chu Zheng said, recalling the Star-shatter Shuttle and cutting straight to the chase without any pleasantries.


    The rtionship between Tai Xu and Taixuan had long been like fire and water, and at this moment, Bai Zhixiao''s heart probably wished for Chu Zheng to drop dead on the spot, making superficial courtesies unnecessary.


    As he spoke, he scanned the faces of the Tai Xu natives, seeing several familiar ones.


    Zuo Lingzhi, Miao Luan, along with He Yu, Ji Xiao, and several other true sessors who had dealt with each other in the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    It seemed he knew quite a few people in Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Compared to thest time, Zuo Lingzhi had entered the Tongxuan Secret Realm. Even without the Ten Thousand Stars Heavenly Dew, she had still managed to ovee this hurdle, probably due to the great changes in the natural environment.


    Perceiving Chu Zheng''s examination, the people from Tai Xu Holy Land reacted differently. Zuo Lingzhi''s eyes were indifferent, showing no response at all, while the other true disciples, including Miao Luan, subconsciously avoided his gaze.


    Back when they were in the Cangyun Secret Realm, Chu Zheng''s cultivation was still inferior to theirs. But now, a drastic change had urred, inevitably making them feel ufortable.


    Bai Zhixiao had no intention of wasting words with Chu Zheng either. He turned his head to look at the group of true disciples and casually said,


    "One of you go, and lead the way for Taixuan Holy Master."


    Before his words hadpletely fallen, he turned and left without further dy.


    He too couldn''t be bothered with maintaining hollow civilities. Even if he were to act thoroughly considerate, the rtionship with Taixuan couldn''t possibly thaw, so there was no point in expending that effort.


    The true disciples looked at each other, hesitating. After a moment, Ji Xiao stepped forward proactively and bowed,


    "Please, Holy Master, follow me."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly, his gaze unwavering as he followed Ji Xiao into the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Watching Chu Zheng''s departing figure, Miao Luan breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn''t help feeling somewhat disheartened; she had once thought that one day she would catch up to Chu Zheng in cultivation and could then erase her previous humiliation.


    Yet who could have expected that, upon seeing Chu Zheng for the first time, it would be when she was closest to his level of cultivation.


    ......


    ......


    Following behind Ji Xiao, the spiritual light flickered in Chu Zheng''s pupils as he swept his eyes unnoticeably across the scenery around him.


    This was his first time entering a cultivation Holy Land in its prime, and the sights along the way inevitably shook him.


    The Spirit River ''Tai Xu'' above his head alone was a wondrous treasure, priceless and beyond estimation.


    After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Ji Xiao led Chu Zheng to the foot of a Spirit Peak.


    Zhao Tingxian, who had once been the Taixu Holy Son for a time, naturally had an extraordinary dwelling. Its spiritual energy was several times richerpared to other mountains.


    "Thank you, Holy Master, for sparing my life back in the Cangyun Secret Realm,"


    Ji Xiao hesitated slightly before speaking through a mental message, "This life, if there''s a chance, I will certainly repay it twofold in the future. If Holy Master needs anything, I''m always willing to serve like a loyal dog or horse."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    These words,ing from a Tai Xu true disciple, had apletely different significance.


    Facing Ji Xiao''s sudden deration of loyalty, Chu Zheng shook his head, unmoved, and said softly,


    "Cultivation is not easy; try to live longer."


    He had already seen much of life and death, and he didn''t know when Ji Xiao might also suddenly pass away, so he wasn''t particrly concerned about her pledge of loyalty.


    Besides, the human heart is unpredictable. He couldn''t be sure of Ji Xiao''s true intentions and, moreover, with her current cultivation at the Soul Condensing Realm, she really wasn''t of much use.


    Hearing this, Ji Xiao didn''t speak again but quietly stepped aside, clearing the way.


    Chu Zheng gazed at the Spirit Peak before him, took a deep breath, and slowly stepped into it.


    This ce was Zhao Tingxian''s first site of cultivation, and perhaps there might be some discoveries to be made.


    The entire Spirit Peak was barren, with every piece of Spirit Grass having been pulled out, leaving chaotic traces of countless visitors.


    His Spiritual Eye swept inch by inch across the cliff walls, finding nothing until he entered the cave dwelling. His gaze scanned the dusty ground, and only then did a prompt appear before Chu Zheng:


    [Iplete Divine Statue (Third Order/Iplete): A fragment of a powerful deity grinded to ash,cking any residue of aura, nearly impossible to repair; but for you, it is not a difficult task (repairable).] Continue reading at empire

 Chapter 257 Incense Fire Divine Path

    An Iplete Divine Statue?


    Explore more adventures at empire


    Upon seeing the prompt on the panel, Chu Zheng''s gaze instantly sharpened as he scanned his surroundings.


    Zhao Tingxian''s cave dwelling was arranged quite simply, with only a jade couch and nothing else.


    The dwelling had been uninhabited for years, and its array had ceased to function, leaving a thinyer of dust.


    Recently, many people had entered and left the dwelling, but most were cultivators of the Tongxuan level, who left no traces and did not disturb any signs.


    This was also to avoid damaging any potential clues that could rte to Zhao Tingxian, as this ce was different from the outside world and likely retained some traces of him.


    After looking around and confirming that nothing was missed, Chu Zheng grasped a portion of the ashes and walked out of the dwelling.


    He did not know the full appearance of the divine statue, nor could he confirm whether fixing it would cause any anomalies.


    With the example of the Ancestral Dao Golden Body ahead, it obviously wasn''t a wise choice to repair it here directly.


    Ji Xiao, who was waiting at the foot of the mountain, was somewhat surprised to see Chu Zheng descend:


    "Holy Master, you came out so soon?"


    She had been prepared to wait for two days.


    Not far away, many cultivators were looking around nearby, paying attention to Chu Zheng''s movements.


    In the eyes of most Tai Xu disciples, Chu Zheng was here specifically to stir up trouble this time.


    Chu Zheng nced around at the Tai Xu Gate people and casually asked:


    "Apart from the dwelling, did Zhao Tingxian have any other regr haunts?"


    "There is a special Spirit Land for true transmission cultivation where he has a specific secret chamber."


    After thinking it over, Ji Xiao added by transmitting a message: "After Zhao Tingxian, Tai Xu Holy Land has never had another saint heir; that secret chamber hasn''t been used by anyone, although the people who came before have all looked at it."


    "Lead the way."


    During this journey, Chu Zheng had already made some unexpected discoveries, and what others haven''t found doesn''t mean he couldn''t find them.


    The traces left by Zhao Tingxian were definitely more than just an iplete divine statue.


    Chu Zheng followed Ji Xiao, and they soon arrived in front of a massiveke spanning over a hundred miles, filled with liquefied Spiritual Liquid.


    Bountiful streams of spiritual flow were extracted from theke by an array, soaring up to the Nine Heavens, vast and extensive, spanning the entire Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Chu Zheng nced at the panel, the daily refresh count for repairs had risen to thirty-seven, even twice as high as when he had not unsealed the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    This ce was the source of the aerial Spirit River, enriched with an astonishing concentration of water-attribute Essence Qi.


    Born with a Fire Spirit Body, cultivating here must be torment for Zhao Tingxian, but judging from his activities within Tai Xu Holy Land, he spent most of his time cultivating here.


    Many secret chambers were built around theke, engraved with Spirit Gathering Arrays, making this ce a rare blessednd for disciples cultivating the Great Void Scripture.


    The secret chamber exclusively for the Saint Heir was located on a small ind in the center of theke.


    As Chu Zheng ventured deeper into theke, the number on his repair panel continually increased; by the time he stepped onto the ind, it finally stopped at fifty-eight times.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The chamber''s door was wide open, and inside it waspletely empty; Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye and scanned around but found nothing.


    He didn''t rush to leave, but stood in the chamber, slowly closed his eyes, and started to circte the Refining Myriad Epochs True Cmity Treasure Record, keenly sensing the fluctuations of Yuan Qi around him.


    Even though Zhao Tingxian cultivated the Great Void Scripture, cultivating here would not aid his cultivation; in fact, it might even have adverse effects.


    Cultivating both water and fire elements is not easily mastered; it requires numerous trials and errors, and this ce was not convenient for trying¡ªcertainly not convenient for nurturing injuries of a Fire Spirit Body.


    Soon, Chu Zheng sensed an anomaly, a faint trace of Fire-attribute Essence Qi seeping from the ground, barely perceptible.


    Without hesitation, he activated the Earth Escape Technique, like a fish entering water, he dived into the ground.


    As he descended, the temperature gradually increased, and soon, Chu Zheng had descended tens of thousands of fathoms and arrived at a region of molten magma, with Earth Fiend True me Fire Seeds drifting around, emitting extreme temperatures.


    This scenario wasmon around Cangyun and not remotely unusual.


    Chu Zheng continued his descent as the surrounding temperature climbed higher, forcing even his formidable physique to start using mana for protection.


    After descending tens of thousands of fathoms once more, his eyes suddenly caught a few pieces of information.


    [Water Spirit Jade (Third Order/Iplete): A precious jade filled with Water Attribute Spiritual Power, born at the center of a Spiritual Spring; sculpted through a millennium of rites, capable of absorbing ambient Water Attribute Spirit Qi, significantly fastening the cultivation speed of beings of the Water Element up to Third Order (repairable).]


    Chu Zheng''s eyes lit up; such Spiritual Objects were not supposed to be here, suggesting they had been brought by someone.


    Momentster, the path before Chu Zheng opened up, and hended inside a somewhat damaged corridor.


    Moving along the corridor for dozens of steps, his path brightened, revealing a cave dwelling clearly fashioned by human hands.


    Embellished with Luminous Pearls, wooden racks, an Alchemy Cauldron, a Gathering Fire Formation, a Spiritual Couch¡ªeverything necessary for cultivation was avable.


    Scattered fragments of Spirit Jadey on the floor, their lusterpletely lost.


    Compared to the previously visited dwelling and the secret chamber, this ce truly resembled a cave dwelling.


    Several scrolls were ced on the wooden racks, which Chu Zheng browsed for a moment.


    Among them, several scrolls rted to alchemy, discussing the theories of mutual generation and inhibition of medicinal properties, as well as methods and techniques for moderating the effects between cold and heat properties in medicines.


    Beyond these, the rest were some insights into cultivation and hurried notes.

 Chapter 257 Incense Fire Divine Path_2

    From these records, one could see that Zhao Tingxian must have been caught in a giant web of confusion at that time, struggling with his cultivation technique not matching his own body constitution, and trying hard to find that bnce, but he always came up empty-handed.


    A dust-covered pattern attracted Chu Zheng''s attention.


    [God Sculpting Method (Zeroth Order): Shape a divine statue ording to a specific method, and establish a bridge ofmunication with a powerful deity.]


    Chu Zheng looked carefully for a moment, pensive. To find the mechanism of bnce, Zhao Tingxian was clearly driven to the brink of madness, even seeking help from the illusory deities.


    Chu Zheng put away the God Sculpting Method and turned to open the Alchemy Cauldron.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Inside the Alchemy Cauldron, there were some scabs mixed with the remnants of broken stems of Spiritual Medicines. ording to the information from the panel, these scabs came from someone with an Innate Fire Spirit Body.


    It wasn''t hard to guess from this that Zhao Tingxian tried to refine a person by alchemy. What the final oue was Chu Zheng now had no way of knowing.


    After scouring the ce, Chu Zheng set off on his return journey, and shortly after, he was back in the secret chamber.


    The underground cavern could not have been found if not for the early intelligence, and Chu Zheng was merely trying his luck when he went there. Fortunately, it wasn''t a fruitless venture.


    Ji Xiao was waiting on the shore, and seeing Chu Zheng emerge empty-handed, he was slightly disappointed.


    Before him, many Tongxuan Cultivators and even True Immortals had personally visited and all had left without sess. It waspletely normal for Chu Zheng not to find any clues.


    Perhaps it was because she had some inexplicable expectations for Chu Zheng that she felt somewhat let down at this moment.


    After a short while, Ji Xiao escorted Chu Zheng out of the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Watching the Star-shatter Shuttle vanish into the sky in the blink of an eye, Ji Xiao silently pondered the first words Chu Zheng had said to her.


    Cultivation is hard, try to live a long life...


    The many cultivators of the Tai Xu, who had followed him all the way, only breathed a sigh of relief after Chu Zheng had left the Tai Xu Holy Land. Without him taking the opportunity to create trouble. they certainly had much less to worry about.


    Not long after Chu Zheng departed, Bai Zhixiao quietly arrived outside of the Spirit Peak, following the same path Chu Zheng had just taken, walking slowly.


    Eventually, he stood inside the secret chamber, his eyes full of puzzlement.


    ''He only came and went within two hours, leaving without gaining anything. What exactly did hee here for?''


    He followed Chu Zheng''s path and still discovered no traces or clues, but Chu Zheng''s sudden strange behavior made him think there must be more to it.


    After all, the little cultivator who could have been easily crushed was now the Taixuan Holy Master.


    After a long while, Bai Zhixiao sighed softly and left reluctantly.


    Nowadays, each Holy Landes and goes in the Tai Xu as if they were entering and without owners, and he was almost ustomed to it.


    Even so, he still had to be thankful to the Immortal Alliance for not investigating thoroughly, otherwise the Tai Xu Holy Land would already be no more.


    For this, Bai Zhixiao actually harbored some regret in his heart.


    More than a thousand years ago, he had known Zhao Tingxian naturally possessed a Fire Spirit Body which shed with the properties of the Great Void Scripture and had a bleak future. But in order not to give Taixuan an opportunity to rise again, he still took him into the Holy Land.


    Initially, Zhao Tingxian was mediocre when he joined the sect, but after ascending to the Divine Infant Order, he soared to great heights suddenly, bing an Immortal and entering the Immortal Alliance in a short period of time.


    His cultivation speed elerated increasingly, even to the point where he qualified to take charge of the Cangyun Heavenly Way.


    No one could have anticipated the great turmoil that followed, and with Zhao Tingxian gone, Taixuan Holy Land ended up with an even more fearsome Chu Zheng.


    Such an oue was unforeseeable by anyone.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng hurried back to Taixuan and found a secret chamber to begin his retreat.


    He first took out the ashes he found within Zhao Tingxian''s cavern and started repairs.


    As the panel operated, the ashes began to umte; gathering sand into a tower, a seven-foot-tall statue gradually took shape before Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    Looking at the face of the divine statue, Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed in an instant:


    "Indeed..."


    A mere few inches from him, the face of a y model identical to his own was clearly visible, vividly life-like, giving Chu Zheng the illusion for a moment that he was looking in a mirror.


    [Divine Statue (Third Order): Zhao Tingxian personally crafted this divine statue ording to the God Sculpting Method, which can establish a connection with a powerful existence.]


    Zhao Tingxian had discovered the method to sculpt the Ancestral Dao Golden Body and, through this method, even managed to establish contact with the Ancestral Dao.


    Such calctions suggest that perhaps the Ancestral Dao had made these arrangements in advance, ensuring his survival until now.


    However, Zhao Tingxian personally ground the Ancestral Dao''s golden body to dust, an act that is undoubtedly highly disrespectful. Yet, the Ancestral Dao did not hold it against him.


    Thinking of this, Chu Zheng''s heart suddenly tensed. A thousand years ago, Zhao Tingxian was merely a Divine Infant Cultivator, but he had now be an Immortal Venerable.


    This speed of advancement was a little too exaggerated, and it might be inseparable from Zhao Tingxian''s Incense me Golden Bodies in the Chaos Sea.


    Zhao Tingxian also cultivated the Incense Fire Divine Path, reaching the status of Heavenly Venerate. It was unclear whether his insights came from the God Sculpting Method or guidance from the Ancestral Dao.


    Looking at the divine statue that bore his own likeness, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but somewhat understand Zhao Tingxian''s thoughts. It was truly bizarre to stare at one''s own face all day.


    After a moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng attempted to establish contact with the Ancestral Dao through this golden body.


    However, after trying for several hours to no avail, Chu Zheng gave up in frustration, receiving no response as if the Ancestral Dao didn''t exist in this world.


    This was starkly different from the response he received when he burnt books and reported to the Ancestral Dao during his previous marriage¡ªhe could confirm that the Ancestral Dao had indeed given him a sign then.


    Regaining his senses, Chu Zheng looked at the God Sculpting Method in his hand and vaguely conceived an idea. If Zhao Tingxian could cultivate the Incense Fire Divine Path, he could do the same.


    With such a clear precedent, he would find it difficult to be content without trying it.


    ncing at the Ancestral Dao Golden Body not far away, Chu Zheng pointed with his finger, stirring the Yuan Qi within his body and exercised his Earth-rted divine skills.


    In the blink of an eye, a y effigy took shape before Chu Zheng, quickly being carved into his own likeness.


    [y Sculpture (Zeroth Order): A in y statue you personally crafted, with no peculiar features.]


    Seeing the information provided on the panel, Chu Zheng didn''t feel disappointed. If this path were that easy, everyone in the world would be practicing divinity by now.


    Chu Zheng put away the Ancestral Dao''s golden body and left the secret chamber.


    The God Sculpting Method could certainly serve as a reference. As for the matter of worshippers, that could be deliberated onter.


    He had little exposure to the Incense Fire Deity, and the only living divine being he had encountered was Zhao Tingxian. There was scant information to reference, and he had to cautiously find his way like feeling for stones to cross the river, taking one step at a time. Explore more adventures at empire


    ...


    ...


    Right aftering out of seclusion, Chu Zheng received two messages, one from Shang Zuling and another from the Immortal Alliance.


    [Since our parting in Deste Wind Nation, your reputation has soared, and now you are a Holy Master of a region, with your cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds, securing first ce on the Hidden Dragon List, which shames the Ancestral Spirit.]


    [With such talent, rare throughout the ages in Cangyun, the Ancestral Spirit fears that there might not be another such opportunity as now. Therefore, I would like to invite you for a friendly contest to determine the winner, not life and death, and hope you will not decline to impart knowledge.]


    The letter from Shang Zuling was brief, essentially a challenge to a friendly duel.


    After thinking it over, Chu Zheng didn''t refuse but sent a reply and set the time and ce.


    One monthter, in front of the Taixuan Holy Land.


    The reason for waiting a month was to notify several Holy Lands. Divine Infant Cultivators are not allowed to engage inbat at will, and even private contests need to be reported.


    Rules must not be broken.


    The other message, from the Immortal Alliance, unveiled information that gradually made Chu Zheng''s expression turn solemn.


    At the moment, the Immortal Alliance was still in the midst of a great war, and the battlefields throughout the cosmos had yet to subside.


    In the main battlefield, the powers from All Heavens had also begun to join forces with the Myriad Realms, making the warfare increasingly fierce.


    This war had also impacted the Martial Hall, which was under surprise attack by the powers from All Heavens and found itself unable to extricate.


    Due to the urgent battlefront and severe shortage ofbatants, the Immortal Alliance had issued a decree to draw Cultivators from various Great Realms to rush to the main battlefield and participate in this cosmic war.


    Divine Infant Cultivators were the minimum requirement.


    Because only by reaching the Divine Infant stage they possess enough capabilities to survive in the cosmos.

 Chapter 258 Challenge to a Duel

    The withdrawal scope of the Immortal Alliance this time involved many Great Thousand Worlds, gathering a force that was undoubtedly terrifying.


    However,pared to Myriad Heavens and Realms, the battlefronts opened this time were extensively wide, spreading across endless star domains.


    Even if the Cultivators from Cangyun were to truly go to the battlefield, it would probably take the Immortal Alliance considerable time to organize.


    Chu Zheng had no intention of sacrificing his life to fight for the Immortal Alliance. inly put, it was all aboutpeting for Heavenly Fate and waging wars for the Immortal Path, which held no benefits for him personally.


    The Qi Cultivators cut down tribtions and seized fate solely for themselves; he was plotting his own way out.


    With the Star Capturing Heaven Method, no matter where he went, he could continue his cultivation, across the Myriad Heavens and Realms, or even the Chaos Sea.


    The problem was he had already caught the attention of the Immortal Alliance, making it difficult to break free.


    From the Incense Fire Spirit Body that Zhao Tingxian brought from the Chaos Sea, it was feared that he had long been prepared to break away from the Immortal Alliance.


    After all, the Path of Incense Fire Spirituality was also considered an unorthodox lineage within the Immortal Alliance, belonging to different heavenly factions.


    Even though Zhao Tingxian had be an Immortal Venerable, he was still being pursued.


    Chu Zheng''s rise was too swift, making it difficult for the Immortal Alliance to ignore him; how to extricate himself required long-term nning.


    After all, he was no longer alone, but also the Taixuan Holy Master.


    ...


    ...


    Currently, there was no power of the Immortal Alliance left in the Cangyun Realm; as long as the major Holy Lands agreed collectively, Divine Infant Cultivators could take action.


    The duel between Chu Zheng and Shang Zuling quickly spread from the major Holy Lands, and naturally, no one would obstruct it.


    The fight between the descendant of the Immortal King and a monstrously talented freak, this battle would determine the most talented in Cangyun for the next hundred years.


    The loser would have their Heavenly Fate taken away, while the winner would ascend to the heavens from then on.


    Currently, the changes in the Heavenly Dao of Cangyun meant that the influence of changes in Heavenly Fate would be even greater.


    This was nearly equivalent to holding the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects ahead of its time.


    The contest between two Divine Infant Realm Cultivators for the top position was an unprecedented fierce rivalry in the Hidden Dragon List for thousands of years.


    This battle instantly drew the attention of the vast majority of Cultivators in the Cangyun Realm, except for those in the Southern Region of Cangyun, Cultivators from the other three regions started moving towards Taixuan City.


    ...


    ...


    A month passed in the blink of an eye.


    Within this short period, Taixuan City was overwhelmed with people; a massive influx of Cultivators brought in a huge amount of Spirit Stone tax revenue.


    The Taixuan Holy Land made a fortune, and many forces that had set up enterprises within Taixuan City also made a killing.


    In front of the Sect Gate of the Taixuan Holy Land, a temporary martial arts arena was quickly constructed by Geng Yiyang, who personally refined it, embedding the universe within.


    To outsiders, it seemed like a thousand zhang radius arena, but within the array, it epassed a thousand miles of mountains and rivers.


    The Immortal Tribtion Realm had already touched the mysteries of space, capable of opening up a Small World; such techniques weren''t rare.


    The silver moon hadn''t set, and the sun hadn''t risen yet; the sky was bing light with the morning glow while the stars were still brilliant. Readtest stories on empire


    Chu Zheng took off his Taixuan Holy Master Robe and changed into a ck vestment with red patterns, his hair bundled in a Golden Crown, flowing like a waterfall down his back. His eyelids slightly closed, he sat cross-legged on the arena, his aura calm as a sea-stabilizing needle, waiting for Shang Zuling to arrive.


    Regarding this battle, he already had a conclusion in mind.


    The reason he agreed to this duel was solely because his opponent was Shang Zuling.


    He needed the Heavenly Fate entangled with Shang Zuling, and it was also to repay Shang Zuling a favor.


    Without Shang Zuling, Geng Yiyang and several Great Mysterious Elders would have died in the previous battles outside the domain.


    Fu Quanliang led many Taixuan disciples, along with elders, gathered in front of the Sect Gate, gazing at the arena.


    Song Lingxue, Li Mingzhou, and other Martial Cultivators also secured a spot, able to stand in front of the Holy Land to watch the battle.


    At this moment, whether it were the Taixuan disciples or others like Song Lingxue, they were somewhat nervous.


    Shang Zuling had been famous for a long time, dominating the top position of the Hidden Dragon List since the beginning of this session''s greatparison.


    The words "descendant of the Immortal King" were exceedingly heavy, moreover, Shang Zuling''s cultivation was still higher than Chu Zheng''s, having reached the Middle Stage of Divine Infant.


    The area around the arena was packed with people, and various colored Flying Boats and chariots hovered in the sky, banners filling it as far as the eye could see.


    Aside from the Cultivators of the major Holy Lands, other Sects and noble houses were unfamiliar with the Hidden Dragon List; thus their initial reaction was that Shang Zuling stood a greater chance to win.


    The viewing spots of the major Holy Lands were closest to the arena, and all the Holy Masters had arrived.


    Currently, around the area alone, there were no less than ten Immortal Tribtion powerhouses gathered, and their thoughts differed greatly from those around them.


    When Chu Zheng entered the Entry Path, he had relied on the Five Elements Sword Formation to execute a Cultivator at Soul Condensing Realm Perfection. Since he epted the battle, he certainly had the confidence to win.


    Moreover, the ranking of the Hidden Dragon List was often based on true strength.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Sometimes, there might be some misjudgements, allowing certain brilliant talents to rapidly improve their rankings.


    Chu Zheng was the best example; in just over two years, he had jumped from over seven thousand to the top of the Hidden Dragon List.


    The key issue was that after the ranking changes, it was rare for the talented to be defeated by those who followed¡ªunless theter talents experienced a sudden surge in cultivation.


    Just like Chu Zheng, now at the top of the Hidden Dragon List. When he stepped onto the top over Shang Zuling, Shang Zuling''s cultivation had already reached the Middle Stage of Divine Infant.


    Unless Shang Zuling advanced further into the Late Divine Soul Realm, this battle would not have much suspense.


    Boom¡ª


    Amidst the surrounding discussions, a thunderous sound exploded in the sky as a chariot roared in, adorned with a battle g bearing the character ''Shang''.

 Chapter 258 Duel_2

    This banner, bestowed by the Immortal Alliance, symbolizes the legitimate bloodline of the Immortal King.


    Atop the chariot stood only a tall woman dressed in orange-yellow vestment robe, no others.


    All around was silence, yet in the shadows, divine senses fluctuated wildly, carrying whispers.


    ''She actually came alone?''


    ''For such a significant event, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land didn''t send anyone, how could they be so careless?''


    No one expected that Shang Zuling woulde here alone, neither anyone from the Shang Family nor the Primordial Spirit Holy Land was present.


    Without saying a word, Shang Zuling leaped down from the chariot andnded directly in the ring.


    Standing there, she looked unlike any ordinary woman, her back as straight as a pine, her figure tall and imposing, curves striking, her skin like warm jade, emanating a warm yellow glow, her countenance distinct and handsome.


    "Thank you, fellow Daoist, for agreeing to fight with me ahead of time."


    The first words Shang Zuling spoke were words of gratitude.


    At this moment, her cultivation was a minor realm higher than Chu Zheng''s. From Chu Zheng''s perspective, he could entirely ignore her challenge and wait until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects officially began, by which time his cultivation might be sufficient to overwhelm her.


    This battle, if dyed to that moment, would be most advantageous for Chu Zheng.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Fellow Daoist, no need for thanks."


    Chu Zheng stood up, shaking his head slightly, "Ever since I entered the Divine Infant Realm, when this battle urs makes no difference."


    He possessed the Five Elements Immortal Root, his Divine Infant embodying the Two Sides of Yin and Yang, far more fearsome than ordinary cultivators, not to mention the Nine Orifices Golden Core in his middle Dantian.


    Taken out just one, he had enough confidence to win this battle of Heavenly Fate.


    Shang Zuling''s gaze sharpened, she spoke no more, an earthy yellow halo radiated from around her without any fanciness, she raised her palm and pressed it towards Chu Zheng.


    In the ring, the ground shook violently, the earth-yellow palm imprint swelled in the wind, in a blink, it turned into a hundred-mile Divine Peak, thunderously crashing down, thundering and roaring in the void.


    Chu Zheng drew out a very ordinary Middle Quality magic treasure long sword, his body like a swimming dragon, turned into a fine thread of divine light, shot forth oveing time, shattered the Divine Peak, and darted straight towards Shang Zuling.


    This battle, like the rules of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, did not allow the use of magic treasures exceeding one''s own cultivation, nor the consumption of elixirs for temporary enhancement of strength.


    In the void, clusters of sword blossoms floated, invisible spiritual energy condensed into a long river phantom, waves of surging sounds transmitted.


    "It''s the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance!"


    From the direction of Tai Xu Holy Land, an uncontroble light gasp emerged, few had ever seen Chu Zheng personally perform this divine skill.


    The Taixu Saint Lord''s eyes slightly narrowed, a trace ofplexity inevitably showed through; having practiced the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance for many years, he naturally could discern the depth of Chu Zheng''s mastery over this divine skill.


    Currently, within the Tai Xu Gate, not a single person couldpare to Chu Zheng.


    Not to mention the disciples, including those whose cultivation has reached Divine Transformation and even the Elders of the Tongxuan Secret Realm, just in this divine skill alone, there are hardly any who could match him.


    This was enough to prove the monstrous level of Chu Zheng''s talent.


    Amid the Thousand Mile Mountains and Rivers, watching the sword light that in a blink reached her forehead, Shang Zuling''s expression remained calm, her skin suddenly radiated an earth-yellow luster, and she slightly turned her body.


    The sharp Sword Qi grazed the side of her neck, opening the skin without a trace of blood, the wound healed in an instant.


    This was an Immortal Technique from the Vast Earth Nourishing Spirit Scripture, the part of the mental method initially given to Chu Zheng by Shang Zuling did not include this secret Immortal Technique.


    Shang Zuling took a step forward, her figure exploded in size, transforming into a thousand-zhang tall Earth Spirit Giant God, continuously striking, palm imprints moving through afterimages, chasing the sword light moving in the air, ceaselessly crashing down.


    The ground upheaved rolling waves of earth, dust filled the sky, rising tens of thousands of feet, obscuring the sun.


    Amidst the dust, sword lights shed asionally, carrying the momentum of torrential downpour, hitting on Shang Zuling''s Dharma Body, leaving sword marks tens of zhang deep that healed instantly to their original state.


    "You''re not using your full strength."


    Shang Zuling''s expression turned slightly cold, she quickly sensed something was amiss.


    With Chu Zheng''s strength, it should not be just to the extent just demonstrated, nowhere near capable of posing a threat to her.


    Hearing her words, Chu Zheng could not help but remain silent; if he were to bring out the Town Immortal Mace and strike with a Law Breaking attack, he could shatter Shang Zuling''s Dharma Body divine skill, deciding life and death.


    But doing so, many things would change.


    Before many Demi Immortals in the Immortal Tribtion Realm, employing the methods of the Qi Refining Lineage was too risky, he did not even use the Nine Orifices Golden Core from beginning to end.


    Shang Zuling suddenly stopped, her thousand-zhang Dharma Body standing quietly on the arena, waiting for Chu Zheng''s reply.


    Chu Zheng halted his steps, took a deep breath, and within his Dantian, the Five Elements Immortal Root stirred slightly, the energy of Yin and Yang surged drastically, directly entering the Divine Infant.


    Boom¡ª¡ª


    A clear sky for thousands of miles, in an instant became shrouded with dense clouds, rumbling with thunder.


    "Who is undergoing the Immortal Tribtion?!"


    This scene immediately made many cultivators around ufortable, and they thought of the tribtion above first, with some already starting to retreat.


    The Immortal Tribtion is no child''s y, ordinary cultivators who get involved are hardly likely to survive. Enjoy new adventures at empire


    Only a group of cultivators in the Immortal Tribtion Realm did not move an inch, their eyes at this moment could not hide their surprise.


    They recognized that these were not tribtion clouds, but some unknown Divine Abilities.


    The power of thunder, aside from a few rare spiritual bodies, is seldom mastered by cultivators, to carve thunder patterns with Fu Lu is merely a shortcut, and does not count as mastering the power of thunder.


    Chu Zheng stood in the void, surrounded by blinding thunder light, like a divine being controlling thunder.


    Thews of the Heavenly Dao today,pared to before, had changed drastically, he could now easily borrow the vast power of heaven and earth, iparable to before.


    In the midst of the arena, Shang Zuling''s eyes flickered, faintly containing a trace of excitement, from within the thunderclouds, she sensed a dangerous aura.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    A piercing white light shed by, instantly filling Shang Zuling''s field of vision, her scattered Divine Sense was scorched by the power of thunder and forced to retreat.


    Bang¡ª¡ª


    A thunderbolt as thick as a half zhang zealously smashed down, the thousand-zhang Earthen Spirit Dharma Body instantly burst apart, turning into charred dust that scattered everywhere, revealing the true body of Shang Zuling within.


    This bolt of lightning cleaned out ten cultivators in the Early Divine Infant Realm, yet Shang Zuling only suffered a few light wounds, her physical body was terrifyingly strong.


    Before Shang Zuling could recover her senses, Chu Zheng, d in thunder light, pressed on again, his eyes calm as water, inside him the Five Elements Immortal Root lightly stirred, mana surged wildly, condensing a five-colored sword light behind him.


    The Minor Five Elements Sword Formation instantly took shape, pulling Shang Zuling into the formation.


    Times had changed, with his current cultivation, even without relying on a Flying Sword, the Sword Array was effortless.


    Thousands of sword lights converged around her, Shang Zuling instantly turned into a whetstone for swords, in a flicker, her vestment robe shattered, leaving countless sword marks on her body.


    A momentter, as the sword array dispersed, Shang Zuling stood where she was, her mana depleted, her Essence Blood nearly drained, she was pushed to her limits.


    Dust filled the surroundings, her eyes surprisingly bright, her voice hoarse,


    "This doesn''t seem like an Immortal Path method."


    "Indeed it isn''t, my Immortal Path Divine Abilities are at most only at the level just now, never reaching mastery."


    Chu Zheng did not conceal it, Ji Yuyan could tell at the beginning that the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation was a Taoist School method, Shang Zuling, experiencing it firsthand, naturally sensed more details.


    "Impressive."


    Shang Zuling whispered, took out a new vestment robe to wear, then slowly sat down, took a Spirit Pill, and the terrifying sword marks on her body gradually began to heal.


    The oue of this battle was clear.


    Although she had anticipated defeat beforehand, Shang Zuling did not expect she would lose so miserably, almost without the ability to fight back.


    Just as Chu Zheng was about to speak, suddenly his expression changed, he sensed an invisible shift in Heavenly Fate.


    The Hidden Dragon List was originally a perverse artifact that nurtured one person with an entire realm, previously, Shang Zuling almost enveloped the vast majority of Cangyun Immortal Path''s Heavenly Fate.


    At this moment, this part of Heavenly Fatepletely transferred to Chu Zheng.


    With the addition of Heavenly Fate, Chu Zheng immediately perceived a great change.


    Within him, the Golden Core swallowed Yuan Qi at a rate that again soared by several times, and moreover, the affinity of the surrounding nature''s spiritual energy continued to rise.

 Chapter 259 Immortal Alliance Decree, Manifestation of Vast Righteous Qi

    The core purpose of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects in the Cangyun Realm is to provide the Immortal Alliance with True Immortal Seeds.


    Therefore, the Heavenly Fate of the prodigies who make it onto the Hidden Dragon List changes in a more direct and intense manner.


    Before this, Shang Zuling had always topped the Hidden Dragon List; the Heavenly Fate she had umted was quite astonishing. The benefits Chu Zheng had now received far exceeded his initial expectations.


    Heavenly Fate is much less tangible for Immortal Path Cultivators than it is for Qi Cultivators.


    What Immortal Path Cultivators gain is an elevation in their future potential, not the clearly visible boost in cultivation this type offers.


    However, to the Heavenly Dao, there is no difference between the two; both involve seizing Heavenly Life for oneself, consuming the very essence of heaven and earth.


    The tform was isted by an Array to ensure Chu Zheng''s safety. Geng Yiyang had gone to great lengths to set up the Formation Patterns. Even cultivators at the Immortal Tribtion Realm could not intervene and could only watch helplessly.


    As the dust settled above the tform, seeing Shang Zuling sitting cross-legged on the ground, herplexion pale, while Chu Zheng stood beside herpletely unharmed, the oue was self-evident.


    A wave of astonished murmurs rose around them, with Divine Sense energies fluctuating. Due to the special status of the two on the tform, the spectators did not even dare to voice their amazement.


    But the oue was undoubtedly beyond most people''s expectations. In the eyes of most cultivators, even if Chu Zheng were to win, it was expected to be a Pyrrhic victory, yet the battle turned out to bepletely one-sided.


    What many cultivators found even harder to ept was that with Shang Zuling''s defeat, Chu Zheng¡ªa neer barely past his twenties¡ªhad risen above all cultivators of thest hundred years.


    The expressions of the various Holy Masters and Immortal Tribtion Realm cultivators varied, but all of them looked grave.


    More than the oue of the tournament, what concerned them was Chu Zheng''s control over thunder. It meant that after reaching the Tongxuan stage, the Heavenly Tribtion of the Immortal Tribtion Realm would pose little threat to him.


    The most time-consuming aspect for someone in the Immortal Tribtion Realm is preparing for the Heavenly Tribtion, which involves umting Immortal Power, stockpiling Immortal Pills and Immortal Treasures, and ensuring everything is in ce before attempting the tribtion.


    Tribtions like the Five Elements Great Tribtion or the Yin-Yang Great Tribtion are typically only encountered after reaching the True Immortal Realm. Experience tales at empire


    Without concern for the power of the Heavenly Tribtion, Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed in the Immortal Tribtion Realm will be incredibly fast.


    Should his control over lightning be sufficient, it wouldn''t be impossible for Chu Zheng to reach the status of Celestial Lord within ten years of stepping into the Immortal Tribtion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    With time, those who will be outpaced in cultivation will not only be the contemporary prodigies listed with Chu Zheng but also their older generation.


    Having temporarily suppressed her sword wound, Shang Zuling slowly rose to her feet and said softly, "I have been much troubled on this journey, please forgive me, fellow Daoist."


    This battle had also resolved a concern of hers; without the bloodline of an Immortal King, herbat prowess was far from being unbeatable in her realm.


    Chu Zheng''s techniques had given her some inspiration. Perhaps she shouldn''t limit herself to fixed Immortal Path secret techniques and might consider exploring new paths.


    "Fellow Daoist overstates the matter, you also did not use all your strength; this battle cannot be considered in terms of victory or defeat,"


    Chu Zheng shook his head; as a descendant of an Immortal King, the powertent in Shang Zuling''s blood far exceeded the imagination of ordinary cultivators.


    In the recent battle, Shang Zuling only used the Vast Earth Nourishing Spirit Scripture and did not employ any other bloodline secret techniques.


    He did not know why Shang Zuling did not use her bloodline powers, nor did he want to delve deeper. Their rtionship had not reached a point of deep trust, and it was enough to leave it at that.


    Shang Zuling remained silent, bowed her head in salute, rose, leaped onto her war chariot, turned into a golden streak of light, and swiftly departed.


    "I will apany her for part of her journey; you take care of yourself,"


    Geng Yiyang transmitted a message, and followed Shang Zuling''s war chariot.


    The Taixuan Holy Land was safeguarded by an Immortal Treasure and would not fall into chaos. As Shang Zuling hade alone and was now seriously injured, any idents en route would be difficult to exin.


    By agreeing to set the ce of their duel at the Taixuan Mountain Sect, Shang Zuling had already made quite a concession to Chu Zheng. This was something Geng Yiyang appreciated and considering it was merely an escort, it was a simple favor.


    Was it over, just like that?


    With Shang Zuling''s departure, the cultivators who had gathered around became dazed. The battle for the top rank on the Hidden Dragon List ending in such an anticlimactic way left many feeling as if they were in a dream.


    As the many cultivators regained theirposure and looked at Chu Zheng on the tform, their thoughts varied greatly.


    Especially the Holy Masters of the three Great Holy Lands were deep in thought, now considering how to interact with Taixuan and Chu Zheng moving forward.


    Since Chu Zheng''s rise was unstoppable, they would have to change their approach.


    The longevity of the Holy Lands depends on much more than the few Immortal Treasures thaty dormant year after year.


    Even Taixuan has Immortal Treasures and was still pressed to the brink of extinction.


    Assessing the situation is a constant consideration for the Holy Lands.


    But for Tai Xu Holy Land, their options were now considerably limited.


    Imitating Taixuan in closing the sect seemed to be the best choice; waiting for thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of years, by which time Chu Zheng''s existence on this earth was uncertain.


    By then, Tai Xu Holy Land would still be a Holy Land.


    Apart from the three Great Holy Lands, the other Great Immortal Sects were starting to entertain other ideas.


    With Chu Zheng''s talents, even if his offspring are not as exceptional as he is, they would still be outstanding figures in their generation.


    If they could secure a bloodline continuity through a marital alliance with Chu Zheng, it could be very promising for the future.


    Once Chu Zheng bes a True Immortal, it will be equivalent to the founding of another True Immortal Noble Family, where producing a few High-Quality Immortal Bones in one generation would not be difficult¡ªthis is an almost guaranteed profitable endeavor.

 Chapter 259 Immortal Alliance Dispatches Orders, Vast Righteous Qi Appears_2

    Chu Zheng paid no attention to the varying thoughts of the cultivators; he turned and returned to the Taixuan Holy Land. He would need some time to fully digest the changes in the Heavenly Fate.


    Ever since the Cangyun Secret Realm was unsealed, he had faintly felt that the world before him had changed dramatically.


    The origin of this change was beyond his current level of cultivation to discern in detail. The only thing he could directly perceive was that the Heavenly Dao overhead was now more tolerant toward all kinds of beings.


    Surviving the Immortal Tribtion was a matter of life and death, with only a sliver of a chance for survival. Yet, among so many cultivators who underwent the tribtion together, only a handful fell to the Heavenly Tribtion.


    Although cultivators like Geng Yiyang, who had remained at the peak of Tongxuan for many years and had solid foundations, the sess rate of their tribtion should not have been so astonishingly high.


    ...


    ...


    "Is there any trouble?"


    Upon returning to the pce, Song Lingxue could no longer hold back and spoke, her voiceced with worry. Just now, she had watched the scene with some rm.


    When she first met him, Shang Zuling gave the impression of an unscble divine peak, insurmountable, and though the oue was now clear, she was still somewhat unsettled.


    "It was just a spar, not a life or death battle, why worry?" Chu Zheng was unconcerned. He had been confident of victory before the battlemenced.


    He had divined for himself before the fight, and it was a sign of rising luck; no trouble was expected in the near future.


    As Song Lingxue circled around Chu Zheng, she reached up to unfasten his hair crown and retie his slightly disheveled hair. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief:


    "A few days ago, Ling Qing sent a message saying the journey was too long to make it back in time to wish you victory. At that time, you were in seclusion, and I didn''t want to disturb you..."


    Chu Zheng, unbothered by the news, simply grunted in response and casually mentioned:


    "There may be a conflict in the Immortal Alliance, simr to the spatial passages that appeared before. If it cannot be avoided, I might have to enter the battlefield."


    Before he finished speaking, Song Lingxue''s brow, which had just rxed, immediately furrowed again, her anxiety palpable: "Isn''t that extremely dangerous?"


    She didn''t know much about battles outside their realm, but she was aware that beings capable of shing in the stars, those who could crush a star with a snap of their fingers, existed inrge numbers. Even with Chu Zheng''s high talent, it would be very difficult to reach that level in such a short period, and the slightest mishap could be lethal.


    "There might be some trouble, but it''s not necessarily dangerous, especially with Old Geng above us."


    Chu Zheng shook his head in denial. He was merely taking precautions in advance, so that if anything unforeseen happened, Song Lingxue would not be too worried on such short notice.


    For a moment, Song Lingxue''s palm within her sleeve tightened, and her eyelids lowered; she said no more.


    Chu Zheng already had enough troubles; her additional worries would just be an unnecessary burden on him, pressing heavily in her heart.


    At this moment, Chu Zheng was already immersed in nning his next steps.


    The most crucial aspect was the selection of his Innate Divine Ability.


    At the Golden Core Realm, engraving an Innate Divine Ability on the Golden Core is essential, as it influences the subsequent path one takes.


    The number of Divine Abilities that can be inscribed is rted to the number of Spirit Apertures opened on the Golden Core.


    Chu Zheng''s Nine Orifices Golden Core allowed him to inscribe Nine Great Divine Abilities, which was considered the pinnacle among Qi Cultivators.


    As for the first Innate Divine Ability, Chu Zheng was still weighing his options, finding it difficult to decide.


    The Innate Divine Ability, engraved on the Life-bound Golden Core, is utterly different from the casually used Divine Skills.


    It is more powerful and versatile. The same Divine Skill can manifest entirely different mutations on different individuals.


    Explore more stories with empire


    This kind of mutation is unpredictable but has a deep connection with one''s own temperament as well as their innate talent and perceptivity.


    Additionally, the quality of the inscribed Divine Skill often affects one''sbat strength.


    Major Divine Skills like the Thunder Method were not considered by Chu Zheng. His attention was on Divine Secret Skills that ranged from Returning to Void and Merging with the Path, up to Heavenly Immortal.


    Although his current level of cultivation was not sufficient to wield such high-quality Divine Skills, it did not mean he couldn''t inscribe them on his Golden Core in advance.


    The Eternal Cmity Treasure Record contained an abundance of unpredictable Divine Abilities and secret techniques.


    Chu Zheng once again began a seclusion, attempting to choose an appropriate Divine Skill from many, which required a considerable effort.


    ...


    ...


    The Immortal Alliance''s edict came much faster than Chu Zheng had anticipated.


    Less than half a month after the battle with Shang Zuling, Geng Yiyang woke Chu Zheng from his seclusion and ryed the contents of the Immortal Alliance''s edict.


    The edict from the Immortal Alliance was sent directly to the Five Great Holy Lands, instructing them to lead and coordinate the armies to the starry battlefield to resist a force of cultivators from the Myriad Realms invading the Immortal Alliance''s territory.


    The strength of these Myriad Realm cultivators was unclear, but there was at least one individual equivalent to a True Immortal Realm leader.


    Originally, these people were within the sphere of influence of the Martial Hall, but the battle between those of the Immortal King level had breached the starry sky barrier.


    These cultivators entered the Immortal Alliance''s territory through the breach in the starry sky barrier and are currently plundering the resources of various worlds.


    The Immortal Alliance had given the cultivators of the Cangyun Realm six months to prepare, after which a True Immortal would be sent to lead them.


    Besides the requirement that those entering the army had to be cultivators above the Divine Infant Realm, the edict did not specify the consequences of notplying, only mentioning that Cangyun Realm, as well as several Great Realms nearby, were on the path of these Myriad Realm cultivators.


    In short, this battle would inevitably be fought, whether outside the realm or within the Cangyun Realm.


    This sentence alone pushed the cultivators of Cangyun Realm to the edge of a cliff.


    In ancient times, the coalition of the Immortal Martial Paths expelled all other Taoist orthodoxies from the Cangyun Realm by branding them as demonic invaders.


    This time, it may well be the revenge of the many Taoist orthodoxies of the Myriad Realms for the experiences of ancient times.


    The neers bore ill intentions.


    For the major Holy Lands and True Immortal Noble Families, the prospect of withdrawing from battle, abandoning their eternal foundations, and leaving the realm was clearly impossible.


    This battle had to be fought, whether willingly or not. The invaders must be entirely vanquished, and then the breach in the starry sky barrier must be repaired.


    External matters were being arranged by Geng Yiyang; Chu Zheng need not ponder too much on them.


    He went back into seclusion, further elerating his selection of Divine Skills. At the very least, before heading to the battlefield, he had to carve out his Innate Divine Ability.


    ...


    ...


    Under Geng Yiyang''s arrangements, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    As the night grew deeper, suddenly a vast white brilliance soared into the sky, dazzlingly bright, like lightning cleaving through the night, instantly drawing countless inquisitive gazes.


    Chu Zheng, in his seclusion, sensed the fluctuations of Heavenly Fate and felt a premonition. He rose immediately and in an instant arrived at the side of the mountain.


    In a side room within the courtyard, a young man about seventeen or eighteen years of age was sitting cross-legged on a bed, enveloped in ayer of shimmering white light.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered minutely, as his Spiritual Eye quickly ryed information.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    [Bai Nian (First Order): Confucian Daoist Monk, widely read, protected by Vast Righteous Qi, easily repelling all evil, with divinely varied strokes of the brush.]


    Sinceing to Taixuan, Bai Nian had been quiet, staying with Li Mingzhou and a group of Martial Cultivators.


    His talent for the Martial Path was truly mediocre, and he had already grown somewhat despondent about cultivation, relying on various ssic texts to pass the time.


    Chu Zheng dispersed the Spiritual Light in his eyes with a realization; it must be the changes in Heavenly Fate that had given Bai Nian a chance to step onto the Confucian Path.


    A momentter, Bai Nian, who had been sitting on the bed, slowly opened his eyes. Feeling the Vast Righteous Qi surging in his chest and seeing Chu Zheng at the doorway, he was a bit slow to regain his senses:


    "This is..."


    "Reading is also a path to cultivation, just different from the Immortal Path."


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Bai Nian''s expression changed slightly. Having heard a lot about the experiences of Li Mingzhou and the others, it was hard not to overthink.


    "Do not panic. Since I promised to show you a way to survive, I will certainly do so."


    Chu Zheng waved his hand, having already weighed some options in his mind. When heading out to the foreign realms, he may have to take Bai Nian with him. If Bai Nian couldn''t stay in Cangyun, then another path must be found.

 Chapter 260 Heavenly Escaping Five Elements, Transforming Calamity

    The previous outer realm war had shown Chu Zheng the techniques of the Confucian Daoist Monks through the Shadow Retention Wall that Geng Yiyang brought back.


    Bai Nian had no Taoist orthodoxy or guide, yet he was able to cultivate the Vast Righteous Qi within himself without a teacher, which indicated he possessed a certain talent.


    "Are you willing to leave the Cangyun Realm?"


    After pondering, Chu Zheng asked Bai Nian for his own thoughts; this was a journey Bai Nian had to undertake on his own, and it was naturally up to him to decide.


    Bai Niancked the Immortal Bone, had only average martial talent, and within the Cangyun Realm, the path of Confucianism was impracticable.


    Given the current situation, heading to the Myriad Realms was the best option for Bai Nian; at least there he would have ess to the Confucian School''s teachings, listen to the wisdom of sages, and could make further progress, officially embarking on the path of cultivation.


    Enjoy new stories from empire


    However, if Bai Nian was not inclined towards this path and preferred to live out his life as a mortal, Chu Zheng would fully understand.


    The path of cultivation is not easy to walk, sometimes requiring endurance beyond what most can bear.


    Upon hearing Chu Zheng''s question, Bai Nian quickly came to a response.


    He now had a general understanding of the contest for Taoist orthodoxy; if he continued to stay in Cangyun, his only option was to revert to being a mortal.


    "I wish to leave the realm."


    Bai Nian barely hesitated before he stood up, nodded in agreement, and responded. When he had initially followed Chu Zheng out of Illusory Spirit City, it was merely for a chance of survival and to search for his father''s whereabouts.


    However, over the years, he hade to realize that given his father''s cultivation level, the absence of any news for many years likely meant more bad news than good.


    In this vast world, the death of a few Spirit Spring Realm Cultivators barely makes a ripple.


    "As long as you don''t regret the path you choose in the future."


    Chu Zheng nodded, saying no more, and pulled out a thin booklet, handing it over to Bai Nian.


    "Cold Sky Poetry Collection..."


    As Bai Nian looked at the booklet before him and took it with some confusion, he asked, "What is this?"


    "A Confucian scripture, it should be of some use to you now," Chu Zheng casually exined, ncing at the Cold Sky Poetry Collection.


    [Cold Sky Poetry Collection (Second Order): An introductory scripture to the Confucian path, which, upon being read a hundred times by those with exceptional talent, can nurse the Vast Righteous Qi and ward off various evils.]


    This Cold Sky Poetry Collection was found by Chu Zheng among some nameless notes in the Song Family Treasury and with it, many other scriptures from different orthodoxies.


    When he first restored it, he had considered passing it to Bai Nian, but given that his own path ahead was not yet clear and fearing that it might lead Bai Nian astray, he decided to keep it for the time being.


    Nobody could have anticipated that after the great changes in the world, Bai Nian would be able to step onto the path of cultivation on his own.


    "Thank you, Holy Master."


    With a bow, Bai Nian expressed his gratitude, "For the Holy Master''s great kindness, I am deeply grateful. If there is ever a chance to repay this benevolence in this life, I shall spare no effort."


    "There is plenty of time in the future."


    Having said that, Chu Zheng turned to leave, but Bai Nian''s voice suddenly called out from behind him:


    "Holy Master, please wait."


    With a hint of hesitation and a pleading tone, Bai Nian said:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Before I leave, I would like to take onest look at Illusory Spirit City, may I?"


    After all, it was the ce where he grew up; he may never have the chance to return to the Cangyun Realm again in this life, and it was natural to want to see it onest time before leaving.


    "It''s a small effort; before you go, I will personally take you there," Chu Zheng casually agreed and slowly walked away.


    Bai Nian''s willingness to go to the Myriad Realms was good news for Chu Zheng; at least if he ever visited the Myriad Realms'' camp in the future, having an acquaintance would make it easier to find out the situation.


    Conveniently, the Immortal Alliance had sent orders here, allowing contact with cultivators from the Myriad Realms. By then, cing Bai Nian into a Small World to take him out of the Cangyun Realm should provide an opportunity to help him leave the territory of the Immortal Alliance.


    ...


    ...


    After returning to his seclusion chamber, Chu Zheng looked at the three Divine Skills before him, undecided.


    The countless Divine Skills in the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record were as vast as the sea, leaving him almost dizzy.


    One''s Innate Divine Ability could only incorporate up to nine skills, and they couldn''t be changed afterwards as they would apany him throughout his life; naturally, he had to choose cautiously.


    After a long period of selection, he finally retained the "Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique," "Law of Heaven and Earth," and "Three Heads and Six Arms" as the three major Divine Skills.


    All three of these Divine Skills were powerful abilities that only a Heavenly Immortal could master.


    The Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique, once perfected, could reverse the creation of Yin and Yang and upend heaven and earth.


    Three Heads and Six Arms, uponpletion, was like one being splitting into three, allowing the mind to multitask with six uses, and simultaneously control six Divine Weapons and Immortal Treasures, multiplyingbat power more than tenfold instantaneously.


    Law of Heaven and Earth was also considered defying the heavens, as it could temporarily strengthen the body and Yuan Qi, providing an even greater boost tobat power than Three Heads and Six Arms.


    Within the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, there were many Divine Skills even stronger than these three, but those were only fullyprehensible to a Mysterious Immortal, which were difficult for the current Chu Zheng to ess.


    After slight contemtion, Chu Zheng stopped dwelling on the choice and selected the Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique.


    This Divine Skill was highlypatible with his Five Elements Immortal Root, and the Five Elements Escaping Technique, including some subsidiary techniques and Divine Skills involving the Five Elements Qi, was versatile and held great potential.


    Reversing the creation of Yin and Yang should be somewhat beneficial for his Yin Yang Divine Infant.


    With a thought from Chu Zheng, one of the Golden Core Nine Orifices began to emit light, gradually etching the Divine Skill''s mark.


    Limited by his cultivation, the speed at which Chu Zheng inscribed the Divine Skill was extremely slow; at this rate, it would take several months at least.


    If he spent all this time here, it would be a shame to waste it.


    Chu Zheng stopped his work and stepped out of the seclusion chamber.


    The sky had reached noon, and the sun was high.


    Despite the zing sunlight, it didn''t deter Chu Zheng''s vision, as the stars remained clearly visible before his eyes.

 Chapter 260 Heavenly Escaping Five Elements, Transforming Calamity_2

    He once again performed the Star Capturing Heaven Method, starting to search for the trajectory of the starlight.


    The situation on the outer battlefield was still unknown. Being able to eliminate some of the tribtion Qi beforehand might save much trouble.


    Soon, Chu Zheng found a beam of starlight brimming with vigorous vitality. Without much hesitation, he created a soul division, soared up, and headed straight for the stars.


    This time, Chu Zheng kept most of his attention on his original body, continuing to imprint divine skills, and left only a sliver of consciousness in the soul division, transforming it into a subconscious-like entity to guide it.


    After entering the Divine Infant Realm, his Divine Soul had grown much stronger than before, making these tasks quite manageable.


    A momentter, upon confirming the soul division had sessfully arrived without dispersing on the way, Chu Zheng returned to the secret chamber to continue imprinting the Five Elements marks.


    ...


    ...


    Several months passed in the blink of an eye.


    Less than four monthster, the marks of the Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique had been branded upon Chu Zheng''s Golden Core.


    Around the Spirit Apertures, an extra ring of five-colored spiritual patterns appeared, corresponding with the Five Elements.


    The moment the divine skills imprintingpleted, Chu Zheng''s heart shook instantly. Heprehended many profound mysteries, and his understanding of the Five Elements Escaping Technique surged significantly.


    Particrly with the Fire Attribute and Water Attribute, these two, he was most familiar with.


    The ''Fire God Transformation'' from the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance were originally two types of transformation techniques.


    The most significant change was in the Thunder Method Chu Zheng had previously practiced, which showed signs of merging with the Five Elements Secret Technique.


    Now, even without employing the traditional Five Elements into Yin and Yang, Chu Zheng could wield the Thunder Method using any one of the Immortal Roots of metal, wood, water, fire, or earth.


    The thunder made from Yin Yang Dual Qi had a strong suppressive force on the Spirit Soul and Yin God, while the Five Elements Divine Thunder, wrapped in the Five Elements Qi, was even more versatile, sometimes causing greater damage to living beings.


    This was just the beginning. With the growth of his cultivation, Chu Zheng''s understanding of the Five Elements would deepen further, until he could reverse the generative and destructive cycle of the Five Elements.


    After pondering deeply for half a month, Chu Zheng suddenly felt a tremor in his Divine Soul, sensing something, and the slight tribtion Qi by his side almost dissipated in an instant.


    The interface then underwent severe changes.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Initial Stage of the Golden Core Realm, Immortal Path: Initial Stage of the Divine Infant Realm]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    [Root Bone: Yin Yang Immortal Bone (Superior Quality), Five Elements Spiritual Body]


    [Cultivation Technique: Eternal Cmity Treasure Record (Tenth Order), Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique (Eighth Order), Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance (Eighth Order), Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique (Sixth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order)...]


    [Talent: Spiritual Eye (Fourth Order)]


    [Repair Master: Fifth Order (4000/4000)]


    [Remaining repairs for the day: 30]


    [Currently repairable:...]


    The soul division that had been used to undergo tribtions lost contact, waspletely eradicated, aiding Chu Zheng in resolving one tribtion while simultaneously maximizing the experience of a Fifth Order Repair Master.


    Before Chu Zheng could recover, a vast surge of memories suddenly returned, bringing with it over forty years of recollections, abruptly crashing into his mind.


    After digesting these memories for several days, Chu Zheng gradually sorted them out, his mind slightly shaken.


    This time, his soul division had entered the body of a recently deceased two-year-old child whose innate Qi had not yet dissipatedpletely and had been eroded by death Qi. After using the cadaver for a soul revival, the physique became somewhat bizarre, coexisting with both Yin and Yang.


    The repair panel did not recognize any issue with his physique; it only repaired his injuries and did not solve the problems rted to his constitution.


    The world he had arrived at should be considered one of therge realms within the Chaos Sea, with abundant spiritual energy, where the path of cultivation flourished. However, it was not just the Human Race that existed; hundreds of races stood tall, including foreign races, often giving rise to wars.


    Because the innate Qi within his body had not yet dispersed, Chu Zheng followed the conventional Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, and his cultivation increased extremely rapidly.


    Discover more stories at empire


    With the aid of the Repair Master panel, in this life, at the age of four, he had already reached Perfection in Spirit Transformation and had cultivated Jade Bone; by the age of seven, he had already stepped into the Dao Embryo Secret Realm.


    This time, reincarnated to withstand tribtions, Chu Zheng devoted most of his attention to inscribing divine skills on his main body. His soul divisioncked guidance, inevitably leading to poor judgment, and his thoughts were not very clear.


    Moreover, since Chu Zheng''s incarnation was for the purpose of enduring tribtions, he naturally did not think about concealing his talents. Wherever he went, he gathered cultivation resources in a very high-profile manner.


    A mere seven-year-old child emerged from nowhere and pushed horizontally across thousands of miles of the demon domain, climbing mountains to swallow wolves and tigers, diving into seas to capture flood dragons and y demons, and ughtering millennia-old foreign races as though scooping items from a bag.


    This naturally attracted the attention of various forces. The news spread extremely fast, like wild grass in a frenzy, and it was said that the human race had produced a rare demon, who had mastered powerful divine skills before the age of ten.


    In just a few years, Chu Zheng had umted a body full of Blood Fiend Qi using the ughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, and by the age of ten, he had already reached Completion in the Dao Embryo.


    In order to umte his own foundation, he did not rush to condense the Golden Core but collected cultivation resources even more aggressively.


    Soon, he was pursued. Beings who had stepped into the Fifth and even Sixth Orders personally took the field and relentlessly chased him.


    Among them, there even included some Human Race cultivators, who were also searching for his whereabouts.


    As such, Chu Zheng could not discern their intentions and simply avoided contact with them, sparing himself some trouble.


    Surrounded and intercepted by multiple forces, Chu Zheng was forced to condense his Golden Core earlier than nned, and this time his Golden Core developed seven apertures.


    After condensing the Golden Core, the first divine skill Chu Zheng cultivated was ''False Form''.


    Cultivating this great divine skill, he could understand the method of transformation, where mountains, rivers, vegetation, and all manner of spirits and oddities could be altered.


    With this ability, Chu Zheng was free as the birds in the sky and effortlessly escaped upwards into the heavens even under the joint encirclement of great demons and numerous cultivators.


    At the age of twenty, Chu Zheng shattered his Golden Core, returned to the Dao Embryo Secret Realm to umte foundation, and took two years to re-condense the Golden Core.


    This time, the Golden Core''s spirit apertures numbered eight.


    Subsequently, after spending more than a decade, Chu Zheng cultivated until his Golden Core reached Completion. He inscribed eight great divine skills in the spirit apertures, just one step away from Refining Spirit.


    Due to years of hiding and concealing himself, Chu Zheng had umted a certain degree of Tribtion Qi, which was bound to erupt one day.


    Before Chu Zheng began to attempt Refining Spirit, his whereabouts were mysteriously leaked. He was caught up to by three great demons whose cultivation wasparable to cultivators of the Tongxuan Secret Realm, who tightly pursued him without giving him a chance to catch his breath.


    Three venerable Demon Race members from the Tongxuan Secret Realm were naturally difficult for Chu Zheng, who had only achieved Golden Core Completion, to withstand, and he ultimately died a violent death in the wilderness; his Golden Core was swallowed by the Demon King, leaving noplete corpse.


    After digesting all this information, Chu Zheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid Qi, his eyes faintly bright.


    This reincarnation brought him many benefits, notably the precious experience of repairing the broken core and inscribing divine skills on the spirit apertures.


    Besides, this incarnation almost always found him in the midst of battle, and the experience gained from dealing with many members of the Foreign Race might prove useful in Chu Zheng''s future.


    This incarnation not only dispersed arge amount of his Tribtion Qi, but Chu Zheng also gained a deeper understanding of the Chaos Sea.


    The scenario of a hundred races coexisting wasn''t likely unique to one realm; perhaps the entire situation in the Chaos Sea was simr.


    Before Chu Zheng could further reflect on the memories of this incarnation, a message from Geng Yiyang came from outside the secret chamber.


    The time arranged by the Immortal Alliance was approaching, reminding Chu Zheng to leave his retreat and prepare early.


    After adjusting for a few days, Chu Zheng removed some unnecessary trivial memories to avoid disturbing his mind, and then finally left his retreat.


    First, he found Bai Nian.


    Before heading to the foreign domain, Chu Zheng wanted to send Bai Nian back to Illusory Spirit City for onest look at his homnd.


    Since he had promised before, he would not break his word.


    Moreover, this time, Chu Zheng did not n to quietly send Bai Nian back; as the Taixuan Holy Master now, he no longer needed to be extremely cautious anywhere in Cangyun.


    Besides, it was just an ordinary sect, with only one cultivator at the Divine Infant Second Transformation and one damaged Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure inside.

 Chapter 261 Revisiting Old Places, True Immortals Guidance

    During the time Chu Zheng was in seclusion, Geng Yiyang had sessfully consolidated the power under Taixuan Holy Land.


    With only a month left until the deadline set by the Immortal Alliance, time was short.


    As Chu Zheng''s influence continued to expand, Taixuan Holy Land now had numerous affiliated forces; in terms of influence, it was truly a Holy Land.


    Before his departure, Chu Zheng visited Taixuan City and took a batch of ancient relics from the Southern Territory Song n, also aiding them in opening a Heritage Secret Realm.


    The Southern Territory Song n had long been helping Chu Zheng to secretly search for ancient relic fragments, which they had umted over some time.


    After receiving this batch of fragments, Chu Zheng carefully examined them and found that most were fragments of magical treasures; top quality magical treasures were rarely seen and not a single Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure was present.


    Fragments that could be easily found were generally not of high value. The possibility that high-grade spiritual treasures had been collected was significant; although re-smelting the materials was extremely challenging, people still attempted it.


    After all, for a part of the cultivators, time was not valuable.


    Chu Zheng did not invite the Taixuan''s elders to apany him but sent a letter of invitation first, then set off alone with Bai Nian on a war chariot towards Illusory Spirit City.


    With the Lihuo Spear and the Flowing Cloud Umbre, two Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, ordinary Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortals could not threaten him; there was no need to bother the elders.


    At this moment, it was a busy time; it was unnecessary to waste their time on such trivial matters.


    ...


    ...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Chu Zheng did not deliberately hasten his speed and after several days of travel, he finally arrived at the Phantom Spirit Mountain Range.


    Due to sessive major changes, the dispute between Phantom Spirit Sect and Night Light Pavilion had to be left unresolved; even after Ling Qi''s death, Tai Xu Holy Land could not spare new personnel to mediate.


    At the entrance to Illusory Spirit City, more than ten people were already waiting.


    Today''s Illusory Spirit City, different from Chu Zheng''s memory, was eerily quiet, almost devoid of any sound, like a dead city.


    Chu Zheng could feel many fluctuations of Life Yuan Qi; there were still arge number of mortal cultivators in the city, but they stayed inside buildings and did not show themselves.


    Clearly, they had been warned in advance to halt all activities temporarily.


    Opening his Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng quickly discerned the identities of the few people by the city gate.


    The Supreme Elder of Phantom Spirit Sect, the sect master, and several inner sect elders.


    In the previous battle beyond the realm, Phantom Spirit Sect had also participated, but was too insignificant, mixed within the armies of numerous sects; as Chu Zheng had never seen these people before, they did not catch his attention at the time.


    Momentster, Chu Zheng''s gaze settled on a young man.


    At a nce, the man was just over twenty, wearing a sky blue vestment robe, tall and straight with a full noble aura, and an ethereal demeanor.


    Qin Feng.


    This was the first Immortal Path Cultivator Chu Zheng had ever seen in his life.


    Back then, it was he who had taken Song Lingqing back to his residence, marking the beginning of all conflicts.


    After several years, Qin Feng had reached the Divine Infant stage, aiming for this step with his Middle Quality Immortal Bone, a difficult journey.


    Looking at Chu Zheng on the chariot, Qin Feng''s expression was somewhat nk; he had never imagined that after just a few years, they would meet under these circumstances.


    When they first met, Chu Zheng had left an impression, and he had even felt pity for him back then.


    Who would have thought that such a huge transformation would take ce in Chu Zheng, who in a few short years, had be the master of a Holy Land.


    Even his cultivation had now surpassed, stepping into the Divine Infant stage and even defeating a descendant of the Immortal King in the Middle Stage of Divine Infant.


    Reaching the Soul Condensation into Nascent stage had taken him three hundred years, costing him nearly a hundred times the time spent by Chu Zheng; the disparity is hard for others to fathom.


    Among the group, the one with a somewhat impressive expression was Han Yuliang.


    A cultivator''s memory was exceptionally good.


    His impression of Chu Zheng was also deep; in the ident that urred in that mine, only that odd-jobber disciple had miraculously survived.


    At the time, when warrants for Chu Zheng were widespread, he just happened to be forcibly undergoing his Nascent Soul Transformation, severely injured and in seclusion, and didn''t get a clear understanding.


    After exiting seclusion, what followed immediately was the war beyond the realm, leaving no extra time for him to understand these matters.


    Meeting again so suddenly now, he was even finding it hard to react.


    The young man standing at the forefront stepped forward, bowed, and said:


    "Phantom Spirit Sect, Feng Qiyuan, greets the Taixuan Holy Master."


    His cultivation had reached the Divine Infant Second Transformation, far surpassing Chu Zheng, but at this moment, he dared not show any disrespect.


    Although Chu Zheng''s cultivation was not as high as his, surpassing him was only a matter of time.


    Moreover, soon another dispute would arise beyond the realm, and while there were prohibitions within Cangyun Realm, Taixuan couldn''t openly attack Phantom Spirit Sect.


    But beyond the realm, there were fewer restrictions, and it would be effortless for Taixuan Holy Land to silently eradicate them.


    Looking at Illusory Spirit City in front of him, Chu Zheng was somewhat conflicted.


    In the past, he was extremely repelled by the many schemes of Phantom Spirit Sect, but now looking back, he found his opinion somewhat changed.


    For the sake of a mere High Quality Immortal Bone, they had instigated a major conflict and meticulously orchestrated a grand y, even risking the power of the entire sect.


    Such actions were mostly forced out by Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Was Tai Xu Holy Land truly socking in disciples? Of course not.


    While High Quality Immortal Bone was indeed a treasure for many sects, within a Holy Land, it was difficult to even enter the top hundred among peers.

 Chapter 261 Revisiting Old Places, True Immortals Guidance_2

    ```


    Even so, once a high-quality Immortal Bone appeared in the world, Tai Xu Holy Land would still take action, employing various means to forcefully include the Immortal Seedling into their ranks.


    Looking at it from today''s perspective, Chu Zheng had already gained some insight into the reasons behind this.


    The importance Tai Xu Holy Land ced on high-quality Immortal Bones might also be because of the example set by Zhao Tingxian.


    No one could ensure that among those with high-quality Immortal Bones, there wouldn''t emerge a second Zhao Tingxian. To want to firmly grasp them in one''s own hands was an utterly normal thing to do.


    Standpoints differ, and naturally, so do perspectives on matters.


    Before he left the Song Residence, his thoughts were too simple, confined to thend of a few countries; Phantom Spirit Sect was the sky above his head. Then, the Holy Land tore away the veil obscuring his sight, and the sky above him rose anotheryer, reaching beyond the stars.


    One''s vision determines the upper limit of their worldview. He was, after all, just an ordinary man, incapable of fully discerning the whole truth. As his horizons continuously broadened, many of his thoughts were constantly changing.


    There are some things one will never understand without experiencing them firsthand.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect no longer fell within Chu Zheng''s field of vision, and he had no intention of dwelling on the past circumstances of the Song Residence.


    As for this group of Divine Infant Realm Elders who participated in this war, who knows how many will survive.


    In Chu Zheng''s eyes, many things are now much more important than the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    "May I ask why the Taixuan Holy Master graced us with his presence today?" Feng Qiyuan bowed slightly, his words carrying a hint of caution.


    "I have some private matters. I won''t enter Phantom Spirit Sect, just stay for a moment and leave."


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much, giving Feng Qiyuan a reassuring pill and turned his head to look at Bai Nian.


    Looking at Illusory Spirit City before him, Bai Nian felt somewhat dazed for a moment. Having departed in a rushst time, he had never stood at this angle and taken a good look at thisnd of his past.


    The city that had seemed boundless now appeared to have its limits.


    Chu Zheng, with Bai Nian in tow, entered the city and soon returned to that small courtyard.


    The lock on the courtyard gate showed some signs of rust.


    Standing at the door for a long time, Bai Nian did not unlock the door but instead turned around to express his gratitude, "Thank you, Holy Master, this is enough."


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much, turning around and heading out of the city.


    As he passed the northern part of the city, Chu Zheng looked back at the medicine shop he had opened; dust covered the front steps, devoid of footprints, clearly untouched for a long time.


    Not only was it like this in front of the medicine shop, but a thinyer of dust alsoyered the front of the brothel.


    Soon, Chu Zheng and hispanion reached the city gate, with Feng Qiyuan apanying them in silence.


    In front of the city gate, Chu Zheng nced at Feng Qiyuan and suddenly transmitted a message, cutting to the chase:


    "Regarding the matter of the Song Family''s high-quality Immortal Bone before, I want to hear the full details. Ling Qi died at my hand¡ªif there''s any concealment, you cannot bear the consequences."


    There were some previous matters that Chu Zheng still wanted to know the actual situation of.


    Feng Qiyuan remained silent for a while but chose not to hide anything. From the day Song Lingqing and Xiao Yuanqing joined the sect, he told everything, no matter how significant or trivial.


    Upon hearing that Song Lingqing was missing and Xiao Yuanqing was dead, Chu Zheng had already deduced the entire truth.


    "Where is Wei Changqing now?"


    Remembering the seemingly simple-looking youth, Chu Zheng casually asked.


    With the dual identity of a high-quality Immortal Bone and a reserve for the Holy Land True Transmission, the youth''s exceptionality was assured.


    Hearing the name Wei Changqing, Feng Qiyuan was slightly startled, not expecting Chu Zheng to be so well-informed as though he knew everything.


    After hesitating for a moment, he told the truth:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I have taken him as my disciple."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng fell silent for a while, then left with Bai Nian to begin their return journey.


    The rtionship between Phantom Spirit Sect and Tai Xu Holy Land seemed very delicate, but now, these were of little relevance to him.


    Only after the chariot hadpletely vanished from the sky did Feng Qiyuan finally breathe a sigh of relief, his gaze somewhatplex.


    Chu Zheng''s visit¡ªhe had originally thought it was to cause trouble, but it turned out to be peaceful, inevitably easing some tension.


    Aftering back to his senses, Feng Qiyuan couldn''t help feeling a bit resentful.


    The Phantom Spirit Sect was ultimately too weak. In every aspect, it was hard topare with the Holy Land¡ªthis was a substantive difference.


    ```


    The most despairing aspect was that this disparity was almost impossible to bridge.


    Unless... within the Phantom Spirit Sect, there emerged a prodigy like Chu Zheng, who could rewrite the Cangyun power structure with his own strength.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng, apanied by Bai Nian, hastened back to the Taixuan Holy Land without stopping, and the journey was safe without any mishaps.


    Just less than two days after returning to Taixuan, the precise orders from the Immortal Alliance had already reached Chu Zheng''s hands, much earlier than expected.


    The content of the orders was simple, consisting only of a time and ce, including a set of spatial coordinates located within the starry space not far outside the Cangyun Realm.


    Three dayster, they would have to cross the universe themselves to reach this rendezvous point.


    The True Immortals of the Immortal Alliance were going to set up a realm gate that spanned the starry space to lead them to the battlefield.


    For this departure, Chu Zheng had originally wanted to take Song Lingxue with him, to seek a new path for survival, but considering the overwhelming risk, he had to abandon the idea.


    The Myriad Realms did not tolerate the Second-fold Immortal Martial Dao, and Song Lingxue would not fare well even there. Without a better option, the Martial Hall was the best choice.


    At least, it had moreplete methods for cultivation and a world where normal practice of cultivation was possible.


    The disputes over the Taoist Orthodoxy were too bloody and brutal; Chu Zheng''s current strength was utterly insufficient to secure a sanctuary for Song Lingxue in the Myriad Realms.


    He needed time, and quite a significant amount of it.


    ...


    ...


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    As dawn broke, more than a hundred Flying Boats rose into the sky from the Taixuan Holy Land, with starry banners and lightning halberds that obscured the heavens.


    The same scene took ce throughout the Cangyun Four Regions.


    Chu Zheng followed closely by Geng Yiyang''s side, upon his specific instruction. With the situation beyond the realms being chaotic, no one could predict the next change.


    Being closer gave him more assurance of getting Chu Zheng safely through.


    In fact, if it weren''t for the orders from the Immortal Alliance, Geng Yiyang would have even liked to keep Chu Zheng in the Cangyun Realm, away from the conflict.


    However, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had improved too rapidly, involving him in wars of this level so swiftly.


    For this, Geng Yiyang could only sigh at the capriciousness of fate; he had lived for tens of thousands of years and never experienced an extra-realm war, yet in the short years of acquaintance with Chu Zheng, he had already participated in two.


    The coordinates provided by the Immortal Alliance were not far from the Cangyun Realm, and with many Immortal Tribtion Realm cultivators shifting space, the armada arrived in less than two days.


    A gigantic illusory light gate stood beneath the starry sky, drawing the surrounding starlight, seemingly rooted in the cosmos itself, unshakeable.


    In front of the light gate, a middle-aged woman in courtly attire stood poised, her figure full and stature graceful with an air of elegance and nobility. She exuded an aura of Immortal authority; her expression was solemn, with a hint of added iciness.


    Several Holy Masters emerged from their Flying Boats, about to ask questions, when the middle-aged woman already hurried them:


    "The other Great Realms have already set off for the battlefield. Cangyun is thest one; please proceed quickly."


    Seeing this, the Holy Masters could only rush to salute and return to their respective Flying Boats, sessively entering the light gate.


    Crossing the threshold led to a long path that was hazy and indistinct.


    Chu Zheng slowly closed his eyes, not looking at the unusual sights in the spatial passage. He calmed his breath and concentrated his mind, ready to face the potential battle that might await.


    Within the path, the sense of time seemed to have dulled markedly.


    After an indeterminate length of time, the path finally came to an end.


    When Chu Zheng opened his eyes again, the surrounding space was an extremely unfamiliar starry sky, with a simrly gigantic illusory light gate behind him.


    Once all the Flying Boats had emerged, the light gate gradually dissipated.


    Chu Zheng stood, looking around. When he saw the starry space not far away, his expression momentarily stilled.


    A colossal gate forged from hundreds of stars sprawled below the dome of the starry sky.


    Thick Formation Patterns covered the entire gigantic gate, stirring powerful waves of Spiritual Energy amid the dead silence of the universe.

 Chapter 262 Heaven Pass

    [Heaven Pass (Eighth Order): Forged from seven hundred and forty-sixrge stars, hastily constructed and bearing thew essences of fourteen True Immortals, it is but a half-finished product and remains under construction.]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Within the vast river of stars, hundreds of stars were forcibly gathered together by an invisible force, mixed with Immortal Gold and Divine Iron, forging an insurmountable Immortal Pass stretching millions of miles.


    This was undoubtedly the work of True Immortals, who had drawn a massive number of stars to this ce, threading Spirit Veins through them and enabling Cultivators of the Immortal Path to wage war for extended periods in the starry sky.


    The Immortal Pass was not fixed in one ce; arrays enveloped it from above and below, to the left and right. Following the patterns woven by the arrays, it roamed andpletely sealed off an entire star path.


    This was different from what Chu Zheng had envisioned. He had thought that this interception would be a spacetime battlefield like those he had encountered before, never expecting such a sight.


    The middle-aged woman who had led the way earlier stepped directly into the Immortal Pass. After a short while, a group of Cultivators d in Battle Armor, riding Flying Shuttles, crossed the starry space and ushered the Cangyun Cultivators into the Immortal Pass.


    Arrays were everywhere within the Immortal Pass. Standing atop a Flying Boat, Chu Zheng casually nced around and found that most served to strengthen and reinforce it, while a small portion sorted through the qi veins, continually smelting Spirit Stones into a torrent of Spiritual Energy to nourish the entire Immortal Pass.


    Chu Zheng pulled up his panel to take a look. The daily refresh count of repairs had risen to fifty times. The spiritual energy here wasparable to some of the Spirit Lands in the Cangyun Realm, a man-made paradise.


    And this was just the outer area; the central region would undoubtedly have even richer Spiritual Energy.


    Within the Immortal Pass, there were no Cultivators patrolling, but Chu Zheng asionally felt Divine Sense sweep past him.


    There was more than one True Immortal inside this Immortal Pass; there was no need for other Cultivators to patrol.


    Soon, the Cultivators from the various factions of the Cangyun Realm were led to a vast tform. Disembarking from the Flying Boats, they saw the Cultivators all garbed in Battle Armor, with Magic Treasures and spiritual weapons hanging at their sides, their expressions solemn.


    A Cultivator in the Late Stage of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, d in silver armor and approaching his thirties with an average stature, walked slowly before the crowd. His eyes were deep and calm, the Immortal Armor he wore streamed with clearly visible Immortal Light, exerting an impressively overwhelming presence.


    Even among those of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, the Immortal charm he exuded was significantly heavier than that of many Cangyun Cultivators.


    [Si Jizhong (Seventh Order): Deputy General of the Immortal Alliance Breaking Kill Army Heavenly Character Camp, at the Late Stage of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, Mixed-blooded Immortal Descendant.] Explore more at empire


    Chu Zheng reined in the Spiritual Light in his eyes, deep in thought.


    The term Immortal Descendant was one he had seen with both Zhao Tingxian and the Heavenly Judge who had pursued him, though both of them were Pure-blooded Immortal Descendants.


    This might be rted to the Immortal Alliance''s secrets.


    Chu Zheng stood quietly among the crowd while Geng Yiyang stepped forward, joining the Holy Masters of several other Holy Lands to approach Si Jizhong.


    This ce was not Cangyun, and status had no significance here; what mattered was Cultivation strength.


    In Cangyun, Chu Zheng was the Taixuan Holy Master, but here, he was just an ordinary Divine Infant Cultivator.


    "Cangyun Realm..."


    Upon hearing the origin of the group of Cangyun Cultivators, Si Jizhong murmured softly, his brow furrowed slightly. Then, reaching out, he unfolded a virtual light screen showing the structure of the Heaven Pass.


    He casually pointed out an area, summoning an Eighth Order Immortal General: "Immortal Tribtion and Tongxuan Realm Cultivators stay put; the rest follow him to this location. The Immortal Pass still needs fortification; we require hands to inscribe Formation Patterns and smelt raw ores. Once there, just follow orders."


    In a battlefield of such cosmic scale, the impact of Cultivators of the Divine Infant Realm, including those of the Divine Transformation Realm, was quite limited. Here, their role was merely to ensure logistics while the main force ofbat consisted of Tongxuan up to Immortal Tribtion Realm Cultivators.


    The Holy Masters did not say much; they nodded their agreement and quickly began to organize and arrange.


    Geng Yiyang returned to Chu Zheng''s side, his light dimmed, and reminded him through telepathy, "This man''s reaction was a bit odd; his attitude changed noticeably upon hearing the words ''Cangyun.'' I won''t be at your side, so you must be careful in everything. This ce is different from Cangyun; I won''t be able to cover for you. Act ording to your abilities in all matters."


    At this Heaven Pass, the number of Cultivators from the Great Realms was extremely numerous, with an astonishing number of Immortal Tribtion Realm Cultivators present, most of whom would be a sect patriarch in their original locations.


    In such a scenario, Geng Yiyang was genuinely concerned that Chu Zheng might stir trouble that couldn''t be resolved.


    Chu Zheng silently nodded; he was well aware of this in his heart, always maintaining caution towards the Immortal Alliance.


    There must be unique aspects of the Cangyun Realm unknown to him; otherwise, it was impossible that, except for Zhao Tingxian, none of the True Immortal Seeds who had left the realm ever returned.


    Shortly after, the Cultivators of the Cangyun Realm were divided into two groups. Chu Zheng blended in with the numerous Divine Infant Cultivators, boarded a Flying Shuttle, and followed behind the Tongxuan Immortal General towards the depths of the Immortal Pass.


    During this process, Chu Zheng spotted Shang Zuling; her injuries were fully healed, and she was back at her peak condition.


    Shang Zuling also noticed Chu Zheng, nodded at him slightly as a greeting, and made no move toe forward and talk.


    After passing through two spatial portals, the concentration of Spiritual Energy around them suddenly became much thinner. This was an area close to the starry sky, where endless starlight filled the eyes upon looking up.


    Many Cultivators were in the vicinity, minutely following the Formation Map gifted by a True Immortal toy out the Formation Patterns, with Cultivation ranging from Divine Infant to the Nine Transformations of the Divine Infant.


    Such Cultivation levels would suffice to be a Supreme in Cangyun; here, they weremon everywhere.


    In a farther zone, nearly a thousand furnaces were set up. Chu Zheng took one look and couldn''t help but be moved.

 Chapter 262 190: Heaven Pass_2

    ```


    The furnace housed the Fire Seed of the Great Sun True me, and around each crucible, more than a dozen cultivators sat, continuously channeling mana to stimte the Fire Seed, turning a multitude of raw ores into clusters of Spiritual Liquid, which was then drawn out to pour and construct the Formation Patterns.


    The Great Sun True me, already a Sixth Order Fire Seed, was innumerable at a nce, and within a few furnaces, even Seventh Order Demi Immortal Fire Seeds were present, their value beyond measure.


    Theplexions of the cultivators near the crucibles were all pale, their breaths undting uneasily, pushed to the extreme of exhaustion without a moment''s respite.


    Cultivators d in Immortal Alliance Armor and possessing Tongxuan-level cultivation roamed all around, evidently supervising the work.


    A few cultivators from the Immortal Alliance approached Chu Zheng and the others, taking out a Jade Wall and scanning it behind the heads of each cultivator.


    When the Jade Wall passed behind certain cultivators, it would emit ayer of faint luminescence.


    Every time the Jade Wall reacted, the Immortal Alliance cultivators would single out those individuals and take them to the side.


    Chu Zheng soon noticed the pattern, with the cultivators chosen all possessing talent above High Quality Immortal Bone.


    Before long, the Jade Wall scanned the back of Chu Zheng''s head, emitting an exceptionally dazzling rainbow of Immortal Light.


    The cultivator holding the Jade Wall wore a startled expression for a moment and then, unable to hide a hint of regret in their eyes, led Chu Zheng out of the crowd.


    Shortly after, Shang Zuling was also selected and brought not far from Chu Zheng''s side.


    The selection was quicklypleted, and the remaining cultivators were all led to the crucibles'' side to assist in melting the ore.


    Chu Zheng and the others, however, were assigned to another area toy out the Formation Patterns ording to the Formation Map bestowed by True Immortal.


    Throughout the process, Chu Zheng had not spoken a word, quietlyying out the Formation Patterns while observing the entire area''s operations.


    After watching for a few days, he gradually understood.


    Laying out the Array was far less exhausting than melting the ores, and there was even a chance to rest for a while before the raw ores werepletely melted.


    The area where ores were being melted offered no respite whatsoever. Cultivators even needed to constantly swallow elixirs to restore mana quickly for the sustenance of the Fire Seed.


    As a result, this would undoubtedly umte a significant amount of elixir toxicity within the body, which for an ordinary cultivator, not only shakes the foundation of their cultivation but could also damage their Life Origin.


    Not everyone has something like a healing panel.


    Those with High Quality Immortal Bone still have potential to advance further, and if wrung dry in this ce, it would be a loss for the Immortal Alliance indeed.


    The rest of the cultivators were essentially expendable, the disparity between them left unspoken.


    Chu Zheng had seen cultivators who couldn''t hold on any longer, fainting away, reduced to skin and bones, and then carried away by the Immortal Alliance cultivators without anyone knowing where they were taken.


    Even if these cultivators were to fully recover, such indelible inner harm was utterly irreversible.


    About this, Chu Zheng could only watch silently, without any means to intervene, as he couldn''t risk exposing his panel to save these cultivators.


    In such circumstances, it was already difficult for him just to protect himself.


    Even so, he was considering how to escape should he not be able to withstand this Heaven Pass. Discover hidden stories at empire


    If the Heaven Pass were to copse, when necessary, he could hide his Divine Infant within his Golden Core and directly abandon his physical body, which might allow him to leave the battlefield without drawing attention.


    Then, through the panel, he hoped he couldpletely repair his physical body.


    The problem was, aside from himself, how he would find a way out for people like Geng Yiyang.


    ...


    ...


    Before he knew it, more than a year had passed.


    On the somewhat deste Steel ins, Chu Zheng bent down, meticulously carving out the trajectories of the Formation Patterns, then filling them with clusters of Spiritual Liquid that radiated intense heat.


    This operation was somewhat simr toying optical fibers in Chu Zheng''s concept, where once the Spiritual Liquid cooled, it would leave behind a tiny channel within that could amodate the flow of Spiritual Power.


    ```


    At that time, by infusing spiritual energy into the array, they would instantly activate the entire grand formation, even the entire Heaven Pass itself.


    The Heaven Pass was, in itself, an extremely terrifying Immortal Treasure. Once activated, Chu Zheng couldn''t fathom how much power it could unleash.


    Life within the Heaven Pass was incredibly monotonous; aside fromying out arrays daily and finding time to cultivate, Chu Zheng had nothing else to do.


    Having left Cangyun andcking the enhancement of Heavenly Fate, Chu Zheng''s cultivation speed was somewhat affected. Plus, with his Golden Core being of high quality, he naturally required more resources for cultivation.


    Fortunately, he still had a stockpile of elixirs. Over the past year, his cultivation had also improved slightly, edging towards Golden Core Middle Stage.


    During this period, Chu Zheng had considered using the Star Capturing Heaven Method to transform and cultivate in the Alien Realm.


    But after much deliberation, he eventually abandoned the idea.


    Doing such an action under the noses of many True Immortals was simply too perilous. If the traces of Star Capturing Heaven were discovered, he would immediately be thrust into mortal danger.


    At that time, he could potentially be treated as a spy from the Myriad Realms and be casually crushed by a True Immortal without even a chance to struggle or resist.


    As his thoughts wandered, the supply of Spiritual Liquid behind Chu Zheng suddenly ceased. He turned around to look, only to see it interrupted.


    As time went on, this kind of situation urred more and more frequently. Even machines could not operate endlessly without respite; this was apletely foreseeable situation.


    To ensure progress, many High-Quality Immortal Bones were transferred by the Immortal Alliance to participate in the smelting of ore.


    It was a necessary measure.


    Chu Zheng sat down on the ground, staring nkly at the starry sky overhead.


    A year had passed, and he hadn''t seen so much as a shadow of a cultivator from the Myriad Realms.


    If it could continue like this, and once the battle subsided, returning safely to Cangyun wouldn''t be a bad thing...


    Boom!


    A heaven-splitting boom suddenly snapped Chu Zheng out of his reverie. The ground beneath his feet began to tremble, growing increasingly violent.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A fierce gale blew from the starry sky, and in an instant, all the stars in the sky transformed into human figures.


    In the area enveloped by Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense, which spanned less than ten thousand miles, he couldn''t see the full picture of the battlefield. All he saw before him was a giant god enwrapped in the clouds of incense smoke.


    This giant god stood half a head taller than the entire Heaven Pass, with eight arms, a green face, and fierce fangs. One pair of hands supported the sun and the moon, while the remaining six arms wielded halberds and spears, all carrying weapons of ughter.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Warriors from the Myriad Realms!


    Chu Zheng''s heart suddenly clenched. Before he could collect his thoughts, a bright glint from a halberd tore through the gxy and descended with a crash, striking the Heaven Pass shrouded in starlight.


    Located on the outermost perimeter of the Heaven Pass, the halberd strike appeared to Chu Zheng almost as if a towering Jade Wall was copsing and bearing down on him from above. The terrifying pressure was enough to throw him into instant confusion and despair, momentarily disrupting his thought process.


    Hum¡ª


    A light screen emerged, blocking this world-cleaving strike. The ins, forged from Divine Iron, rose like waves of iron due to the tremendous shock. The horrific force swept up many cultivators into the high sky, copsing the furnaces and causing Fire Seeds to scatter in all directions, instantly turning the area into a sea of fire.


    Some cultivators who couldn''t evade in time were engulfed by the firestorm, burnt to ash in the blink of an eye, leaving no remains.


    Hiss¡ª


    From the peak of Heaven Pass, Immortal Light surged, and an Immortal Sword flew out. With a gentle swing of the sword''s de, the overwhelming Sword Qi fell like a cascade of stars, instantly cutting off four arms of that colossal god.


    Chu Zheng, having just stabilized himself in mid-air, the next moment, the starry sky was filled with a myriad of Divine Lights and colors, like meteors striking the shielding Array of the Heaven Pass.


    Even with the Array in between, ripples spread through the void. The pressure of the invisible air wall caused Chu Zheng''s bones to creak.


    When stability returned to the surroundings, beneath the starry sky, celestial lights of the sun and moon appeared. The phantom images of towering ancient trees emerged, followed by mountains, rivers, nts, and immortal blossoms, all materializing one by one. Practitioners of Divine Communication Techniques were creating an illusory Great Realm at this very moment, enveloping the entire Heaven Pass.


    Clearly, this group of cultivators from the Myriad Realms didn''t intend to break through the pass and leave, but rather aimed to eliminate all the Immortal Path Cultivators within this Heaven Pass in one fell swoop.

 Chapter 263 Fight to the Death, True Immortal Remnant Bone

    [Eight-armed God (Eighth Order): An Upper Rank True God of the Incense Fire Divine Path, one of many incarnations, whose true form is exceedingly distant. Within its divine body resides a Divine Kingdom, embracing billions of fervent followers.]


    The distance between the stars was too vast¡ªChu Zheng''s Spiritual Eye could hardly discern the information of these beings.


    The closest was that colossal Incense Fire Deity. In haste, he could only make out this piece of information.


    An Eighth Order True God equates to a True Immortal. As for the term "Upper Rank," it likely pertains to the categorization of the strength of Incense Fire Deities.


    Before Chu Zheng could recover from his astonishment, behind the head of the Eight-armed God, there abruptly emerged a Divine Kingdom, within which indistinct figures could be seen kneeling in prayer, worshiping this gigantic deity.


    A dense blue smoke billowed out, congealing into a cloud of incense smoke that enveloped the severed arm, and the four sliced arms quickly regenerated.


    Clearly, the myriad figures within the Divine Kingdom were fervent followers of the Eight-armed God, the source of the Incense Fire Deity''s power.


    Although this was merely an incarnation of the Eight-armed God, the very presence of so many followers revealed its determination.


    The Path of Incense Fire Divinity maintains that with undiminished followers, the Incense Fire Deity will exist eternally¡ªan undoubtedly unique path to immortality.


    But the Heavenly Dao is fair¡ªwhere there is gain, there must be loss. The Path of Incense Fire Deity is not only weaker inbatpared to ordinary cultivators, but it alsoes with many limitations.


    In the strictest sense, Incense Fire Deities can no longer be considered alive. Their flesh and blood had long ceased to be,pletely losing the reproductive abilities that living beings naturally possess.


    Moreover, they were excessively dependent on their followers. Should the number of their followers suddenly suffer catastrophic losses, their own power would plummet from the clouds into the abyss, making it exceedingly difficult to rise again merely by their own might.


    In other words, Incense Fire Deities do not have the opportunity to start over, and they must expend significant effort to protect their followers.


    In only a few moments, the surrounding starry sky vanished from sight, a great sun hung above them, and a clear blue sea under a green sky was visible, cutting off the starlight from the heavens.


    Chu Zheng had never seen such a technique before, and was greatly shaken, unable to discern whether the scene before him was an illusion or if there truly was an entity that, in a blink of an eye, had formed its own cosmos.


    Several figures walked out from the Immortal Pass, their every movement infused with surging waves of immortal power, all of them True Immortals, wielding Immortal Treasures, heading straight towards the Eight-armed God to besiege him.


    The leading True Immortal, with long hair cascading like a waterfall, wore a white and blue Immortal Robe, stepped in Azure Dragon boots, and wielded the very Immortal Sword that had severed the Eight-armed God''s arms earlier.


    The sword''s edge trembled, its voracious radiance overshadowing the great sun in the sky.


    A beam of sword light descended¡ªa solitary strike split the heavens, tearing a huge rift through the world before them, the starry sky reappearing as the sword''s might pressed against the crown of the Eight-armed God''s head, aiming to cleave him in two.


    Facing several True Immortals together, the Eight-armed God did not engage but instead quickly retreated.


    In the blink of an eye, several figures emerged behind the Eight-armed God, all distinct in form, their aura fluctuations on par with those of True Immortals.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Both parties engaged without any exchangebat was immediate, as the vast fluctuations of Laws overwhelmed the heavens. There was no holding back; every move was made to kill.


    Boom!


    The world plunged into chaos, the Yin Yang Dual Qi intertwining, emitting a terrifyingly brilliant celestial light that formed a vast ocean of chaos, obscuring any view within.


    Chu Zheng, who had been observing the battlefield closely, suddenly felt a piercing pain in his eyes and blood gushed forth like a fountain, injured by the Breath of Law, and he was instantly blinded.


    As the repair panel functioned, a refreshing flow seemed to pour into his eyes, soothing the intense pain, and his vision swiftly returned to normal.


    At that moment, Chu Zheng''s face showed an unmistakably horrified expression.


    The moment his sight was taken, he saw a sh of blood¡ªa True Immortal was instantaneously dismembered, even their Protective Immortal Treasure shattered.


    As the True Immortal perished, visions of worlds copsing flitted by, blurred and indecipherable.


    On the other side of the Myriad Realms, too, some spat blood from grave injuries, as the Eight-armed God was once again bisected at the waist by the Immortal Sword.


    Around the wound, silent Sword Qi encircled, relentlessly erasing his Incense Fire Willpower, preventing his recovery.


    Bang!


    The Array barrier that enshrouded Heaven Pass shattered, a massive breach opened by the aftershocks of the sh between the True Immortals.


    Amidst the falling debris, remnants of bones mixed with Immortal Blood tumbled into Heaven Pass, giving off an incredibly rich and exotic fragrance.


    An Eighth Order being''s essence, even if just a drop of Essence Blood, is invaluable to cultivators who have not yet attained immortality. Experience exclusive tales on empire


    In the sky above, the fractured Array gradually healed, and to prevent further disturbances to Heaven Pass, a True Immortal immediately performed a secret technique, transferring the battlefield into anotheryer of space.


    Even with a True Immortal fallen at the outset of the battle, not a single one took a step back.


    This was a struggle for Heavenly Fate¡ªthere was no retreat, only a fight to the death.


    Bang¡ª


    A severed arm along with a piece of Remnant Jadended not far from Chu Zheng, blood spilling out, snuffing out the Great Sun True me that couldn''t touch even a sliver of it.


    [True Immortal Relic (Eighth Order/Iplete): The severed arm of a True Immortal, with remnants of Immortal Descendant''s blood, its True Spirit extinguished, irreparable, carrying traces of Law Energy. With your current abilities, you are unable to handle it.]


    [Purifying Sky Ring (Eighth Order/Iplete): A Middle Quality Immortal Treasure, crafted chiefly from Heavenly Abyss Jade Marrow, having endured Five Tribtions, shattered in battle. With your current abilities, you are unable to restore it.]


    Looking at the half-limb that had fallen nearby, Chu Zheng''s breath tightened slightly, and without much hesitation, he quietly merged into the Void, approaching the fallen limb.

 Chapter 263 Fight to the Death, True Immortal Remnant Bone_2

    ```


    The chaos was everywhere, and no one noticed Chu Zheng''s actions. In no time, he approached the severed arm and a fragment of the Purifying Sky Ring and discreetly collected them into his Small World.


    Beings in the True Immortal realm possessed power that Chu Zheng could not yetprehend: the Laws.


    Although he could not touch these things now and turn them into nutrients, once his rank as a Repair Master increased again, they would surelye in handy.


    For now, he could not repair anything associated with the word ''Immortal''; there must be some unknown distinctions.


    Many Flying Boats streamed out from the Heaven Pass towards the approaching army of the Myriad Realms, all of which were popted by Cultivators from the Immortal Tribtion realm and the Tongxuan Secret Realm.


    Half a momentter, fierce shes unfolded in the cosmos.


    Powerful beings above the Immortal Tribtion realm were blocked outside the pass by many Cultivators, but after the battle, it was inevitable that the arrays at the Immortal Pass would be breached in ces.


    Arge number of Cultivators from the Myriad Realms flooded through the breaches into the Immortal Pass.


    The goal of these Cultivators from the Myriad Realms was to destroy the Spirit Melting Array within the Immortal Pass and cut off the subsequent power of the Immortal Path Cultivators.


    Without the support of the Spirit Land, victory for the Myriad Heavens and Realms in this battle was certain.


    Even True Immortals relied on the environmental forces of Heaven and Earth, and without the amplification of the Heavenly Dao Laws, their Immortal Techniques and Divine Skills would be greatly diminished in power.


    A group of Mythical Beasts broke through the breach andnded not far from Chu Zheng, resembling huge mastiffs with iron feathers and steel manes. As they ran, the iron feathers rustled and stirred up gusts of wind in the void.


    [Iron Feather Mastiff (Fourth Order): Possessing the Celestial Mastiff Bloodline, their innate divine ability lies in manipting iron feathers with impressive might. Born from the Great Desire Celestial Spirit, they are under the jurisdiction of the Great Desire Heaven King, with a certain chance of bloodline Ancestral Return.]


    A few giant mastiffs, extremely close to Chu Zheng, started sniffing lightly before their beastly eyes glowed red and they pounced straight towards Chu Zheng''s location.


    Sensing the looming threat, Chu Zheng''s expression tensed slightly; these few had seen through his Invisibility Technique and sensed his Qi.


    Chu Zheng''s figure became visible, his expression disying little turbulence, as the Five Elements Immortal Root inside him stirred. He reached out arge hand and grabbed the iron feather mastiffs in his grip.


    With five Celestial Foundations within him and the Yin Yang Spirit, hisbat strength far surpassed that of ordinary Cultivators.


    Thud!


    The iron feathers and steel manes couldn''t withstand Chu Zheng''s colossal strength, turning into a pool of blood and mud.


    The moment he struck, Chu Zheng noticed that something was amiss ¡ª the surrounding was filled with ample nature''s spiritual energy avable for harnessing.


    After sensing for a moment, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be startled; not only had thisnd restored an environment rich in spiritual energy, but there were also True Immortals turning themselves into Heavenly Dao, overseeing the entire battlefield.


    This Heaven Pass had almost be aplete world unto itself, possessing all kinds of Laws.


    All the beings from the Myriad Realms who entered the Heaven Pass were under suppression, and the battle situation was almost entirely one-sided.


    This was clearly a tactic of the Immortal Alliance against the Myriad Heavens and Realms, applied with extreme proficiency.


    From this, one could see that the Immortal Alliance allowing True Immortals to govern the powers of the Heavenly Dao was likely in preparation for such strategies.


    However, creating such a war environment advantageous to the Immortal Path within the starry sky required the burning of a massive amount of resources.


    All Cultivators were fighting by borrowing nature''s spiritual energy, and with the Spirit Melting Array turning Spirit Stones into nature''s spiritual energy, the amount burned every moment was astronomical.


    Chu Zheng put aside his thoughts, released the Flowing Cloud Umbre and Lihuo Spear without being distracted by their control, and let them move freely, gathering the remnants as efficiently as possible.


    Compared to the power of these two Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, his Cultivation was insignificant; personally controlling them would only be a restriction.


    With a True Immortal overseeing the battlefield, it wasn''t good news for Chu Zheng.


    Because under the watchful eyes of a True Immortal, employing the methods of a Qi Cultivator involved taking too great of a risk.


    Seeing Chu Zheng appear and act, Shang Zuling, who was not far off, approached with a somewhat grave expression:


    "Daoist Chu, be careful. Those who havee are not only from the Myriad Realms. Some are from foreign races of the All Heavens!"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s gaze flickered slightly. Shang Zuling clearly had some understanding of the Myriad Heavens and Realms, even able to distinguish between the Myriad Realms and the All Heavens.


    As it seemed, the information provided by the Spiritual Eye earlier indicating the Great Desire Heaven was indeed one of the All Heavens.


    "Holy Master!"


    Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, a sudden telepathic message rang out, he turned his head to see it was the Family Head of the Southern Territory Song n, Song Yusang.


    ```


    At this moment, he was surrounded by three foreign races, facing imminent dangers, gasping for breath, exhausted, and had sustained multiple injuries.


    Chu Zheng was stunned for a moment before he reacted.


    Song Yusang''s cultivation had already reached the Divine Infant, naturally including him in the list of recruits for this Immortal Alliance''s summons.


    After a message was transmitted, Song Yusang''splexion changed slightly, and he no longer spoke, turning around to flee into the distance.


    Just now, he had merely sent a message for help and had not drawn the foreign races directly towards Chu Zheng. He was prepared for the possibility that Chu Zheng would not take action.


    After all, on such a chaotic battlefield, being able to preserve one''s life was already difficult. Chu Zheng owed a great debt to the Southern Territory Song n, and Song Yusang did not wish for him to fall into danger.


    That message just now was like a lifeline for someone drowning, apletely subconscious reaction. Your next journey awaits at empire


    In his urgency, he had forgotten one thing; putting aside the identity of the Taixuan Holy Master, Chu Zheng was also just a cultivator in the early stage of the Divine Infant Realm, and probably couldn''t help him either.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng''s brow furrowed slightly as mes suddenly burst into existence at his side. The two immortal roots of Wood and Fire moved gently, he executed the Fire God Transformation, striving to gather the scattered Great Sun True me Fire Seeds for his own use.


    Following the principle of the mutually generative Five Elements, with the support of the Wood Attribute Immortal Root, the Fire God Transformation that Chu Zheng executed was extremely powerful, coupled with the fire seeds scattered about, which were unimed, and soon, dozens of fire seeds were gathered in one ce by him.


    The Great Sun True me, being a Sixth Order Fire Seed capable of melting Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, was extremely formidable, and with dozens of fire seeds at his side now, the fighting power Chu Zheng could deploy had reached an extremely astonishing level.


    In an instant, several streaks of firelight swept past Song Yusang''s side, turning many foreign races into ashes.


    Chu Zheng had no intention to exchange pleasantries with him. He directly acted, stuffing Song Yusang into his Small World.


    Song Yusang had only stepped into the Divine Infant by a fluke due to environmental changes in the Cangyun heavens and earth, and he had been previously assigned to an area for refining Divine Iron. By now he was nearly spent, with no need to stay in the outside world and cause more chaos.


    "Daoist Shang, how did you distinguish the boundaries between All Heavens and the Myriad Realms?"


    Bathed in Divine Fire, Chu Zheng took the opportunity to send a message and ask a question.


    "The Myriad Realms are essentially under the Taoist Orthodoxy of our Human Race, while All Heavens is where a multitude of demons gather. Except for the Buddhist cultivators, all are of the Foreign Race," Daoist Shang Zuling responded sinctly. "If these foreign races were from the Demon Race, they would have already taken on a third of human form; nothing could be easier to distinguish."


    "Can you use the method you used on the battlefield beyond the realms again, Daoist Shang?"


    Chu Zheng recalled Daoist Shang Zuling''s performance on the battlefield beyond the realms. Having a guaranteed trump card would be ideal.


    "The Ancestor did not give me a second chance to call for help."


    Shang Zuling shook his head slightly, observing the many Fire Seeds around Chu Zheng, he spoke with a slightly more elevated tone: "This time could be a rare opportunity for you, Daoist. You must seize it."


    "What opportunity?"


    "This is a struggle for Heavenly Fate. If you survive in this battle and achieve enough battle aplishments, you will naturally be rewarded by the Heavenly Fate of the Immortal Path."


    Reward...


    Chu Zheng was stunned for a moment, then his heart violently shook as he caught the implication.


    The Immortal Path Heavenly Fate had sentience.


    He had originally thought that the entire Great Universe might be sentient, just like a world where many Taoist orthodoxiespete for a share of the world''s Heavenly Fate.


    It seems that might not be the case...


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    A dull and massive rumbling came from the sky as the canopy overhead slowly opened, revealing the starry sky once again.


    A warship, several timesrger than an ordinary star, slowly emerged from the end of the starry sky, its massive cannon ports flickering with a deadly divine light.


    From the terrifying fluctuations emanating from it, it was clear it had been charging for a while.


    That canopy before was just a ruse to conceal this warship.


    The next moment, a dazzling and brilliant divine light burst forth from the cannon ports, tearing through billions of miles of the gxy, crushing countless asteroids along its path.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Under the horrific impact, the entire Immortal Pass trembled, being pushed into the depths of the gxy, and the great star that had been fused there nearly showed signs of copsing and disintegrating.

 Chapter 264 True Immortal Falls, Strategizing

    Under the terrifying impact, the entire Immortal Pass was squeezed out of this Star Domain as the Array continuously dissolved and copsed.


    The True Immortalmanding Heaven Pass was desperately trying to salvage the situation, repairing the Array. However, the speed of repair was far slower than the disintegration of Heaven Pass.


    On the edge of Heaven Pass,rge chunks of Star Fragments were forcefully ejected.


    Chu Zheng''s location was precisely in this area. The ins, forged from Divine Iron, were already full of cracks, and the Array that was still beingid out had started to disintegrate.


    Boom!


    A terrifying sword light surged up between the Star Domains, severed the Milky Way, and blocked this apocalyptic divine light.


    Gradually, Heaven Pass stabilized and hovered in the middle of the starry sky, with copious amounts of fresh blood and bones sshing around, all one could see were Divine Infants and Primordial Spirits who had lost their physical bodies fleeing in every direction.


    In the region directly facing the apocalyptic divine light, most of the cultivators, including the beings from the Myriad Heavens and Realms, had their bodies shattered by the strike from afar.


    "Thank you, Daoist friend."


    Shang Zuling expressed his thanks, blood spilling from his eyes. His internal organs were injured. If it weren''t for Chu Zheng''s protection, helping him mitigate most of the impact just now, he would have been severely injured if not dead.


    Though he still had some minor injuries, they did not affect hisbat strength.


    Chu Zheng looked around. At this moment, he could no longer care about anything else. Raising his hand, he unleashed a ze of light, scooped up Shang Zuling, and prepared to leave.


    "It''s only a burden for you to take me with you, my friend. I have my own means of protection. There are still many of my n members here, and I need to find them."


    Shang Zuling rejected Chu Zheng''s kindness. Now that Chu Zheng could control the Divine Fire, hisbat power wasparable to a cultivator in the Divine Transformation Realm. Her presence would not be of any help, and she had her own tasks to undertake.


    "Daoist Shang, take care."


    Chu Zheng didn''t waste time here. Without much hesitation, he let go of Shang Zuling. Instead of moving towards the inner parts of Heaven Pass, he twisted his body and rushed towards the periphery where Heaven Pass had shattered into pieces.


    The oue of this battle was still uncertain, and he needed to prepare for the worst scenario. Going into the inner parts of Heaven Pass might end up being a trap, where he would sit and wait for death.


    As Shang Zuling had said earlier, it was much more convenient for him to act alone than for two people together.


    Even if the oue was that the Immortal Alliance retreated, Chu Zheng could use his identity as a Qi Cultivator or the Shape-Shifting Divine Power to disguise himself as a creature of the myriad realms, blending in to preserve his own life.


    However, he couldn''t possibly flee alone. Before that, he needed to find the other Great Mysterious Elders and Geng Yiyang''s location.


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng had charged to the periphery of Heaven Pass, surrounded by a sea of fire with Divine Fire rampantly streaking everywhere.


    Large chunks of Star Fragments floated in the starry space, from which surged powerful bursts of energy, with fierce battles still ongoing.


    Cultivators from the Tongxuan Secret Realm were engaging inbat with beings from the Myriad Heavens and Realms. After the huge change just now, there were losses on both sides.


    Chu Zheng scanned the area and overall, the Immortal Alliance still held the advantage.


    A considerable portion of Fire Seeds had been mastered by cultivators skilled in Fire-controlling Divine Power. Chu Zheng saw several Elders of the Divine Transformation Realm from the Taixuan, gathering these Elders together should allow him to breathe temporarily.


    Things naturally wouldn''t go as smoothly as Chu Zheng imagined.


    Soon, beings from the myriad realms noticed Chu Zheng''s presence. Two cultivators approached him, one of whom was a man nearly forty years old, bare-chested with bulging muscles and vigorous Blood Qi like an ocean.


    The other was a woman in her twenties, graceful and light-footed, with her enchanting body draped only in a thin veil, visibly enveloped in ayer of distinct Yin Qi.


    Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye, his gaze sweeping over the two. Both were Fifth Order beings, and their energy seemed subtly connected, clearly a part of an extremely profound Dual Cultivation Method, having grasped a fraction of the essence of the Yin Yang Great Path.


    Both prospered or suffered together, and their constitutions were extremelypatible, a rarity in the world.


    "The ability to control the Spiritual Fire indicates this person might have some extraordinary aspects to his physique. Let''s capture him alive, and you can dual cultivate with him, absorbing his bloodline''s essence. It should greatly benefit your constitution," the man remarked after sizing Chu Zheng up and clicking his tongue in wonder.


    "Just say you covet his Yang energy,"


    The woman rolled her eyes and chided, "The benefits I gain will eventually be yours anyway."


    With a loudugh, ripples emanated through the void as the man strode towards Chu Zheng, his body swelling in size, with Blood Qi bursting forth from his orifices, forming a huge phantom that shrouded him from behind.


    Chu Zheng''s mind subtly shifted, halting his movement, with no intention of entangling himself with the two. His spirit connected to the Lihuo Spear.


    Hum¡ª


    A crimson red spear emerged from the void, its divine light bursting forth, thrusting forth a ten-thousand-meter Spear Aura, fully disying the might of the Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure. Discover hidden tales at empire


    The Spear Aura was too domineering and swift, the man had no time to dodge, his expression drastically changed and with a long howl, his Blood Qi curled back, coating his body with ayer of blood-colored Battle Armor.


    Crack¡ª


    The blood-colored Battle Armor instantly shattered, the man''s chest exploded, and his organs were instantly turned to ash by the Divine Fire.


    The woman nearby, pupils dting suddenly, her lips parted slightly, releasing a breath of Moonlight.


    The Moonlight, like a band of silk sweeping across the starry sky, amid thunder, decapitated the man and drew his head back to her side.


    This strike was without any hesitation, decisive and sharp, but it was precisely because of this that the man''s life was preserved under this single strike.


    "Retreat quickly!"


    The man ordered in a soft shout, his face pale. A moment ago, he was just a step away from the Ghost Gate Pass, and nearly lost his life.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Before he could speak further, the woman had already turned around, taking the head with her as she fled into the starry sky. Before leaving, she reluctantly looked back at Chu Zheng.

 Chapter 264 True Immortal Falls, Strategizing_2

    She was indeed very interested in Chu Zheng''s body, as she could feel an abundance of Yang Yuan, which greatly benefited her cultivation.


    Chu Zheng did not pursue, but looked up and searched around. He quickly sensed a familiar aura originating from Geng Yiyang.


    The battlefield outside Heaven Pass had, along with the relocation of Heaven Pass, moved to this location, where one could now see many figures of Immortal Tribtion Perfection and Tongxuan Cultivators.


    Underneath the starry sky, a dragon-shaped Immortal me zed intensely. At this moment, Geng Yiyang too had unleashed the Fire God Transformation, appearing like a deity born amid Divine Fire, overlooking the starry heavens without a hint of Blood Qi.


    His Fire God Transformation was far more refined than Chu Zheng''s, and he was also not far from the realm of transforming into Immortal Fire.


    His opponent was a middle-aged man, dressed in a simple long robe, with an unremarkable appearance, holding half a Broken Ruler in his hands. The jagged edge was stained with blood, evidently having made a kill.


    Chu Zheng did not rashly speak to disturb Geng Yiyang, but started drifting among the Star Fragments, rallying the Great Mysterious Elders in one ce to avoid getting separately defeated.


    During this process, Chu Zheng faintly began to observe the battle situation in the sky.


    In the distant starry space, terrifying explosions erupted from time to time, turning the entire Star Domain into a chaotic mess, with stars turning into blue smoke and the sun and moon turning to ashes.


    A battlefield of True Immortals was not something that cultivators below the True Immortal Realm could intervene in, not even those at the Immortal Tribtion Perfection.


    The disparity inbat power had escted to an extremely terrifying level, shockingly awe-inspiring.


    After scanning a few times, Chu Zheng''s expression subtly changed; the battlefield in the distant Star Domain was still moving towards Heaven Pass.


    These beings, standing at the pinnacle of the Myriad Heavens and Realms, had not given up on their ns to sink Heaven Pass.


    This was the critical point influencing this battle.


    Given the right environment, the speed at which a True Immortal recovered from injuries was astonishingly fast, and replenishment was soon possible.


    Chu Zheng felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, his gaze wandering around, his thoughts spinning wildly in his mind as he began to consider his next move.


    The True Immortals of the Immortal Alliance would not allow beings from the Myriad Realms to get close. Now that the battlefield of the True Immortals was gradually advancing, it was sufficient to prove that the Immortal Alliance was at a disadvantage.


    This was still within the territory of the Immortal Alliance, and so far, no support from above the level of True Immortals had arrived, which was enough to exin some issues.


    It was necessary to consider a way out earlier.


    In just that instant, the distant battlefield had already drawn near to Heaven Pass.


    The distance suddenly closed, the shattered Star Fragments, enveloped in the aura of Laws, like a meteor shower, struck the Array''s light curtain, setting off ripples.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, Heaven Pass trembled violently, a figure smashed heavily against the Array''s light curtain, Immortal Light dazzling, astonishingly, it was a True Immortal.


    A cyan-gold arrow pierced through the brow, piercing the head and pinning the Primordial Spirit to the Array.


    The ensuing Star Fragments, like a series of heavy hammers, pounded on the True Immortal''s mutted body, grinding it bit by bit into a pulp.


    Immortal Blood trickled down, seemingly dripping into the hearts of many cultivators of the Immortal Alliance, stirring up waves of chill.


    An indescribable aura of solemn killing permeated the entire Heaven Pass, oppressively nearly suffocating.


    Humming¡ª


    In the aftermath of the sh between True Immortal-level beings, the light curtain continuously trembled violently, clearly with beings from the Myriad Realms forcibly breaking through.


    Ignoring his blinded eyes, Chu Zheng struggled to observe the situation on the battlefield, with both the Myriad Realms and the Immortal Alliance having lost several people.


    The incarnation of the earlier Eight-armed God was now nowhere to be seen, most likely having been in.


    Aside from this Incense Fire Deity, the Myriad Realms were also missing two figures, and that extremely terrifying warship had also disappeared, unknown whether it was hiding in the shadows, reumting power, or had been destroyed by a certain True Immortal.


    Your journey continues on empire


    The Immortal Alliance side, including the True Immortal who had just been killed, had lost a total of four people. Now, in the battlefield, only two True Immortals remained, whereas the Myriad Realms still had no less than five beings not weaker than True Immortals.


    Inside Heaven Pass, there were slight fluctuations in the Laws, the True Immortal guarding within Heaven Pass was already somewhat shaken, wanting to detach from Heaven Pass and join the battle.


    "The barrier is broken, lives are lost!"


    True Immortal holding the Immortal Sword, turned abruptly with a stern shout, stopping the disturbances within Heaven Pass.


    Chu Zheng wiped the blood from the corner of his eyes, used the Divine Fire to cover himself, quickly transported a group of Great Mysterious Elders into the Small World, and retreated towards a corner of Heaven Pass.


    At this moment, due to the impacts of numerous falling stars, the array in the sky had developed minor spatial cracks that could be traversed.


    His cultivation was low, unlikely to draw much attention; in the chaos, he could protect himself.


    Moreover, he could take advantage of the disorder to blend into the Myriad Realms, move with them, and on returning to Cangyun, act ording to the situation.


    Before Chu Zheng could reach the gap in the array, another anomaly suddenly arose in the starry sky.


    An extremely terrifying blood light suddenly lit up from afar, sweeping across from the distant starry sky.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Chu Zheng froze for a moment before realizing, horror shing in his eyes.


    This blood light, filling the Star Domain, stemmed from a single person, manifesting the Blood Qi of a mighty being.


    Soaring Blood Qi swept billions of miles across the starry dome, a figure with a handsome face and a tall, slightly slim stature, his long hair fastened by a wooden pin, donned in a simple cyan martial robe, stepped out from the blood light.


    With one step, he entered the battlefield, casually smashed his palm down, crushing across the starry sky, and directly pulverized a Myriad Realms powerful being into bloody mud, bones and all.


    As the distance closed, Chu Zheng''s Spiritual Eye finally ryed information.


    [Pei Hengxing (Eighth Order): Martial Cultivator, naturally shielded by martial fortune, Cultivation at the peak of Martial Saint Realm, close to advancing to Great Saint of Martial Path.]


    Martial Saint.


    Chu Zheng''s heart trembled slightly, this being his first encounter with a Martial Cultivator at the pinnacle; whosebat power was truly astonishing, eliminating Eighth Order beings as easily as picking flowers or reaching into a bag.


    "Run!"


    Upon seeing him, the remaining four powerful beings from the Myriad Realms, faces drastically altered, hesitated not a moment before turning to flee.


    Pei Hengxing''s expression remained cid as he murmured, resonating beneath the starry sky,


    "After all the effort to break through the Starry Sky Barrier and rushing all the way here, it would be a pity to leave now, please stay, as I wish to discuss and learn from you all."


    No sooner had his words faded than he already outpaced them, his Blood Qi surging gently, cleansing the starry sky, instantly clearing all the present breaths under the starry sky, steadying the chaoticw fluctuations, and frozen the meteor fire rain scattered everywhere in mid-air.


    He slowly extended his hand and with a fierce pull, the Blood Qi enshrouding the entire Star Domain suddenly trembled, and the vast wave of blood reversed billions of miles instantly, dragging the four fleeing figures back to his presence.


    "Recently, I have created a new Fist Technique called ''Demon Splitting''; I hope my fellow Daoists can offer some insights."


    Before his words ended, Pei Hengxing had already raised his arms, fists loosely clenched, amidst thunder, two fist shadows tore through the starry sky, falling onto the heads of two of the figures.


    Sensing their imminent doom shing wildly, the two figures targeted by the fist shadows let out a fierce scream, roaring through the starry river, using all their skills, sacrificing several Wonderous Treasures in a desperate counterattack.


    Boom!


    The collision that followed was earth-shattering as if the universe itself was roaring, the stars shattered, the unstoppable fist shadows consecutively smashed through several Wonderous Treasures, without a moment''s halt, reducing the two figures into a stter of blood mud.


    In the blink of an eye, another two beings capable of rivaling True Immortals had fallen, such ferocity that all beings above Heaven Pass were left speechless.


    Pei Hengxing''s gaze moved to the remaining two figures. Before he could take any further action, a heavenlydder descended, spanning the starry sea, extending beneath their feet, whisking them away instantly, vanishing without a trace.


    "Fellow Daoist, take care, until next time."


    Pei Hengxing''s demeanor showed neither joy nor anger, watching the departing heavenlydder, a hint of blood shing in his eyes, he bowed in salute.


    He stood quietly before Heaven Pass, resembling an ancient god, overlooking the starry river, his vast Blood Qi gradually withdrawing back into his body.


    Throughout, Pei Hengxing''s emotions had shown no ripples, his manners were gentle, unsettlingly stable.


    But with just these few words, he had resolved the dire cmity at Heaven Pass, casually ying three beings capable of rivaling high-grade True Immortals.

 Chapter 265 Integration, The Change of Battle Situation

    One after another, True Immortal-level beings perished, and throughout the entire Star Domain, a terrifying silence of death lingered.


    Broken mountains and rivers,kes, and seas often fell from the space debris, originating from unknown Small Worlds.


    From the moment Pei Hengxing appeared to when he sequentially slew three True Immortal-level beings, it only took a dozen breaths; nobody could react in time.


    Above Heaven Pass, there was dead silence, followed by an eruption of a shocking tidal wave ofmotion; cultivators from the Myriad Realms trapped within the range of the Array began frantically fleeing toward the outside of Heaven Pass.


    In such cosmic battlefields, once themander is in, if they continue to fight to the death, it''s tantamount to sending themselves uselessly to their demise.


    Falling into the hands of the Immortal Alliance, they would have no chance of survival; only one path awaited them: death.


    Under desperate circumstances, their counterattacks were often remarkably powerful, and some cultivators from the Immortal Alliance, caught off guard, suffered not insignificant casualties.


    Soon, the True Immortals returned to action and personally took matters into their hands; within moments, all the practitioners of the Heretic Path within Heaven Pass were eradicated, leaving no survivors. The disturbance was quickly suppressed.


    Geng Yiyang returned from the starry space, searching everywhere for Chu Zheng. Before long, he found him.


    Only after confirming that Chu Zheng was safe and sound did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. That battleship''s cannon fire was terrifying, enough to shatter the liver and galldder; even a True Immortal hit by a single shot would perish on the spot. Countless cultivators lost their physical bodies, leaving only their injured Divine Infants gasping for survival.


    Soon, the Immortal Alliance began organizing cultivators to clean up the battlefield, repair the broken Arrays, while also gathering those adept at Alchemy and manufacturing to begin forging Spirit Bodies.


    The "Spirit Body" is the physical shell on which cultivators who have lost their bodies depend, with an extremely special construction.


    Made with Divine Iron for bones and herbs and Spiritual Medicine for flesh and blood, another type of resurrection can be achieved. However, the future physical bodies of these cultivators will hardly undergo transformation, and the prospects of oveing the Immortal Tribtion are greatly diminished.


    The limit has been set; the best oue for these cultivators is to earn military merits for the Immortal Alliance on the battlefield once again, to bless their descendants¡ªequivalent to the end of their path to immortality.


    As for seizing a body to be reborn, it''s exceedingly difficult for Immortal Path Cultivators.


    The Divine Infant Realm, even up to Divine Transformation, the Primordial Spirit of the Tongxuan Secret Realm, is too powerfully energetic; the physical bodies of ordinary people simply cannot bear it, and apletely deceased body, having lost all life energy, cannot be used as a vessel.


    Even if they spend a great deal of effort finding a suitable body, the fluctuation of the Soul that has been nurtured by the body does not match the True Spirit developed within, which will cause rejection. Even if they are fortunate enough to enter the Immortal Tribtion Realm, they will have no chance to attain the gate of True Immortality.


    To seize a body for rebirth, among the concepts of Immortal Path Cultivators, is considered ast resort for survival, and it''s not even as convenient as a "Spirit Body." At least it''s considered clean, not tainted by the Soul of another person.


    Chu Zheng proactively applied to join the team cleaning the battlefield and then discreetly released both the Great Mysterious Elder and Song Yusang from his Small World.


    Various types of wreckage and fragments in the battlefield were Wonderous Treasures to him; these remains were at least above Top Quality Magical Treasures and would one day shine again in his hands.


    While Chu Zheng was bent on scouring the battlefield, Pei Hengxing had already stepped forward, setting foot on Heaven Pass.


    Although the Immortal Alliance emerged victorious this time, the losses atop Heaven Pass were no small figure; not only the number of dead cultivators but even these copsed Arrays and scattered Star Fragments would take a long time to repair.


    Heaven Pass spanned millions of miles, with Arrays stacked upon each other, not something that was built overnight. Clearly, it was a finished product from the Immortal Alliance, directly relocated here then further expanded upon.


    After confirming there were no surviving Alien Realm beings atop Heaven Pass, the remaining two True Immortals came up to meet them directly.


    Observing this scene, Chu Zheng moved a bit closer without changing his expression; a flicker of Spiritual Light in his pupils scanned the two surviving True Immortals.


    [Kuang Tianxian (Eighth Order): Cultivation at Nine Tribtions True Immortal, Spiritmunicating Sword Body, possesses an Innate Sword Spirit, Immortal Alliance Inspector, Pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, has ovee the Nine Great Tribtions, contains a World within, one step away from the Immortal Venerable realm.]


    [Yan Fusheng (Eighth Order): Cultivation at Eight Tribtions True Immortal, Immortal Alliance Inspector, Mixed-blooded Immortal Descendant, has ovee the Eightfold Great Tribtions, contains a World within, severely wounded with evil Qi leaking from within.]


    The cultivation levels of these two True Immortals were even higher than Chu Zheng had anticipated, nearly reaching the end within the True Immortal domain; the realm of Immortal Venerable was within reach.


    Both being Inspectors of the Immortal Alliance, some differences appeared in the information of these two individuals; one was a Pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, the other a Mixed-blooded Immortal Descendant.


    Thinking of this, Chu Zheng''s gaze grew sharper as he noticed something wrong: He could no longer discern the rank of their Immortal Bones from these True Immortals.


    Or rather, at the True Immortal realm, their whole bodies were Immortal Bones; cultivation no longer relied on that one piece of bone behind the head but was more rted to deeper bloodlines.


    True Immortal Bloodlines can influence and affect one''s own family, which might also have some connection to the blood of these Immortal Descendants.


    "I am Kuang Tianxian, may I ask for your esteemed name?"


    Kuang Tianxian sheathed his Immortal Sword and bowed to Pei Hengxing with a grave expression,


    "Many thanks to the Martial Hall for the assistance this time. You have saved countless Immortal Path Cultivators; your merit is immeasurable, and I shall undoubtedly reward you handsomely in the future!"


    If Pei Hengxing had not arrived at this battle, the Immortal Alliance would surely have been defeated. The forces deployed by the Myriad Heavens and Realms this time were much more ample than that of the Immortal Alliance.


    Once retreat began, the various worlds around, regardless of their state, would all be plundered empty.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 265 Integration, The Change of Battle Situation_2

    Moreover, the Martial Path differs from the Immortal Path, as it is the way of vigorous blood and qi. When engaging with others, what is consumed is not mana but one''s own blood and qi. Those who have fought too much in their lives often meet early deaths.


    The Martial Hall''s willingness to step in to help the Immortal Alliance quell the chaos has already put the Immortal Alliance in considerable debt.


    "Daoist Kuang is being too polite. My surname is Pei, bestowed with the name ''Hengxing'' by my master. Since the Martial Hall and the Immortal Alliance are allies, we should move forward or retreat together and resist foreign enemies."


    Pei Hengxing shook his head, cupped his fists in a salute and spoke slowly:


    "The breach in the Starry Sky Barrier has been repaired. There should no longer be beings from the Myriad Heavens and Realms crossing over. Our Martial Hall already has two Vice Hall Masters who have gone to investigate the causes of this war in All Heavens and the Myriad Realms. We expect results to be reported back soon."


    Thebined Heavenly Fate of All Heavens and Realms is no more than thirty percent, far less than the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall''s share.


    Heavenly Fate is the manifestation of strength. As long as we find the time, with the huge gap of ten percent Heavenly Fate, there will be no surprises in this battle. The victory of the Immortal Martial two paths is only a matter of time.


    The current disadvantage in the war is merely because the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall joined the battle hastily,bined with some instability in the Vast Universe and demonic movements. Therefore, Immortal Kings, Immortal Venerables, and Great Saints of the Martial Path who guard various Heaven Passes cannot extricate themselves, resulting in a bit of scrambling for the time being. Find more to read at empire


    Despite their clearly insufficient strength, All Heavens and Realms still initiated the war, presumably because of some earth-shattering change that urred.


    Hearing the news that the Starry Sky Barrier was sealed once again, both Kuang Tianxian and Yan Fusheng visibly rxed.


    "That''s good."


    Kuang Tianxian''s expression eased considerably: "Looking at it this way, this war is not necessarily a bad thing for our Immortal Martial two paths."


    As long as the breach is sealed, it means cutting off the supply lines of the Myriad Heavens and Realms. There will no longer be an endless stream of extraterritorial demons invading. In this manner, forcing our way into the worlds of All Heavens is only a matter of time.


    Pushing the battlefield into the scope of All Heavens and Realms is good news for cultivators on both the Immortal and Martial sides, as at least there is room to advance or retreat.


    "What Daoist Kuang has said is very true. The Myriad Heavens and Realms are elusive and hard to find. The proactive start of the war by the Myriad Heavens and Realms is a perfect opportunity topete for a share of Heavenly Fate."


    Pei Hengxing''s demeanor was as calm as an ancient well, and he nodded and said: "If we can gain another ten percent of Heavenly Fate, our Martial Hall and the Immortal Alliance may have the chance to emte the sages of Ancient Times, initiate the Dao battle, and therewith decide the fate of the cosmos in one battle."


    When Pei Hengxing spoke, he did not conceal his words, and many cultivators around him heard them. For a moment, the atmosphere atop the Heaven Pass eased significantly.


    "The struggle for Heavenly Fate is not so simple."


    Kuang Tianxian shook his head, his gaze slightly intense:


    "Even though All Heavens and Realms only possess thirty percent of Heavenly Fate, that Dao Ancestor from the Taoist School alone upies twenty-five percent. If this person''s stance aligns with either All Heavens or the Myriad Realms, how could our two paths, Immortal and Martial, stand a chance?"


    Hearing the name of the Dao Ancestor, Pei Hengxing''s expression became much more solemn, and he did not speak further.


    All along, neither the Martial Hall nor the Immortal Alliance dared to take significant action against All Heavens and Realms precisely because they feared the presence of the Dao Ancestor. The Heavenly Fate carried by one individual was enough to suppress an entire path, and since the Primordial Era, there has only been one such person.


    If the Dao Ancestor sides with All Heavens and Realms, then their share of Heavenly Fate would reach fifty-five percent. Starting the Dao battle, whether for the Immortal Alliance or the Martial Hall, would most likely result in nothing but a dead end.


    Even if the two paths joined forces and used taboo methods tounch a campaign into the Chaos Sea to secure thest half percent of Heavenly Fate, they would still only have forty-five percent.


    Once the battle begins, the best oue would be the same as in Ancient Times: a war until the fabric of time and space shattered, causing great chaos and yin and yang, and the birth of a new Chaos Universe, burying this chapter of ancient history into the realm of the unknowable, severing ties with the past.


    It is because of the example set in the Primordial Era that the Immortal Martial alliance, for millions of years, has never dared to make anyrge moves. Instead, they have been secretly tracking the whereabouts of the Dao Ancestor.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In preparation for facing the Dao Ancestor, they have spent millions of years, and no one is more aware of the perils of the Qi Cultivator''s path than the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall.


    In the past, every time the Dao Ancestor faced a tribtion, it was fraught with danger. Methods such as incarnating to avoid tribtion, which are lowly tactics, are now of no use to a Qi Cultivator of the Dao Ancestor''s realm.


    After all, the Dao Ancestor is but a lone figure, no matter how strong, just one person. The Immortal and Martial pathsbined still hold a certain hope of being able to kill him. Moreover, the Heavenly Dao would help them as well.


    One person monopolizing twenty-five percent of Heavenly Fate has already threatened the entire Great Universe.


    If the Dao Ancestor''s cultivation continues to grow, the heavens will change hands.


    The starry sky overhead today, what it most wishes to sever, is the Dao Ancestor.


    ...


    ...


    Above Heaven Pass, Chu Zheng silently observed Pei Hengxing, his mind teeming with thoughts. To y a creature of the same rank with such ease was truly a terrifying disy of power.


    Among all the people he had seen, this was the strongest practitioner of the Martial Path.


    Both at Eighth Order Perfection, when Kuang Tianxian and Yan Fusheng joined hands to battle the creatures from the Myriad Heavens and Realms, they seemed somewhat stretched and strained.


    However, Pei Hengxing had used only two punches and one palm strike to kill three beings that could rival True Immortals.


    Since Chu Zheng''s initial steps on the path of cultivation had always been in the Immortal Path, his views on the Martial Path hadcked a concrete impression.


    Now, the appearance of Pei Hengxing had undoubtedly filled this gap for him.


    Thebat strength of those who cultivate the Martial Path is likely much stronger than that of ordinary cultivators; otherwise, there wouldn''t be such a stark difference.


    From the recent conversation between Pei Hengxing and Kuang Tianxian, Chu Zheng could discern something else¡ªthe Martial Hall and the Immortal Alliance could never have an absolute bnce between them.


    If one day the heavens copses and the myriad realms perish, a war between the Immortal Martial Arts is inevitable.


    By then, the victor who holds seventy percent of the Heavenly Fate, even if the Ancestral Dao alone possesses twenty-five percent, would likely have no choice but to await their doom.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng did not dwell on this further, but turned around to continue tidying up Heaven Pass, gathering any fragments that he could find.


    He just needed to know that the current situation on the battlefield was gradually getting better for both the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall, and that was enough.


    At least for him, it was good news; he wouldn''t need to risk infiltrating the myriad realm camps.


    It wasn''t just that the Immortal Alliance was not a good ce to stay; the myriad realms were also no better, with chaotic situations and too many unknowns. It was normal for things to happen beyond one''s control.


    At this thought, Chu Zheng''s gaze fell upon the distant starry sky, where remnants of Immortal Blood mingled with various shattered artifacts floated under the stars.


    These fragments of wondrous treasures from True Immortal-level beings were indeed priceless treasures to him.


    ...


    ...


    After spending several days, Heaven Pass wasrgely restored to its former state. Most of the Star Fragments that had flown off were drawn back and re-melted into the structure of the Pass.


    A small part of the fragments had vanished without a trace, caught up in the aftermath of the True Immortal''s battle and swept to an unknown location, no longer in the nearby Star Domain.


    The broken Formation Patterns within Heaven Pass would need some time to repair, as it wasn''t a task that could bepleted in a day.


    After dealing with the matters above Heaven Pass, the Immortal Alliance then started organizing cultivators to clean up this Star Domain.


    The remains of the fallen True Immortals from the Immortal Alliance had been collected earlier, leaving only traces of the myriad realms'' creatures between the shattered domains.


    Beings of True Immortal Rank mostly contain their own worlds within them. Although most had copsed and were buried in the chaotic currents of the Void, there were still some remnants left behind, which could make up for some of Heaven Pass''s losses.


    The arrays that were originally set up in the starry sky also required some cultivators to reorganize the array''s connections.


    Chu Zheng naturally joined the team cleaning up the battlefield, searching for any valuable iplete items with intense focus, not overlooking any corner.


    Any fragment that came into his hands would in the future be a treasure not inferior to an Immortal Treasure. It was always good to umte some assets in advance.


    Soon, several fragments had been gathered in Chu Zheng''s hands.


    However, contrary to his expectations, the Immortal Alliance seemed to value these fragments greatly, even going so far as to specially assign cultivators at the Immortal Tribtion Realm to watch over them, to prevent personal hoarding.


    It wasn''t just the fragments of wondrous treasures; those things that fell from the world fragments would also be personally inspected by the Immortal Alliance''s cultivators, then meticulously registered, ensuring nothing was missed.

 Chapter 266 Immortal Path Heavenly Fate Rewards, Choice

    After some investigation, Chu Zheng finally understood the situation.


    The Immortal Alliance was so cautious about the remains of these Heretic Path beings because these fragments carried a strong Heretic aura, and they might contain Heretic inheritances.


    If one were not careful and brought them back to their own worlds, it could possibly lead to unnecessary trouble. It might not only reveal the coordinates of those worlds but there could also be beings from the Myriad Realms who might directly open spatial passages, bypass the Starry Sky Barrier, and cross into other realms.


    The pathway of Incense Fire Deities is the best example; as long as any books about deity legends entered the secr world, many mortals would soon attempt to form Golden Bodies for them and worship with incense.


    Once the Golden Body awakened spiritually, for the Incense Fire Deities, they could directly manifest and descend. The trouble that this could cause goes without saying.


    Beyond the Incense Fire Divine Path, there were countless enigmatic Taoist orthodoxies in the Myriad Heavens and Realms, which were impossible to guard against. One could only cut them off at the source.


    Therefore, cleaning up the battlefield from beyond the realm was an extremelyplicated and important aftermath.


    The reason the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall was unwilling to open up battlefields within its own territory was precisely because of the many uncertain factors within these remnants.


    The Immortal Alliance had a very strict process for handling these remnants and Wonderous Treasure fragments.


    After a True Immortal as well as Immortal Tribtion Realm cultivators personally inspected them and found no issues, they would send them into the Immortal me to be melted into ash, ensuring nothing was overlooked.


    Hence, although Chu Zheng had obtained a few fragments, it would still take some effort to keep them.


    Chu Zheng didn''t leave the team cleaning up the battlefield and continued the cleanup efforts alongside them.


    After half a month, Chu Zheng suddenly felt something was off.


    His Immortal Bone experienced a slight change, and the speed at which it absorbed mana had increased.


    This feeling was all too familiar to him; previously in the Cangyun Realm, when he slew Immortal Path cultivators, he would experience such a change.


    It was the imperceptible increase of Heavenly Fate, which could enhance one''s cultivation speed.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng recalled the reward that Shang Zuling had mentioned to him earlier, the increase in Heavenly Fate should be the reward granted by the fortune of the Immortal Path.


    Chu Zheng was far from the only one experiencing this; the cultivation speed of the cultivators who survived the battlefield had mostly increased to varying degrees.


    After some thought, Chu Zheng, looking at the floating remnants in the starry sky, came to a realization.


    The share of Heavenly Fate is fixed; such growth was not conjured from nothing, it derived from the beings of the Myriad Realms, perhaps even including those Immortal Path cultivators who perished in this battle.


    By this logic, if a peerless figure above the level of an Immortal King in the Immortal Path were to y all other Immortal Path cultivators, it might be possible to recreate a power close to that of an Ancestral Dao figure.


    Heavenly Fate...


    At this thought, Chu Zheng couldn''t help a chill running down his spine, the words left behind by that True Immortal soul in the Song Family Secret Realm now seemed all the more eerie.


    It appeared that no matter the Taoist orthodoxy of the cultivator, when mbering to the pinnacle, the de in their hands at the end would not only be aimed at other orthodoxies.


    The cleanup of the battlefield was soonpleted. This war had an insignificant impact on the grand scheme of things. Pei Hengxing had already departed; he still had to rush to other battlefields to be prepared for any contingencies.


    There was more than just him from the Martial Hall who came; many True Immortals from the Immortal Alliance were also doing the same thing as he was now, near the Starry Sky Barrier, aiding the Martial Hall.


    These were forces called upon from nearby, in order to quickly settle the turmoil within their respective domains.


    Soon, the entire battlefield had been cleaned up, and Chu Zheng followed the main force, handing over all the collected fragments of wreckage.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    To him, the extent to which these items were broken had no impact, even if turned into ash and debris, they could still serve as a foundation for repair, though it meant that the cost of subsequent repairs might be greater.


    Before long, Kuang Tianxian personally inspected these remnants and fragments, and after confirming there were no issues, he entrusted them to a group of Immortal Tribtion Realm cultivators for processing.


    This group of cultivators, all of whom cultivated Fire Attribute Divine Skills and could barely control the Immortal me, included Geng Yiyang, who practiced the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, naturally among these people.


    Chu Zheng sent a message to exin a few things to Geng Yiyang, who then arranged for him to be ced beside the furnace half a dayter to collect some of the remnants after melting.


    Though the remnants would further degrade after the Immortal me''s smelting, thus slowing the speed of repair, for Chu Zheng, it was enough as long as he had a piece of the fragment.


    The smelting speed of the Immortal me was extremely fast; in just a few days, most of the wreckage had turned into ash. The majority dispersed as dust and smoke, with only a small part remaining as charred debris.


    In the end, Chu Zheng kept only three pieces of the Eighth Order Wonderous Treasure.


    [Green Cloud Golden Bell (Eighth Order): Qingming Sect''s sect-defending treasure, inscribed with the Green Cloud Scripture, a High Grade cultivational method from the school of misceny that draws strengths from various sources toplement each other, quite powerful; shattered during the great war, beyond your current ability to repair.]


    Discover hidden content at empire


    ...


    [Cave Heaven Fragment (Eighth Order): A Small World that had already possessed the foundational Heavenly Dao Laws; copsed due to the perishment of the being who created the Cave Heaven, has a certain chance of full recovery, retaining a portion of the Mystic Force that can be extracted; however, with your current ability, still insufficient.]


    ...


    [Emperor Jade Wall (Eighth Order): Refined from Innate Spirit Jade found amidst Chaos; containsprehensive medical scripts like the "Four Qi Regtion Scripture" and "Yin Yang Wan Xiang Lun"; shattered during the great war, beyond your current ability to repair.]

 Chapter 266 Immortal Path Heavenly Fate Reward, Decision_2

    Apart from these three wondrous treasures, most of the remains had turned into light smoke, leaving not even a trace behind.


    For this, Chu Zheng naturally felt extremely pained, but with these gains, it was already enough; sometimes one needs to know when to stop, as being insatiable often leads to burning oneself.


    After the dust settled, the Immortal Alliance soon issued another decree.


    The Immortal Alliance gave two choices: one was to return to the original Great Realm, acting as if nothing had happened, the other was to follow the Immortal Alliance to the main battlefield.


    This decree was not mandatory, and was entirely voluntary.


    Though this battle had ended, the main battlefield was still in fiercebat, with masses of cultivators falling at every moment.


    Heaven Pass would not stay here for long as such a war fortress could y a significant role on the main battlefield.


    Many cultivators were participating in the struggle for Taoist orthodoxy for the first time, killing beings of the Myriad Heavens and Realms for the first time, and had received the rewards of heavenly fate, tasting the sweetness.


    To surpass the limitations of Immortal Bone and amplify their own cultivation speed was something unheard of for those cultivators who had not yet reached the Immortal Tribtion Realm.


    For some cultivators with only Middle Quality Immortal Bone, this was an opportunity to defy the heavens and change their fate.


    Fearing death is amon human sentiment, but driven by strong enough desires, a person can easily ovee the fear of death.


    Therefore, there was a cloud of respondents, with most cultivators willing to follow the Immortal Alliance to the main battlefield.


    Geng Yiyang also chose the second path; he wanted to go to the main battlefield to fight for his future.


    The Immortal Tribtion Realm was not the end of his path; all the Elders in Taixuan had made the same choice as Geng Yiyang, tired of guarding the mountain for ten thousand years and days without light ahead.


    Moreover, Taixuan now had Chu Zheng.


    Geng Yiyang found Chu Zheng and presented two Immortal Treasures right before his eyes.


    [Heavenly Pattern Immortal Fire Hall (Eighth Order): Lower Quality Immortal Treasure, a legacy of the Taixuan Holy Land, created by an Immortal Artifact Master, it can greatly increase the cultivation speed of Fire Element cultivators. (Details)]


    [Taixuan Battle Halberd (Eighth Order/Iplete): High Quality Immortal Treasure, a personal warrior weapon of a Taixuan True Immortal, it has been through countless bloody battles, drunk the blood of Celestial Lords, and once suffered heavy damages, but its foundation remains powerful, and with the revival of its internal True Spirit, it can behead a Seven Tribtions True Immortal. (Details)]


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng was slightly startled, and after pondering for a few moments, he epted the Heavenly Pattern Immortal Fire Hall, and then pushed the Taixuan Battle Halberd back:


    "You need this treasure more than I do."


    The Heavenly Pattern Immortal Fire Hall is very important to Taixuan, and it was only right for him to bring it back to Taixuan.


    For those disciples whose cultivation is still shallow, wondrous treasures that can amplify their cultivation speed are extremely precious.


    This is the foundation of Taixuan.


    And Geng Yiyang was about to go to the main battlefield of the Immortal Alliance and the Myriad Heavens and Realms, which was bound to be fraught with danger, and possessing the Taixuan Battle Halberd for protection would undoubtedly be an additional life-saving measure.


    Geng Yiyang''s expression was slightly startled, a lightugh escaped, and without any refusal, he took the Taixuan Battle Halberd.


    "Holy Master, take great care."


    With a single phrase, Chu Zheng fell silent for a while, then solemnly said, "I won''t stay in Cangyun for long, and from this moment of parting today, there may not be a chance for another meeting, so I hope you return soon."


    The higher the cultivation, the harder it is for Qi Cultivators to hide their identity, with the Nine Orifices Golden Core within their bodies, even if they sealed the Dantian, a True Immortal personally investigating in detail would not be deceived.


    Once possessing the power to protect himself in the starry sky, he would not continue to stay in Cangyun, nor would he have any deep entanglement with the Immortal Alliance, the Myriad Heavens and Realms, or even the Chaos Sea could be his next destination.


    Geng Yiyang took a deep look at Chu Zheng, with an implied meaning:


    "Walking on two paths at once can sometimes lead you to be attacked from both sides, you might want to consider carefully which path to take."


    There is much that is secretive about Chu Zheng, but Geng Yiyang had no intention of probing; he now had a clear understanding of Chu Zheng''s temperament, that appealing to his emotions was much more effective than coercion.


    Pressuring too much could lead to many undesirable oues.


    Furthermore, he was genuinely reluctant to let go of such a bright gem, which should shine its brilliance under the starry sky rather than be buried in a single realm.


    Therefore, he sincerely hoped that Chu Zheng would choose the path of the Immortal Path.


    On the path of the Immortal Path, Chu Zheng could definitely write an unparalleled myth, whereas practicing the Heretic Path within the Immortal Alliance territory was like walking on a tightrope, constantly at risk of losing one''s life.


    An even deeper reason was that Geng Yiyang did not want Chu Zheng to lean toward the side of the Myriad Heavens and Realms.


    Hearing these words, Chu Zheng''s heart trembled slightly, well aware that Geng Yiyang had always known about his identity as a Heretic Cultivator, but had never directly spoken of it until it was brought up today.


    After a long silence, Chu Zheng responded with a lowugh:


    "Perhaps I could enjoy the best of both worlds."


    Hearing this, Geng Yiyang''s eyes showed a flicker of disappointment, but it quickly faded away. The path that others could not walk might be one that Chu Zheng could traverse. He was, after all, no ordinary prodigy and could not be judged bymon standards.


    Even if that path might be full of thorns.


    He did not speak again but waved his hand and turned to leave.


    ...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ...


    Song Yusang was well aware of his own limitations and chose to stay by Chu Zheng''s side, preparing to return to Cangyun Realm with him.


    Among those who had decided to go to the battlefield, Chu Zheng saw Shang Zuling.


    Shang Zuling had made a choicepletely opposite to Chu Zheng''s; she chose to follow the Immortal Alliance to the main battlefield.


    "Battling with Daoist Chu, I gained a lot. Without refining through struggle and secluded from the world, it''s hard to grasp the great way," Shang Zuling''s eyes seemed to hold a fiery light, brilliant as the Zhou Tian Stars, "Daoist Chu must have felt the changes within himself too. Earning enough military merits in the battle for the Taoist orthodoxy will naturally speed up your cultivation."


    Since the battle in the outer domain channel of Cangyun Realm, she could feel that the power which had always existed within her had dissipated.


    Her ancestors had given up their special treatment of her, as if they had abandoned her.


    Shang Zuling, however, did not mind this, and even the shadow that had always hung over her heart dissipated somewhat.


    At least from now on, she could walk her own path without relying on the grace of her ancestors.


    Since the battle in the outer domain, that ancestor had also lost their halo in her eyes.


    In fact, she had seen through some secrets unknown to others long ago. That incarnation''s arrival on the battlefield was not actually to save her; it seemed more like a reminder to Zhao Tingxian.


    Zhao Tingxian being able to escape from the Immortal Alliance sessfully had a great connection with Shang Cangyun''s startling the snake by hitting the grass.


    Even her participation in that war in the outer domain was within that ancestor''s expectations.


    "If Daoist Chu were to go to the battlefield, you might enter the sight of some higher-up in the Immortal Alliance sooner, saving a lot of hard work."


    Shang Zuling seemed to have a bit of regret over Chu Zheng''s choice.


    "Being too eye-catching isn''t always a good thing."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, knowing that after learning about the Great Universe, his thoughts had changed rapidly, and he had be much more low-key.


    The prerequisite to establishing an eternal name is to step into the Eternal Immortal Realm.


    Before that, he needed to hide his sharpness.


    This great battle was entirely different from what Chu Zheng had imagined; the main battlefield was too dangerous, and he had to put Bai Nian''s matter aside for now.


    Finding a way to save Bai Nian depended on his ability to stay alive.


    Shang Zuling did not engage in a deep conversation with Chu Zheng, her heart full of anticipation for the main battlefield.


    ...


    ...


    Soon, the two groups of people who had made different choices hadpletely parted ways.


    Most cultivators who decided to go to the battlefield were eager and excited to test their mettle.


    On the frontlines, another, even more terrifying war had not yet been won.


    In the midst of death, striving for a slim chance of survival is the ordinary state of cultivators.


    Chu Zheng followed another group, boarded the Flying Boat, and began the journey back.


    However, just as they passed through a light gate, two figures appeared in front of the Flying Boat, blocking the way.


    A man and a woman, both with strikingly beautiful features, seemingly not of this world, each enveloped in the clearly visible, gentle Immortal Light.


    "Do youe from Cangyun?"


    The man stepped forward slowly, nced at the many cultivators from Cangyun Realm, and said slowly:


    "Who is Chu Zheng?"

 Chapter 267 195 Chapter: Demon Immortal, Trouble

    "Who is Chu Zheng?"


    The name Chu Zheng was all too familiar to the Cangyun Cultivators of the Cangyun Realm; many Cangyun Cultivators'' gazes subconsciously fell upon Chu Zheng''s figure.


    [Chi Xu (Seventh Order): Demon Emperor of the Demon Race, in thete stage of Immortal Tribtion Realm, true form is the me Fire Red Flood Dragon, inner gall condensed with seventy-four thousand five hundred years of Taoist Orthodoxy, blood contains fire poison, the inner gall can significantly increase the cultivation of Fire-attribute Cultivators, with a certain chance of mutating into Fire-Resisting Divine Ability.]


    [Chi Xuan (Seventh Order): Demon Emperor of the Demon Race, in the mid-stage of Immortal Tribtion Realm, true form is the me Fire Red Flood Dragon, inner gall condensed with sixty-nine thousand eight hundred years of Taoist Orthodoxy, blood contains fire poison...]


    Looking at the man and woman before him, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with a glint of Spiritual Light, as if deep in thought.


    Two Demon Emperors from the Immortal Tribtion Realm suddenly blocking the way, and specifically asking for him by name, was likely rted to the previous encounter with the Feng Yue Demon Emperor.


    Or rather, it had something to do with the Demon Race of the Northern Region of Cangyun.


    "Are you Chu Zheng?"


    The Demon Emperor named Chi Xu spoke again, sizing up Chu Zheng with an expression from which it was impossible to glean joy or anger.


    "Yes."


    Chu Zheng nodded, his expression calm.


    After receiving an affirmative response, Chi Xu nodded slightly, and casually said,


    "Follow me. The Dongsheng Demon Immortal wants to see you."


    There was an undeniable sense of imperiousness in his offhand tone, which brooked no dissent.


    As expected.


    A flicker of realization crossed Chu Zheng''s eyes, along with a trace of shock.


    The timing of these two Red Flood Dragons'' appearance was too coincidental to be just by chance.


    No sooner had the conflict at the battle outside the realm concluded than that unnamed Demon Immortal received the news, signaling a frighteningly efficientwork of information.


    During the battle at the Cangyun Outer Realm Passage, the Northern Region Demon Race was informed half a year in advance, clearly due to someone tipping them off.


    This matter was inseparably linked to Zhao Tingxian, who held sway over the Heavenly Dao at the time, or rather, it seemed possible that Zhao Tingxian''s backing within the Immortal Alliance might originate from the Demon Race itself.


    "I won''t go."


    Chu Zheng refused without the slightest hesitation, bluntly denying the request.


    Upon hearing this, Chi Xu''s gaze sharpened, and with a sh of red in his distinctly ck and white pupils, his eyes turned into vertical slits, revealing an impatience on his brow:


    "Boy, do you understand what you''re saying?"


    "I am fully aware of what I am saying."


    Chu Zheng''s face remained calm as he stared back at the two Demon Emperors of the Immortal Tribtion Realm, without a hint of evasion in his gaze.


    Meeting with a Demon Immortal of True Immortal rank was certainly not an option, as spending time alone with such a being at close range would be far too dangerous.


    Moreover, he already had karma with this Demon Immortal, and the likelihood of returning safely from such an encounter was incredibly slim.


    Furthermore, Chu Zheng could sense that the Tribtion Qi beside him was entirely undisturbed, proving that even if he outright refused, he would face no imminent danger.


    After all, he was now at the top of the Cangyun Hidden Dragon List, considered among the Immortal Seedlings within the sight of the Immortal Alliance. Without a legitimate reason, the Immortal Alliance would not likely kill him.


    The most critical point was that Chu Zheng was now ny-nine percent certain that the Demon Immortal''s previous withdrawal of the Northern Region Demon Race from Cangyun was done secretly, without the Immortal Alliance''s knowledge, and that no Humans could possibly be aware of it.


    Otherwise, the news at that time should not have been received only by the Demon Race; Ji Yuyan, as the Immortal Alliance Envoy, absolutely should not have been left uninformed.


    Failing to report actions of the Myriad Heavens and Realms in advance, thereby colluding with them, would be tantamount to conniving with the Myriad Realms.


    In the struggle for Taoist Orthodoxy, collusion with the Myriad Realms was an usation that, if proven, would leave even a Demon Immortal with no choice but death.


    "Damned fool."


    Anger surged in Chi Xu''s eyes as he reached out to grab him.


    A huge phantom w of a flood dragon pressed towards the Flying Boat, aimed directly at Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng''s figure did not move an inch, and he did not counterattack, standing silently.


    An Immortal General d in silver armor, seated at the bow of the Flying Boat, suddenly stood up, pointed a finger, and shattered Chi Xu''s advancing w:


    Chi Xu''s brow furrowed as he shouted, "Jiang Wanquan! What is the meaning of this?!"


    "I am under orders to return these people to Cangyun. You reach out to take someone before my eyes, do you take me for dead?"


    The silver-armored Immortal General, detached, remained unmoved. He did not give any regard to the so-called Dongsheng Demon Immortal, and spoke indifferently,


    "The people of Cangyun Realm cannot be touched without the Order of Cangyun Immortal King; to move is to die."


    Hearing the name of the Cangyun Immortal King sent a flicker of wariness through the eyes of both Demon Emperors.


    Jiang Wanquan clearly had no interest in entangling with them, and with a lowmand, "Make way!"


    After a moment of silence, the two Demon Emperors slowly stepped aside, no longer obstructing.


    "Chu Zheng..."


    Chi Xu''s gaze was fixed on the youth atop the Flying Boat, his eyes roiling with a crimson light.


    The Cangyun Realm was unlike other Great Realms; with the protection of the Cangyun Immortal King, one could not enter or leave at whim.


    Once Chu Zheng returned to the Cangyun Realm, unless he willingly left, they had no recourse.


    Any outsider Cultivator who dared to act against Cangyun''s people would be walking a path to death, let alone Demon Race individuals, with their crimes increased by one degree.


    After all, the Immortal Alliance was predominantly led by Human Race Cultivators, with the Demon Race merely as vassals.


    In an instant, the Flying Boat had gone far away.


    Chi Xuan turned her head towards her brother, evidently worried,


    "Without the person, how shall we exin to the Dongsheng Demon Immortal?"


    Chi Xu slowly calmed the tumultuous aura within him, reassuringly said, "Don''t rush. Near Cangyun, we will station a Demon King to keep watch. As soon as news of Chu Zheng leaving the realm is reported, we will be notified."


    This was undoubtedly the most foolish method, but under the circumstances, they had no better strategy.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ...


    ...


    On the Flying Boat, Chu Zheng withdrew his gaze, turning to Jiang Wanquan and bowing:

 Chapter 268 195: Demon Immortal, Trouble_2

    ```


    "Thank you for your assistance, senior."


    If Jiang Wanquan hadn''t been there today, Chi Xu would not have let him off so easily; in that situation, he would have been in great danger.


    He even suspected that if there had been no one else around, Chi Xu might have directly made a move to kill him.


    Jiang Wanquan gave no response to Chu Zheng''s thanks, remaining silent and sitting down quietly with his eyelids closed.


    From Chi Xu''s reaction, it was clear that he was not wary of Jiang Wanquan, but rather, the Cangyun Immortal King, Shang Cangyun.


    It wasn''t difficult to infer from a few words that Shang Cangyun did not neglect the Cangyun Realm, but had even set rules to protect the Cultivators from the Cangyun Realm outside their domain.


    Throughout the entire time, Chu Zheng never mentioned to Jiang Wanquan the news that might connect the Dongsheng Demon Immortal with the Myriad Heavens and Realms.


    Without a clear understanding of the rtionship dynamics within the Immortal Alliance, or the specific severity of the matter, Chu Zheng was not eager to y this card.


    The identity of who was behind this Dongsheng Demon Immortal and whether there was an even more terrifying power supporting him remained unknown.


    The news that a channel for extraterritorial fiends had appeared in the Cangyun Realm could be suppressed initially, and it was not impossible that this message could be suppressed once again.


    The person who could help Zhao Tingxian extract himself from the Immortal Alliance was definitely no ordinary figure.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The considerations involved were veryplicated.


    If the news got out and prematurely attracted the attention of some terrifying entities, it would be a loss for Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng also chose not to speak any further, and the Flying Boat was once again enveloped in silence.


    The surrounding Cultivators of the Cangyun Realm were all somewhat confused and couldn''t quite understand the situation.


    But judging from Chi Xu''s previous reaction, they had guessed some information, suspecting that Chu Zheng must have offended a Demon Race True Immortal somehow for such an encounter to ur.


    For a Divine Infant Cultivator to offend a True Immortal¡ªhad it been anyone else, they would likely have lost their life many times over.


    But not a single person dared to make a judgment about Chu Zheng.


    Even when Chu Zheng was at the Spiritual Spring, he had already been pursued with a bounty by the Holy Land¡ªa fate that ordinary Cultivators would consider a death warrant, facing death a hundred times over.


    Yet, Chu Zheng had survived, and within a few short years, he had ascended to be the Taixuan Holy Master; something not even the myths dared to fabricate.


    If Chu Zheng had managed to survive from the hands of the Holy Land, then this unknown Demon Immortal might not necessarily be able to harm him.


    In the blink of an eye, the Flying Boat fell back into silence.


    After more than a month''s journey, Chu Zheng finally saw the outline of the Cangyun Realm again.


    A thought crossed his mind, and he turned back to nce behind him. He had always felt as if someone was watching him along the way.


    Upon a quick nce, Chu Zheng spotted several figures trailing far behind the Flying Boat.


    Although he did not see Chi Xu nor Chi Xuan among them, Chu Zheng could guess their identity.


    They were probably a few Great Demons. This matter was far from over.


    "If there''s nothing urgent in the next few days, it would be best not to leave the realm, to avoid bringing disaster upon oneself."


    Jiang Wanquan''s voice echoed in Chu Zheng''s mind. After realizing this, he transmitted his thanks through psychic speech.


    This reminder was more than generous for a fleeting rtionship, and Jiang Wanquan was acting with utmost kindness and righteousness.


    Jiang Wanquan did not stay long; after escorting the group into the Cangyun Realm, he quickly departed.


    Feeling the presence of the Cangyun Realm''s Heavenly Fate again, Chu Zheng took a deep breath, and his tense nerves rxed significantly.


    The news that the Great Demons of the Demon Race did not dare to enter the realm was already great news for him.


    Looking at the familiarnd and sky before him, Chu Zheng felt a slight rxation in his heart and spirit.


    Time flies. This journey beyond the borders had taken almost two years, and even so, this conflict was already considered to have concluded at Divine Speedpared to all other extraterritorial wars that had urred.


    Soon, Chu Zheng returned to the Taixuan Holy Land.


    The night sky was high, with many stars shining in holy brilliance, carrying a familiar scorching aura.


    When he left, there were Geng Yiyang and many Elders of Taixuan; now, it was only Chu Zheng returning with Song Yusang, which inevitably felt a bit cold and deste.


    Seeing Chu Zheng return alone, the hastily arriving Fu Quanliang''s expression shifted slightly, hesitating to speak but not daring to ask too much.


    "The old Holy Master and the Elders are fine, they''ve temporarily stayed in the extraterritorial battlefield, no need to worry."


    ```


    Chu Zheng exined in one sentence, and then he made his way to where Li Mingzhou and a group of Martial Cultivators were located, before releasing Bai Nian from the Small World.


    After exining the cause and effect, Chu Zheng let out a light sigh:


    "This time in the battlefield beyond our realm, there were too many uncertainties; it was difficult to make contact with the people from the Myriad Heavens and Realms. We can only wait and find another opportunity in the future, my apologies."


    "Holy Master, you''re taking it too seriously," Bai Nian shook his head. "The Holy Master has never wronged me. I have always been mindful of the great kindness I have received, and even if I don''t find a way out, it doesn''t matter."


    He had been looking forward to going to the Myriad Heavens and Realms, but it was not to the extent that he must go at all costs. If things were unchangeable and he had to give up his path of cultivation, he would be able to ept it as well.


    As his perspective widened, his ability to ept some of life''s disappointments had far surpassed that of ordinary people.


    Life is full of disappointments, and the fact that he could live to see this day, to witness sights in books that he had never seen before, was already enough for him.


    "There will be plenty of time in the future," Chu Zheng looked up at the starry sky above with a calm tone in his voice.


    He had far from given up on the Myriad Heavens and Realms, which would be his next main battlefield.


    After making sure Bai Nian was settled, Chu Zheng walked to the peak.


    As expected, Song Lingxue was still sitting cross-legged in the martial training field.


    Close to two years had passed, and her cultivation had progressed significantly. She had reached the ninthyer of the Yuan Aura Realm and was about to begin attempting the Embracing Pill stage.


    In the Martial Path, the Embracing Pill is equivalent to Soul Condensing in the Immortal Path; both represent a qualitative change, and one''sbat power will surge dramatically.


    In terms of the speed of cultivation, Song Lingxue''s progress in strengthening her abilities was incredibly rapid, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.


    This was somewhat rted to the fact that Martial Cultivation naturally progresses faster, but more importantly, it was due to Song Lingxue''s own talent.


    On the Martial Path, she indeed possessed a talent far beyond what ordinary people couldpare with.


    Exceptional talent, coupled with ceaseless diligence, rightfully earned her this level of strength.


    Sensing the disturbance, Song Lingxue slowly opened her eyes, and upon seeing Chu Zheng not far away, her expression eased, as if relieved of a heavy burden. She slowly exhaled a long-held breath in her chest, feeling all her limbs invigorated.


    Somewhere in the back of her mind, she seemed to have caught the opportunity for Embracing Pill.


    She got up to greet him. Although she was curious about Chu Zheng''s experiences over the past two years, she did not rush to ask.


    The Spiritual Spring in the hall was warm, and there were long talks through the night.


    ...


    ...


    After a brief rest of several days, Song Lingxue sensed the opportunity for Embracing Pill and began her closed-door cultivation.


    Chu Zheng also entered a secret chamber and continued his cultivation of the Eternal Cmity Treasure Record, inscribing his Innate Divine Ability within his Spirit Apertures.


    At the same time, he once again executed the Star Capturing Heaven Method, starting to select and search for suitable Great Realms.


    If it weren''t for the fact that, before leaving, he had scattered much of the Tribtion Qi through an incarnation, the journey to the battlefield beyond would not have been so smooth for Chu Zheng. He managed to go through it without any shocks or serious injuries.


    With previous experience, this time Chu Zheng could fully focus most of his attention on the incarnation while condensing his Innate Divine Ability.


    This time, through his incarnation enduring tribtions, he aimed to raise his Cultivation as much as possible, at least reaching the Refine Spirit stage, or even stepping into the Returning to Void Realm.


    Only then would he be able to quickly raise the rank of Repair Master, further elerating the growth of his true strength.


    Upgrading the Repair Master''s rank through his true body was simply too time-consuming, and he could not afford to wait.


    The Yin Yang Divine Infant stepped out from between his eyebrows, entered the starry sky, and began to sense the Qi of various stars.


    Soon, Chu Zheng made a discovery. In a vision wrapped in chaotic starlight, he saw a starry sky filled with Forest of Ten Thousand Gods.


    Thick Incense Smoke covered the stars, and everywhere there were tribes worshipping ancient deities.


    This was a Great Realm at the peak of prosperity for the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Without much hesitation, Chu Zheng immediately chose this world.


    It would not only elevate his Cultivation, but also allow him to gain a deeper understanding of the Incense Fire Divine Path, which was a case of killing two birds with one stone for him.

 Chapter 268 Divine Court, 36500 Deities

    Upon the pitch-ck curtain above, endless starlight twinkled, part of which shone brightly like pearls, glittering and gleaming, while some flickered like the weakened me in the breeze, hazy and uncertain.


    A streak of light shot across the starry sky, gone in a fleeting moment.


    The vast universe, which to Chu Zheng was once unfamiliar, no longer felt strange, yet every time he ventured into space, he was still drawn by the celestial bodies that contained limitless mystery.


    To once again traverse the stars and wander the Alien Realm was for Chu Zheng a well-trodden path.


    In an instant, he saw the expanse of the starry sky shrouded by the power of the Incense Fire Willpower.


    Compared to his first time, Chu Zheng now had a bit of spare strength, allowing him to linger a while longer among the stars.


    Whenpared to the Tianyao Federation, this time in the cosmos, he could clearly feel the presence of Heavenly Fate, and this section of the Star Domain seemed to possess aparatively moreplete Heavenly Dao.


    After a moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng chose one of therger stars.


    Breaching the star''s barrier in an instant, he was greeted by a rich surge of Spiritual Energy that surpassed the Cangyun Realm from before the great transformation of heaven and earth.


    The world was filled with an extremely dense Incense Fire Willpower. With a casual nce, Chu Zheng saw numerous Shrine Temples beyond count.


    Every person worshiped Deities, every home revered the holy.


    In the vacuum of space, various Divine Speech resonated, tales about myriad Deities circted endlessly in the streets and alleys.


    Powerful fluctuations of Divine Sense echoed between heaven and earth; some Divine Sense detected Chu Zheng''s presence, giving it no more than a cursory sweep before moving on, unconcerned.


    Chu Zheng began searching for a suitable vessel. This time, he wished to find an appropriate body, preferably that of a child.


    The body of a child, with its unscattered Innate Qi, would allow him to bypass many hardships in the Refining Essence into Qi process.


    During hisst tribtion, most of his consciousness resided in his main body, but even then, his Cultivation grew at an exceedingly rapid rate, indicating the benefits of a child''s body.


    Upon this star, even though Deities loomed every three feet above one''s head, warfare among the various Tribes was still amon urrence, with no shortage of freshly perished corpses¡ªa shame that so few were suitable options for Chu Zheng.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Passing through mountains and seas, traversing ancient Tribes, anding upon a river, Chu Zheng halted his steps.


    Thisnd belonged to a small Tribe with just over ten thousand people, who relied on the water for sustenance. The Deity they worshiped within the Tribe was a River God.


    At this moment, this Tribe was conducting a ritual sacrifice.


    A statue of the River God, a stone''s throw high, with a human body and a fish tail, sturdy-built, carrying a trident, with a stern visage, stood by the river.


    On the altar before the Divine Statue, an array of offerings wasid out, including cattle, sheep, fruits, and vegetables, and... a pair of sleeping boy and girl.


    The bodies of children contained Innate Qi, and being male and female, they represented Yin and Yang, which are of great benefit not only to Yin Gods and spirits but also to the living fairies and beasts.


    The High Priest, d in a long robe, was prostrate before the Divine Statue, chanting ''Divine Speech.''


    After a while, the High Priest slowly rose, with the congregation retreating behind him, his murky eyes revealing a hint of a sigh.


    Chu Zheng listened for a while and learned some information.


    This portion of the Star Domain was governed by the Divine Court, which had authority over all Deities. There were 36,500 Divine Positions, corresponding to the number of stars in the Zhou Tian Stars, withyers of Incense Fire Willpower consecrated upward.


    The top-tier God Emperor, who held sway over the Divine Court, bore the title ''Supreme Divine Emperor of Celestial Frost and Dark Heaven,'' basking in the worship of the entire Star Domain.


    The Great Emperor''s title was above the Heavenly Venerate, the force of this Divine Emperor was feared to be beyond exploration, mightier than any giant above the Immortal Path''s Immortal King.


    Such rituals, in this small Tribe, were held annually, but typically, the offerings did not include boys or girls.


    When both a boy and a girl were included, it marked a once-in-a-decade grand ceremony which, for such a small Tribe, was a rare and momentous asion.


    The children selected as offerings were prepared two years in advance.


    Healthy adults were chosen from within the Tribe to pair up and conceive, the sex of the offspring was identified while still in the womb, and the children were then delivered on the most Yang day of the year and the most Yin moment, respectively.


    After birth, the chosen children were taken away and raised by the High Priest immediately, to prevent parental attachment from affecting the conduct of the grand ceremony.


    The separation of flesh and blood was one of the deepest sorrows in the human world, and this also helped to lessen the parents'' grief somewhat.


    Chu Zheng was drawn by the pure Yang Qi inside the little boy, a child just over a year old, born on the utmost Yang day, making it most suitable as his vessel.


    However, Chu Zheng was not nning to intervene in the grand ceremony. This was the Tribe''s way of survival, and his interference would tangle him in the karma of thousands of people.


    If he did so, it might lead to even more deaths.


    Besides, he was but a vestige of a soul at the moment, longing to intervene but powerless to do so.


    At this time, Chu Zheng only wanted to know the final oue of the boy and girl and to see for himself the strength and realm of this Deity who was receiving the offerings.


    Soon, the sky darkened, and the heavens were dotted with numerous stars.


    As night fell, the river gradually began to rise. Not far away, the High Priest led the people of the Tribe, still watching from the sidelines.


    Before long, the river swelled to the level of the altar. The Divine Statue seemed toe to life, a flicker of divine light in its eyes, and with a soft inhtion, it drew out strands of pure Life Origin from the two children.


    Flesh and blood were useless to a Yin God; only this Life Yuan Qi was a substantial tonic.


    [River Towning Spirit Lord (Third Order): A Spirit Lord Realm Incense Fire Deity with over seven hundred thousand followers; formerly of the Merman Tribe, whose spirit lingered after death, dwelling within a y effigy, worshipped and awakened by people''s offerings, bringing annual prosperity and abundant incense to the domain.]

 Chapter 268 Divine Court, 36500 Deities_2

    Aside from this tribe before me, beneath themand of this deity, other tribes also exist.


    A Third Order deity, ensuring the survival of over seven hundred thousand believers, must expend a considerable amount of energy. The offerings tributed by these tribes, after offsetting the loss of divine power, leave little to spare.


    Otherwise, no believers would be willing to offer sacrifices willingly. Without believers, even an Incense Fire God cannot ensure its own survival.


    A deity that only demands without giving anything in return, won''t have believers willing to worship it.


    Looking at the child on the altar whose Qi was as thin as a thread, Chu Zheng heaved a soft sigh. With the Life Origin sucked away, there was no hope of saving him.


    It was just unknown if repairing the panel could replenish that wisp of Innate Primordial Qi.


    The grand sacrifice had just reached halfway when suddenly, a beam of sword light red at the edge of the sky.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    Chilling light dazzled the eyes, and a sharp whistle came from the void. The sword light swept over the top of the Divine Statue, decapitating it in one stroke.


    The enormous head was tossed high, crashing into the river and causing a ssh.


    Not far away, the High Priest and a group of tribespeople were shockingly pale, and after snapping out of their daze, they were filled with terror, bowing repeatedly towards the decapitated Divine Statue.


    A figure stepped into the void, stopping above the river. Dressed in a white robe, he appeared to be in his forties, with extremely powerful energy fluctuations surging within him.


    [Tong Tianye (Third Order): Qi Cultivation Path cultivator, practices the "Replenishing Prime Sutra," bone age ny-three, also cultivates the Incense Fire Divine Path, currently writing and establishing his legacy.]


    Upon seeing Tong Tianye''s information, Chu Zheng''s brows slightly furrowed; he hadn''t expected to encounter so soon a cultivator who also practiced the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Tong Tianye''s expression was indifferent as he looked down at the kneeling tribespeople and spoke lightly,


    "Worshipping such a minor demon god is inferior to worshipping the ''Nine Heavens Everbright Celestial Lord'' of our Heavenly Moon Sect."


    "My Everbright Ancestral Master doesn''t require the sacrifice of your sons and daughters, just a Longevity que. Three bows in the morning and evening, a single stick of incense at dawn and dusk, and he shall protect you all in safety."


    Before his words had even faded, the decapitated Divine Statue of River Towning Spirit Lord suddenly burst out with intense divine light, its head gradually regrowing, the y-like color fading away, transforming into solid flesh.


    With the manifestationplete, without any nonsense, the River Towning Spirit Lord rose upon the waves, soaring into the Nine Heavens wielding a steel pitchfork, its thrusts heavy and forceful, as if it intended to pierce through the void.


    "Dare to be so presumptuous, mere Spirit Lord!"


    Tong Tianye sneered coldly, unmoved. He inhaled lightly, and the Yuan Qi of the surrounding heaven and earth surged towards his mouth. As his lips parted, a hint of sword light lingered in his throat.


    The next instant, he exhaled violently, sending a dazzling and brilliant sword light spewing out of his throat.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ng¡ª¡ª


    The sound of metal striking metal rang out, sharp enough to cleave through stone.


    Boom!


    In the sky above, divine light shimmered as two figures shed in battle.


    All around, the crowd was focused on the battlefield in the sky, unaware that the child and many offerings on the altar, no longer enveloped by divine power, had fallen into the river, bobbing in the rapid current and drifting downstream.


    Chu Zheng frowned slightly, not lingering any longer, and followed suit by plunging into the river, entering the boy''s body.


    Upon entering this body, Chu Zheng immediately felt an indescribable chill, his Yang Qipletely dissipated, and life was extinguished.


    Without hesitation, Chu Zheng immediately used the panel to repair the body.


    However, this body was too weak to do anything but drift with the current, sinking and floating in the river, gradually drifting away.


    Chu Zheng could only continue to use the repair panel to maintain his fragile vitality. Unable to open his eyes and with water filling his mouth and nose, he drifted downstream with the current.


    After an unknown amount of time, Chu Zheng finally reached a shallow bank with the river''s flow, his stomach already full of water.


    The child, barely a year old, was weak and powerless. Chu Zheng could only flounder with great effort to approach the shore, crawling into the muddy bank.


    Chu Zheng wasted no time, immediately searching for Qi Sensation, attempting to Channel Qi into his body.


    Momentster, a warm current surged into his body from the crown of his head, beginning to grow rapidly.


    In an instant, two days had passed. Chu Zheng remained prone on the bank, motionless, until the sense of weakness in his limbs subsided, and he gradually stood up.


    Having absorbed two days of Sun and Moon Essence Qi, his physique, previously that of a one-year-old child, was now no weaker than that of an average adult.


    A constant feeling of hunger enveloped him. Were it not for the repair panel, he would have starved to death already.


    Not yet undergoing Spirit Transformation, one cannot consume Qi to nourish oneself and cannot do without grains and cereals.


    After diving into the river again and catching some fish and shrimp to fill his belly, Chu Zheng began to explore the tribes around him.


    In front of himy a vast Great Realm, with much still unknown to him, and the first thing he needed to rify was the mystery of the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Here, there were not only deities and believers but also many people who practiced the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    From Tong Tianye''s previous actions, it was clear that thepetition for believers in this ce was fierce.


    Moreover, Tong Tianye was practicing the Incense Fire Divine Path himself, yet instead of preaching for his own sake, he was expanding followers for the ancestral masters within his Sect, which puzzled Chu Zheng.


    After trekking through the mountains for several days, relying on his gradually increasing Qi Strength, Chu Zheng began to hunt fierce beasts for nourishment, and as he devouredrge amounts of flesh and blood, his muscles and bones gradually stretched.


    By the time he arrived in front of a tribe, more than a month had passed, and his stature had shot up to that of a five or six-year-old child, wrapped in a Beast Skin.


    Looking at the big gates in front of him, Chu Zheng felt somewhat bewildered for a moment.


    Rather than a tribe, whaty before him looked more like a city, with city walls nearly thirty feet high and a pitch-ck gate covered in various patterns, with a Divine Statue standing on each side at the front of the gate.


    In front of the Divine Statues, there were incense burners with three sticks of Pure Incense as thick as fingers lit.


    The gates were wide open, with an endless stream of people, quite bustling.


    In front of the city gate, there was no guard in armour, and entry and exit were at will.


    Chu Zheng followed the crowd into the city, desperately gathering information from the snippets of conversationing from all directions.


    Walking through the long street, Chu Zheng''s thoughts gradually stabilized, as ifing to a realization.


    Above this star, many people practiced the Incense Fire Divine Path, but most of them practiced it alongside other paths.


    After these cultivators died, relying on the reputation they had established during their lives, people would create a Golden Body for them, allowing them to return to the world through the power of Incense Fire Willpower.


    This was equivalent to resurrection, so many cultivators flocked to the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    While there were those who became deities using their physical bodies, as time passed, the flesh would ultimately decay, and the Yin God was the ultimate destination.


    Compared to a physical body as a shackle and constraint, the mode of action of the Yin God was undoubtedly more flexible and varied, with a Golden Body as a node, able to reach the expanse of rivers and mountains in an instant.


    As Chu Zheng''s understanding of the Incense Fire Divine Path deepened, his expression became somewhat hesitant.


    This was indeed a great path, capable of Divine Communication, and even able to exist in the world forever.


    But for a Qi Cultivator, the more karma involved, the greater the likelihood of a violent death.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng suddenly recalled the Ancestral Dao, and his heart trembled slightly.


    No one knew the true name of the Ancestral Dao; the Golden Bodies created were of many forms, without a fixed appearance.


    As long as the name ''Ancestral Dao'' was bestowed upon this Golden Body, the Ancestral Dao should be able to receive the power of Incense Fire Willpower without taking on too much karma.


    This method was undoubtedly against the natural order.


    As his thoughts dispersed, Chu Zheng, absentmindedly, bumped into someone''s waist.


    Chu Zheng looked up, ready to apologize, when a wrinkled smiling face squeezed in front of him:


    "No worries."


    [Yuan Dazun (First Order): Bone age forty-three, rudimentary knowledge of the Martial Path; practicing the Incense Fire Divine Path with few believers.]


    Here was another cultivator who practiced the Incense Fire Divine Path, Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened, and he subconsciously stepped back half a step.


    "Do you believe in the divine?"


    Yuan Dazun sized up Chu Zheng and suddenly asked.


    Chu Zheng shook his head subconsciously, then abruptly nodded.


    "Little fellow, I see that you were born extraordinary, not an ordinary person. In the future, you must be a dragon among men. Would you like to follow me and cultivate?"


    Yuan Dazun''s expression gradually became stern, "If you believe in me, I can fulfill all your wishes."


    Compared to those well-known deities with their established followers, those who had just begun to practice the Incense Fire Divine Path undeniably had it challenging.


    Just like deities, the simplest way to acquire followers was through fulfilling the wishes of believers to prove their strength.

 Chapter 269 Forming Golden Body, First Taste of Incense Fire Divine Path

    As a deity, without sufficient power, there would be no believers willing to offer their willingness.


    On the long street, cultivators were as plentiful as carps crossing a river, and with just a nce, one could see many shrine temples.


    In some households, more than one deity was worshipped.


    Apart from the true core of fanatic believers, the faith of most deity''s followers was not pure.


    For example, the lord of the Divine Court, that Great Emperor, with just a casual look, one could see many divine positions belonging to Him.


    The basis for believers to trust in a deityy in the deity being able to fulfill their wishes, which was a mutual choice.


    Chu Zheng looked at the middle-aged man before him, who was over forty years old, and couldn''t help but remain silent for a moment.


    Seeing that Chu Zheng did not speak, Yuan Dazun became a bit impatient, "Young fellow, I am not jesting with you. As long as you have a wish, I can help you achieve it."


    "Really?"


    Chu Zheng''s expression was a bit odd, regretting if he did not take this readily avable hardbor.


    Seeing that Chu Zheng finally reacted, Yuan Dazun''s expression eased slightly, he nodded and said, "Naturally."


    A toddler looking no more than four or five years old, how big an appetite could he have? Picking up a believer for free was a bargain unlike any other.


    "Let me think..."


    Chu Zheng lowered his head to calcte, and then spoke slowly:


    "I want millennium-aged ginseng, hundred-year-old Pine Spirit Ganoderma, Moonlight Condensation Dew, Earth Yin Grass..."


    In an instant, Chu Zheng listed over a dozen old medicinal spiritual materials, most of which were of a cold Yin property.


    This body was born during the ultimate Yang hour and was filled with Yang Qi, needing some Yin cold spiritual materials for bnce.


    Considering Yuan Dazun''s power, Chu Zheng''s request was not beyond his ability.


    These items were all basic spiritual materials, rarely seen even at the entry stage, and could help him quickly solidify his foundation. After the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, his cultivation would be able to grow faster.


    "Wait... just wait, I can''t remember all that."


    Yuan Dazun interrupted continuously, looking somewhat nk, as some of the items Chu Zheng mentioned were unheard of to him.


    After thinking it over, he took out pen and paper and had Chu Zheng repeat the list, then noted everything down one by one.


    This was the first wish of the believer, and if he couldn''t fulfill this, there was no point in talking about the future.


    The child before him bore no trace of any deity''s aura, he was as pure and clean as a crystal.


    Such children, who had yet to develop a belief in any deity, were too rare in this world, and with a bit of cultivation, could be fanatic believers.


    A fanatic believer was worth more than hundreds, thousands of ordinary believers.


    For someone like him, a cultivator without any foundation, every believer was precious, and he would vie for each one.


    In the future, when he died, there would also be someone to help him build shrine temples and form his divine statues.


    As long as he could gain the trust of this child, even if it meant a small price, it would be worth it.


    "The things you asked for are not difficult for me."


    Yuan Dazun cleared his throat, put away the list he had written, and his demeanor became serious again:


    "Young fellow, what is your name?"


    "Chu Zheng."


    Casually replying, Chu Zheng looked up at Yuan Dazun and touched his belly:


    "I am hungry."


    "Follow me, and you will never be hungry again."


    Yuan Dazun''s face broke into a smile as he led Chu Zheng into a restaurant on the street.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was not yet midday, the restaurant had few patrons, the air filled with a faint fragrance of strong liquor and the smell of oil, which was tantalizing.


    Smelling this, the sense of hunger in Chu Zheng''s belly instantly intensified several times, making it almost impossible for him to move.


    Such an abnormal state made Chu Zheng realize something was off, his gazending on a picture behind the counter.


    In the picture stood a bald, white-bearded, kindly faced old man in a white robe, beside him floated twelve differently shaped kitchen utensils.


    [Food God Picture (Third Order): A portrait of a Heavenly Venerate Incense Spirituality, long immersed in incense and possessing divinity, capable of influencing the culinary desires of beings of the Third Order or below, and enhancing the mana of Spiritual Culinary Path cultivators.]


    Food God.


    Chu Zheng''s heart stirred, a single portrait affecting the senses of a cultivator was indeed incredible.


    Such portraits, unknown how many more there were in this world, clearly showed the increased earnings for restaurants disying the Food God Picture.


    The Spiritual Culinary Path was also one of the numerous smaller paths, and this Food God being listed in the Heavenly Venerate Realm, it wouldn''t be surprising if every restaurant disyed his picture.


    Even the destiny of the Spiritual Culinary Path itself might be monopolized by him alone.


    Business was good in restaurants, and with many imitators, the incense to the Food God would only be more vigorous. The more vigorous the incense, the more benefits the Food God could receive, and thus he could offer more feedback to his believers.


    For an Incense Fire God, this no doubt formed a positive cycle.


    Yuan Dazun chose a spot for them and called over a server.


    There were people in the hall discussing legends about the Food God, and Chu Zheng caught bits and pieces, gaining a little understanding about this deity.


    The Food God had been a cultivator of the Spiritual Culinary Path during his lifetime. Later, when the Great Emperor of the Divine Court had descended to be tested by the vicissitudes of the mortal world, he met him and prepared a world-shocking dish that delighted the Great Emperor.


    After the Great Emperor returned to his divine position, He titled him the Food God,missioned writings about him, and dramatically expanded constructions to erect temples and forge his divine statues, granting him billions of incense worship.


    From then on, the Food God''s fortunes soared, bing one of the pirs of the Divine Court.


    The tales about the Food God were numerous, with this being just one of many versions.


    What the true circumstances were, apart from the Food God himself, no one knew.

 Chapter 269 Forming Golden Body, First Taste of Incense Fire Divine Path_2

    "Eat as much as you like, follow me, and you won''tck for food,"


    Yuan Dazun emphasized once more the benefits of following him, he picked up the menu, and handed it straight to Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng did not bother with pleasantries with Yuan Dazun, took the menu directly, briefly nced at it, and casually ordered a dozen dishes.


    Nowadays, with his physical strength, there was no less than five thousand pounds, naturally his appetite was extraordinarilyrge.


    In this restaurant, there were quite a few dishes made from Entry Stage Magical Beasts'' flesh and blood, but Chu Zheng evaluated Yuan Dazun''s strength and did not go overboard.


    Looking back, not having money to pay the bill and being detained to do chores in the restaurant would be a bit of a dy.


    Looking at the dozen names of dishes, Yuan Dazun sized up Chu Zheng for a while, his expression slightly skeptical, but in the end, he did not speak, instead, he turned around, handed the menu to the waiter, and casually instructed to serve the dishes one by one.


    In the previous days, traveling through the mountains was equivalent to living off raw flesh and blood, coupled with the influence of the Food God Picture, Chu Zheng naturally had an enormous appetite at this moment.


    In just a short moment, a dozen dishes had all entered his stomach, his stomach like a furnace, instantly refined the essence, which was integrated into his limbs and bones, with some impurities being expelled from the body along with a great sweat.


    "Are you full?"


    Yuan Dazun, far from rmed, was delighted, his eyes shining more intensively, feeling as if he had stumbled upon a treasure, he quickly called over the waiter, and picked up the menu:


    "If it''s not enough, order more!"


    Being able to eat so much proved that Chu Zheng was no ordinary man, with an exceptional talent.


    Such a follower was even harder to find.


    The stronger Chu Zheng''s future strength was, the more benefits it would bring to him.


    One Great Cultivator as a follower could be worth one hundred thousand strong men.


    "That''s about it."


    Chu Zheng shook his head for a while, stood up, and walked towards the outside of the restaurant, relying on these things for nourishment was ultimately too inefficient.


    Yuan Dazun also stood up, rubbing his hands together, his eyes filled with excitement.


    Once they were outside the restaurant, he immediately waved his hand grandly:


    "Let''s go, I''ll find you a ce to stay, and once I find you a cultivation method, you can attain immortality."


    As he said this, he suddenly came to a realization, looked towards Chu Zheng, his expression hesitant: "What about your parents?


    Since meeting, Chu Zheng''sportment had been overlyposed, hardly resembling someone uneducated.


    If Chu Zheng had a remarkable identity background, his effort would be all in vain.


    "On this Stars, I have no family," Chu Zheng told the truth.


    Upon hearing this, Yuan Dazun breathed a sigh of relief, slowly saying:


    "You will have one from now on."


    Chu Zheng neither agreed nor disagreed, turned around, and nced at the Food God Picture hanging in the main hall of the restaurant, as if in deep thought.


    How to avoid karma and obtain Incense Fire Willpower was the only thing he needed to worry about at the moment.


    This path had aw that reached to the heavens, and it was also a way out.


    If he were to die young on this path, by means of the Incense me Golden Body, perhaps there was still a chance for aeback.


    ...


    ...


    The dim evening light hung in the sky, filling it with colorful clouds.


    The remaining glow reflected into a slightly dpidated courtyard, falling on a child''s face, adding a touch of blood color to his already ruddy cheeks.


    Chu Zheng was holding a half of an old ginseng, reclining on a hammock, staring at the bloody evening sky, lost in thought.


    Crack¡ª


    He finished the remaining old ginseng in three or two bites, the sweet taste exploding on the tip of the tongue, juice overflowing.


    A surge of vegetation Essence Qi flowed down from his throat, washing over the five viscera and six bowels, and eventually hidden within the limbs and bones.


    A skyscraper rises from the ground, this time, Chu Zheng wanted to go further, intending to step into Refine Spirit, naturally needing to build a solid foundation, Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation was the foundation.


    "Ancestor, slow down!"


    Yuan Dazun, squatting not far away, had his brow twitching and the corner of his mouth twitching slightly, watching Chu Zheng finish the thousand-year-old ginseng in just a few bites, he inevitably felt a bit heartbroken.


    From the day he picked up Chu Zheng, more than a month had passed, during this time, he increasingly saw Chu Zheng''s extraordinariness.


    He had sought many cultivation methods for Chu Zheng, none of which Chu Zheng had practiced, yet his vitality grew stronger day by day, already showing some phenomena despite his young age.


    For this, Yuan Dazun naturally had some suspicions; perhaps Chu Zheng carried some kind of cultivation method inherently, only, with his vision, he couldn''t see the way.


    Yuan Dazun had no doubts, ording to this rate, in another year and a half, Chu Zheng would catch up to him.


    At a certain moment, Yuan Dazun had thought about giving up. Chu Zheng was not someone he could control, yet he felt somewhat reluctant to let go.


    In this past month, the cost he had invested in Chu Zheng was simply too great, almost exhausting most of his resources umted in the first half of his life.


    The huge cost already invested made it impossible for him to easily let go. If it ended with both financial and personal loss, he really couldn''t bear it.


    Therefore, he could only try his best to fulfill Chu Zheng''s requests.


    Chu Zheng came back to his senses, saw the worried look on Yuan Dazun''s face, did not say much, and turned to walk inside the house.


    With the repair panel avable, there were too many ways for Chu Zheng to earn Spirit Stones.


    Once he entered the Spirit Transformation, gained some self-defense ability, he would repay Yuan Dazun tenfold for the expenses of these days.


    After entering the house, Chu Zheng turned around to lock the door, not far from the bed, stood a y figure.


    The y figure was seven feet tall, d in a simple robe, and the face was nk, without any features.


    This was a divine statue.


    Among the many cultivation methods Yuan Dazun had brought to Chu Zheng, included the elementary Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Each Incense Fire Deity had started from establishing their reputation during their life, and after death, by means of their golden body, they gathered their dispersed spirit and soul, assembled the body of the Yin God, and returned to the world of the living.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The first divine statue was also known as Divine Embryo, the ce for harboring the divine spirit.


    The Divine Embryo Realm was also the first realm of the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Looking at the formless golden body in front of him, Chu Zheng fell into deep thought.


    He was keen to emte the method of the Ancestral Dao, to collect Incense Fire Willpower to see the effects, but he didn''t know how to start for the time being.


    That Ancestral Dao, whose real name and appearance were unknown to anyone, was extremely mysterious.


    However, the golden body of the Ancestral Dao was erected throughout the Myriad Heavens and Realms, even making Chu Zheng suspect that the strongest Incense Fire Deity in the Great Universe might also be this Ancestral Dao.


    Zhao Tingxian, who followed the path of Incense Fire Deity, was inevitably influenced by the Ancestral Dao.


    "Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial..."


    Chu Zheng recalled Zhao Tingxian''s honorific title, as if he had realized something.


    He could first invent a fictional name for a deity, intangible and formless, create a legend for it, and see where the collected Incense Fire Willpower eventually went.


    This was merely a trial by Chu Zheng.


    However, the main issue was how this deity, which does not actually exist, would find believers.


    After a moment of contemtion, Chu Zheng looked up at Yuan Dazun in the courtyard, as if he had grasped an idea.


    The one who was currently closest to him in this world was Yuan Dazun.


    Having this living believer right in front of him, it would be a pity not to try something.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, nearly a month had passed.


    As Yuan Dazun''s resources werepletely depleted, Chu Zheng finallypleted the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation and stepped into the Spirit Transformation Realm, capable of using many Divine Skills.


    On the night he entered the Spirit Transformation, Chu Zheng used the Invisibility Technique and silently left the courtyard, circling around the city.


    Although the city itself was still rtively peaceful, outside the city, there were quite a few battles urring.


    With wars came broken des and Magic Treasures, which were, to Chu Zheng at the moment, the simplest and most direct sources avable.


    Several hourster, Chu Zheng found a small-scale battlefield, where most of thebatants were ordinary beings who had not entered the Entry Stage, and fragments of Magical Instruments were notmon.


    After searching for a moment, Chu Zheng only found three broken Magical Instruments.


    However, for Chu Zheng''s current situation, these fragments of Magical Instruments were still sufficient enough.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning.


    In the small courtyard.


    Yuan Dazun looked at the Magic Instrument in Chu Zheng''s hand, which was shing with Spiritual Light, and was taken aback for a long moment.


    Chu Zheng coughed lightly, his expression solemn:


    "Do you want to worship the deity with me?"

 Chapter 270 Divine Embryo, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu

    Above the firmament, the rising morning sun carried warmth, yet this warmth failed to prate the depths of Yuan Dazun''s heart.


    "As you wish... worshipping gods?"


    Yuan Dazun repeated Chu Zheng''s words, feeling a slight chill in his heart and a trace of bewilderment in his expression.


    He could tell at a nce that the few magic artifacts in Chu Zheng''s hands were valuable; at least with his prior financial resources, he couldn''t afford them.


    In one night, Chu Zheng suddenly had these artifacts in his possession, which was difficult to exin by normal reasoning.


    Worshipping deities sometimes yielded rewards bestowed by them, but such events were rare, only the most fervent believers could possibly receive such divine rewards.


    If it were said that Chu Zheng was a disciple of some deity, everything he had done before would turn into a joke.


    Chu Zheng casually tossed the magic artifacts towards Yuan Dazun and turned to step inside his room, where he brought out the divine statue he had crafted.


    Looking at the faceless divine statue, Yuan Dazun hesitated,


    "Which deity is this? Not even a visage has been left behind... Was there no painter to capture a divine portrait during life?"


    Practitioners of the Incense Fire Divine Path, most would have their likeness captured by a skilled painter before death, thus facilitating believers in Forming their Golden Body posthumously Shrouding them in incense fire.


    Deities without a visage, as in this case, mostly remained in the Divine Embryo Realm, struggling to amass a sizable Divine Kingdom.


    Without a face left behind, naturally, their persuasive power would be significantly reduced.


    Even if many mythological tales were fabricated about them, without sufficient strength to prove their prowess, it would still be difficult to attract believers.


    Believers follow a method to worship gods, expending their own Vitality, Qi, and Spirit, thus the number of deities one can worship each day is limited.


    Believers aren''t foolish; they can discern pros and cons, willing to choose deities that benefit them.


    A deity so obscure, I fear, will soon be submerged by time, their remains lost, with no incense to perpetuate.


    "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, a practitioner of the Taoist School,"


    Chu Zheng had already decided on a title for the divine statue.


    The method he used to craft this divine statue was acquired from the remnants of Zhao Tingxian''s hidden abode, the ''God Sculpting Method,'' which he had slightly modified.


    He added a Yin Yang Diagram at the waist of the divine image as an identifier for ''Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.''


    He intentionally left the features of the statue nk, reserving a nk space, to test some possibilities.


    "A Dao Lord?"


    Yuan Dazun looked doubtful, as Dao Lord didn''t seem like a traditional title recognized by the orthodox Incense Fire Divine Path.


    After a silence, he couldn''t help but ask, "Were these magic artifacts given by that one?"


    "Yes,"


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with anticipation, "Perhaps, he might fulfill most of your wishes."


    If Yuan Dazun was unwilling, Chu Zheng had no intention of forcing him.


    During this period, he had received quite a bit of care. These artifacts were enough topensate for Yuan Dazun''s contributions during that time; parting on good terms was sufficient.


    Yuan Dazun hesitated, looking at the magic artifacts in his hand and then at the divine statue before him, unsure of his next move.


    Rtions of vassge naturally exist among the deities, the Divine Court being the prime example: thirty-six thousand deities, clearly ranked, each serving their own sovereign.


    Although the Imperial Divine Emperor was the supreme lord of all deities, sects still divided the Divine Court internally.


    Powerful deities had hundreds and thousands of followers, and these followers were also Incense Fire Spirits.


    Yuan Dazun had a clear understanding of his own abilities.


    Even if he were to practice the Incense Fire Divine Path and achieve divinity after death, his achievements would be limited. Even if he were to enter the Divine Court, he would probably only find a remote rural area to establish a shrine, living meagerly on scant incense fire under the wing of some deity.


    Compared to his current circumstances, the only advantage would be the ability to live on indefinitely.


    After some hesitation, Yuan Dazun took a deep breath, took out an incense burner, offered up some Spirit Fruit, then lit a stick of Pure Incense, murmuring a chant.


    After respectfully notifying heaven and earth, he bowed his head and inserted the Pure Incense into the burner.


    Hiss¡ª


    The moment the incense entered the burner, the previously burning Pure Incense was instantly extinguished.


    Seeing this, Yuan Dazun immediately frowned.


    When the incense fire dies, so does the deity.


    Unable to offer incense could mean that this Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu either did not exist in the world at all or all his followers had perished.


    Besides these two possibilities, there was another: Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu did not wish to ept him as a follower.


    Seeing this, Yuan Dazun sighed lightly, knowing that the magic artifacts in his hand couldn''t havee from nowhere. Since Chu Zheng had benefited from this deity, it proved that the deity must exist.


    It seemed that this Dao Lord had certain standards for selecting followers; one couldn''t simply worship if one desired to do so.


    Yuan Dazun gave Chu Zheng a somewhat helpless smile and turned to rest inside the house.


    As it was his first time worshipping a god, he had spared no effort when he performed the God-Worshipping Method earlier, depleting much of his Vitality, Qi, and Spirit, and he needed time to recover.


    Chu Zheng walked around the divine statue, his brow furrowed. He didn''t feel any unusual movement, nor did he perceive any fluctuation of Incense Fire Willpower.


    Clearly, this undoubtedly meant he had failed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Practicing the Incense Fire Divine Path, to collect willpower directly without involving cause and effect was a bit of wishful thinking; there are no such perfect solutions in the world.


    Chu Zheng was deep in thought, casually picking up the Spirit Fruit from the offering table and stuffing it into his mouth, contemting whether there had been any oversights beforehand.


    Crunch¡ª


    The moment the Spirit Fruit touched his pte, the extinguished Pure Incense in the furnace suddenly lit up with a faint glow and began to burn, emitting a rising stream of blue smoke.

 Chapter 198 Divine Embryo, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu_2

    Chu Zheng''s expression slightly stunned, his pupils dting, a trace of shock suddenly surging out.


    ...


    ...


    In the Cangyun Realm, Taixuan Holy Land.


    Within the secret chamber, Chu Zheng suddenly opened his eyes, raised his hand to his chest, his expression undergoing a drastic change.


    He felt a throbbing, a faint connection,ing from a distantly twinkling star, establishing a link with him.


    Within his spiritual tform, the Yin Yang Divine Infant trembled slightly, stretching out and imparting a gentle warmth.


    He had received a thread of Incense Fire Willpower.


    But... how was this possible?!


    Chu Zheng''s heart pounded like a drum, his expression filled with doubt and uncertainty. This thread of incense fire had been directly transmitted to his true self.


    Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu was just a casually chosen title,pletely unrted to himself.


    The only connection was that his incarnation had consumed a bite of an offered Spirit Fruit.


    After pondering, Chu Zheng''s brows slightly furrowed, the issue should not lie with the Spirit Fruit, but with that Divine Statue.


    That Divine Statue...


    Chu Zheng grew even more frightened. Could it be that the Divine Statue sculpted by the God Sculpting Method wasn''t the Ancestral Dao, but actually himself?!


    However, those Qi Cultivators had not received any Incense Fire Willpower; how could this be exined?


    For a moment, Chu Zheng''s mind was clouded with doubts. Unknown matters often carried a hint of terror.


    ...


    ...


    In the slightly dpidated courtyard.


    Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye, scanning the Divine Statue before him.


    [Divine Statue (Zeroth Order): ''Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s unique Golden Body, empowered by Incense Fire Spirituality, has developed mystery, with over a hundred believers, one may attempt to cultivate a Divine Embryo.]


    The statue stillcked facial features, a bare ne, and upon seeing this, Chu Zheng''s entire body went cold.


    Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu...


    Had he created a Deity, or had he himself be a God?


    Chu Zheng suddenly raised his hand, pressing it against the statue before him.


    Bang¡ª


    A muffled sound echoed, dirt sttering, scattering all around.


    [Iplete Divine Statue (Zeroth Order): ''Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s unique Golden Body, shattered by your own hand (repairable)]


    Chu Zheng''s true self had tried for a long time, attempting to sever this thread of incense fire connection, but it was all in vain.


    Even with the statue broken, nothing changed.


    Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu had left traces in this world that could not be erased.


    After a moment, Chu Zheng restored the statue, his emotions gradually stabilizing.


    Killing Yuan Dazun might sever this thread of incense connection, but Chu Zheng didn''t n to try it.


    For one thing, he didn''t know the oue; for another, he had been prepared for twists before attempting, and this particr twist, although somewhat out of control, did not necessitate such an exaggerated reaction like a startled bird.


    If he were really that timid, he would have given up Qi-refining Techniques long ago.


    However, looking at this Divine Statue, it''s possible that when Zhao Tingxian embarked on the Incense Fire Divine Path, he too might have experienced an ident like the one Chu Zheng was facing now.


    Chu Zheng dispersed the thoughts in his mind, his gaze gradually bing sharp. Since he couldn''t break away, he would continue on.


    If Zhao Tingxian could practice both concurrently, he naturally could as well.


    After a short rest, Yuan Dazun emerged from the house, his eyes falling on the scant remnant of blue smoke in the incense burner, his expression revealing surprise and confusion.


    He had already given up, yet this change still urred.


    His gaze quickly fell on Chu Zheng. This turn of events was most likely not unrted to him.


    Chu Zheng did not exin to Yuan Dazun''s puzzlement but turned around to go back into the house.


    A day passed in a sh, and by nightfall, Chu Zheng employed the Invisibility Technique and left the city again, beginning to search for valuable fragments of Magic Artifacts.


    Rapid advancement in cultivation was inseparable from the nourishment of Elixirs and Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. Earning arge amount of Spirit Stones was the top priority.


    ```


    Apart from that, it was to develop followers for "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu".n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The wisp of Incense Fire Willpower indeed nurtured the Divine Infant a bit, and this was an advantage that could not be overlooked.


    Since it was beneficial for cultivation and could not be cast aside, Chu Zheng decided to start devoting a portion of his effort in this area.


    Attracting believers was no easy task, and this could be seen from Yuan Dazun''s experience.


    Therefore, Chu Zheng needed to create a series of mythologies to lend credible support to this faceless Dao Venerable.


    Even if these were fabricated, as long as believers were willing to believe, it would be enough.


    This time, Chu Zheng traveled further from the city.


    After entering the Spirit Transformation Realm, he could use magic artifacts to travel, drastically changing the speed and efficiency of his search.


    After making arge loop around the vicinity, Chu Zheng suddenly came across a familiar great river. Following the river, he soon reached the first tribe.


    Compared to before, there had been quite a few changes in the vige.


    The divine statue of the "River Towning Spirit Lord" that was by the shore had disappeared without a trace, and each household in the tribe had set up a Longevity que.


    "Nine Heavens Everbright Celestial Lord..."


    From this que, it was evident who had won the battle that day.


    The Incense Fire Deity of the Celestial Lord Realm has an upper and lower rank, with the upper ranked ones simr to Cultivators from the Immortal Tribtion Secret Realm, and even a Junior Heavenly Monarch isparable to Tongxuan.


    In terms of strength, this Nine Heavens Everbright Celestial Lord was much more powerful than the River Towning Spirit Lord.


    In fact, it could be said that these two were not beings of the same level at all.


    However, even with the protection of a stronger deity, the people in this tribe had no joy on their faces.


    Chu Zheng, using his invisibility technique, took a walk around the tribe and soon understood the reason.


    The Nine Heavens Everbright Celestial Lord, though powerful, had too many followers and simply could not protect each one individually.


    If magical beasts attacked the tribe and caused injury or death to the believers, the Jiuyou Changming Celestial Lord would certainly intervene and even eradicate the source once and for all.


    But daily hardships such as frost, rain, snow, tidal changes, and even whether the weather was favorable, the Nine Heavens Everbright Celestial Lord would not care much about, as they were natural urrences that did not threaten lives.


    It was the lesser deities who, in order to gather the faith of believers, would put effort into such matters.


    And indeed, these were exactly what the tribe''s people needed for their survival.


    Chu Zheng did not disturb the tribe and left quietly, continuing his search toward distantnds.


    As the sky began to brighten, Chu Zheng returned to the city.


    That night, his harvest was substantial, acquiring many fragments of magic artifacts. After repairing them, he handed them all to Yuan Dazun.


    Being too young, if he appeared personally, others might take him lightly, which could also invite trouble.


    By having Yuan Dazun find the right opportunity to exchange them for spirit stones and elixirs, it couldn''t be more suitable.


    Chu Zheng specially instructed Yuan Dazun to be extremely careful and conceal his identity when making the exchange.


    These magic weapons were scavenged from a battlefield, and once repaired, there was a chance they could be recognized by their original owners.


    It was better to prioritize safety until his own cultivation was sufficient.


    Besides these matters, Chu Zheng officially began writing the mythological records for "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu", which would require some thought.


    Even if he didn''t go as far as creating the universe or dividing yin and yang, Chu Zheng still needed to raise the powers of "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu" as much as possible, otherwise, he wouldn''t bepetitive in a world teeming with deities.


    After some contemtion, Chu Zheng set the origin of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu in the Primordial Era.


    In the Primordial Wilds, many things had been lost to history, leaving much room for Chu Zheng''s creativity, and in any case, nobody would actually verify these stories.


    [The Dao Lord was born with the natural forces of heaven and earth, possessing the rise and fall of yin and yang without a teacher, naturallyprehending, consuming the energy of yin and yang, the essence of heaven and earth, entering the path of cultivation...]


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.


    After three years of tranquil cultivation, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had steadily entered thete stage of the Jade Bone Realm.


    This pace was purposefully restrained by Chu Zheng to ensure stable progress, butpared tomon cultivators, it was still astoundingly fast.


    Regarding the biography of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, its release only received a lukewarm reaction in the vicinity.


    However, after a group of believers came to worship and try it out, Chu Zheng did not skimp on spirit stones and eventually gathered a group of followers.


    Though not possessing fanatically devoted believers who worshipped him exclusively, the Golden Body still sessfully nurtured a Divine Embryo, obtaining a sliver of True Spirit.


    ```

 Chapter 199 Transformation of the Divine Infant, Slaying Calamities

    Divine Embryo Realm, the first realm of the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Entering this realm meant that Chu Zheng had formally stepped onto the Incense Living Beings Way, bing an Incense Fire Deity.


    After nurturing a Divine Embryo, this mud-sculpted Divine Statue had awakened spiritually.


    Chu Zheng''s true body and this Divine Statue were now connected. He could even use this statue to project some of his Divine Skills across space.


    Only after setting foot on this path did Chu Zheng understand why Zhao Tingxian had suddenly appeared on that star.


    A true name is extremely important for Incense Fire Deities, and it must never be disclosed recklessly.


    If a believer prays, and someone calls out the true name of a deity, as long as the Incense Fire Deity is within a certain range, the true form must descend.


    If the distance is too far and it is impossible to arrive in time, one must manifest a miracle through their Golden Body.


    Believers are the source of an Incense Fire Deity''s power, inseparable¡ªthis constitutes the constraints of believers on Incense Fire Deities.


    Therefore, most people only know the titles of deities and not their true names.


    The Ancestral Dao Golden Body spreads across the Myriad Heavens and Realms, yet no one knows its true name, likely for this reason.


    Incense Fire Willpower, which is the believers, also has levels, generally categorized into upper, middle, and lower tiers.


    Those who can provide first-ss willpower are called Fanatical Believers, who possess the most devout hearts towards their worshipped deity and are willing to die for their faith at any moment.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Those providing middle-tier willpower are called True Believers. Among all groups of believers, this type upies the most central position and is the cornerstone on which high-rise buildings are constructed.


    True Believers would at most worship two or three deities and will spread the doctrine of their own deity, continuously expanding the group of believers.


    As for lower-tier willpower, derived from a mixture, these believers are called False Believers. These people typically worship many deities, with their worship sporadic, like fishing for three days and drying thes for two.


    If a better option arises, they may even switch sides at any moment.


    The believers Chu Zheng gathered using Spirit Stones had particrly low-quality Incense Fire Willpower, belonging to the lowest among the lower tier.


    Should Chu Zheng cut off the supply of Spirit Stones, these gathered believers would quickly disperse.


    However, even if the quality of the Incense Fire Willpower was not high, Chu Zheng still received many benefits.


    Because many of these believers gathered by Spirit Stones were cultivators, their daily worship provided him with significant Incense Fire Willpower.


    The amplification of Incense Fire Willpower on the Divine Infant was clearly evident. In these three years, he had saved himself more than a decade of arduous cultivation.


    The advancement of his Immortal Path Cultivation had already reached the Middle Stage of Divine Infant and was rapidly progressing towards the Late Divine Soul Realm.


    This was still the case when the Incense Fire Willpower was far from abundant. If there were enough believers, the speed of cultivation enhancement in the Incense Fire Divine Path would be terrifying.


    Zhao Tingxian''s ability to reach the Immortal Venerable realm in just over a thousand years was definitely linked to the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Compared to those cultivators who came because of Spirit Stones, Yuan Dazun was clearly an exception; Incense Fire Willpower could most directly reflect a believer''s level of devotion.


    Over these three years, as time passed, the Incense Fire Willpower carried by Yuan Dazun during his incense burning and worshipping became denser and far exceeded that of ordinary believers.


    This was Chu Zheng''s only True Believer.


    He had trulye to believe that in the Primordial Era, there existed a Dao Lord, who now intended to return to the human world through the Incense Fire Divine Path, with Chu Zheng as his spokesperson.


    The rapid advancement in Chu Zheng''s cultivation was something he had witnessed. Without the aid of a deity, it would have been impossible.


    Because the quality of Chu Zheng''s believers was extremely low and given the limitations of Spirit Stones, it was already predestined that this model could not be sustained long-term, and changes were necessary.


    Without numerous iplete Magic Artifacts to continuously acquire Spirit Stones, the substantial daily expense over these three years was already stressing his resources.


    He needed to change this pattern, ensuring a stable and enduring supply of Incense Fire Willpower.


    ...


    ...


    In the following period, Chu Zheng interrupted the supply of Spirit Stones after worshipping the Divine Statue.


    When worshipping could no longer yield Spirit Stones, the supply of Incense Fire Willpower quickly decreased significantly.


    Soon, Chu Zheng''s true body sensed an emptiness within the Divine Infant, but his realm of cultivation did not fall, thanks to Elixirs that could replenish this deficit.


    This might be one of the advantages of a living cultivator practicing the Incense Fire Divine Path; even if believers dispersed, they could still rely on their own cultivation to exist in the world, minimizing the impact.


    As believers gradually became few, and the recently gathered Incense Fire began to dissipate, Yuan Dazun observed with some urgency.


    After the Incense Fire Willpower was depleted, Chu Zheng started over, re-screening for believers, while the task of preaching for "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu" naturally fell to Yuan Dazun.


    To increase Incense Fire, Yuan Dazun went out daily, beginning to search for suitable believers for Chu Zheng within the city.


    Under Chu Zheng''s instructions, he no longer mentioned Chu Zheng''s name to others.


    Over this period, his initial wish had gradually changed; to serve as a Wandering Deity under the Dao Lord was also a fulfillment of his previous desires.


    The logic of seeking shade under a big tree is understood by everyone. Without support from behind, even if he gathered a small fraction of believers, and luckily entered the Divine Court after death, as someone unknown and unremarkable, the eventual oue was likely to be quite bleak.

 Chapter 199 Transformation of the Divine Infant, Slaying Calamities_2

    The Divine Court has only thirty-six thousand five hundred divine positions, yet cultivators who practice the Incense Fire Divine Path number in the millions.


    Once you enter the Divine Court, you may still be ousted from the rank of Orthodox God, and if you fail to enter, you are relegated to the ranks of Indecent Sacrifice, bing a Wild God without the protection of the Divine Court.


    The fights among Indecent Sacrifice Evil Gods are extremely brutal. Wars frequently break out over the struggle for incense believers, and countless Indecent Sacrifices have been wiped out from ancient times to the present.


    The majority of cultivators who practice the Incense Fire Divine Path perish in the end.


    Yuan Dazun now ced his hopes on this Dao Lord who had suddenly emerged. If this Dao Lord could be influential in the future, Yuan Dazun might share in his sess and would likely receive many privileges.


    Just like the Food God, who coincidentally prepared a meal for that Great Emperor and is now a mainstay of the Divine Court.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, seven years had passed.


    With the untiring efforts of Yuan Dazun, the number of Chu Zheng''s believers had increased significantly.


    The number of True Believers had grown to over a hundred while False Believers had already surpassed ten thousand.


    Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu now had his first temple, and magic artifacts inscribed with the name of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu had been produced by the thousands, worshipped by numerous believers in their home shrines.


    The power of incense flowed to Chu Zheng''s original body every day, a steady and constant trickle.


    The sky gradually darkened, snowkes fell from the sky, and the cold stars twinkled.


    Outside the Dao Lord''s temple, several True Believers rotated in guarding the ce, ceaselessly alternating day and night.


    Within the vast temple spanning over six zhang, Chu Zheng, dressed in a ck and white robe, sat cross-legged at the center of the temple, quietly cultivating.


    This temple was built through thebined efforts of Yuan Dazun and many True Believers, costing a significant amount of Spirit Stones. Though it was not luxurious, it was nheless grand but understated.


    To avoid exposing his true name, Chu Zheng had not left his abode since he began cultivating the Incense Fire Divine Path, preferring seclusion and entirely focusing on his cultivation, which had now sessfully formed a Dao Embryo.


    This body was now twelve years old, but under Chu Zheng''s deliberate control, it appeared to be sixteen or seventeen.


    It must be said that the abundance of Yang Qi in this body certainly made practicing Qi-refining Techniques much easier.


    Not far behind him, his Golden Body, long nourished by the incense fire willpower, had been advanced to Divine Embryo Perfection and was about to conceive a Soul.


    Once the Soul emerged, this y body would be the embodiment of Chu Zheng''s practice on the Incense Fire Divine Path, with an unending stream of believers to sustain its existence.


    Chu Zheng''s own cultivation had also improved considerably. Although most of his believers were mortals or cultivators who had not yet entered the Entry Stages of cultivation and only had a superficial understanding of the craft, they provided a stable source of incense fire willpower.


    In seven years'' time, this incense fire willpower had pushed his cultivation to the peak of the Middle Stage of Divine Infant, just a step away from entering the Late Divine Soul Realm.


    Stepping into the Late Divine Soul Realm was not far from the Divine Transformation Realm.


    It should be noted that only a little over a month had passed in the Cangyun Realm; such speed of progression was startling to behold.


    Knock, knock¡ª


    A knocking sound came from the door, and Chu Zheng slowly ended his practice and opened his eyes:


    "Come in."


    Creak¡ª


    The door made a faint noise as it opened, and the cold wind, along with heavy snow, drifted into the hall.


    Yuan Dazun crossed the threshold, hurrying to Chu Zheng''s front, a taut expression on his face as he lowered his head in greeting, "Venerable."


    A Venerable is the title for a deity''s spokesperson. In every Incense Fire God''s absence from major events, it is the Venerable''s duty to manage all the affairs of the believers.


    This was also the identity Chu Zheng had publicly established for himself.


    "What has happened?"


    Seeing that Yuan Dazun looked troubled, Chu Zheng''s mind tensed. He detected a whiff of blood and, upon closer inspection, noticed Yuan Dazun''s face was injured and his breath slightly unstable, indicating internal injuries.


    "The Venerable of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord has discovered my actions; he no longer allows me to preach and recruit believers in the city, and moreover..."


    Yuan Dazun raised his head, nced at the Faceless Golden Body behind Chu Zheng and clenched his teeth:


    "He demands that the Dao Lord appear before him within three days, and henceforth, of the incense fire willpower received, thirty percent may be kept while seventy percent must be handed over..."


    The inevitable had still arrived.


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained unruffled by surprise, as he fell into contemtion; he had long anticipated this day.


    Among the Incense Fire Deities, thepetition for believers was ever-present.


    This time, the trouble might not be greatly rted to preaching; it was more likely targeted at him.


    After years of secluded cultivation without stepping outside, the Tribtion Qi by his side had already umted to a certain extent, yet had never erupted.


    The title of Incense Fire Deities corrtes with their power.


    The Spirit Lord Realm is divided into three tiers, ording to the ssification of the Incense Fire Divine Path, belonging to the Third to Fifth Realms.


    The River Towning Spirit Lord he had encountered before possessed the strength of the Third Order.


    Over thest ten years, except for searching for Magical Instrument Fragments, Chu Zheng seldom left home, which left him with little understanding of the numerous deities within the city.


    After pondering for a few moments, Chu Zheng lifted his head and asked, "What realm is this Cold Pond Spirit Lord from?"


    "Middle-Rank Spirit Lord, Fourth Realm Deity; nearly a thousand True Believers, and over a million followers," came the reply.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s calm demeanor, Yuan Dazun''s anxiety also subsided considerably, and he gradually suppressed his impatience.


    The Fourth Realm, equivalent to the Qi Refining Golden Core or the Immortal Path Divine Infant, was a force Chu Zheng''s avatar was not yet capable of defeating.


    Chu Zheng turned around to look at the Faceless Golden Body not far away, his eyes slightly narrowed.


    However, there wasn''t entirely no solution.


    A seventy percent share was too exaggerated, especially since it also affected the speed of his main body''s cultivation; there was no possibility of any concession.


    The only option was battle.


    For him personally, this was the optimal moment for a rapid transition. Should he devour the million followers of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, advancing to the Late Divine Soul Realm or even achieving Divine Infant Perfection seemed imminent.


    Although Yuan Dazun forcibly suppressed his impatience, the sense of urgency in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.


    Even in ancient times, Dao Lords were very strong, but now, he was just an Incense Fire God with only over ten thousand believers, far inferior to the Cold Pond Spirit Lord.


    One misstep and this newly built temple might be razed to the ground.


    If the Dao Lord endured this moment of humiliation, bowed his head, and handed over the collected willpower, it would be an unspeakable blow to his own followers.


    For the True Believers, that might still be tolerable, but for those hard-earned ten thousand plus False Believers, they might directly be taken by the Cold Pond Spirit Lord.


    For False Believers, abandoning their current faith to worship a stronger deity was asmon as eating and drinking; their belief was inherently mixed and impure.


    Especially for a newly-started deity like the Dao Lord, being abandoned by them was nothing abnormal.


    Seeing Chu Zheng silent for a long time, Yuan Dazun could not help but ask:


    "Venerable, what should we do?"


    Chu Zheng pointed out a ray of Spiritual Light, healing Yuan Dazun''s wounds, and spoke slowly:


    "Wait for him toe seeking his own death."


    Feeling his body restored to its original state, Yuan Dazun''s eyes brightened slightly, and his mind settled a lot:


    "Understood."


    He bowed deeply and exited the temple, walking into the snowstorm.


    That very night, Yuan Dazun contacted some of his followers and quietly leaked the news that the Cold Pond Spirit Lord woulde to the temple in three days.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Since Chu Zheng was so confident, he might as well make a big fuss; he could also take this opportunity to gather more followers for the Dao Lord.


    No number of mythical tales couldpare to witnessing a divine miracle with one''s own eyes.


    If the Cold Pond Spirit Lord returned without sess, or even suffered a massive defeat, the situation would be reversed. How many of his million followers would remain was an unknown; even his own safety wasn''t guaranteed.


    At this moment, Yuan Dazun''s thoughts coincided with Chu Zheng''s¡ªthey both saw the potential in the million followers under the Cold Pond Spirit Lord''smand.


    ...


    ...


    As the sun rose and the moon set, three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    As dawn broke and the sky had cleared, a sudden swirl of wind and snow started to stir, covering every pavilion and pce with ayer of frost.


    An imposing figure, over ten zhang tall and shrouded in billowing incense smoke, walked over the icy stream towards the exposition outside the Dao Lord''s temple.


    Just appearing already caused a hundred li to freeze over; such maniption of the weather filled the multitude of early-onlookers with fear and trepidation.


    Instantly, the incense smoke cloud surrounding the Cold Pond Spirit Lord surged dramatically.

 Chapter 200 Thunder Method Defeats God, Divine Court Recruits

    The city where Chu Zheng currently was is called "Heavenly Pond," with a poption of over seven million, and together with the nearby affiliated towns, the poption exceeded ten million.


    The Cold Pond Spirit Lord had been entrenched here for nearly ten thousand years. The word "Pond" in "Heavenly Pond" refers to the Cold Pond Spirit Lord.


    Within Heavenly Pool City, among the Incense Fire Deities who had entered the Fourth Realm, apart from the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, there was only one Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord from the Divine Court, who was the heaven of the entire Heavenly Pool City.


    The million believers are just a nominal number; the actual number of true believers of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord had already approached two million, making him the second most powerful deity within thousands of miles, next only to the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord.


    In front of a not so grand temple, the ten-foot Soul of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord stood amidst the wind and snow, wearing a water-blue divine cape, his skin emanating a pale blue tint, appearing nearly forty years old, his cold, stern facemanding awe without anger, overlooking the entire temple.


    From a distance, quietly observing believers, many of whom were false believers of Chu Zheng, were captivated by the spiritual might of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, swaying uncertainly with hesitant expressions.


    This very Dharma Body alone wasrger than the temple of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, and it was clear to anyone with eyes that the difference was as profound as the heavens and the abyss.


    Even the true believers led by Yuan Dazun were filled with worry at this moment.


    A newly perfected Incense Fire God, when facing a Middle-Rank Spirit Lord, it was hard to say if there were any chances of victory.


    All they could hope for was that this time the Dao Lord could preserve himself as much as possible; otherwise, this newly assembled divine multitude would quickly disperse like monkeys scattering upon a tree''s fall.


    Whoo¡ª


    Looking at the temple in front of him, the Cold Pond Spirit Lord said nothing, suddenly raised his hand and swept across, the void exploded with a muffled sound of roaring thunder, and the cold wind howled, carrying a fierce stream of ice sweeping over the dome of the temple.


    Bang!


    Ayer of fragile divine light was torn apart, debris flying everywhere, revealing the inside of the temple at a nce.


    "Hiss..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Looking at the tiny divine statue only seven feet tall before him, the Cold Pond Spirit Lord''s eyes slightly narrowed, a light sneer sounded from his nose, and a cold, scornful smile hung on his lips:


    "A mere Divine Embryo, Soul not yet nurtured, dares defy my divine decree, ignorant of life and death."


    Having spoken, his gaze turned to Chu Zheng, after sizing him up for a while, he couldn''t help but be slightly moved:


    "Such outstanding raw talent, serving under such an insignificant deity, truly is a waste of heavenly gifts. Why not follow me in cultivation, worship me as your deity, and I can grant you a Venerable rank."


    He recognized Chu Zheng''s extraordinariness at a nce; at just over ten years old, he already possessed such cultivation, and his future achievements were boundless.


    If he could take him under hismand and carefully nurture him into a Venerable, he might be able to advance further in the future with this child.


    The strength of believers naturally strengthens the deities they worship.


    With these words, there was an uproar around, many of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord''s believers were somewhat in disbelief.


    The Venerable, as the spokesperson for a deity, holds a position and power only second to the deity itself within the divine multitude.


    After a moment, Chu Zheng, who had been sitting cross-legged in front of the divine statue, slowly opened his eyes, his expression unwavering as the Yin Yang Dual Qi flowed through his body, establishing a faint connection with his far-off true body through the divine statue.


    He had remained silent until now because he did not have an absolute certainty of victory, but at this moment, he did already.


    "Giving the enemy a breather, wasting words, such a deity stupid as a pig, what use are you to me?"


    Before the words fell, the seven-foot divine statue behind Chu Zheng suddenly lit up with divine brilliance, Yin Yang Qi surged from an extremely distant heaven, entering Chu Zheng''s body.


    "Huuu¡ª"


    Chu Zheng slowly stood up, exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, the Yin Yang Dual Qi flowing out of his body, rising into the sky, straight into the clouds.


    Boom¡ª


    The continuous wind and snow above the sky suddenly paused, and waves of dark clouds surged out of nowhere.


    The Cold Pond Spirit Lord''splexion changed slightly, unable to contain his irritation, suddenly raised his head, looking at the gradually condensing dark clouds, he immediately opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of white smoke.


    The white smoke surged upward, wrapped in severe cold, the void continuously cracking, specks of cold crystals precipitating from the air, falling like raindrops.


    In an instant, the sky was full of ice, the view filled with snow.


    From a distance came cheers like tsunamis from the believers of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, extremely exhrated because their worshipped deity was disying great divine power.


    However, the reaction of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord waspletely different from that of his believers, his expression solemn.


    Soon, hisplexion changed dramatically, a hint of horror shing in his eyes.


    In the sky, the continuous colored clouds sealed by low temperatures crackled, and then they were torn apart by a dazzling thunderbolt.


    Boom¡ª


    A thunderbolt as thick as an adult''s thigh, like an axe that splits the heavens, shed throughyered clouds and suddenly plummeted, striking directly at the Cold Pond Spirit Lord''s crown.


    He intended to dodge, but this strike was too fast and too fierce to be evaded.


    Bang!


    A thunderous explosion resounded, the Dharma Body of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord burst instantly, scattering in pieces and was unable to fully heal within a short period.


    The Thunderbolt, the utmost rigid force between heaven and earth, possesses terrifying strength, and its lethality against the Yin Divine Soul is increased more than tenfold.


    Chu Zheng gave him no time to catch his breath, once again connected with his Golden Body, wielded the Yin Yang Dual Qi, and used the Thunder Method.


    Boom!


    Another earth-shattering explosion resounded, the remaining aura of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord vanishedpletely, his Dharma Body left no trace.


    All around was deathly silence, and then many cultivators and believers quickly began to flee in terror, their faith deity defeated and returned, they no longer had the courage to stay here.


    In view of the public, with the Dharma Body being crushed, this was an astonishing blow for the believers of an Incense Fire Deity.

 Chapter 200 Thunder Method Defeats God, Divine Court Recruits_2

    Chu Zheng did not feel any sense of self-satisfaction because he was very clear that this was merely an avatar of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, and there was still much to do topletely dismantle it.


    Soon, Chu Zheng made a decision. He sent a message to Yuan Dazun, instructing him to immediately start gathering the followers of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord.


    This was a godsend opportunity. At the same time, he himself left the temple and began to use the Heavenly Fate Technique to deduce the locations of the remaining temples of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord and uproot them one by one.


    Not removing the roots when cutting grass is a great taboo in military strategy.


    It didn''t take long for the news to spread throughout Heavenly Pond City that a deity with only over ten thousand followers defeated a Spirit Lord with a million-strong divine multitude.


    The Cold Pond Spirit Lord, being constantly pursued by Chu Zheng, quickly disappeared from sight. Some had seen his fanatical followers escorting him out of the city, but the exact number of cities was unclear.


    With Yuan Dazun''s efforts, the scale of Chu Zheng''s followers began to expand rapidly, and in a blink of an eye, it had grown to nearly a million.


    The massive defeat was like a falling mountain, and Chu Zheng had be an unstoppable force, wholly devouring it.


    Besides Chu Zheng, many other deities were also secretly taking action against the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, aiming to divide his followers.


    Chu Zheng was not concerned about this. With his own strength, it was difficult topete with so many hands, and there was plenty of time in the future.


    ...


    ...


    The location of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s temple had changed, now closer to the center of Heavenly Pond City.


    Within a ttened area of ashes, Yuan Dazun erected a new site of pilgrimage on the site where the former temple of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord had stood.


    The brand-new temple was quickly established, and the construction of a golden body of over thirty lengths began to be nned.


    As the deity of a million-strong divine multitude, the scale of his temple could be considered ordinary.


    Chu Zheng held some expectations for this golden body; the stronger it was, the more power he could borrow from his original form, and the sooner he could establish a foothold in this world.


    The explosive growth of his followers also meant a rapid rise in his cultivation, sessfully nurturing his soul, and stepping into the Second Realm of Incense Spirituality, with his power continuing to surge.


    His original form''s cultivation had also advanced further, entering the Late Divine Soul Realm, and was relentlessly approaching Divine Infant Perfection.


    The quality of his followers was also improving day by day, and Chu Zheng could feel the number of true believers increasing every day.


    A deity that had demonstrated its power was often more persuasive than elusive legends.


    The Incense Fire Willpower obtained from Yuan Dazun was bing purer and had even begun to approach the level of fanatical believers, with a countless number of true believers.


    ...


    ...


    The quiet and stable days did notst for two days before Chu Zheng received another message.


    Yuan Dazun rushed in and performed a grand ceremony, bowing his head in worship:


    "Venerable, there is a decree from the Divine Court."


    Hearing the words "Divine Court," a glint shed in Chu Zheng''s eyes. He could not avoid dealing with the Divine Court after all.


    He had long been prepared for this.


    After swallowing most of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord''s followers, he had taken the former ce of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, bing one of the notable deities within thousands of miles.


    To gopletely unnoticed by the Divine Court was impossible; it was merely a matter of sooner orter.


    The envoy delivering the decree was a Second Order Incense Fire God dressed in brocade, who was on par with ''Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu'' in terms of visible cultivation.


    The Incense Fire Deity who delivered the message did not speak much. After handing the letter to Chu Zheng, he turned and left, vanishing in an instant.


    The content of the message from the Divine Court was quite straightforward and simple¡ªit wished for Chu Zheng to join the Divine Court.


    Compared to the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, the conditions offered by the Divine Court were much more lenient; they offered Chu Zheng a divine position, but he would also need to submit a portion of willpower regrly, typically around fifty percent.


    After reading it, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but ponder.


    Since he did not deliberately conceal the contents of the Divine Court''s letter, Yuan Dazun quickly became aware of part of the situation.


    After waiting for several days, Yuan Dazun could not contain his restless thoughts and took the opportunity to ask Chu Zheng:


    "Venerable, how did you respond to the Dao Lord?"


    Yuan Dazun felt somewhat apprehensive. In his view, the opportunity to join the Divine Court was extremely rare good fortune, and an opportunity not to be missed.


    If Chu Zheng was willing to join the Divine Court, it would provide many conveniences for his own development.


    To Yuan Dazun''s thoughts, Chu Zheng merely shook his head slightly, not revealing his decision.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In the blink of an eye, several days passed, and a visitor arrived at Chu Zheng''s increasingly established temple.


    ```


    The Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord personally paid a visit.


    ...


    ...


    The Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord appeared to be no more than thirty, standing tall and majestic, with long hair cascading over his shoulders, d in divine garments radiating with the glow of dawn, like a resplendent divine halo, making one dare not look directly.


    [Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord (Fifth Order): Higher Spirit Monarch Realm Incense Fire Deity with nearly ten million followers, subordinate Deity under the Immortal Serpent Star Lord of the Divine Court, this is an incarnation.]


    Chu Zheng felt a twinge in his heart upon seeing the information of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord; the Lord was far more terrifying than he had imagined.


    Not only had he reached the Fifth Order, but he also had the support of a Star Lord standing behind him.


    Within the Divine Court, there were only three hundred and sixty-five Star Lords, each a rare and extreme powerhouse,parable to a True Immortal of the Immortal Path, and most had dominion over an entire star.


    With such a figure as his backing, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord could act unrestrainedly on this star.


    "Having not received a reply for a long time, I came to see for myself."


    The Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord slightly raised his head, gazing at the newly erected Divine Statue in front of him, his eyes slightly concentrated, as he saw through the Golden Body to the nascent Soul within.


    There were still no facial features on the Soul, its origins indiscernible, emitting no ripples at all.


    For a moment, he frowned, finding the situation somewhat tricky; the unknown often spelled trouble.


    With such a nascent Soul, this deity who had emerged from nowhere simply could not have had the power to kill the Cold Pond Spirit Lord.


    "Greetings to the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord."


    Chu Zheng rose to pay his respects.


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s voice, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord finally cast his gaze upon him.


    But he didn''t say much. Instead, he shifted his attention back to the Divine Statue, intently observing the hidden Soul, with a hint of anger starting to show between his brows.


    Clearly, in his eyes, Chu Zheng did not qualify to converse with him.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng immersed his consciousness into the nearby Golden Body and controlled the Soul to walk out slowly.


    "What is your decision?"


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s response, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord''s demeanor slightly cleared, and he spoke calmly:


    "Join the Divine Court and hand over fifty percent of your Incense Fire Willpower, after which no indecent sacrifice evil god will dare to make a move against you."


    Chu Zheng''s Soul shimmered with a faint light: "And if I do not join, what then?"


    "If you don''t join the Divine Court, it will be just like the day you killed the Cold Pond Spirit Lord. No one will stand up for you, and the Divine Court won''t concern itself with disputes amongst rural deities. Just as well, it won''t specifically target you either."


    The Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord nced at Chu Zheng, having already guessed his answer, his expression bing more indifferent.


    "Thank you, Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord, for making the trip, but I will not join the Divine Court." The slightly ethereal Soul bowed respectfully, straightforward and without further words.


    Upon hearing this, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord''s eyelids drooped slightly, he didn''t speak, and he turned and left directly.


    As he had previously said, if Heavenly Pool City could amodate one Cold Pond Spirit Lord, it naturally could amodate another.


    They were merely rural deities, used to being ck and unwilling to hand over Incense Fire Willpower, which was normal.


    However, just like the current Cold Pond Spirit Lord, who overnight became a stray dog, with his umtion of thousands of years gone in an instant, this was not a new urrence.


    ...


    ...


    After the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord left, Yuan Dazun walked in slowly, asking carefully:


    "Venerable, what should I do next?"


    As his follower, he supported any decision made by Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu unconditionally. If Daoist Venerable decided not to enter the Divine Court, there would naturally be reasons not to question it.


    "Do what needs to be done, nurture life and vitality, attract believers." Chu Zheng spoke sinctly.


    Indeed, under the protection of the Divine Court, no indecent sacrifice evil god would dare to trouble him, but for Chu Zheng, this was not an enticing condition.


    Fifty percent of Incense Fire Willpower was too much; he simply didn''t want to ept it.


    Moreover, under the Divine Court''s wing, the Tribtion Qi by his side would only umte thicker and thicker.


    Once the Tribtion Qi reached a certain level, it might evolve into an even greater problem, at which point the Divine Court might personally take action against him.


    To avoid troubleter, it was better to make a clean break now.


    Once he hadpletely cleared away those indecent sacrifice evil gods not within the Divine Court, the number of believers he could obtain should also be an astonishing figure.


    ```

 Chapter 201 Divine Infant Perfection

    The advancement in cultivation for an Incense Fire Deity was simple and crude, requiring only a sufficient number of followers; there was no need for the arduous practice that ordinary cultivators undergo.


    As the number of followers increased, the cultivation of Chu Zheng''s Incense Fire Divine Path expanded rapidly.


    The Incense Fire Divine Path begins with the Divine Embryo and gives birth to the Soul. When the Soul transforms into a spirit, it enters the realm of the Spirit Lord.


    Spirit Lords are ranked as Lower Rank, Middle Rank, and Upper Rank, corresponding to the Soul Condensing, Divine Infant, and Divine Transformation of the Immortal Path, covering Third Order through Fifth Order.


    Higher up is the Heavenly Monarch, divided into lower and upper ranks: the Junior Heavenly Monarch isparable to an Immortal Path cultivator in the Tongxuan Secret Realm, while the Upper Heavenly Monarch could be paralleled with the Immortal Tribtion.


    Following the Heavenly Monarch is the Heavenly Venerate Realm, akin to a True Immortal of the Immortal Path. If prefixed with "Great Saint" before the title "Heavenly Venerate," it is equivalent to a Ninth Order Immortal Venerable.


    After swallowing most of the followers of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, Chu Zheng''s cultivation skyrocketed. In just over a year, he had crossed two major realms and stepped into the Middle-Rank Spirit Lord realm.


    The inflow of Incense Fire Willpower received by his original body was explosively increasing, and his cultivation was nearing Divine Infant Perfection.


    However, as the number of followers grew, Chu Zheng gradually noticed something unusual. Arge portion of the iing Incense Fire Willpower was quite mixed.


    Apart from some fanatical followers, most people worship deities for their self-interest, carrying their hopes with every worship.


    This kind of wish would clearly enter the perception of the deity through the God-Worshipping Method, and Chu Zheng could hear faint whispers almost constantly.


    The onught of vast information meant that the brain needed to expend a lot of energy to process it.


    Moslty, many Incense Fire Deities were often in slumber because the information to be processed was simply too overwhelming.


    Chu Zheng had tried to block out these messages, but it was impossible, as these messages were carried within the willpower, and abandoning this willpower was clearly not feasible.


    Due to the distance, these messages had a minimal impact on his original body but significantly affected the Golden Body in front of him; hence, the Soul within this body could not remain awake at all times.


    What puzzled Chu Zheng even more was that although his original body received the Incense Fire Willpower, his current incarnation seemed unaffected, as if he was not "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu," but only his original body was.


    This was somewhat baffling.


    This Golden Body hadn''t undergone any special changes. He had simply fabricated a backstory, and there were not many simrities with his original body, yet the Incense Fire Willpower seemed sentient, immediately sensing the existence of his original body.


    Chu Zheng thought about this matter for a long time but still had no clues. His understanding of the Incense Fire Divine Path was still too shallow, likened to groping for stones to cross the river. It was difficult toprehend the key points in a short time, but this was likely due to the "God Sculpting Method" of that Ancestral Dao.


    Following the battle with the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, the name of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu was already known far and wide.


    This had little impact on the surrounding deities. They had been entrenched here for a long time, and the number and quality of their followers were far beyond what a newly risen deity could influence.


    Furthermore, they spent most of their time in slumber, indifferent to minor changes in the outside world.


    ...


    ...


    For Chu Zheng, he entered a considerably long period of calm.


    To increase followers, he sometimes needed to coborate with Yuan Dazun, asionally performing miracles to fulfill some minor wishes of the followers.


    Besides these, most of his time was spent on cultivation, steadily progressing towards the Golden Core.


    Influenced by the Incense Fire Divine Path, Chu Zheng''s current cultivation was advancing extremely rapidly, making his entry into the Divine Transformation imminents.


    Once he stepped into Divine Transformation, the rank of the Repair Master would naturally rise to Sixth Order, fulfilling his initial purpose.


    The goal for his incarnation now needed to be set on a higher realm, such as the Returning to Void Realm after Refine Spirit.


    The Incense Fire Divine Path could not be given up easily; at least, Chu Zheng nned to pass it down for a long time.


    Even if this incarnation perished due to transformation, the Incense Fire Deity, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, must persist in this Chaos Starry Sea.


    To ensure the survival of the Incense Fire Deity, followers were indispensable. Therefore, after weighing his options, Chu Zheng summoned Yuan Dazun and spent his Soul origin to bless him once.


    A deity''s blessing could forcibly elevate a believer''s cultivation realm but at a great cost to the Incense Fire Deity, so few deities were willing to use this method.


    After the blessing, Yuan Dazun''s cultivation realm was directly elevated by a major realm, stepping into the Second Order.


    Simultaneously, Chu Zheng granted Yuan Dazun ess to core followers'' privileges, bestowing the Mystical Method for Inviting Gods.


    Core followers could practice the Mystical Method for Inviting Gods, and in critical moments, could invite the deity to possess them, borrowing the deity''s power.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    This was somewhat simr to the ''Divine Striking Art'' in Chu Zheng''s previous life''s concept, with only a very few core followers having this privilege.


    Simultaneously, using the opportunity when the Soul resonated, Chu Zheng, through the Golden Body, erased the name Chu Zheng from Yuan Dazun''s memory, leaving only the title "Venerable."


    From then on, his real name was unknown in this world.


    Yuan Dazun was naturally overwhelmed with gratitude for the unexpected blessing. During his daily incense worship, the faith and willpower transmitted were increasingly strong, making him the first fervent follower of the Dao Lord.


    Chu Zheng was uncertain how long this incarnation would survive; when the time came, a new Venerable would be needed to continue the legacy of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.

 Chapter 201 Divine Infant Perfection_2

    As his follower, talent was never the first choice, Yuan Dazun was his best option at present.


    ...


    ...


    After stepping into the Dao Embryo Realm, the speed of Chu Zheng''s cultivation inevitably slowed down a bit.


    The Heavenly Dao of this starry sky was extremely chaotically distributed, with countless small Taoist orthodoxies.


    Moreover, with Incense Fire Deities in full swing and Heavenly Fate dispersed, what trickled down to the Qi Refining branch was very little. Chu Zheng wanted topete for Heavenly Fate but had nowhere to exert his strength.


    In ten years, Chu Zheng had managed to reach the step of Dao Embryo, which was a testament to his exceptional talent.


    In a short time, it was difficult for this incarnation of Chu Zheng to make breakthroughs, so he focused his efforts on the path of the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Through Yuan Dazun, he issued a Divine Decree, instructing his many followers to search for some Spiritual Object Fragments, as well as some ancient relics.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Naturally, many followers were puzzled by this, but many deities had their own quirks, and the tributes during worship were mostly based on the deities'' preferences.


    Some deities favored blood food from livestock, others preferred young maidens, and there was an abundance of different desires.


    Having a preference for collecting scraps, although many followers found it strange, was still arranged in an orderly fashion.


    Soon, within thousands of miles, vast amounts of Magical Instrument Fragments and Spiritual Object Remnants continuously flowed through various temples into Chu Zheng''s hands.


    Among these fragments, Chu Zheng asionally found some surprises, such as high-grade Magic Treasures or cultivation methods from some unique Taoist orthodoxies.


    Chu Zheng selected a Qi Gathering Technique from them and passed it on to Yuan Dazun.


    Yuan Dazun, originally a follower of the simple Martial Path with ordinary talent and average cultivation, had now switched to practicing the Breathing Technique, which at the very least could extend his lifespan and allow him to live longer.


    Every time he collected a batch of high-grade Magic Treasures, Chu Zheng would personally take a trip far away to the other side of the Stars, exchanging them for arge amount of Spirit Stones.


    In doing so, he naturally encountered many troubles, as there were plenty of cultivators with greedy intentions, but Chu Zheng had many tricks up his sleeve. He generally emerged unscathed, asionally even gaining some extra ie.


    Exchanging for so many Spirit Stones was naturally for the development of his own followers.


    Chu Zheng now had over a thousand true followers, and no fewer than a million false followers.


    However, Chu Zheng was not satisfied with the current number of followers; his ambition was far greater.


    A million followers could only cultivate a deity at the level of the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, not strong enough to advance further. To be a Higher Spirit Monarch or even a Celestial Lord, he needed to find ways to gain more followers.


    As long as he umted enough Spirit Stones, Chu Zheng would soon show these deities what it meant to lose wealth and spirit.


    In the struggles and conflicts between the Incense Fire Deities, no matter which side won, the mortal followers could not suffer significant casualties, as this was a regtion set by the Divine Court.


    After all, followers were the foundation of a deity; causing extensive harm to them was tantamount to digging one''s own grave, invisibly harming the interests of the Great Emperor at the Divine Court.


    Moreover, many followers worshipped multiple deities at the same time, and it was even possible they included both deities involved in the conflict.


    Therefore, topete for followers, besides inciting small-scale wars, most of the time, it was direct confrontations between gods.


    Just like the previous attack by the Cold Pond Spirit Lord, who went straight in, his actions aimed at cutting problems at their roots by destroying temples.


    With the repair panel avable, Chu Zheng could attack followers directly in another way.


    With arge number of Spirit Stones cast out, Chu Zheng did not believe those false followers could remain unmoved. As long as the foundation of the followers was shaken, naturally, people woulde looking for trouble.


    As long as the Divine Court did not intervene, dealing with these rural deities was within Chu Zheng''s grasp, and everything that followed would logically fall into ce.


    He needed more followers, more Incense Fire Willpower, to elerate the progress of his cultivation, and thepetition was inevitable.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, years had passed.


    Within tens of thousands of miles, the name of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu became increasingly renowned.


    A great number of the deities'' followers had now ced a divine position in their homes, ''Initial Myriad Treasures Taoist Monarch''.


    Before bing a Dao Lord, the title ''Myriad Treasures'' was added to his name, simply because this newly risen Dao Lord was indeed wealthy and generous; as long as it concerned the need for spirit stones, he nearly always obliged.


    With daily incense burning and worship, the more sincere the devotion, the stronger the incense fire willpower offered up, and the more abundant the rewards granted would be.


    Apart from spirit stones, asionally there would even be magical instruments or magic treasures dropping down.


    Such a financially powerful deity surely deserved the name ''Myriad Treasures''.


    In just a few short years, the name of the Initial Myriad Treasures Taoist Monarch had even begun to appear in the caves of many true believers of other deities.


    For many deities, this was undoubtedly an intolerable situation, as it concerned the very foundation of their own following.


    If left unchecked, it wouldn''t take long before the followers they had umted over many years would be snatched away by this Dao Lord.


    Over the past few years, the number of spirit stones, magical instruments, and magic treasures that Chu Zheng had thrown out was beyond counting.


    If all these losses were added up, even an Upper Heavenly Monarch would be shocked and discolored.


    However, these spirit stones brought about pleasing changes for Chu Zheng. The number of true believers had surged to more than double, approaching nearly three thousand.


    The number of false believers had reached an astonishing five million plus!


    The cultivation of the Incense Fire Divine Path was nearing that of a Higher Spirit Monarch, and the cultivation of his true form had already stepped into Divine Infant Perfection.


    Suchvish spending had even made the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord somewhat restless, for he was the closest to Chu Zheng and the most affected in terms of losing followers.


    Over these years, half of the believers Chu Zheng had expanded were originally his.


    Although the willingness offered by false believers was the lowest in quality, their sheer number often constituted thergest portion.


    Every morning, believers would worship the deity, offering up the vitality, qi, and spirit nurtured over the night as tribute.


    For false believers, who worship multiple deities, the first deity they worship would be able to draw the most power.


    And now, the believers of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord had put the worship of him after that Dao Lord, or even stopped worshipping him altogether, only remembering to do so once every ten or fifteen days.


    It was only by doing so that these believers could receive more spirit stones.


    During these years, the number of followers of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord had plummeted by nearly a million, a loss so great that it was almost equivalent to losing a divine battle.


    Thebat capability of spirit stones was rmingly exaggerated, easily breaking the faith of many false believers.


    Not only was the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord unable to sit still, but so were many of the Incense Fire Deities surrounding Heavenly Pool City.


    Initially, some deities did not care about Chu Zheng''s actions, even thinking that this Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu was somewhat foolish, wasting so many resources for an unsustainable gain.


    Because followers gathered through spirit stones would notst long; as soon as the supply of spirit stones stopped, they would quickly disperse, which was considered the lowest strategy.


    These deities did not believe that the Dao Lord could persist for long and soon the believers would return to them.


    However, who could have imagined that this Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu would scatter wealth for several years, without the slightest sign of stopping.


    This caused many Incense Fire Deities to curse aloud.


    They all painstakingly spread the faith, increasing their followers bit by bit by fulfilling the wishes of many believers, while Chu Zheng did not y by the rules, spending so much resources just to gather the worship of some false believers.


    ording to normal logic, with so many resources, one could slowly nurture a tremendously strong believer, who would spread the faith on their behalf, which would be extremely profitable.


    If the believer was strong enough, they could even directly suppress some Incense Fire Deities, taking all their followers.


    This method would just take some time, but the benefits werepletely foreseeable.


    What these deities miscalcted was just how little patience Chu Zheng had, and he opted for a much more straightforward and brutal approach instead.

 Chapter 202 Sixth Order Repair Master, Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing

    ```


    As a newly born Incense Fire Deity with just over a decade''s existence, there are many different rumors about Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s origin in the marketce.


    But the most widely circted version is that this Daoist Venerable is a giant reborn from the Primordial Era, whose remaining strand of True Spirit now seeks revival through the way of the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    If one were to be his follower during these times of hardship, their future prospects would be immeasurable.


    Once this Daoist Venerable regains his former power, a single blessing from him could turn someone into an Immortal on the spot, elevating them above all other beings.


    Whether this legend is true or false, it is enough to cloak this Daoist Venerable in a shroud of mystery.


    In thete Primordial Era, a terrifying war nearly caused the Great Universe to start anew, effectively creating a fault in the ages.


    Even the Great Emperor of the Divine Court, who touched the domain of time and space and knew all, couldn''t see through time to view the Primordial Era in its entirety.


    Antiquated beings that knew a word or two have long since departed for the Yellow Springs, making the true identity of this Daoist Venerable impossible to verify.


    However, it''s better to believe that something does exist rather than does not, and the mere possibility of a giant from the Primordial Era surviving to this day is enough to tempt many cultivators to take a gamble.


    After all, under these starry skies, few do not worship gods. Whom one worships does not matter, and even more so when there are benefits to be gained from worshipping this Daoist Venerable.


    Under these circumstances, it would be difficult for Chu Zheng''s followers to not increase.


    ...


    ...


    The great sun hangs low in the west.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The remnants of twilight envelop the horizon, casting traces of afterglow.


    The grand temple is tinged with a faint golden light, its gates and walls enshrouded in auspicious relief sculptures, magnificent beyond description.


    A figure shrouded in a vestment robe, bathed in the dim afterglow, approaches the temple of the Daoist Venerable.


    Gazing upon the temple that outshone its former glory a hundredfold, the figure''s eyelids narrow slightly, glinting with a faint light.


    After a span of years, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord arrives once more, but his mindset this time is wholly different from before.


    To him, the former Cold Pond Spirit Lord posed no threat at all, yet the current Daoist Venerable before him is different, posing a grave threat.


    When the Cold Pond Spirit Lord was defeated, he had absorbed many disced followers and reaped numerous benefits.


    Because of this, he did not wish to intervene too much, but in just a few short years, he had spat out all the followers he had gained before, and even lost a further million followers.


    Even among the followers that remain, many have the Divine Position of this Daoist Venerable established in their homes, drastically impacting their Incense Fire Willpower.


    As an Orthodox God of the Divine Court, he had to hand over a significant portion of the Incense Fire Willpower he received, and the presence of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu seriously threatened his share of it.


    With this visit, he must find a way to incorporate this Daoist Venerable into the Divine Court.


    In doing so, the Incense Fire Willpower held by both of them could be handed over and reallocated by the Divine Court. With his connections within the court, he couldpletely reim his lost portion, and possibly more.


    If he were to return empty-handed from this visit, then... he would have to consider employing measures to eliminate this increasingly terrifying adversary.


    How could he tolerate others snoring by his couch, especially when there is a fierce tiger lying beside it that might devour him at any moment?


    Just as the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord is about to step into the temple, he suddenly senses a fluctuation of Qi and hisplexion changes:


    "A Higher Spirit Monarch?!"


    Just now, the number of followers possessed by the Deity within this temple crossed a boundary, seeding in establishing a foothold within the realm of Higher Spirit Monarchs.


    In terms of cultivation realm, this Daoist Venerable, who was unknown just over a decade ago, has now reached the same level as him.


    Regaining hisposure, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord takes a sharp breath, his expression full of disbelief.


    The temple not far away suddenly seems like a dragon''sir and a tiger''s den, filled with an extremely dangerous aura.


    ...


    ...


    [After many years of arduous cultivation, you have finally broken through your cultivation bottleneck, and you are now a Sixth Order Repair Master.]


    [You have struggled within this bottleneck for a long time, umting a vast amount of repair experience andprehending a High Grade Divine Skill: Qi Collection and Heaven Patching.]


    [Qi Collection and Heaven Patching (Ninth Order): The way of heaven is to diminish the excessive and supplement the insufficient, to harvest the long to make up for the short, and to achieve Perfection.]


    Inside the temple.


    Chu Zheng slowly opens his eyes, digesting the panel information that surged in his mind.


    Just now, with the growth of his followers and Incense Fire Willpower, his Incense Fire Divine Path stepped into the Fifth Realm, bing a Higher Spirit Monarch.


    From the time he crafted his first Golden Body to now, it has been just over a decade; such a rate of cultivation is staggeringly swift, unparalleled by any other Taoist Orthodoxy, almost like a leap into the heavens.


    After a while, Chu Zheng finally digested the continuous flow of information and understood the newly emerged Divine Skill.


    The Qi Collection and Heaven Patching Technique, like the previously acquired Spiritual Eye, is an extension of the repair panel.


    The principle is not difficult for Chu Zheng to understand.


    In his past life, when faced with cultural relics that could not be restored, he would asionally use materials from other objects for filling in to recover the original appearance of the relics; the method of Gold-Iid Jade was the most straightforward approach.


    Simrly, Qi Collection and Heaven Patching can extract useful parts from some irreparable items to repair others.


    Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, his main body suddenly experienced a fluctuation. A hint of joy shed in his eyes.


    With the breakthrough of the Incense Fire Divine Path, his main body''s Divine Infant Perfection cultivation also changed.


    ...


    ...


    In the Cangyun Realm, Taixuan Holy Land.


    ```


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 202 Sixth Order Repair Master, Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing_2

    ```The morning sun just rose, wrapping the continuous volcanoes in fierce molten lava, with a thin layer of weak golden light.


    Within the secret chamber, Chu Zheng was seated cross-legged on the ground, the light at his brow faintly flashing, with the colors of yin and yang flowing within.


    He appeared serene, but within his sea of consciousness, a storm was brewing. The Yin Yang Divine Infant was undergoing a rapid transformation.


    After the Divine Infant Realm, comes the Deification Nine Transformations. Once the nine transformations are mastered, one achieves Tongxuan.


    For Immortal Path Cultivators, each transformation mastered offers the chance to extend one''s lifespan.


    This realm is also the beginning of eternal life in the Immortal Path.


    The increase in life span from each level of transformation is not necessarily the same, but the form of the Divine Infant''s transformation is greatly linked to the Cultivator''s combat power.


    Soon, Chu Zheng''s Divine Infant transformation had reached its limit. His Divine Sense stirred slightly, and with a flip of his hand, he took out a Fire Seed.


    The azure flame flickered in the palm of his hand, quickly transforming into a vivid jade Qilin.


    [Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire (Eighth Order): Originating from within the body of the Undying Qilin, refined personally by a True Immortal, and specially treated, the restless demonic power within has been calmed. Creatures above Fifth Order can directly refine it.]


    As Geng Yiyang mentioned before, this Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire is genuine Immortal Flame, taken from a Holy Beast and not belonging to the Cangyun Realm.


    Its origins are extraordinary; it was obtained by a True Immortal from the Immortal Alliance who killed an Undying Qilin in a battlefield. Only two Fire Seeds were refined from that True Flame.


    Back then, because Ye Yulou was overly talented, the Immortal Alliance bestowed it upon him, and even specially treated this Fire Seed to facilitate Ye Yulou''s refinement.


    Chu Zheng remembered that Geng Yiyang once mentioned, if one day he managed to refine this fire, he would directly obtain the Immortal Technique, Qilin Transformation.


    Unexpectedly, in just a few short years, he had reached this step.


    He didn''t hesitate for too long, directly swallowing the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire.


    As the Immortal Flame entered his body, it seemed sentient, heading straight for the ''Phoenix Flame'' Fire Seed already within him.


    Whenever Chu Zheng had refined a Fire Seed previously, he had to endure torturous suffering. But this time, it was entirely different.


    The Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire was a genuine Immortal Flame of a very high grade. The mere Sixth Order Phoenix Flame had no chance of resisting and was devoured in an instant.


    Soon, a jade Qilin manifested within Chu Zheng''s dantian, coiling atop his Fire Element Immortal Root, full of life.


    The moment Chu Zheng refined the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire, his eyes snapped open, and the Divine Infant stepped out from between his brows, twisting and transforming in mid-air.


    After the time it would take to drink a cup of tea, the Divine Infant had drastically changed its appearance, turning into a Qilin with clear divisions of black and white on its body, where yin and yang energies mingled and flowed together seamlessly.


    Chu Zheng let out a turbid breath slowly, gazing upon the black and white Qilin before him, his mind gradually steadying.


    There was the Immortal Technique, Qilin Transformation, mentioned by Geng Yiyang. He didn''t even need to learn it; he had already mastered it.


    The enhancement to combat power provided by the Qilin Transformation was astonishing. After some estimation, Chu Zheng figured that after the transformation, his combat power had increased by nearly tenfold.


    Being invincible in his realm was not an empty boast. Stabilizing his mind, Chu Zheng pulled up his personal information panel.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Mid-Stage of Golden Core Realm, Immortal Path: First Transformation of Divine Infant]


    [Root Bone: Yin Yang Immortal Bone (Superior Quality), Five Elements Spiritual Body]


    [Cultivation Techniques: Eternal Calamity Treasure Record (Tenth Order), Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing (Ninth Order), Qilin Transformation (Eighth Order), Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique (Eighth Order), Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance (Eighth Order), Five Thunder Righteous Law (Sixth Order), Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique (Sixth Order), Space Condensing Art (Sixth Order)¡­]


    [Talent: Spiritual Eye (Fourth Order)]


    [Repair Master: Sixth Order (0/8000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for Today: 50]


    [Currently Repairable:...]


    ```


    ```


    With the growth of his Immortal Path Cultivation, Chu Zheng''s progress in Qi-refining Techniques had also increased, and during this period, he had stepped into the mid-stage of the Golden Core Realm.


    This breakthrough in cultivation brought significant changes to his status panel.


    The two new Divine Skills he gained were quite extraordinary, especially the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique.


    Chu Zheng took out a fragment of a damaged palm bone.


    [Damaged Immortal Bone (Seventh Order): The remnant bone of a True Immortal, once acquired by an Immortal Path Cultivator, forcibly merged into the body. With your current abilities, it''s impossible to repair; however, there''s a strand of remaining Immortal Qi that can be extracted.]


    This piece of remnant bone, obtained from the ancient battlefield in the Phantom Spirit Sect''s mining field, had always been carried by his side, unable to be repaired, with no changes whatsoever.


    But now, with the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique, there was finally some change.


    A strand of Immortal Qi remained in the bone, and it could be extracted.


    To verify some speculations, Chu Zheng took out the remnants of Immortal Pills and Fragments of Immortal Treasures, as well as parts of True Immortal corpses that he had collected from various places.


    As expected, all these items contained remnants of Immortal Qi, the only difference being the amount.


    After some hesitation, Chu Zheng took out the half of the damaged palm bone again and started to run the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique, attempting to extract the remaining Immortal Qi within it.


    Stay updated with empire


    If he didn''t try, he would never know the use of this Immortal Qi.


    The process of extracting Immortal Qi was much more difficult than Chu Zheng had imagined.


    Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing are divided into two methods, Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing. It took Chu Zheng nearly five days to extract the Immortal Qi from this piece of bone using the Qi Gathering Technique.


    [Immortal Qi (Eighth Order): A medium for the transformation of Immortal Path beings, obtained from the fragment of a bone, can slightly increase the training speed of cultivators in the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm and True Immortals, and repair damages to objects of the Immortal Path.]


    The moment the Immortal Qi was fully extracted, the remnant bone in Chu Zheng''s hand instantly turned into powder and trickled down through his fingers.


    The extracted Immortal Qi was only as long as a finger and as thick as a hair, yet it radiated a strong vitality.


    Without further research, Chu Zheng took out a piece of Immortal Pill remnant he had acquired earlier.


    Hundred Stars Elixir.


    He had obtained this on the Pill Immortal Peak within the boundaries of Danxia Country, using a hundred cores of lower grade stars as the main ingredient, supplemented by countless Immortal Delicacies, and thus created an Eighth Order Immortal Pill.


    At this moment, this half of the Immortal Pill looked no different from a common rock.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, ran the Heaven Repairing Technique, and infused the strand of Immortal Qi extracted into the Hundred Stars Elixir.


    A faint glimmer appeared on the Hundred Stars Elixir, signaling a slight change.


    [Hundred Stars Elixir (Eighth Order/Incomplete): Created using a hundred cores of lower grade stars as the main ingredient, supplemented by two hundred and thirty-seven types of Immortal Delicacies. It can greatly increase the cultivation of a Three Calamities True Immortal. Due to the energy of the star cores, only enough to solidify three pills, the remaining half could not take shape and thus was discarded. You personally infused a strand of Immortal Qi, repairing part of its essence, still some distance away from full restoration.]


    For Chu Zheng, items above the Seventh Order were beyond his ability to repair, even after reaching the Sixth Order, he was currently incapable of fixing them.


    Even so, Chu Zheng had some doubts that even if he leveled up his Repair Master rank to the Seventh Order, he may still not be able to mend these Immortal Treasures.


    The Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique, having the ability to extract Immortal Qi, undoubtedly gave him hope to repair Immortal Treasures.


    The emergence of Immortal Qi perhaps required stimulation from living beings; it''s not a primordial force of this world, but rather something that arises later and cannot be drawn from the environment.


    Looking at the description of Immortal Qi, it''s the medium for the transformation of Immortal Path beings. Or, it''s possible that Immortal Qi is generated from the transformation of these beings, and thus such changes occur.


    After calming his mind, Chu Zheng glanced at his panel, noting the significantly increased experience bar, and suddenly realized a rather serious problem.


    As his Repair Master level advances to the Eighth, Ninth, or even Tenth Order, where will he find so many precious fragments to enhance his own level?


    Each treasure could provide him with an opportunity to gain experience only once, just like Elixirs cannot be split and still retain their full effect after being crushed. Even if he repairs them again after they are broken, he cannot gain any experience from them.


    It is foreseeable that his advancement in the ranks of Repair Masters will not be as easy as it is now.


    With the improvement of his cultivation, he needed to put leaving Cangyun as soon as possible on the agenda, as this world was simply too small for him.


    ``` Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 203 The Origin, Alien Variation

    In the ancient times of the Cangyun Realm, there were many rivals, and there emerged beings who surpassed the realm of True Immortal.However, with the influx of a huge quantity of Immortal Seedlings into the Immortal Alliance, the primordial essence of the world has nearly depleted, a shadow of its former self.


    Even though, because of Zhao Tingxian, the Cangyun Secret Realm was opened and reintegrated into the Cangyun Realm, it was merely a fleeting resurgence, hardly capable of restoring its previous state. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From Chu Zheng''s current perspective, the Cangyun Realm seemed too small, devoid of any True Immortal Realm beings; he needed to seek a broader universe.


    Now, his next step was leaning more towards the Myriad Heavens and Realms, where the myriad paths still fervently contested.


    Inside the Chaos Sea, there indeed lay countless opportunities, but it was merely a corner compared to the immensity of the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall and certainly not as vast as the Myriad Heavens and Realms.


    The only concern he might need to heed was the Myriad Heavens and Realms, where, for an Immortal Path Cultivator, the tolerance might not be so high; with his current situation, he could face many troubles.


    After pondering for a long while, Chu Zheng took out a segment of remains from a creature of the myriad realms.


    The creature, having just perished recently, still had potent energy in its flesh, making the extraction of energy much easier; just two days later, a gray stream of energy, distinctly different from Immortal Qi, formed in the palm of Chu Zheng.


    [Primordial Qi (Eighth Order): Originating from the Heavenly Dao''s source, extracted from flesh, minutely accelerates the cultivation speed for an Eighth Order being, heals injuries, repairs damage to Spiritual Objects of the Eighth Order, replenishes the world''s Heavenly Dao source.]


    After extracting a thread of Primordial Qi, the segment of remains showed little change, still capable of yielding more Primordial Qi.


    Looking at the information provided on the panel, Chu Zheng fell into deep thought again; the feeling of the Primordial Qi was significantly different from that of Immortal Qi.


    After some experimentation, Chu Zheng found that the two could not coexist.


    Immortal Pills and Immortal Treasures showed a distinct repulsion towards Primordial Qi, or rather, the Primordial Qi was resisting the restoration of Immortal Path Spiritual Objects.


    After a brief contemplation, Chu Zheng tried to merge this thread of Primordial Qi into the center of his palm.


    Bang!


    The next instant, his entire arm and half of his chest exploded, shattering the Five Elements Immortal Root in his Dantian almost instantaneously.


    Under the operation of the repair panel, Chu Zheng''s body restored itself instantly, his brow tightly furrowed.


    Although he had some anticipation, the formidable power of the Primordial Qi still slightly exceeded his estimates.


    The disparity in levels was too great; his physical body simply could not bear the force of the Primordial Qi, and even before he could begin to refine it, it had already ruptured his body.


    If not for his quick reaction, his entire body would have exploded outright.


    The essence of the Heavenly Dao was far beyond what his realm could assimilate.


    What was more critical was the strong rejection of Primordial Qi towards Immortal Dao; fortunately, his Golden Core was not much affected.


    After pondering, Chu Zheng temporarily stored the Primordial Qi within his Small World, believing there was plenty of time in the future to study it further.


    ...


    ...


    The moment Chu Zheng''s cultivation made a breakthrough, the Hidden Dragon List of the Cangyun Realm swiftly sensed it and underwent changes.


    All the major Holy Lands quickly became aware, causing a great stir.


    Chu Zheng had only entered the Divine Infant stage two years ago, and now he already undergone Divine Transformation, a pace much more astounding compared to before.


    Typically, as cultivators advance in stages, their pace of cultivation inevitably slows, but not for Chu Zheng; upon entering the Divine Infant Realm, not only did his pace of cultivation not decrease, it even accelerated!


    Among the several Holy Lands, the reaction within Tai Xu Holy Land was the most intense. Above the Holy Land, the Tai Xu River surged tumultuously, causing waves of fury and shifting the clouds and winds.


    Throughout the Holy Land, most disciples felt a pervasive unease, as Tai Xu Holy Land and Taixuan were inherently inimical, more so now than ever.


    Given Chu Zheng''s current rate of cultivation, stepping into the Tongxuan Secret Realm and even facing the Immortal Tribulation wouldn''t take much time, which means that for a long while to come, the whole Cangyun would live under the shadow of Chu Zheng.


    Their only hope now was that, following the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Chu Zheng would choose the Immortal Alliance and, like the former top ranks of the Hidden Dragon List, depart from Cangyun.


    Currently, there are just over three years left until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    However, whether Chu Zheng would truly leave Cangyun after the tournament might still be questionable.


    Because Chu Zheng''s rise in cultivation was a bit too exaggerated; in the Divine Transformation Realm, he was already a mainstay in all the major Holy Lands, and moving up, there was only Taixuan, the realm of the former Holy Masters of the major Holy Lands.


    If Chu Zheng were to step into the Tongxuan Secret Realm before the tournament, he would no longer be considered part of the younger generation; on the battlefield of the great cosmic Taoist Orthodoxy struggle, he would be a principal combatant.


    Such a level of cultivation would completely eliminate the need to train in the Minor Immortal Realm; he could simply wait to pass the Immortal Tribulation and directly enter the Great Immortal Realm.


    Several Elders from the Divine Transformation Realm who had returned from the outer battlefield soon approached the hall where the Taixu Saint Lord resided, seeking an audience to discuss strategies.


    Apart from Tai Xu Holy Land, the Holy Masters of the other major Holy Lands had chosen to venture to the outer battlefield, fighting for a lifeline.


    Only the Taixu Saint Lord Bai Zhixiao had chosen to return to Cangyun.


    "Fortunately, our Holy Lord had the foresight not to go to the main battlefield of the Myriad Heavens and Realms; otherwise, we wouldn''t know what to do now,"


    "Chu Zheng is too monstrous, and now he is valued by the Immortal Alliance; perhaps... we need to make plans early."


    Discover more stories at empire


    Looking towards the grand hall just a short distance away, worry was evident in the expressions of the Elders.

 Chapter 203 The Origin, Alien Variation_2

    Chu Zheng was now spreading his wings, and the rise of the Taixuan Holy Land seemed within reach; ultimately, the Tai Xu had to be passed down. As a Holy Land, bowing one''s head on occasion was not unacceptable.Based on Chu Zheng''s past behavior, this man was known for his ruthless and decisive nature, not afraid of stirring up trouble. Should he gain power one day, the likelihood of him seizing the opportunity for revenge was quite unpredictable.


    ...


    ...


    Inside the grand hall, a dead silence prevailed, save for the figure in a black robe sitting in the highest seat and staring at the Hidden Dragon List in front of him, his face revealing a thoughtful expression.


    [Hidden Dragon List Number One: Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng, bone age twenty-three, cultivation Divine Transformation Realm First Level.]


    He chose to return to Cangyun instead of heading to the outer domain battlefield, not because he was afraid of death or wanted to avoid combat, but because he was concerned about Chu Zheng.


    A trip to the outer domain battlefield often meant years away, with no telling when one could return. Given the speed of Chu Zheng''s cultivation progress, who knew what realm he might reach upon his return?


    If he wasn''t there to stay in Tai Xu, any sudden changes when that time came could potentially mean the existence of the Tai Xu Holy Land would be in question.


    From the current circumstances, his choice seemed to not have been wrong.


    "No, that''s not right,"


    Bai Zhixiao''s mind flickered with a blaze of insight as he stared intently at the Hidden Dragon List, his thoughts tangled until, after a long moment, he finally murmured softly,


    "It''s too similar... too alike..."


    After entering the Divine Infant Realm, his cultivation soared, much like Zhao Tingxian''s experience in the past. Could Cangyun Realm be on the verge of witnessing a second Zhao Tingxian? Such a coincidence seemed implausible.


    "No, that''s not right."


    Bai Zhixiao suddenly shook his head, his expression becoming serious as a hint of doubt flashed across his eyes.


    He recalled something.


    Not long after Chu Zheng stepped into the Divine Infant Realm, he unexpectedly decided to visit Tai Xu to investigate Zhao Tingxian''s cave.


    Perhaps at that time, Chu Zheng may have found something crucial in Zhao Tingxian''s cave and in the place of his closed-door cultivation.


    Otherwise, even with Chu Zheng''s monstrous talent and rapid cultivation, there was no reason why his speed of cultivation should be faster after stepping into the Divine Infant Realm than before.


    It was like a paradox where a mortal becomes younger as they age, a contradiction to the natural order of the Heavenly Dao.


    Zhao Tingxian could be explained as an occasional anomaly, but the appearance of Chu Zheng with similar changes couldn''t be explained away as a mere exception.


    A more likely possibility was that upon entering the Divine Infant Realm, Chu Zheng, like Zhao Tingxian, had discovered some unknown and hidden secrets.


    Such secrets might possess replicability.


    With that thought, he stood up abruptly and summoned several Tai Xu Elders waiting outside the hall.


    "Restart the investigation on Zhao Tingxian. You all should carefully search his cave again to see if you can find any hidden spatial rifts,"


    Halfway through, Bai Zhixiao added another sentence, "And see if there''s something else underground."


    "We''ve searched previously; we''ve gone through ten thousand zhang underground and found nothing."


    "Has the Holy Master received some news? Or is it a directive from the Immortal Alliance?"


    Hearing this, several Elders were somewhat puzzled; in their eyes, Zhao Tingxian''s defection from the Immortal Alliance was no longer important, especially since True Immortals had already conducted a thorough search, so it seemed unlikely that there would be any oversights.


    Chu Zheng''s rise was the real pressing issue facing them.


    "If ten thousand zhang underground is not enough, then this time dig down a hundred thousand zhang!"


    Bai Zhixiao''s expression was solemn, and the gleam in his eyes seemed to solidify, signaling that the similarities between Chu Zheng and Zhao Tingxian were far from coincidental.


    If they could find and harness this commonality, the future of the Tai Xu Holy Land could be foreseen.


    ...


    ...


    Within the grand temple bathed in divine light.


    In front of the golden body of the Dao Lord, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of joy passing through them.


    Incense Fire Willpower, in its enhancement and amplification of the Primordial Spirit, was truly immediate and effective. At this rate, as long as there were enough devotees, his path to the Deification Nine Transformations would not be too protracted.


    Until now, the once distant Tongxuan Secret Realm had finally come into view. The thrill of his rapidly soaring Cultivation even made him somewhat indulgent in it.


    This Cultivation breakthrough had increased his power by countless times. The Golden Body before him, now more adept at wielding the Thunder Method, was deepening its connection with the main body day by day. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    Gazing at the vast sky beyond the temple, Chu Zheng''s gaze slightly narrowed. The problem now before him was how to increase the number of his devotees.


    The quantity and quality of the devotees had reached a bottleneck, and he urgently needed to expand outward again.


    Even so, Chu Zheng was not in a hurry to take action. For the next period, he did not plan to make any moves himself.


    On the day of the breakthrough, he had sensed the presence of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord. However, this Orthodox God from the Divine Court merely lingered outside the temple for a long time, ultimately choosing not to enter the temple but silently leaving instead.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t guess the thoughts of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord¡ªafter all, he did not have the Mind Reading Technique. However, the Tribulation Qi that began to churn beside him reflected some issues.


    It seemed that after witnessing his breakthrough, the Spirit Lord abandoned the original plan to communicate and was preparing to use other means to deal with the trouble he posed.


    This was undoubtedly playing right into Chu Zheng''s hands. As long as it was not oppression from the Divine Court, he would have a chance to fight back¡ªwar with the gods was always the simplest and most brutal way to increase the number of devotees.


    The only somewhat restricting factor was the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord''s status as an Orthodox God from the Divine Court.


    As long as that status remained, Chu Zheng could not afford to offend him.


    ...


    ...


    The outbreak of conflict Chu Zheng had anticipated did not keep him waiting too long.


    Several days later, multiple Indecent Sacrifice Evil Gods attacked together, destroying over a dozen of his temples in one night and smashing the newly constructed Golden Bodies before many devotees.


    The loss of devotees amounted to no less than several hundreds of thousands.


    Among the deities who made their move, there were Spirit Lords. They had clearly conspired and coordinated their attacks with great tacit understanding.


    In response, Chu Zheng remained silent for half a day, then launched an even more fierce and overbearing counterattack.


    His revenge was precise and powerful. With the Heavenly Divination Technique in hand, none of the deities who had attacked could escape his frenzied retribution.


    Chu Zheng did not give these rural deities the chance to fight back, sweeping through mountains and temples, cleaning them all out, extinguishing their Incense Fire and rooting them up completely.


    In less than half a month, Chu Zheng''s number of devotees surged by an additional two million.


    During this time, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord did not react at all. Chu Zheng was taking justified revenge, and the Divine Court had no reason to intervene.


    Everything went smoothly, but the Tribulation Qi churning beside Chu Zheng was becoming even more intense. Clearly, the killer move that the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord was preparing in secret had yet to surface.


    ...


    ...


    Inside the temple.


    Yuan Dazun was all smiles, beginning his monthly report of recent events to Chu Zheng as usual¡ªthe increase in the number of devotees, the movements of nearby Deities, and some changes related to the Divine Court.


    "A major event has recently occurred in the Divine Court. The Great Emperor personally stepped in, accepting a powerful Deity. Upon entering the Divine Court, this Deity has already taken the position of a Main God, increasing the original thirteen Main Gods to fourteen now," Yuan Dazun said. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng casually asked, "What is the name of this Deity?"


    A Main God, a position second only to that Great Emperor, powerful enough to rival the Immortal Kings and Immortal Venerables in the Immortal Alliance.


    Yuan Dazun thought for a moment, bowed his head and replied, "It seems to be called ''Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial.'' This God of slaughter and war, with formidable strength, ranks among the top amongst the Main Gods."


    "Who?!"


    Yuan Dazun carefully checked again, nodding in confirmation, "The formal title of that Deity is indeed ''Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial.''"


    Hearing Yuan Dazun repeat the name, Chu Zheng''s gaze instantly narrowed.


    He hadn''t expected to cross paths with Zhao Tingxian so soon. The Chaos Sea was truly small.


    Zhao Tingxian had actually come to the Divine Court.


    However, if he calculated according to the flow of time in the Great Universe, it should have been over a hundred years in the Chaos Sea since he last met Zhao Tingxian.

 Chapter 204 The Star Lord Demands Justice, Reuniting with Zhao Tingxian

    Zhao Tingxian''s appearance in this place came as a complete surprise to Chu Zheng.He didn''t know whether the Chaos Sea was too small or if he and Zhao Tingxian were simply fated to meet.


    The last time during his incarnation to survive tribulations in the Tianyao Federation, Chu Zheng remembered the words Zhao Tingxian had spoken to him.


    Those few brief sentences contained an overwhelming amount of information, relating to his arrival in the Cangyun Realm more than a thousand years ago, as if someone had predicted it all.


    Without Zhao Tingxian, even with the panel, Chu Zheng would have certainly not lived until now and might have been dealt with by the Immortal Alliance at birth.


    The implication of this information was extremely terrifying.


    That person had not only foreseen Chu Zheng''s existence, but had even calculated over a thousand years ago that Zhao Tingxian would be able to take over the Cangyun Heavenly Way to pave the way for him.


    You should know, at that time, Zhao Tingxian was merely a Divine Infant Cultivator.


    To achieve the position of Immortal Venerable in a millennium, this exaggerated rate of advancement was beyond the imagination of the vast majority of Immortal Path Cultivators.


    While Chu Zheng was deep in thought, a sudden loud noise came from outside the temple:


    "Where is Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu?!"


    Chu Zheng raised his eyes towards the sky, his brows slightly furrowed.


    Above the vast sky stood a figure clad in a pitch-black robe, adorned with a myriad of stars and a bright moon.


    This star, named ''Immortal Serpent'', whose lord was one of the 360 Star Lords of the Divine Court, the Immortal Serpent Star Lord, was a genuine Incense Fire Deity of the Heavenly Venerate Realm, comparable to a True Immortal.


    [Immortal Serpent Star Lord (Eighth Order): An avatar of the Incense Fire Deity of the Heavenly Venerate Realm, serves in the Divine Court, with countless devotees under his command.]


    With a flash of Spiritual Light above the vast sky, the figure of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord appeared, standing in front of the Immortal Serpent Star Lord, and immediately performed a great salute:


    "Your subordinate greets you, Star Lord. I did not realize you were coming and am late, I hope the Star Lord will forgive me."


    "Several of my Divine Statues have been shattered, related to this Myriad Treasures Taoist Monarch," said the Immortal Serpent Star Lord indifferently, his gaze falling on the temple, a trace of impatience flickering in his vertically slitted pupils.


    Hearing this, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord''s face turned pale with shock: "There''s been such an offensive act?"


    Chu Zheng''s side was tumultuous with Tribulation Qi, his gaze narrowing as he rose and strode out of the temple.


    Since there had been no activity from this Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord for a while, Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled, and it turned out he was waiting here for him.


    In the midst of combat, it was actually not uncommon to accidentally shatter other Deities'' Divine Statues, which could be taken seriously or not.


    If made into a big deal, it would be seen as a lack of respect for the Supreme Deity, scorn for the Divine Court; if considered a small matter, it would be seen as a misunderstanding, which under normal circumstances would be resolved by reconstructing the Divine Statue and compensating with some Incense as well.


    However, with the presence of this Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord, the issue wasn''t that simple, being an underling of the Immortal Serpent Star Lord, it was no surprise that he seized the opportunity to intervene. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Where is Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu?"


    The Immortal Serpent Star Lord glanced at Chu Zheng, who had walked out from the temple, his tone slightly cold:


    "I hear that previously when summoned to the Divine Court, he resisted in every way. Now that I am here personally, is he still so difficult to summon?"


    "Star Lord, the Dao Lord is wandering beyond the heavens and has yet to return; he is still sleeping," replied Chu Zheng with a bow. "The matter of your Divine Statue being shattered is truly a misunderstanding, and I hope the Star Lord would allow us to make amends in some way."


    The Immortal Serpent Star Lord''s gaze sharpened, sweeping over the temple and quickly noting the lifelessness within the Golden Body, devoid of any fluctuation of the Soul, evidently unconscious.


    "I can''t be bothered to argue with such an unknown person," the Immortal Serpent Star Lord withdrew his gaze, sweeping over Chu Zheng. "Make a hundred Golden Bodies for me, with a million devotees offering ten years of Incense Fire, and let this matter rest. Any objections?"


    The Venerable acts as a spokesman for the Deity, capable of making certain decisions on their behalf.


    Chu Zheng fell into silence; setting aside the matter of a hundred Golden Bodies, just the million devotees offering ten years of Incense Fire was equivalent to directly taking away a million devotees.


    Moreover, having one''s devotees build other Deities'' temples would cause irreversible harm to them.


    All in all, it was as if Chu Zheng was inexplicably set to lose more than two million devotees, even possibly more.


    The massive loss of Incense Fire Willpower would cause Chu Zheng''s Incense Fire Divine Path Cultivation to fall, even affecting his true self.


    His true self had only recently stepped into Divine Transformation and needed to stabilize for a period. Otherwise, he might face the risk of a fall in realm.


    Furthermore, this was only the first tactic of the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord. Once his realm fell, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord would surely make his next move.


    A single step back could lead to constant retreat, and this incarnation to survive tribulations might prematurely end.


    Chu Zheng didn''t even consider it for a moment before rejecting the Immortal Serpent Star Lord''s demands.


    "This matter is of great importance, and I cannot make such decisions,"


    After a moment''s contemplation, Chu Zheng bowed his head and said, "Our Dao Lord wanders beyond the heavens because he heard that an old acquaintance entered the Divine Court, and went to meet them."


    Upon hearing this, a trace of doubt flashed through the eyes of the Immortal Serpent Star Lord:


    "Is it that Main God? The Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial?"


    He had some understanding of this suddenly emerged Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, who, in a short period, became a Middle-Rank Spirit Lord. So much Spirit Stone resource, not even a Celestial Lord could bring out, yet this Dao Lord casually threw it out, he must have some background.


    It must be said, this Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu shares some similarities with the Great Saint Heavenly Venerable, who also suddenly burst onto the scene.


    That newly minted Main God, whose origins no one knew, appeared suddenly with several Life Stars, and was even personally ushered in by the Great Emperor.


    It''s not impossible that these two have some connection.


    "Forgive me, I am not aware," Chu Zheng shook his head, his words couldn''t be too blunt, otherwise it would be easily seen through.


    After all, Zhao Tingxian didn''t hold much goodwill towards him, one couldn''t be too bold when pulling at another''s coat-tails.

 Chapter 204 The Star Lord Demands Justice, Reuniting with Zhao Tingxian_2

    Standing not far away, the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord, who was about to speak, suddenly saw a hint of hesitation in the expression of the Immortal Serpent Star Lord. He immediately swallowed the words he was about to say.If something could make a Star Lord apprehensive, there must be some unknown reasons behind it. It would be better to hold back now, for there would be plenty of time in the future.


    With his status as an Orthodox God of the Divine Court, this Dao Lord would ultimately not dare to attack him outright, which meant there would still be many opportunities.


    "Then let''s first prioritize repairing the Divine Statues that have been damaged," he said. "As for the rest, that can be discussed later."


    A moment later, the Immortal Serpent Star Lord waved his hand, retracting what he had said before.


    For him, offending a war god who was the main enforcer of slaughter, over a few insignificant Golden Bodies and merely over a million followers, no matter how plausible, was not worth it.


    In the vast Divine Court, there were but a dozen or so who held the position of Main God, and half of those weren''t even gods of slaughter. This newcomer, the Great Saint Heavenly Venerable, was already one of the strongest few in the Divine Court, second only to the Great Emperor. It was truly unnecessary to provoke him.


    From the very beginning, the Incense Fire Divine Path was destined to have an element of replaceability. A Main God, wishing to cut down a Star Lord, truly needed no reason. As long as the followers remained, other deities could instantly fill the vacancy.


    Inside the Divine Court, to live a long life, developing followers was useless by itself. One also needed to be well-connected, with their own network and influence above and below.


    Feeling the Tribulation Qi beside him gradually calming down, Chu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and replied directly,


    "I obey the Star Lord''s Divine Decree and will have someone see to it immediately."


    It was just the repair of a few Divine Statues, posing no loss to him. Compared to the previous demand, it was nothing.


    The Immortal Serpent Star Lord didn''t stay long and soon left. The Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord vanished as well.


    Looking at the sky that had cleared up, Chu Zheng was deep in thought.


    This tribulation was so easily resolved. It was somewhat beyond his expectations.


    He had been prepared for the worst-case scenario.


    ...


    ...


    When Chu Zheng returned to the temple, a figure that seemed somewhat familiar had appeared in the previously empty hall.


    Tall in stature, draped in a divine robe with a Yin-Yang Jade Belt wrapped around the waist.


    "You''re quite adept at using the tactic of ''wearing tiger skins,''" the newcomer observed, looking over the statues in the temple with an indifferent tone.


    Zhao Tingxian!


    This attire, compared to the last time he was seen, had quite a few changes.


    "Heavenly Venerate, we meet again," said Chu Zheng, suppressing the shock in his heart and addressing the visitor respectfully, instead of using Zhao Tingxian''s personal name as he had learned from the consequences of doing so last time.


    "You seem to have learned a bit this time," Zhao Tingxian remarked, with eyes that were as cold as ice.


    "To be honest, right now I truly wish to go back to Cangyun and take your life."


    "Then it seems that I may live a little longer," Chu Zheng responded, maintaining a detached demeanor against Zhao Tingxian''s undisguised murderous intent.


    If, in some intangible way, someone was paving the way for him, then that person would not let him die before he grew powerful enough to be useful.


    Zhao Tingxian scrutinized Chu Zheng, his gaze showing a slight change:


    "You have already undergone Divine Transformation."


    When he had last seen Chu Zheng, judging by the fluctuations of his Divine Soul, Chu Zheng had not yet entered the stage of the Divine Infant.


    A hundred years in the Chaos Sea was, at most, less than two years in the Cangyun Realm.


    In this short span of time, Chu Zheng had broken through two major realms.


    Suppressing the surprise in his heart, Zhao Tingxian spoke more softly:


    "What led you to walk the path of the Incense Fire Deity?"


    "Because, Heavenly Venerate, when I was in Tai Xu Holy Land, I came across your former abode and discovered the God Sculpting Method," Chu Zheng openly shared without any concealment.


    In the presence of a being at this level, lying serves no purpose, for it would be seen through at a glance, better to be frank.


    "Because I..."


    For a moment, Zhao Tingxian''s gaze became slightly scattered.


    Chu Zheng''s words seemed to have shaken him greatly, leaving him unable to regain his composure for a long while.


    After a long silence, Zhao Tingxian sighed softly, "So that''s how it is..."


    It seemed as if he had realized something, and his look towards Chu Zheng softened considerably:


    "How is Tai Xu Holy Land doing? Does it still exist?"


    "It does." Chu Zheng nodded, "After the battle outside the realm, Tai Xu had contributed, hence the Immortal Alliance did not pursue the matter."


    Zhao Tingxian''s eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled up: "The Immortal Alliance''s approach this time is indeed much gentler; they really resemble humans now."


    "I thought Heavenly Venerate knew everything." Chu Zheng was slightly surprised; with Zhao Tingxian''s abilities, deducing such matters should not be hard.


    "The Chaos Sea is isolated from the Great Universe, all heavens'' secrets are severed, none above Immortal Kings can enter, otherwise, Immortal Path Emperors would have come to execute me long ago, how could I have lived until today?"


    Zhao Tingxian shook his head slowly: "I am now as if stranded in the wilderness, with heaven not responding and earth not heeding, how can I deduce anything? If I truly knew everything, I would not have almost lost my life to the underworld because of you last time."


    Looking at Zhao Tingxian before him, Chu Zheng was puzzled for a moment; he could sense that Zhao Tingxian''s attitude towards him had changed greatly in an instant.


    The undisguised killing intent from before had now vanished without trace.


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng bowed respectfully, feeling a sense of urgency in his heart: "I have many doubts; I hope Heavenly Venerate can enlighten me."


    "Ask, but I may not be able to answer," Zhao Tingxian said without refusal, sitting down on the ground.


    Chu Zheng organized his thoughts and decided to start from the beginning:


    "About what Heavenly Venerate said to me last time, regarding my origin, could you tell me the details?"


    "Regarding your background, I know nothing. The one who guided me, I cannot mention to you either, or there will be calamitous disasters."


    Zhao Tingxian didn''t give an answer, saying softly instead, "Ask another question."


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng didn''t dwell on it, and continued to ask, "Was the news about the Cangyun Outer Realm Passage intercepted by Heavenly Venerate?"


    "Correct, I intercepted the message and did not report it to the Immortal Alliance."


    Zhao Tingxian nodded, and then further explained:


    "Back then I had divined that Cangyun''s fate was not yet exhausted, and there were signs of revival after the war, and this was also my chance to break away from the Immortal Alliance, therefore I only informed a few close friends."


    "Are there Demon Immortals among these friends of Heavenly Venerate?"


    "No."


    Zhao Tingxian gave an answer that surprised Chu Zheng somewhat; he seemed to be very clear about the question Chu Zheng was asking and directly said:


    "I know what you want to ask, the Demon Race hastily opened a passage to lead the Northern Region Demon Race out of the realm, it must have been that some Demon Immortal caught wind of it. This relates to the Myriad Heavens and Realms, carrying information not originating from me."


    To him, the lives of these beings, whether human or demon, were weightless, nothing more than part of his plans to break away from the Immortal Alliance at that time, not worthy of his attention.


    He did not like to deal with the Demon Race, not because of racial concepts, but simply because most of the Demon Race lacked any concept of shame, even the Demon Immortals were the same, too fickle in their stances, too deep an involvement was likely to lead to betrayal.


    The path he walked was also one of great defiance, and he could die at any moment, getting too involved with the Demon Race was too risky.


    "Many thanks to Heavenly Venerate for resolving my doubts."


    Chu Zheng''s mind relaxed a bit; he had speculated that this matter was related to Zhao Tingxian, and now it seemed to be just a coincidence.


    But within the Immortal Alliance, there must certainly be a Demon Immortal colluding with the Myriad Heavens and Realms; this much could now be confirmed.


    After hesitating for a while, Chu Zheng asked tentatively: S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "During the battle outside the realm, was the projection of the Cangyun Immortal King intentionally helping you?"


    "An Immortal King''s passage will leave remnants of their path''s essence, and others cannot tread the same path again for a short time."


    "Using a projection, Shang Cangyun was able to arrive fastest, and he even took the shortest way around Cangyun, indeed buying me a lot of time."


    "Because of this, I was able to preserve this incarnation, which holds the stewardship of Cangyun Heavenly Way, otherwise, my advancement to Immortal Venerable would have been delayed much longer."


    Zhao Tingxian went silent for a moment before making a startling statement:


    "Shang Cangyun walked the same path as me."

 Chapter 205 Immortal Descendant Bloodline, Cangyuns Dead End

    Zhao Tingxian''s words startled Chu Zheng:"The same path? What do you mean by that, Heavenly Venerate?"


    His first reaction was that perhaps Shang Cangyun had also followed the path of becoming a God through incense. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This seemed somewhat too exaggerated.


    "What I''m referring to is not the path of incense."


    Zhao Tingxian denied Chu Zheng''s guess, speaking slowly, "Do you know why a True Immortal can affect the bloodline of a family, giving rise to a True Immortal Noble Family?"


    For a moment, Chu Zheng remembered the information about Immortal Descendants he had seen many times before, and immediately shook his head, "I hope the Heavenly Venerate will enlighten me."


    "The Cultivators of the Cangyun Realm know only that by Becoming an Immortal, one can influence the family bloodline, and thus give rise to a True Immortal family."


    Zhao Tingxian''s expression became somewhat complex, "In fact, this is a misunderstanding of cause and effect. It is not the True Immortal that influences the bloodline, but the bloodline that is destined to produce a True Immortal."


    "You must have also seen those True Immortal Noble Families in Cangyun. At most, they prosper for thousands or tens of thousands of years, then their bloodline gradually declines and eventually fades into obscurity. No matter how many methods they use, it''s merely a delay of this process."


    "These so-called True Immortal Noble Families are simply affected by a temporary bloodline mutation when a True Immortal achieves Dao, nourished by Immortal Qi. As it was said in Ancient Times, when one person achieves Dao, the whole family become Immortals, that''s how it is."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng was not particularly surprised and listened quietly.


    This was a chicken-or-egg type of problem, difficult to clearly argue. He had made many speculations about the Immortal Bone before, but never got a clear answer.


    "Within the Immortal Alliance, there are some people with Immortal Blood flowing in their veins, known as Immortal Descendants. The families of Immortal Descendants will never decline."


    "Immortal Descendants?" Hearing the familiar term, Chu Zheng could not help but be invigorated.


    "Immortal Blood will not disappear, even if these Immortal Descendants die in battle. Their Talent will return to their family''s bloodline without any loss."


    "Moreover, only Immortal Descendants are eligible to step into the threshold of Immortal Venerable. Otherwise, even a True Immortal has reached the end of their road."


    "If there is no Immortal Blood in the body of a True Immortal, it is still possible to integrate Immortal Blood through a Secret Technique and become ''Mixed Blood''; such individuals are the Mixed-blooded Immortal Descendants."


    Upon saying this, Zhao Tingxian seemed to recall something, his eyes gradually turning cold:


    "After Ancient Times, the environment of the Cangyun Realm underwent significant changes. The emerging True Immortals were utterly unable to integrate with the true blood of Immortal Descendants. Throughout their lives, they could not step into the Immortal Venerable Realms. From ancient times to the present, only Shang Cangyun and I have been exceptions."


    "If one does not reach Immortal Venerate, they can only serve as cannon fodder in the wars with the Vast Universe."


    "Back when I joined the Immortal Alliance, I was neither valued nor used but instead faced constant ostracism. After stepping into the True Immortal Realm, I was sent to the cosmic frontier to fight ceaselessly against evil demons, bathed in blood on the battlefield, teetering on the brink of the underworld, and it was only by sheer luck that I escaped with my life."


    Unable to suppress his curiosity, Chu Zheng asked, "Why can''t the Cultivators from Cangyun Realm integrate with the true blood of Immortal Descendants?"


    The Immortal Bone was already a threshold, and now there seemed to be another one before the Immortal Venerable. The disparity was puzzling.


    "I don''t know the specifics, but over the years, I''ve collected some information, though its authenticity is uncertain."


    Zhao Tingxian''s eyes flashed with a hint of light, "In Ancient Times, the Immortal King took action, severing the Heavenly Fate of other Daoist Sects in the Cangyun Realm. It seems there was retaliation later, to the point where some Immortal Descendant families were completely extinguished. This might have some connection."


    The events of Ancient Times were too distant, and the continuous wars had already erased the traces. It''s very difficult to trace back and find the exact reasons. It''s not as simple as just saying a few words.


    "I have a question I don''t understand, and I hope the Immortal Venerable will not refrain from teaching."


    As the conversation progressed, Chu Zheng had more and more questions:


    "Now that the Heavenly Venerate has entered the Immortal Venerable Realm, by what method did you become an Immortal Descendant? Did the Cangyun Immortal King use the same method?"


    This was a hurdle he would inevitably face as well¡ªif he could gain more experience, he might avoid many detours.


    However, Zhao Tingxian did not answer Chu Zheng''s question but instead looked him over and sneered lightly:


    "You, a Qi Cultivator, also covet the true blood of Immortal Descendants?"


    He quickly reined in his expression: "The path of Qi Refining that you are on is much stronger than the Immortal Path. Shang Cangyun and I have no way back now, which is somewhat related to the Vast Universe. If you can live until the day you become an Immortal, I will take you to the cosmic frontier, to see it with your own eyes."


    "Thank you, Heavenly Venerate, for the clarification."


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not press further. If Immortal Blood was so hard to integrate, there must be a reason. Zhao Tingxian''s lack of an answer indicated that there were many inconveniences.


    "Ultimately, Cangyun has reached its limit; without Immortal Descendant families, True Immortals from Cangyun, no matter how talented, have no future within the Immortal Alliance." Zhao Tingxian stood up slowly, speaking somewhat casually:


    "You should plan early, especially since your identity as a Qi Cultivator is hard to conceal indefinitely."


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and asked a question he had been holding back for a long time:


    "Heavenly Venerate once said that more than twenty years ago in the Cangyun Realm, you sealed the spiritual wisdom in my womb. Does this mean I had arrived in Cangyun long ago but my memory has been sealed all along? So, is this reincarnation or rebirth through possession?"


    Zhao Tingxian pondered for a while before speaking, "As far as I know, it should be reincarnation, with a remnant True Spirit surviving and preserving memories for several decades."


    His words carried a hint of uncertainty because for a Cultivator, merely preserving several decades of memories was pointless, it would be better to let go completely.


    "Reincarnation..." Chu Zheng murmured softly, his thoughts a bit chaotic as he remembered the memories of his previous life. He suddenly wasn''t entirely sure if he had forgotten something important.

 Chapter 205 Immortal Descendant Bloodline, Cangyuns Dead End_2

    ```"This marks the end of our connection, if you tangle with me again, it won''t be so simple."


    ```


    ```


    Before Chu Zheng could react, Zhao Tingxian''s figure had already disappeared within the temple, clearly not intending to have a detailed conversation with Chu Zheng.


    ```


    ```


    After regaining his composure, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel somewhat disappointed; he still had many questions to ask.


    ```


    ```


    Zhao Tingxian hadn''t answered many of his questions. Just considering the change in Zhao Tingxian''s attitude before and after their meeting, it was clear that he had become much more amicable towards him.


    ```


    ```


    This change left Chu Zheng somewhat unable to guess the reason; he stared at his own palm, lost in thought.


    ```


    ```


    The path he needed to walk had already been paved by others a thousand years ago.


    ```


    ```


    As for the paths taken by Shang Cangyun and Zhao Tingxian, Chu Zheng still hadn''t seen them clearly; one was a peerless genius who had changed the name of the Cangyun Realm, and the other was a person who had become an Immortal across a millennium.


    ```


    ```


    Zhao Tingxian had obviously been extremely cautious with him, with many matters not fully disclosed.


    ```


    ```


    All he could do was wait for another opportunity in the future.


    ```


    ```


    In the following days, Chu Zheng devoted most of his energy to developing his devotees.


    ```


    ```


    Having a Main God as support, an invisible tiger''s skin, shielded him from countless troubles.


    ```


    ```


    ```


    ```


    In the blink of an eye, more than ten years had passed.


    ```


    ```


    Chu Zheng''s cultivated persona steadily advanced into the Golden Core Realm, albeit with a Golden Core of not too high a quality, having only Seven Orifices.


    ```


    ```


    A Seven Orifices Golden Core was quite remarkable for the average person, but from Chu Zheng''s own perspective, it was somewhat lacking.


    ```


    ```


    Over the years, the Divine Court, through the Rainbow Heaven Spirit Lord, had issued no less than five invitations, hoping he would join the Divine Court, all of which he declined.


    ```


    ```


    Even so, the Divine Court did not act against him as before, which was presumably related to Zhao Tingxian''s existence.


    ```


    ```


    After that brief exchange, Zhao Tingxian never again visited Chu Zheng''s temple, as if he had vanished without a trace.


    ```


    ```


    Chu Zheng had thought about trying to find him, but even after searching the whole Star Domain, there was no temple belonging to Zhao Tingxian to be found.


    ```


    ```


    Not just temples, but there was not even a portrait of him to be found.


    ```


    ```


    If it weren''t for the fact that Zhao Tingxian did indeed come before, Chu Zheng might even wonder if it was all a dream.


    ```


    ```


    As time passed, the number of Chu Zheng''s devotees surpassed tens of millions. However, as he decreased the frequency of scattering Spirit Stones among them, the growth of Incense Fire Willpower had noticeably slowed.


    ```


    ```


    This was an unavoidable decision; he could not spend all his energy finding Spirit Stones for his devotees and had to gradually reduce it.


    ```


    ```


    During these years, Chu Zheng occasionally felt Tribulation Qi surging around him, but it was quickly suppressed, as if someone was helping him avert tribulations.


    ```


    ```


    With the increase in devotees, his own Cultivation saw a rise, stepping into the Divine Infant Second Transformation.


    ```


    ```


    For this second transformation, Chu Zheng chose a unique species that existed in the Chaos Sea, resembling a scale-armored Pegasus and enveloped in demonic flames. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ```


    ```


    About a few years ago, this species had passed by the nearby Star Domain, consuming several Life Stars, and quickly caught the attention of the Divine Court; two Main Gods intervened but were repelled, and ultimately it escaped.


    ```


    ```


    The position of the Immortal Serpent Star was passable; Chu Zheng saw the full appearance of that unique creature, a hundred times larger than the ordinary Life Stars, and because of the great distance, he only got a glimpse, resulting in a transformation that captured its form but not its essence.


    ```


    ```


    However, even this mere physical transformation made this second change much stronger than the Qilin Transformation, indicating the terrifying nature of this unique creature.


    ```


    ```


    As his expansion of devotees entered a bottleneck, Chu Zheng shifted his attention to the other stars.


    ```


    ```


    If the number of devotees were to climb another level, it would cause conflict with some of the ancient deities that had long been entrenched on this Star.


    ```


    ```


    Rather than consolidating all at once, it was better to let some devotees spread out to other stars.


    ```


    ```


    After all, the distance between these stars was quite close, and it wasn''t troublesome to traverse space using Divine Skills.


    ```


    ```


    ```


    ```


    The distance between stars, under the magnitude of the universe, is very short, but in reality, it is still quite vast.


    ```


    ```


    Chu Zheng spent more than seventy years, finally sending numerous devotees in batches throughout the entire Star Domain.


    ```


    ```


    With the incremental spread of devotees, a large net was gradually raised, and the number of devotees started to grow exponentially. Now, it was nearly a hundred million.


    ```


    ```


    The Cultivation of the Incense Fire Divine Path had already stepped into Higher Spirit Monarch Perfection, just one step away from becoming a Junior Heavenly Monarch.


    ```


    The Divine Infant of his true form, whose cultivation had been skyrocketing all along, stepped into the Divine Infant Sixth Transformation. Each level of change was none other than a formidable alien species from the Chaos Sea.


    Such a long period of stability was something Chu Zheng had never experienced before, but the Tribulation Qi of the Qi Refining incarnation had already entered an extremely bizarre state in an imperceptible way.


    The Tribulation Qi was very dense and had already formed an omen of death tribulation, but it did not boil over, and even remained quiet at all times.


    After more than seventy years, this incarnation had already set foot in Golden Core Realm Perfection, and the next step was Refine Spirit.


    Chu Zheng had already accumulated enough foundation for this step and could cross over at any time, but each time he was about to break through, he felt unsettled, thus interrupting the process.


    ...


    ...


    The morning light was faintly warm, dispelling the chill brought by the night.


    Within the grand temple, Chu Zheng''s eyes were slightly closed as he slowly reviewed the information sent back from various stars through his Golden Body.


    Including Yuan Dazun, the initial group of core followers had long been sent away from the Immortal Serpent Star and were now managing affairs on various stars, mostly relying on the Golden Body for communication.


    These pieces of information were quite complicated, with the most substantial part relating to the Divine Court.


    Soon, Chu Zheng''s gaze intensified, stopping on a piece of news.


    ''Yin Yang Xuan Ling Demonic Sanctioning Great Holy Celestial has detached from the Divine Court, whereabouts unknown.''


    Zhao Tingxian left again?


    Upon seeing this message, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be stunned, and the next instant, he suddenly felt the Tribulation Qi that had been silent at his side for decades suddenly respond.


    In an instant, the star of death omen above his head flashed wildly.


    The aura of death engulfed his senses, but at this moment, Chu Zheng grew calm instead, focusing his mind on operating the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record and began attempting to Refine Spirit.


    Years of accumulation had perfected his Divine Soul, and now, he was merely one step away from the threshold.


    The formless Divine Soul began to expand, stepping out from the center of his forehead, and in a blink, it transformed into a Primordial Spirit clad in Divine Armor, over thirty feet tall, radiating blazing divine light.


    Before Chu Zheng could even begin to grasp the mystery of the Primordial Spirit, a fierce white light suddenly lit up from the horizon, engulfing his senses in an instant.


    It took a while before he regained his senses, yet he could only inspect the position of the Immortal Serpent Star through the Golden Body Statues on the remaining stars.


    On looking, he was taken aback once more.


    The entire Immortal Serpent Star, along with several nearby Life Stars, had all vanished, leaving only a dazzling white divine light.


    ...


    ...


    Cangyun Realm.


    Within the secret chamber of the Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng''s brow was brimming with light, and his aura plummeted. The Incense Fire Willpower in the depths of his Divine Soul kept ebbing away unstoppably, dissipating much of it.


    In the end, his cultivation fell by two realms, retreating back to the Divine Infant Fourth Transformation.


    Had he not earlier dispersed many followers, this blow would have netted him in one fell swoop, rendering the hardships of a century null and void.


    However, Chu Zheng had no mind to care about his cultivation at this point.


    With several stars vanishing together, he could not ascertain for a time whether this was indeed because of him.


    After a while, Chu Zheng pulled back his thoughts and sighed. At least now he still had a portion of the Incense Flame Golden Body and some followers alive.


    Only after meeting Zhao Tingxian did Chu Zheng realize that the situation in the Cangyun Realm was far more complicated than he had thought.


    Among the True Immortal Seeds that emerged from the Cangyun Realm, aside from Shang Cangyun and Zhao Tingxian, none had been able to set foot in the domain of the Immortal Venerable, and most now were likely no longer in this world.


    The remnant soul of a True Immortal in the Song Family Ancestral Grounds once left a last will: ''One must not enter the Immortal Alliance.''


    Now it seems, this indeed was a warning.


    Staying out of the Immortal Alliance allows one to survive in the universe, but those Cultivators from the Cangyun Realm who joined the Immortal Alliance, how could they have met a good end in the final analysis.


    He needed to make numerous preparations.

 Chapter 207 Martial Hall Envoy

    The highest in cultivation among those present was Bai Zhixiao.Except for him, nearly all the cultivators headed to the battlefield outside the realm to carve a future for themselves.


    With the early stage of Immortal Tribulation cultivation, he was currently considered the foremost in the Cangyun Realm.


    As for Chu Zheng, he was the youngest Divine Transformation Realm cultivator in the history of the Cangyun Realm, also highly valued by the Immortal Alliance. Coupled with his identity as a Holy Land''s lord and wielding an Immortal Treasure, he was fully qualified to be the leader of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects this time.


    It could be said that Chu Zheng and Bai Zhixiao were currently the two most influential individuals in the Cangyun Realm, without any equals.


    "Some time ago, it seemed that the Taixuan Holy Master''s cultivation had regressed, I wonder if he is unwell?"


    Bai Zhixiao let out a light laugh, gazing at Chu Zheng, attempting to discern some clues from his expression.


    "Perhaps it will disappoint the Taixu Saint Lord, but it''s nothing serious."


    To Bai Zhixiao''s words, Chu Zheng was not surprised at all. The fluctuations in his cultivation were known to many cultivators within several Holy Lands.


    Chu Zheng''s forthright answer caused the atmosphere to briefly stiffen; expressions of the cultivators from various Holy Lands showed slight awkwardness.


    In fact, apart from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, the other Holy Lands all had blood feuds with Chu Zheng. They were also very concerned about the fluctuations in his cultivation.


    After a period of silence, the representatives from various Holy Lands and True Immortal noble families hastily discussed some specific arrangements and then dispersed.


    "Taixuan Holy Master, please stay a moment."


    Bai Zhixiao, who had not left, stopped Chu Zheng who was about to leave, and said with implication:


    "Recently, I have discovered some clues about Zhao Tingxian within the Holy Land."


    "Oh? What clues?"


    Chu Zheng''s demeanor remained calm, but his heart stirred slightly.


    "Beneath that secluded chamber he often visited, I found a cave dwelling..."


    At this, Chu Zheng''s initial interest faded, feeling disappointed.


    "That cave dwelling, it appears someone had visited it before."


    Bai Zhixiao''s eyes grew cold: "Let''s not beat around the bush, what exactly did you take from Zhao Tingxian''s cave dwelling when you last visited Tai Xu?"


    Chu Zheng''s rapid advancement in cultivation was indeed exaggerated, and his cultivation had suddenly dropped by two realms recently, making such drastic fluctuations even more suspicious. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Be careful of the trouble that comes from speaking carelessly."


    Chu Zheng''s expression was unflustered, as he glanced at Bai Zhixiao:


    "It was your Tai Xu that raised a character like Zhao Tingxian, and now you''re asking me? Don''t you find that funny?"


    Before Bai Zhixiao could react, Chu Zheng left without further consideration.


    Bai Zhixiao stared at the departing figure of Chu Zheng, his expression gradually regained its calmness, convinced that Chu Zheng definitely had discovered some clues.


    Initially, for Zhao Tingxian, Chu Zheng had made a special visit to Tai Xu, and with current clues surfacing, his reaction should not have been so indifferent.


    A moment later, Bai Zhixiao sighed softly, feeling a wave of helplessness. Even if Chu Zheng had indeed taken something, there was nothing he could do but watch now.


    The Immortal Alliance now valued Chu Zheng more highly. Without solid evidence, speaking out directly might backfire and even bring misfortune upon himself.


    It was well known that the Tai Xu Holy Land and Taixuan were antagonistic, like fire and water. If the Immortal Alliance felt that the Tai Xu Holy Land was deliberately provoking conflict, it might lead to severe calamity.


    Considering the tremendous disaster caused by Zhao Tingxian, the fact that Tai Xu Holy Land still existed was already a grace from the Immortal Alliance. In such a critical juncture, lying low and minimizing their presence was the best choice.


    Moreover, with the conflict in the outer realms still unsettled, the Immortal Alliance didn''t have the energy to specifically deal with this matter.


    ...


    ...


    Biluo Country is located in the heart of the Southern Region, nearest to the Primordial Spirit Holy Land. Choosing this place for the tournament site was also for the convenience of disciples from other Sects.


    Since ancient times, the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects has always been held here.


    Biluo Country is not a common mortal nation; it is usually governed by the Biluo Sect, a major sect that arose with the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    The Formation Master who had arranged this site in the past laid down doctrines, which have continued since then.


    The cultivators of the Biluo Sect do not partake in the tournament; within the sect, they mostly study the path of arrays. Their primary activities are to maintain the arenas and defensive arrays used in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    This time, the pressure on Biluo Sect was even higher than in previous tournaments.


    Because the arrays of most arenas cannot withstand the skirmish between Divine Infant cultivators and need to be improved.


    Divine Infant cultivators can harness the power of heaven and earth. The moment they strike, they can break mountains and divide rivers, affecting areas hundreds of miles around, far beyond what Soul Condensing can compare.


    Additionally, this Hidden Dragon Tournament also involves sects and noble families from both the Eastern and Western Regions, mixed and varied, necessitating enhanced methods to prevent external interferences.


    True Immortal noble families from the Eastern Region had rarely sent participants to the tournament before. One reason was that the disciples within a family were much weaker in capability compared to the top true inheritors of the Holy Lands.


    Secondly, due to the conservative nature of being a noble family, they were reluctant to risk their direct bloodline members.


    The mortality rate of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects is extremely high, with at least a fraction of the cultivators perishing on the journey to the tournament.


    Countless Hidden Dragons have drowned in deep seas before even emerging from their abys, let alone during the tumultuous process of the tournament itself, where many perish.


    This time, these noble families participated because the recent battle outside the realm showed them their disparity with the Southern Region, compelling them not to continue working in isolation and to let their younger generations gain exposure.

 Chapter 207 Martial Hall Envoy_2

    At this moment, within Biluo Country, it was overcrowded with cultivators gathered from all corners of the Cangyun Realm.For this Great Tournament, many remote sects had traveled here over a decade or even longer ago, just to witness this grand event.


    Actually, the aim of many small sects was not really to participate in the competition; they were targeting the prodigies from the Immortal Sects and the saint heirs from the large factions.


    If they could establish some connections with these future powerholders of Cangyun at such a grand event, it would undoubtedly be like soaring to the heavens.


    Chu Zheng shed the crimson vestment robe of the Taixuan Holy Master and donned a light blue robe, strolling through the streets, soon discovering many interesting things.


    At the very center of Biluo Country stood a Jade Stele, which listed the names of the top ten from every Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    Ranked at the forefront was Shang Cangyun.


    The champion of the first Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    Chu Zheng reflected for a while, thoughtfully, Zhao Tingxian had told him, Shang Cangyun embarked on the same path as him.


    It was only after Shang Cangyun that the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects came into being; perhaps... there was also some trickery involved in this tournament.


    Chu Zheng scanned the entire Jade Stele but did not find Zhao Tingxian''s name; it was only after a moment that he realized.


    Zhao Tingxian was not well-known before the age of two hundred. Among those with High-Quality Immortal Bones, he was not outstanding and was even at the bottom.


    The Great Void Scripture was of a watery nature, which was exactly contrary to his Innate Fire Spirit Body, halving his efforts and presumably leading to a tormenting journey.


    Near the Jade Stele were many disciples from the Holy Lands secretly trading information from the Hidden Dragon List.


    The Hidden Dragon List, known only to a few Holy Lands, held information that was undoubtedly worth its weight in gold for many sects, able to be traded for a large number of Spirit Stones.


    The world never lacked for clever people; some had already recognized the value of this information and were making a fortune from it.


    As he passed by a stall, Chu Zheng suddenly halted his steps. Amongst the crowd, he heard someone mentioning his name.


    After becoming an Incense Fire God, he became particularly sensitive to his own true name and was instantly drawn in.


    In front of this particular stall, surrounded mostly by women, stood a man that appeared to be in his thirties, dressed in grey. With a glance, Chu Zheng recognized his origin.


    From the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, a member of the Shang Family, named Shang Xiukun, an Inner Sect Elder, who had changed his appearance and concealed his tracks.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, do not rush. I have the whereabouts and habits of all those mentioned on the Hidden Dragon List," Shang Xiukun said leisurely, holding a stack of Jade Tokens. "The price is fair for young and old."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng slightly frowned; daring to sell such information before the competition was indeed audacious.


    If a prodigy were to be attacked because of this, it could spark a great war between the sects.


    However, this had nothing to do with him. Chu Zheng shook his head slightly, not planning to intervene, and was about to turn away when a low shout from Shang Xiukun unexpectedly reached his ears.


    "Taixuan Holy Master, Chu Zheng, is also currently in Biluo Country. I have information on him for a price of five thousand High-Quality Spirit Stones. Does anyone want it?"


    Chu Zheng''s step paused, his gaze sharpening. This man was well-informed; he had just arrived in Biluo Country today and news was already circulating.


    Five thousand High-Quality Spirit Stones, once converted to Lower-Quality Spirit Stones, would be a full half a million. The price was not low.


    "I''ll take it!"


    "Sell it to me; I''ll offer twenty thousand High-Quality Spirit Stones! And you cannot sell it to anyone else!"


    The cultivators crowding around the stall were visibly excited, pushing forward.


    This reaction immediately startled Chu Zheng; he hesitated for a moment, almost believing he was still being pursued for a bounty.


    He promptly halted, his eyes growing cold as he scanned his surroundings, eager to see who would dare to make a move against him after all this time.


    Shang Xiukun, clearly skilled in this trade, spoke loudly, "The highest bidder gets it, just this one."


    With the replicability of information, if he sold the news for five thousand Spirit Stones per piece, soon there would be imitators and the price would instantly plummet.


    But by selling only one piece, he would undoubtedly get a high price, and even capitalize when the news spread further to make another profit.


    "Thirty thousand High-Quality Spirit Stones!"


    "Thirty-five thousand!"


    "Forty thousand!"


    Eventually, the information about Chu Zheng was acquired by a veiled female cultivator for the price of a hundred thousand high-quality spirit stones.


    The moment Chu Zheng''s gaze swept over, a surge of assassination intent lurked in his eyes. Those who dared to strike against him at this moment were certainly no ordinary foes.


    [Ye Yujiao (Second Order): The sole daughter of the head of Shenmu Pavilion, bone age thirty-one, cultivation at the mid Entry Dao Realm.]


    Beside Ye Yujiao, there followed a cultivator of the Divine Infant Realm, enough to prove her extraordinary background.


    Shenmu Pavilion?


    Chu Zheng immediately frowned. He had never heard of this name before. With a middle-quality Immortal Bone and cultivation merely at the Entry Dao Realm, her power was such that he could crush her to death with just a wave of his Divine Sense.


    The cultivator by her side, with cultivation in the late stage of the Divine Infant Realm, posed no threat to him either.


    After obtaining the information about Chu Zheng, Ye Yujiao hurriedly left, with many of the surrounding cultivators showing a hint of envy on their faces.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a few moments before turning to leave. Knowing oneself, as well as the enemy, leads to victory in a hundred battles. He decided he would need to learn more about this Shenmu Pavilion.


    Not long after Chu Zheng left, whispers echoed in the vicinity:


    "Who would have thought that the Taixuan Holy Master himself would come!"


    "I''ve heard that this Holy Master is only in his twenties this year. To meet him face-to-face, even if it''s just to leave a slight impression, would be a lifetime''s worth."


    "At this age, he may not have taken a wife yet. If one could..."


    As a Lord of a Holy Land, coupled with his youth and extraordinary talents, he was considered perfect in every way, the dream Dao companion of countless female cultivators.


    To be close to him would be to bring great fortune to one''s family for generations to come.


    The price of a hundred thousand high-quality spirit stones was not steep.


    ...


    ...


    No sooner had Chu Zheng returned to the residence prepared especially for the Taixuan Holy Master than he received a piece of news.


    An envoy from the Martial Hall had arrived in Cangyun Realm.


    This timing was a full year earlier than expected, but relative to the distances spanned in the universe, a year was just about right.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, his thoughts growing significantly heavier for a moment.


    The arrival of the Martial Hall meant the countdown had begun. The time for his separation from Song Lingxue was near.


    This time, it was different from his experience with Taixuan Holy Land.


    After all, Taixuan Holy Land was within Cangyun Realm, but the Martial Hall lay across the stars, at the other end of the cosmos. Even for a True Immortal, to meet face to face across such distances was as difficult as reaching the heavens.


    Collecting his emotions, Chu Zheng immediately went out to meet the envoy from the Martial Hall.


    ...


    ...


    In fact, the envoy from the Martial Hall had been in Cangyun for several days, but had only just arrived within Biluo Country at this time.


    By the time Chu Zheng arrived, the main figures from several Holy Lands and True Immortal Noble Families were already present.


    Inside the spacious hall, two figures stood side by side, their auras markedly different. Wrapped in blood Qi that simmered like a dormant dragon, filled with extreme danger as if ready to strike at any moment, their sharpness was palpable. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Xie Xingzhong (Sixth Order): Bone age eight hundred seventy-two, at peak Perfection of the Martial God Realm, with the great achievement of the Demon Subduing Body, capable of splitting dragons and elephants with his bare hands, and harbouring many hidden injuries that can be repaired (0/50).]


    [Yu Ning (Sixth Order): Bone age four hundred ninety-three, in the initial stage of Martial God Realm, with minor accomplishment in the Sun Splitting True Art, with old injuries in the viscera, having encountered severe damage before, which can be repaired (0/40).]


    Both a man and a woman, each one a Sixth Order cultivator of the Martial God Realm, were brimming with blood Qi at the peak of their prime, each possessing the divine strength to subdue real dragons.


    These two, especially Xie Xingzhong, felt extremely dangerous to Chu Zheng, even more so than Bai Zhixiao.


    Standing beside these two Martial Gods were four young mortals of similar age. After taking a glance, Chu Zheng noted that they all possessed Superior Immortal Bones, the prodigies often discussed as bargaining chips in exchange for Song Lingxue.


    Superior Immortal Bones foretold a sure path to the True Immortal Realm barring any mishaps. These four individuals were the ones previously mentioned for exchange with Song Lingxue.

 Chapter 208 Conditions, Chips

    Within the grand hall, only about a dozen people were scattered about, giving the space a somewhat vacant air.As Chu Zheng stepped into the hall, he immediately drew the gaze of everyone present.


    "This is the Taixuan Holy Master, the martial prodigy who broke the chains of fate, now in Taixuan," someone remarked.


    Bai Zhixiao''s face bore a smile:


    "The Taixuan Holy Master is indeed Cangyun''s youngest pride of the heavens. At just twenty-three, he has already entered Divine Transformation and is on the verge of mastering Tongxuan. Now with the acquisition of two Superior Immortal Bones, this is a sign of a great rise for Taixuan," he said.


    As Bai Zhixiao''s voice faded, a hint of envy appeared in the eyes of those around him. Taixuan gained possession of a martial prodigy and now, without much effort, was able to secure two of the delivered Superior Immortal Bones.


    With Chu Zheng included, it truly was a sign of Taixuan Holy Land''s impending rise.


    Chu Zheng''s face showed little emotion as he stared at Bai Zhixiao, his gaze indifferent.


    He was very clear that Bai Zhixiao must be aware of his relationship with Song Lingxue, otherwise, his attitude would not be like this.


    A faint trace of killing intent spread, Bai Zhixiao''s smile not reaching his eyes as he met Chu Zheng''s gaze, the corners of his mouth tugging upward slightly.


    It was all youthful arrogance¡ªprovoked by just a few words, he was already struggling to stay composed.


    Geng Yiyang, back in the day, had suddenly made his move, killing Zhou Zili, all for the contention over that martial prodigy.


    Bai Zhixiao had already conducted an extremely detailed investigation into the matter, and had even followed the trail all the way to Great Zhou and Giant Marsh.


    It was only after expending considerable effort through the Song Clan in Taixuan City that he managed to glean information about Song Lingxue.


    Who would have imagined that the Taixuan Holy Master''s first wife could be a martial cultivator, and moreover, a pride of the heavens capable of breaking the shackles of heavenly fate?


    This piece of news, in the present Cangyun Realm, was known to very few.


    Using his first wife in exchange for someone was almost like thrusting a knife into Chu Zheng''s heart.


    Chu Zheng calmed the tumultuous resentment in his heart and looked towards the two special envoys from the Martial Hall, greeting them:


    "Chu Zheng, at your service, esteemed envoys."


    "We''ve heard much about you on our trip here. Taixuan Holy Master, you have extraordinary talent. Once you join the Immortal Alliance, you''ll surely have much success," proclaimed Xie Xingzhong with a hearty laugh. He appeared to be in his late thirties, with rough, distinct features, dressed in black, and of very imposing stature¡ªstanding over nine feet tall, with forearms as thick as the thighs of an average man, his muscles impressively knotted.


    Even from several yards away, Chu Zheng could hear the thunderous rumble from the rushing blood within his veins, an awe-inspiring sound.


    Yu Ning, standing next to him, nodded slightly in greeting as well.


    She looked much younger and was strikingly beautiful, not yet thirty, with a tall figure. Within every strand of her hair and every inch of her being, there was an explosive power that could not be overlooked, her aura as fierce as that of a dragon or a tiger. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The combat strength of martial cultivators was clearly stronger than that of other Daoist orthodoxies, but the strain on their bodies was equally apparent, with old injuries in their organs and the difficulty of healing due to constant battles.


    Upon seeing these two, Chu Zheng had already thought of how to arrange for the future.


    He would help the two envoys repair the hidden injuries in their bodies and then present them with a generous amount of cultivation resources, which would provide a temporary shelter for Song Lingxue.


    "Taixuan has looked after our martial prodigy for some time. Of the Immortal Seedlings sent by the Martial Hall, Taixuan may first choose two, in line with the Immortal Alliance''s wishes," Xie Xingzhong gestured with his hand, indicating the four Immortal Seedlings standing to the side.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze fell upon the four individuals, three males and one female, all around fifteen or sixteen years old, practiced in basic martial arts but never trained in Immortal Laws.


    Judging by the information from his Spiritual Eye, all were indeed of Superior Immortal Bone, each with different physiologies.


    Chu Zheng chose one male and one female, as among the four, only these two had physiologies inclined towards fire, suitable for the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture.


    With these two, it would be no longer than a few hundred years before Taixuan Holy Land would gain two more Immortal Tribulation Cultivators.


    The two selected individuals both appeared apprehensive, having traveled across starry seas, leaving their homelands to come to Cangyun, with uncertain futures ahead; naturally, they were filled with unease.


    The two of them stepped towards Chu Zheng, and the girl suddenly knelt, bowing deeply:


    "Fu Xin, at your service, Holy Master."


    The boy next to her hesitated for a moment, then followed suit, kneeling down: "Rong Yucun, in the presence of the Holy Master."


    "No need for such formalities," Chu Zheng said softly, helping the two of them up, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.


    These two children before him were just pitiful figures caught up in the tide of power, not masters of their own fates, their current plight stemming simply from an extra piece of bone behind their heads.


    But if one were to speak of joy, naturally, there was none to be had.


    The attention of the remaining people now fell upon the other two youths, their eyes burning with anticipation, seemingly eager.


    "Esteemed envoys, may I inquire as to what is intended for these remaining two Immortal Seedlings?" Bai Zhixiao was the first to speak up, voicing the question in everyone''s mind.


    "These two will depend on how much you all are willing to pay," Xie Xingzhong answered without disguise, grinning: "The Martial Hall gave us two full authority to handle this. Let''s keep it simple; the highest bidder wins."


    The crowd was somewhat surprised, as they had not anticipated Xie Xingzhong to be so forthright, immediately starting an auction.


    But for them, this straightforward approach was actually more convenient.


    "The Taixu Holy Land is willing to offer one Superior Cave Heaven, a hundred Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Spiritual Medicines, and one million Top-Quality Spiritual Stones for one Immortal Seedling," Bai Zhixiao stated without any hesitation, his offer shockingly generous.


    Leaving aside the Spiritual Medicines and Spiritual Stones, just the offering of a Superior Cave Heaven was of incalculable value¡ªa separate Small World nurturing Spirit Veins within it.


    This Small World can only be created by an Immortal Tribulation Cultivator, and throughout their lifetime, they could only carve out one such Cave Heaven.

 Chapter 208 Conditions, Chips_2

    Superior Cave Heaven, moreover, it was a legacy from cultivators in the late stage of Immortal Tribulation Realm, comparable to several Semi-Immortal treasures.However, in relation to the value of the Superior Immortal Bone, these were undoubtedly worth it.


    "Primordial Spirit Holy Land, offers one Intermediate Cave Heaven, five hundred ten-thousand-year-old Spiritual Medicines, and three million Top-Quality Spirit Stones in exchange for one Immortal Seedling."


    "Heavenly Throne Holy Land, offers one Superior Cave Heaven, three hundred ten-thousand-year-old Spiritual Medicines, and two million Top-Quality Spirit Stones in exchange for one Immortal Seedling."


    ...


    In just under half an hour, several Holy Lands had completed their bids, and the bidding had its results.


    Tai Xu Holy Land, along with Primordial Spirit Holy Land, each acquired one Immortal Seedling.


    Throughout, Chu Zheng hadn''t spoken. Possessing two Immortal Seedlings was already enough, and being too ostentatious could easily lead to being targeted.


    Similar in their silence were those True Immortal Noble Families, which place high importance on lineage and are extremely xenophobic, not very willing to accept these Immortal Seedlings from foreign domains.


    "Taixuan Holy Master."


    After handing over the two Immortal Seedlings to the Holy Lands, Xie Xingzhong strode up to Chu Zheng, his eyes containing a hint of expectation:


    "Now that there is still some time before the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, might I be allowed to meet that prodigy of the Martial Path?"


    A Martial Cultivator who could break the shackles of the Immortal Path''s Heavenly Fate must possess an extraordinary talent and might become a significant personage in the Martial Hall. This moment was the best opportunity to curry favor.


    Support during hardship far surpasses adding decorations to something already perfect.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, did not refuse, and nodded, "Alright."


    He too was planning to return to Taixuan to deliver these two Immortal Seedlings. With some spare time at the moment, he could also let Lingxue familiarize herself with the people in the Martial Hall.


    Before leaving, Chu Zheng turned to Bai Zhixiao and spoke indifferently:


    "These Immortal Seedlings. Taixu Saint Lord must take good care of them. If a second Zhao Tingxian emerges in the future, Tai Xu Holy Land might not have the same luck as before."


    Upon hearing this, Bai Zhixiao''s face slightly stiffened, he took a deep breath, suppressed the tumult in his heart, and walked away.


    The people within the hall quickly dispersed.


    Chu Zheng, along with Xie Xingzhong, left directly and headed towards Taixuan from Biluo Country.


    ...


    ...


    A few days later, the group arrived at Taixuan Holy Land.


    "The presence of Fire Attribute energy indicates it indeed is a treasure land, the Saint Lord is young yet so perceptive."


    Seeing the continuous volcanoes and seas of magma, Xie Xingzhong couldn''t help but show a trace of admiration in his eyes.


    Concerning the four Immortal Seedlings brought by the Immortal Alliance this time, the Martial Hall had already conducted a thorough examination. Rong Yucun and Fu Xin had fire-oriented physiques, and he was naturally aware.


    Yet Chu Zheng being so young, could discern this matter at a glance, was a particularly sharp observation.


    "To this day I still have not seen the path under my feet clearly, let alone talk about having perceptive eyes."


    Chu Zheng slightly shook his head, first found Fu Quanliang, and handed the two Immortal Seedlings into his care.


    At this moment, he wasn''t in the mood to take care of instructing them.


    Chu Zheng with Xie Xingzhong climbed to the peak, where Song Lingxue was sitting in a daze on the martial arts platform, a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, and an aura of vital energy steamed around her.


    "Ah Zheng, these two..." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Lingxue stood up, her gaze sweeping toward the two men beside Chu Zheng, unease lurking in her eyes.


    "Envoys from the Martial Hall." Chu Zheng''s gaze softened, invoking reassurance.


    Xie Xingzhong looked deeply at Chu Zheng, then turned his head to glance at Yu Ning beside him.


    "We apologize."


    Yu Ning stepped forward, his expression solemn, his hands moved over Song Lingxue''s arms and spine, his fingertips gliding over large muscles and sinews, traversing the entire body.


    "At the age of nearly twenty-seven, Aura has achieved Perfection, soon to reach Embracing Pill, Top-tier Root Bone!"


    A flicker of surprise crossed Yu Ning''s eyes. An Embracing Pill Realm under thirty years of age was rare in the Martial Hall, especially under such environmental conditions.


    "What may I call the young lady?" Yu Ning asked softly, his tone easing.


    "Song Lingxue."


    From a distance, Xie Xingzhong''s gaze flickered, remaining silent, his thoughts unclear.


    "May I have a word with you in private?"


    Chu Zheng spoke telepathically. After nodding from the two, he led them into the hall and then closed the door.


    Slowly exhaling a breath of turbid qi, Chu Zheng took out a storage spiritual ring and handed it over to the two men:


    "A modest gift, none too impressive."


    Xie Xingzhong glanced at it and couldn''t help but change his expression, "Two semi-immortal pills, two million top-quality spiritual stones... The gift from the Taixuan Holy Master is indeed significant."


    "Lingxue is my betrothed wife. I hope you two can take good care of her. If there is a chance in the future, I will surely repay this favor."


    Chu Zheng spoke solemnly. The semi-immortal pills, using the foundation of Taixuan, were of great use to Immortal Tribulation Cultivators, and even more invaluable to them both.


    "Besides these, I have another gift to offer."


    Before Xie Xingzhong could react, Chu Zheng continued:


    "I can help you two heal the internal injuries you''ve sustained earlier."


    As soon his words fell, both men changed their expressions, Xie Xingzhong looked at Chu Zheng solemnly, sizing him up, "Formidable youth, I did not expect the Saint Lord''s insight to reach such an extent."


    Just one look, and he could see the harbored internal injuries, something ordinary Immortal Tribulation Cultivators might not achieve.


    "Is what the Saint Lord said true?"


    Yu Ning, standing by, was already becoming restless. Internal injuries were quite lethal for a martial cultivator.


    Countless prodigies of the martial path were destroyed by such injuries. If they could heal, it meant walking further on the martial path.


    The importance of this for a martial cultivator goes without saying.


    At this moment, Xie Xingzhong''s emotions were somewhat agitated. If there was a way to heal his internal injuries, he could advance further, step into the Half-Saint Realm of Martial Arts, or even progress toward becoming a Martial Saint.


    Secret medicines for repairing internal injuries naturally existed in the Martial Hall, but such medicines were extremely precious, not accessible to ordinary martial cultivators.


    If what Chu Zheng said was true, then the opportunity they gained from this trip to Cangyun was too great.


    "You''ll know once you try," Chu Zheng gestured with his hand.


    Xie Xingzhong was about to speak when Yu Ning touched his shoulder and said softly:


    "Please allow the Saint Lord to try on me first."


    Before understanding Chu Zheng''s specific methods, Xie Xingzhong, being the stronger combatant, could not be affected.


    This time, their goal was to take Song Lingxue away.


    Now that they knew Song Lingxue was Chu Zheng''s betrothed wife, they couldn''t exclude the possibility of Chu Zheng taking the opportunity to make some moves.


    "Then please, Envoy Xie, wait outside the hall for a moment."


    Chu Zheng gestured with his hand.


    "I''ll be right outside."


    Xie Xingzhong didn''t say much, exchanged a few words with Yu Ning, and left directly.


    Chu Zheng then took out a half-man-high white jade barrel and looked up at Yu Ning:


    "Please remove your robe and step in."


    Upon hearing this, Yu Ning slightly frowned, asked no further, shed her outer robe, and stepped into the jade barrel.


    Chu Zheng casually unveiled his own robe, revealing his chest, then brought his fingers together like a sword and cut open his chest; hot fresh blood spurted out.


    At the same time, a warm spiritual spring emerged from the void, mingling with Chu Zheng''s heart blood, and washed down from above Yu Ning''s head.


    The faint smell of blood, mixed with a slippery sensation, flowed over Yu Ning''s body. Before she could react, a warm current suddenly surged into her body.


    A warmth spread through her organs, gradually healing the internal injuries from before.


    As a large amount of essence blood left his body, Chu Zheng''s complexion instantly turned pale as snow. Meanwhile, his fingertips stained with fresh blood painted talismanic patterns in the void, falling into the jade barrel.


    The heart essence blood mixed with the spiritual spring watering Yu Ning''s body was just a blinding method. The blood served as a medium for the panel operation.


    The drawn talismanic patterns merely had warming effects, serving only to give Yu Ning a hot bath.


    What truly functioned was the repairing panel.


    However, the act had to be carried out completely.


    If he made it look too easy, the value of this favor would be greatly diminished, and it could later cause unnecessary trouble.


    Chu Zheng spent several hours before completely healing the internal injuries within Yu Ning.


    "How can this be..."


    Feeling her internal organs rejuvenated by more than a hundred years, Yu Ning suddenly opened her eyes wide, staring at Chu Zheng with undisguised astonishment in her eyes.


    The organs that had been severely damaged, those old injuries that accompanied her for over a hundred years, had fully recovered!

 Chapter 209 The Great Competition Approaches, Reunion

    Within the grand hall.Feeling the vitality exuding from within and permeating her entire body, Yu Ning could hardly suppress the ecstasy in her heart, and she suddenly stood up.


    Mixed with the Spiritual Spring, the blood trailed down her taut skin, giving off a ruddy, faint glow.


    The vigorous life force stemming from her physique even made her Cultivation bottleneck feel somewhat loose.


    Yu Ning took a deep breath, sensing the strong Blood Qi steaming within her Essence Blood, and a hint of surprise flashed through her eyes.


    Judging by the intensity of this Blood Qi, Chu Zheng''s physique was not far behind that of Martial Cultivators.


    Immortal Path Cultivators nurture their Primordial Spirits and rely on Magic Treasures and weapons, utilizing just a fraction of Mana to unleash their full power, prioritizing the control of such tools.


    Even if the body suffers great injury in an instant, as long as the Primordial Spirit remains intact, their combat strength is not greatly affected, and within a moment, they can heal bone and flesh, bringing the body back from the brink of death.


    On the other hand, Martial Cultivators focus more on the physique because the physique is the foundation of their Cultivation and combat strength, and injuries to it have a great impact on their ability to fight.


    The robustness of Martial Cultivators'' bodies is nearly on par with the weapons and Magic Treasures of those on the Immortal Path.


    However, while a weapon can be melted down and reforged if damaged, the body, ultimately, is not a weapon; a damaged body cannot be perfectly restored to its original state¡ªsuch a task is nearly impossible.


    Unless one were to never sustain injuries from the onset of their cultivation journey, over time, there would inevitably be some lingering damage.


    The Secret Medicines capable of healing these lingering damages are rare treasures within the Martial Hall, accessible only to those with extraordinary talent or who have reached the pinnacle of the Saint or Great Saint realms.


    "Many thanks to the Taixuan Holy Master."


    Yu Ning bowed with a fist clasped, her expression solemn. This was a favor that affected her path significantly.


    Merely healing the hidden injuries within her body made her trip to Cangyun well worth it.


    "Envoy, there is no need for formality. I am currently seeking assistance from you two, and it''s only right that I make some effort in return," Chu Zheng said, waving his hand and adjusting his robe to cover the somewhat ferocious wound on his chest, speaking in a calm voice,


    "However, this technique has greatly drained me, and I will need a few days to recuperate before I can continue treating Envoy Xie''s injuries."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s pale face, Yu Ning''s brows furrowed slightly, and without saying much, she draped on her outer robe and strode out of the sleeping chamber.


    Seeing Yu Ning emerge, Xie Xingzhong, who had been waiting outside the hall, showed a glint of sharpness in his eyes:


    "How went it?"


    Yu Ning took a deep breath and nodded emphatically, "To seize the fortunes of heaven and earth, to be restored to new, to return to the origin."


    At this moment, her internal organs were no different from when she first embarked on the Martial Path; there was no discomfort, and her body felt indescribably light and agile from head to toe.


    Xie Xingzhong''s eyes brightened greatly; he looked towards Chu Zheng, who followed behind. Seeing his greatly depleted Blood Qi and pale complexion, he couldn''t help but wonder, "Holy Master, what...?"


    ''I''ll explain in detail later.''


    Yu Ning signaled with a glance to Song Lingxue nearby, silencing Xie Xingzhong''s queries with her transmission, then turned back to Chu Zheng:


    "We will stay in Taixuan City temporarily. In ten days, we will return to impose upon you again, Holy Master. Rest and recover with ease."


    Having said that, she took out the Storage Spirit Ring that Chu Zheng had given her earlier and handed it back:


    "The terms offered by the Holy Master are more than generous; please take these back."


    Chu Zheng did not refuse, and accepting it with a nod, he said in a gentle voice, "If there''s anything you need, you may send a message at any time. Within my capabilities, I will do my best to prepare it for you two."


    From beginning to end, his posture was very accommodating.


    As he was the one seeking help, it was only natural to adopt such an attitude.


    "Farewell, Holy Master, please remain here."


    Without further conversation, Yu Ning left with Xie Xingzhong.


    As Chu Zheng watched the two leave, he turned back to Song Lingxue, his pale complexion already regaining its healthy glow.


    "Just now..."


    Song Lingxue faltered, wanting to ask what occurred inside the hall, why Yu Ning told Chu Zheng to rest and recover, and why Chu Zheng had looked so pale before.


    "It''s nothing, don''t overthink it." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng did not intend to let Song Lingxue know what happened inside the hall. It would only cause her worry, increasing her burden of guilt, and would serve no good purpose.


    Song Lingxue hung her head, her fingertips hidden in her sleeves tightly clenching her palm, knuckles turning slightly white, as a great feeling of helplessness rose within her.


    Because of her, Chu Zheng had bowed his head to Geng Yiyang once before, taking on the shackles named Taixuan Holy Land.


    And now, for her sake once more, Chu Zheng had lowered his head again, paying a price she was unaware of.


    Things shouldn''t have turned out like this...


    Seeing Song Lingxue remain silent, Chu Zheng gently stroked the top of her head with soothing words:


    "Don''t worry, I will do everything I can to pave the way for you. Leaving Cangyun is also a good thing for you, and it won''t be long before I come looking for you."


    Song Lingxue felt a slight sting in her eyes, burying herself in Chu Zheng''s embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, holding back the tears that welled up, as she said in a muffled voice,


    "This is the last time, I promise."


    ...


    ...


    Xie Xingzhong and Yu Ning left Taixuan together, and after entering Taixuan City, they casually found an inn to stay in.


    "How was it? What kind of Secret Technique did Chu Zheng use? Does it really work so miraculously?" Xie Xingzhong asked eagerly as soon as they were inside the room.


    "Chu Zheng used his core Essence Blood assisted with a Secret Technique to nourish my physique. As of now, indeed, all my injuries have fully healed," Yu Ning replied, her expression growing stern,


    "Such a method greatly harms oneself, and it can even shake the foundation of one''s Cultivation."


    Essence Blood is crucial for Cultivators¡ª even a slight injury requires a long time to recuperate. A Secret Technique that drains one''s own Essence Blood to nurture another''s body comes at too high a price for Martial Cultivators.


    Hearing her words, Xie Xingzhong looked somewhat regretful; such a method, which could not be widely replicated, was somewhat of a letdown for the Martial Hall.

 Chapter 209 The Great Competition Approaches, Reunion_2

    "Chu Zheng really is a man of great sentiment to be willing to go to such lengths for his wife,"Yu Ning''s eyes flickered slightly, and with a gentle sigh she said, "I had always thought that those who tread the Immortal Path were often heartless and faithless, but to encounter such a love is truly rare and unexpected."


    "After all, he''s just a kid in his twenties. Who can predict what he''ll become in a thousand years?"


    Xie Xingzhong shook his head slightly, his expression somewhat complicated, "The paths of Immortal Martial Arts are distinct, and the efforts he''s expending are destined to be in vain."


    For a cultivator, placing such importance on love and affection is indeed a difficult way to achieve longevity.


    "That may not necessarily be the case."


    Yu Ning''s thoughts were clearly different from Xie Xingzhong''s:


    "The Root Bone of Song Lingxue is indeed excellent, and although her aptitude is yet to be seen, with careful cultivation, she should have the opportunity to become a Great Saint in the future, if..."


    A Great Saint of Martial Path is already on par with an Immortal King of the Immortal Path, standing at the very peak of the universe. At that level, a strong person seeking to act is no longer bound by as many constraints.


    "Even if she one day truly becomes a Great Saint, who knows what era that will be. Will she still remember these short more than ten years?"


    Xie Xingzhong let out a long sigh, "The cultivators from Cangyun Realm cannot integrate the true blood of Immortal Descendants; at most they become True Immortals. It''s likely that these two will have no chance to meet again in the future..."


    At this point, he stopped speaking.


    Although the Immortal Alliance and Martial Hall appear peaceful at present, after all, their paths are different and don''t conspire together.


    If Song Lingxue truly joins the Martial Hall, seeing each other again in the future might be on the battlefield of the Taoist Orthodoxy dispute, a true twist of fate.


    ...


    ...


    Time flies, and ten days later, Xie Xingzhong brought Yu Ning for another visit.


    It took Chu Zheng two days and two blood baths to fully heal Xie Xingzhong.


    Two days of bleeding left Chu Zheng''s Essence Blood nearly drained and his Yuan Qi significantly damaged, his eyes devoid of Spiritual Light, his face pale as Gold Paper, and his form considerably weakened.


    The moment Xie Xingzhong''s injuries were fully healed, his Qi and blood surged to the skies, causing a wonder between heaven and earth, as he stepped into the realm of Martial Half-Saint.


    "Many thanks, Daoist Chu! Today''s great favor will be deeply appreciated within my five inner aspects. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will surely offer a generous recompense!"


    Xie Xingzhong, unable to suppress the excitement in his heart, performed a great bow in gratitude.


    Reaching the realm of Semi-Saint is akin to touching the edge of Martial Saint, a completely different significance.


    "This is the result of Daoist Xie''s long accumulation and timely breakthrough, I merely did a favor by giving you a push along the water,"


    Chu Zheng leaned against the hall wall, smiling as he spoke, his cheeks void of blood, his chest opened up, revealing the menacing wound and the slowly pulsating heart within.


    He had never felt as weak as he did at this moment, just one step away from Ghost Gate Pass.


    Without such an enormous price, it wouldn''t be convincing enough.


    Xie Xingzhong restrained his Qi and blood, quickly came before Chu Zheng, and fed him a Spirit Pill that nourished Qi and blood. With a solemn expression, he made a promise:


    "Daoist Chu, rest assured and heal in seclusion. As long as I, Xie Xingzhong, am breathing, I will surely protect Daoist Song and fulfill the trust placed in me."


    "You have my thanks."


    As the medicine gradually took effect, Chu Zheng''s complexion improved slightly. After tidying up, he stepped out of the grand hall.


    Yu Ning stood outside the hall and greeted the two as they emerged. After taking a good look at Chu Zheng, her brow furrowed slightly.


    Those of the Martial Path are the most sensitive to the flow of Qi and blood; Chu Zheng''s state was close to death, and even with life-extending Spirit Pills and unparalleled medicines, it would take several years to fully recover.


    "Daoist Chu, you should focus on healing in seclusion. We will head to Biluo Country first. After the Great Tournament is over, we will come to fetch Miss Song before we leave."


    Yu Ning thoughtfully allowed Chu Zheng and Song Lingxue this final period of respite.


    "I will go with you to Biluo Country."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered, as he shook his head.


    "Why?" Yu Ning was a bit surprised; in Chu Zheng''s condition, it was crucial to recuperate in seclusion first. Going to Biluo Country could be postponed.


    "There are still some affairs I need to deal with."


    Chu Zheng smiled faintly without elaborating.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was near, and Song Lingqing should have already arrived within the borders of Biluo Country. After all, they were sisters; Song Lingxue wished to see her once more before leaving Cangyun Realm.


    Chu Zheng naturally wanted to help her. With the tournament drawing near and not much time left, it would take some effort to find her.


    "Daoist Chu, you can decide on your own."


    Seeing this, Xie Xingzhong and Yu Ning refrained from saying more. Since Chu Zheng had his own thoughts, it would be improper for them to interfere excessively.


    For this journey, other than Song Lingxue, Chu Zheng also planned to bring along over a hundred Inner Sect Disciples.


    These disciples, the strongest among them having entered the Entry Path, were fully qualified to participate in the tournament and vie for a ranking.


    Although only the champion could enter the Immortal Alliance, making a name for oneself in the tournament could still earn rewards from the Holy Land.


    For these disciples from Taixuan, this might be the only chance in their lives to participate in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects. Not going to see and experience it would indeed be a pity.


    Naturally, casualties were inevitable, but one could not give up eating for fear of choking; it was essential to see the world.


    Moreover, with Chu Zheng there, as long as they had a breath left in them, he could save their lives. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fu Quanliang had no interest in participating in the tournament and chose to stay within the Holy Land. He had always been self-aware: compared to those prodigies, his combat power was indeed limited.


    Furthermore, Taixuan now could not do without people.


    ...


    ...


    Biluo Country.


    Inside Wanlong City, composed of a thousand arenas and now teeming with people, countless Spiritual Lights from the Eight Desolates and Four Seas had all converged on this land of slaughter.


    An invisible rivalry had already gradually begun, filled with the thick smell of gunpowder.


    A streak of brilliance stopped above Wanlong City, and over a hundred figures emerged in succession, all clad in scarlet robes and golden crowns, the youths, aged fifteen or sixteen, radiated vigor as intense as the rising sun, attracting the attention of many cultivators immediately.


    "Which power does this group belong to? Why are they all children?"


    "Never seen them before."


    Taixuan Holy Land had not been involved in worldly affairs for a long time; to the various powers and cultivators, they seemed somewhat unfamiliar.


    "Golden Crown, Divine Fire Robe... It''s Taixuan Holy Land!"


    "How long has it been since Taixuan Holy Land reopened its Sect Gate? Apart from the Taixuan Holy Master, are there disciples prepared to participate in this tournament?!"


    "Worthy of being a Holy Land, with profound heritage. It hasn''t been a full decade since they reopened, and they already have disciples who have entered the Entry Path?!"


    Among the crowd, there were those well-versed and knowledgeable who recognized the attire of Taixuan Holy Land.


    The cultivation displayed by the many Inner Sect Disciples caused shock to appear on the faces of several cultivators.


    To train a generation of disciples in such a short time would require an unimaginable amount of effort and resources, far beyond what many small Sects could imagine.


    Among the surrounding cultivators, a shadow wearing a hat with a wide brim lifted its head slightly, a tinge of complexity flashing in its eyes.


    After thousands of days and nights, she had finally reached this Wanlong City on her own.


    The things she had seen and heard along the way had greatly changed her mindset.


    In the corners of the mud, invisible to the eyes of the Great Cultivators in the clouds above, countless cultivators at the bottom were struggling, living life on the edge of a knife - a phrase insufficient to describe all she had been through.


    Song Lingqing''s gaze slightly narrowed, resting on the man who stood at the center among the Taixuan Disciples.


    He was tall and straight, like an eagle spreading its wings high in the sky, his eyes deep and unfathomable like cold pools, his figure draped in a crimson robe with golden patterns, adding an air of nobility. As he surveyed his surroundings, he had the bearing of an Immortal King descending upon the mortal realm, his every move filled with an oppressive force that chilled to the bone.


    Just a few years of not seeing him, and there were things about Chu Zheng she could not comprehend.


    Song Lingqing''s gaze shifted to the right, landing on Song Lingxue, standing at Chu Zheng''s side, her heart inevitably suffused with a touch of melancholy.


    The sister could hide comfortably under his increasingly broad wings, but she could not.

 Chapter 210 Shenmu Pavilion, Catering to Their Interests

    Song Lingqing was suddenly lost in thought when she abruptly encountered Chu Zheng''s sweeping gaze, and instinctively lowered her head in slight surprise."Follow me."


    A familiar voice echoed in her mind, causing a flicker of confusion in Song Lingqing''s eyes as she looked up.


    The reason she had ended up here was intentionally orchestrated by Chu Zheng, who had detected Song Lingqing''s presence using the Heavenly Divination Technique.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze wandered, surveying the crowd around him before quickly leading a group of Taixuan disciples toward the center of Wanlong City.


    The Biluo Sect had already prepared places for the great Holy Lands and True Immortal Noble Families to rest.


    Chu Zheng had not directly contacted Song Lingqing; she was to participate in the tournament, and any meeting had to be conducted away from the crowd.


    Now, Taixuan had many enemies, with Tai Xu Holy Land being the foremost, potentially implicating Song Lingqing in their conflicts.


    Regardless of their views, Tai Xu too was a Holy Land, with many disciples participating in the tournament; it was uncertain if they would employ some unexpected tactics.


    Song Lingqing silently followed the group from Taixuan Holy Land toward the center of Wanlong City.


    Midway, several cultivators emerged from both sides of the road, blocking the path of the Taixuan group.


    "Taixuan Holy Master, please hold."


    A middle-aged man dressed in a green long robe bowed politely, "I am Xiang Jue from Shenmu Pavilion, delaying the Holy Master for a moment, please forgive me."


    Shenmu Pavilion...


    Chu Zheng was momentarily stunned before he remembered that recently, it was the Pavilion Master''s daughter, Ye Yujiao, who had bought information about him.


    After glancing at Xiang Jue, Chu Zheng frowned slightly, "What is it?"


    Xiang Jue''s cultivation had reached the Divine Infant Fourth Transformation, already a rare expert in today''s Cangyun.


    He did not yet fully understand the Shenmu Pavilion, but sending a Divine Transformation realm cultivator as a messenger indicated significant influence.


    "My young mistress has long admired the Holy Master, and has specially prepared a humble gift for you, which I am here to deliver; I hope the Holy Master will kindly accept."


    Xiang Jue bowed and presented a jade box with both hands.


    Upon seeing this, waves of Divine Sense fluctuations stirred around as many cultivators began to discuss quietly.


    ''What does Shenmu Pavilion want? To form ties with Taixuan Holy Land? Who is this young mistress of Shenmu Pavilion?'' Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''The Taixuan Holy Master is young yet shows signs of Becoming an Immortal; forming connections is understandable.''


    ''I heard that a few years ago, the Pavilion Master of Shenmu Pavilion had a daughter, a precious child, yet she has not been introduced to the public.''


    ''Inside Shenmu Pavilion, there are countless Pill Masters. Apart from the former glory of Taixuan, it is already the largest Alchemy Dao Sect in Cangyun. If the two families form a marriage alliance, Taixuan receiving their support would be akin to adding wings to a tiger, and a dragon riding the clouds, probably a delightful tale in the Southern Region.''


    ''I wonder what gift they''ve brought; Shenmu Pavilion is known for its wealth; this must certainly be a remarkable treasure!''


    Amidst whispers, Chu Zheng immediately took the jade box into his hands and opened it in front of everyone.


    Many cultivators, fearing to offend Chu Zheng, did not dare to extend their Divine Sense, all craning their necks, unable to peel their eyes away.


    Inside the foot-long jade box was only a palm-sized porcelain piece, plain and ordinary, even stained with grime left by the years.


    Many cultivators around were perplexed and hesitant.


    Was Shenmu Pavilion provoking them?


    Chu Zheng was young, but he was nonetheless a Holy Master; presenting such a shabby gift as an introduction was almost an insult.


    [Floating Light Bottle (Eighth Order/Incomplete): Middle Quality Immortal Treasure, gathers the light of stars, condenses the liquid of the vast sky, can gather Immortal Spirit Liquid, accommodates myriad things in the universe, assists in cultivation; shattered during a major battle, some remnants of Immortal Qi remain, extractable.]


    Fragments of Immortal Treasure...


    Chu Zheng restrained the flash of murderous intent in his eyes, a myriad of possibilities tumbling through his mind.


    An ordinary person wouldn''t send such a gift, what exactly did Ye Yujiao''s information contain?!


    The repair panel was his greatest secret, unknown even to Song Lingxue; if it leaked, he would have to contain the information within the smallest scope possible and, if unavoidable, even consider leaving Cangyun earlier than planned.


    Although his emotions were nearly boiling over, Chu Zheng''s expression remained calm. He casually stored the jade box and asked in a gentle tone:


    "Did your young mistress say anything else?"


    "My young mistress says, if you are willing to accept this gift, then two days from now, please go to the ''Ascension Tower.'' She has prepared some light refreshments in wait, and she holds something you might be interested in, hoping you would honor her with your presence."


    "In two days, I will attend the meeting,"


    Chu Zheng suppressed the odd look in his eyes, and spoke lightly, "Make way."


    Xiang Jue bowed again and led the group of Shenmu Pavilion cultivators away.


    To the side, Song Lingxue displayed a hint of worry in her eyes. Standing closest to Chu Zheng, she had observed his expression since hearing about the Shenmu Pavilion''s young mistress''s long-standing admiration."


    Thus, she keenly caught the fleeting murderous intent on Chu Zheng''s face.


    Clearly, Chu Zheng had encountered trouble again.


    For the remainder of the journey, Chu Zheng did not speak again, leading the group of disciples straight into the hall belonging to Taixuan Holy Land.


    Within the grand hall, several hundred chambers were divided out, each equipped with a Spirit Gathering Array, a jade couch, some ordinary low-grade elixirs, and a copy of the rules handbook for the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, all essentials provided.


    After settling the disciples, Song Lingxue quietly asked:


    "Is this Shenmu Pavilion, very troublesome?"


    "Why, don''t you trust me?" Chu Zheng grinned, his eyes clear and devoid of any odd shade.

 Chapter 210 Shenmu Pavilion, Catering to His Preferences_2

    "You know that''s not what I mean," Song Lingxue frowned."Don''t overthink it, I can handle it."


    Chu Zheng''s smile remained unfazed as he spoke gently, "I''ve found Ling Qing. She''s just outside the hall. Wait a moment, and I''ll bring her in."


    Before his words had fallen, without waiting for Song Lingxue to speak, he had already vanished into the void.


    ...


    ...


    At Chu Zheng''s level of cultivation, when he cast the Invisibility Technique, he could almost compare to a Tongxuan master, far surpassing his previous capabilities.


    A moment later, he found Song Lingqing hiding in a shadowy corner.


    It had been several years since they''d last seen each other, and her cultivation had improved significantly; she had already reached the Mid Entry Dao Realm. Although this was closely related to her True Immortal bloodline, she must have also endured many hardships over these years.


    "Chu... Greetings, Taixuan Holy Master," Song Lingqing blurted out subconsciously the moment she saw Chu Zheng, but mid-sentence, she quickly corrected herself.


    Times had changed, and now Chu Zheng had become the Holy Master, a cultivator of the Divine Transformation Realm. It was difficult to interact with him as casually as before.


    Whether to call him Chu Zheng, Taixuan Holy Master, or brother-in-law¡ªeach title felt somewhat awkward now. If she had to choose, Taixuan Holy Master seemed to be the most appropriate.


    "After just a few years, why the estrangement?"


    Chu Zheng frowned slightly and reached out to grab Song Lingqing''s wrist. He used the Invisibility Technique and directly led her into the hall.


    Song Lingqing hesitated, her expression slightly stiff. She pursed her lips subconsciously and followed Chu Zheng somewhat woodenly, passing through various arrays and quickly entering an inner chamber.


    "Sister."


    After they became visible again, Song Lingqing called out softly with a somewhat unnatural expression.


    "Lingqing."


    Seeing Song Lingqing, Song Lingxue''s tightly knitted brows relaxed, and her eyes revealed a flicker of joy.


    Just as she was about to speak, she hesitated for a moment and then turned to look at Chu Zheng:


    "Ah Zheng, I have some matters I''d like to discuss alone with Lingqing. Could you...?"


    "Alright."


    Having heard this, Chu Zheng turned and left the chamber directly.


    Seeing Song Lingqing''s reaction just now, his presence would have been somewhat awkward.


    After Chu Zheng left, Song Lingqing''s tense body relaxed slightly.


    "Lingqing, the day the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects ends is the day I will leave Cangyun," Song Lingxue inhaled deeply and spoke slowly, "There are some things for which I''d like to ask your help."


    "You can speak frankly, sister," Song Lingqing nodded.


    "In the end, Chu Zheng and I are husband and wife. Although there''s little hope for us to meet again in this lifetime, I still have selfish desires..."


    Song Lingxue''s gaze dimmed: "As you have seen, there are more than a few people within Cangyun who harbor thoughts for Chu Zheng, so..."


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing couldn''t help but frown: "Sister, do you want me to keep an eye on him for you? Forgive my bluntness, but I... "


    With her status, it would be very difficult to justify interfering with Chu Zheng finding someone new; she could not influence his thoughts.


    "We''ve been sisters for more than a decade and know each other inside and out. There are some things I don''t need to say for you to understand," Song Lingxue''s demeanor regained its calmness: "After all, we are sisters, and I thought perhaps you could take my place..."


    "Song Lingxue!"


    Before she could finish, Song Lingqing interrupted her directly, her expression growing colder:


    "What are you implying? Charity? Trying to appear generous? Do I need your charity?! Am I that despicable?!"


    The chamber fell into a silence as quiet as death.


    For Song Lingqing''s outburst, Song Lingxue acted as if she hadn''t heard: "When the time comes, father will also leave Cangyun with me, and the Song Family will only have you left here. If you encounter troubles that you cannot solve, do not stubbornly resist alone; if you need anything, Chu Zheng will not refuse you..."


    "Enough!"


    Song Lingqing shouted sharply, her eyes revealing a hint of red: "I don''t need to rely on anyone. I will do my best to look after Chu Zheng for you, but I cannot control his own desires."


    With those words, she had already turned and stepped out of the chamber, clearly no longer willing to speak with Song Lingxue.


    Watching Song Lingqing''s angry departure, Song Lingxue''s gaze remained calm, without a ripple.


    Having grown up together since childhood, how could she not understand Song Lingqing''s temperament?


    She seemed cold and detached, but in reality, she was proud, stubborn, and domineering¡ªeven carrying a trace of ruthlessness.


    After all, having grown up together since childhood, Song Lingqing''s reluctance to seek help from Chu Zheng did not mean Chu Zheng would not take it upon himself to act.


    If she didn''t make things clear today, no one could predict how the relationship between these two would develop in the future.


    And Song Lingqing''s intense reaction just now seemed to confirm some of her suspicions. If she truly didn''t care, she wouldn''t have had such a strong reaction.


    Now, with the words spoken today, even if Song Lingqing really developed any feelings for Chu Zheng in the future, she wouldn''t be able to get past this barrier she had set for herself. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had no right to meddle in Chu Zheng''s thoughts, but that didn''t mean she couldn''t actively snuff out any potential sparks that might arise.


    Chu Zheng could only belong to her, no matter if it was her blood-related sister, there was no room for negotiation.


    ...


    ...


    "What''s happened?"


    Outside the secret chamber, watching Song Lingqing storm out in anger, Chu Zheng could not help but feel somewhat puzzled for a moment.


    He seemed to have never seen Song Lingqing so angry before. Even when her Immortal Bone was shattered and her path to cultivation was cut off, Song Lingqing didn''t exhibit as clear emotional turbulence as she did at this moment.


    Song Lingqing stopped in her tracks, trying to calm her slightly ragged breathing, looking at Chu Zheng not too far away, her eyes subconsciously dodging his gaze.


    She didn''t understand why, at that moment, she had such an intense reaction, as if she had experienced an unprecedented humiliation and embarrassment.


    "Sister still needs the Holy Master''s care. I have to prepare for the tournament and shall not disturb you further."


    Song Lingqing bowed with a fist and hurried away.


    What was this all about?


    Chu Zheng couldn''t suppress his curiosity and entered the secret chamber:


    "What did you actually say to her? To cause such a reaction?"


    "Nothing much, perhaps she learned that father wants to leave with me and is reluctant to part," Song Lingxue replied, her face also full of confusion, accompanied by a light and somewhat helpless sigh,


    "I''ve never really known what she''s thinking sometimes."


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not press further, softly saying:


    "You stay here at ease, I still have some matters to attend to."


    "Shenmu Pavilion?" Song Lingxue instantly realized something.


    "Getting some understanding beforehand is always right," Chu Zheng replied offhandedly, then turned and left.


    ...


    ...


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Ascension Tower.


    The most luxurious place in Wanlong City, frequented exclusively by the Pride of the Holy Land and the Great Sect''s Divine Children.


    Here Jadescent Nectar wafted for miles. If a mortal took just one whiff, they could extend their life, cure all diseases, and if a common cultivator could have just one sip, their cultivation would greatly advance.


    For various reasons, anyone who could host a feast in Ascension Tower was no ordinary person.


    Within a private room on the top floor,


    Eighteen Spiritual Dishes were lined up on a jade table, their juices imbued with profound Spiritual Light.


    Just this one meal could deplete the entire wealth of a small sect.


    Chu Zheng scanned the table without pausing, then looked up intently at the woman sitting across the table, his gaze sharp as a knife,


    "How did you know I like these kinds of objects?"


    "I learned from the information I bought with Floral Spirit Stones that the Holy Master likes antiques, so I searched for one to present to you. Your information isn''t cheap; it cost me a whole one hundred thousand High-Quality Spirit Stones," Ye Yujiao was candid in her response, which surprised Chu Zheng.


    At first glance, Ye Yujiao was not yet twenty, dressed in a long green gown, her delicate features framed by brows like crescent moons, her clear and bright eyes looking forth, dark hair adorned with accessories that twinkled with Spiritual Light, far from mundane.


    At this moment, her forearms rested on the jade table, the loose sleeves sliding down her slender arms to reveal part of her alabaster wrists, as she calmly looked at Chu Zheng.


    "State your purpose."


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained calm, his gaze surveying the woman before him with a hint of scrutiny.


    "I wish to ask the Taixuan Holy Master to marry me. From this day forth, the Shenmu Pavilion is willing to advance or retreat together with Taixuan," Ye Yujiao said, causing Chu Zheng''s expression to change.

 Chapter 211 Big Moves, Unbearable Consequences

    Within the private room, an eerie silence had set in.After a moment, Chu Zheng murmured, "I am already married."


    "I know."


    Ye Yujiao''s expression remained neutral, "It doesn''t really matter. I do not necessarily seek the position of a main wife. As cultivators, we need not concern ourselves with these nominal titles. Moreover, Miss Song won''t be staying in Cangyun for long. We have days ahead of us."


    "You seem to know more than I expected," Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brow.


    Those Shang Family Cultivators truly had remarkable means to be able to find out such secret information, worthy of being a family of Immortal Kings, they indeed had some deep foundation.


    "Those one hundred thousand high-quality spirit stones were well spent," Ye Yujiao said noncommittally.


    "Why choose me?"


    Chu Zheng asked bluntly without sparing any face for Ye Yujiao,


    "You are already thirty-one in skeletal age, and only in the Mid Entry Dao Realm despite your high-quality Immortal Bone. You are far too inferior to me, why should I marry you?"


    "Currently, the Holy Master is the foremost among the youth of the Cangyun Realm. His talents, appearance, and background are all top-notch. In my view, there is no other candidate more suitable than the Holy Master," she said.


    Ye Yujiao kept her composure and pulled out a thin booklet, pushing it across to Chu Zheng,


    "This is the dowry prepared for me by Shenmu Pavilion. Please, have a look, Holy Master."


    "It seems like you are dealing with me in a business transaction," Chu Zheng said without looking at the dowry list, a hint of movement in his eyebrows.


    "Since it is our first meeting, Holy Master, there naturally can''t be any talk of feelings. Moreover, for us cultivators, indulging in love and affection seems rather extravagant," Ye Yujiao stated bluntly. "Shenmu Pavilion needs the backing of Taixuan Holy Land in the future. Presently, Taixuan needs the elixir resources of Shenmu Pavilion to quickly strengthen itself. It is a mutual complement."


    "Taixuan is teeming with Divine Fire, which complements the numerous alchemists of my Shenmu Pavilion. Therefore, this marriage is a win-win situation for both Taixuan Holy Land and Shenmu Pavilion."


    "If you insist that this is a business transaction, then it is indeed a fair deal with no deception," she said earnestly, without beating around the bush.


    Chu Zheng remained silent, casually flipping the dowry list open.


    [Immortal Pill: one]


    [Semi-Immortal Pill: ten]


    [Semi-Immortal Medicine: thirty plants]


    [Top Quality Spirit Pill: one hundred]


    ...


    The list included over thirty items, not just elixirs and spirit grasses, but many spiritual objects as well, most related to alchemy, their value incalculable.


    Seeing the clear dowry list, a flicker of surprise flashed through Chu Zheng''s eyes, Shenmu Pavilion indeed had a lavish hand, even including a real Immortal Pill among them.


    Given the current environment of Cangyun Realm, this might very well be the only real Immortal Pill in the realm.


    Even Taixuan Holy Land, known for producing alchemists, did not possess such wondrous treasures.


    "Shenmu Pavilion has really outdone itself,"


    Chu Zheng chuckled lightly, closed the dowry list, and pushed it back:


    "I am quite selfish by nature. To this date in my cultivation, I only wish not to be encumbered by anything in this world. Shenmu Pavilion, including you, represents a burden to me, not an aid. I''m afraid this deal cannot be made." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A single Immortal Pill was nothing, for the fragments of Immortal Treasures he currently held were already numerous. Extracting all their Immortal Qi could possibly be enough to repair an Immortal Pill completely.


    The only reason he hadn''t tried was simply due to his reluctance; those pieces of Immortal Treasures could be significantly useful if all repaired.


    He was not quite sure yet whether he could repair these Immortal Treasures after advancing to an Eighth Order Repair Master, so it might be better to wait a while longer.


    Luckily, Ye Yujiao hadn''t discovered his repair abilities, which was a relief for Chu Zheng.


    "You overstate, Master. While Shenmu Pavilion may not compare with Holy Lands in terms of quantity of Immortal Treasures, we are still a considerable force within Cangyun Realm, not enough to burden you,"


    Ye Yujiao''s eyebrows slightly creased, but her tone remained even, "If you think my dowry is not generous enough, we can still negotiate."


    "The karma on my body might be too much for Shenmu Pavilion to bear, it''s better not to bring disaster upon yourself," Chu Zheng shook his head, kindly advising.


    This was no exaggeration; from Zhao Tingxian''s reaction, it was clear he was involved in some deep secrets, not even the entirety of Cangyun Realm could match up.


    Being too close to him was not a good thing, those without a strong enough fate could easily perish early.


    Upon hearing this, Ye Yujiao''s calmness dissolved, her brow tightly knitted as she did not understand the ins and outs, but sensed an aloof arrogance emanating from Chu Zheng. In his eyes, Shenmu Pavilion seemed to hold very little weight.


    Even Holy Lands wouldn''t dare look down on Shenmu Pavilion, being a power formed by alchemists. Often, Holy Lands themselves were in need of their services, yet now they were scorned by Chu Zheng.


    To offer an Immortal Pill as a dowry was already a significant overture which was rejected. Any prideful person would not easily endure such an outcome.


    Ye Yujiao took a deep breath, repressing the surge of irritation she felt and patiently spoke, "Some things, only after trying them will we know the outcome, why conclude so soon, Holy Master?"


    "Your point has some merit, but some things, once tried, might not offer a chance for regret, as one only lives once," Chu Zheng responded bluntly, leaving no room for further discussion.


    "Then let us conclude for today,"


    Ye Yujiao stood up, her face expressionless as she spoke, "Should you change your mind, Holy Master, you can always find me. The doors of Shenmu Pavilion are always open for you."

 Chapter 211 Big Moves, Unbearable Consequences_2

    Having said that, she turned around and without looking back, walked towards the door."Miss Ye, please wait."


    A voice called out from behind. A glint flashed in Ye Yujiao''s eyes, and her expression relaxed somewhat as she turned to face Chu Zheng:


    "Has the Holy Master changed his mind?"


    "Not at all."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, glanced at the table of precious spiritual dishes in front of him, and casually asked:


    "Are you still eating? If not, I will take them away; otherwise, it''s a bit wasteful."


    These dishes were quite valuable and had not been touched yet; wasting them would be shameful.


    "As the Holy Master pleases."


    For a moment, Ye Yujiao was so amused that she turned and left briskly.


    "Thank you for your hospitality."


    Chu Zheng packed up all the spiritual dishes from the jade table and strolled down from the Ascension Tower, leisurely making his way back home.


    Shortly after, he returned to Taixuan''s residence.


    In the secret chamber, Song Lingxue was meditating with her eyes closed. Hearing the noise, she slowly opened her eyes.


    "Shenmu Pavilion prepared a marriage proposal, hoping to form an alliance with Taixuan, which I rejected."


    Without waiting for her to ask, Chu Zheng briefly recounted the situation, took out the spiritual dishes, and said softly:


    "Let''s eat."


    "Why didn''t you agree?" Song Lingxue blinked her eyes.


    "If you keep playing dumb, I''ll really agree." Chu Zheng retorted casually, "Who do you think you''re fooling? Do you take me for Ling Qing?"


    Song Lingxue stopped speaking, but her lips couldn''t help but curl up slightly.


    The tolerance Chu Zheng showed her was immensely precious to her.


    ...


    ...


    South of Wanlong City.


    Under the escort of several Divine Infant Cultivators, Ye Yujiao, with a slight anger on her face, hurriedly entered a large hall.


    After turning left and right, she finally entered a side hall.


    Inside the side hall, an old man with white hair and youthful appearance, dressed in green, sat cross-legged on a jade couch; his skin was rosy and radiant, his eyelids slightly closed.


    Ye Family Elder, Ye Huang, a cultivator of the Tongxuan Secret Realm, had survived through two extra-territorial battlefields in a short time.


    "Great-grandfather."


    Ye Yujiao''s mouth was tight as she bowed in respect.


    The elder on the jade couch slowly opened his eyes and seeing Ye Yujiao''s unchanging expression, he couldn''t help but chuckle:


    "What? Not satisfied with someone?"


    "They think little of Shenmu Pavilion, believing that my pavilion would hold them back."


    Ye Yujiao spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "I''ve truly broadened my horizons today. The lord of a great holy land, too proud for immortal pills, yet can''t even bear to let go of a few dishes, taking advantage at every turn, truly shameless."


    "Caring about face is the behavior of the weak; the strong should give face to others."


    Upon hearing this, Ye Huang''s face remained amused as he said softly, "Yujiao, I''ve told you before, judge people by their actions, not their words. Appearances can cloud your judgement."


    "Immortal pills and spiritual medicine, beauty and power, none can sway him; have you ever considered what he truly desires?"


    "This..."


    Ye Yujiao gradually calmed down, her brow furrowed, and she muttered, "But, great-grandfather, if they''re unwilling, surely I can''t force myself upon them?"


    "I understand your frustration, but there have been consecutive battles abroad recently, many of our elders in Shenmu Pavilion have fallen, and there are only a few young disciples capable of taking on significant responsibilities. Relying solely on you is indeed too much to ask."


    Ye Huang''s gaze dimmed slightly, "The Ye Family had once produced a superior immortal bone; if it hadn''t been for our greed, aiming for the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture and the Immortal Flame, sending it to Taixuan, perhaps we wouldn''t have ended up in this situation."


    "There was such a connection between Ye Family and Taixuan?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Ye Yujiao couldn''t help but be surprised; she had never heard anyone mention this matter before.


    "That was all happening ten thousand years ago, and now there are very few in the clan who know of it."


    Ye Huang sighed softly and fell into deep thought. After a long while, he spoke again:


    "Chu Zheng is different from ordinary people. Allow me some more time to observe him before I draw a conclusion."


    "I understand, great-grandfather. I will find a way to get closer to him."


    Ye Yujiao masked her expression and returned to calmness.


    As the sole daughter of a major clan, she had been burdened with a certain mission from the day she was born.


    For the prosperity of her family, she could give up many things, including her so-called self.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.


    The number of forces willing to form good relations with Taixuan was not small. Many Taixuan disciples had gradually adapted to life inside Wanlong City and had made quite a few acquaintances among fellow cultivators.


    It was inevitable that there would be disputes and friction. However, since the Great Tournament hadn''t yet started, it was not permitted to fight at will within Wanlong City, so they had to suppress their conflicts, though the tension was already beginning to show.


    During this month, Chu Zheng hadn''t left the secret chamber for a single step, constantly focusing on recovering his cultivation.


    During this time, his cultivation steadily recovered and had already reached the sixth transformation of Divine Infant and was still growing, progressing towards the seventh transformation.


    He could feel that far across the starry sky, there were still believers praying for him, and the incense fire willpower was increasing day by day.


    The brilliant spiritual light he had felt that day had only destroyed the Immortal Serpent Star and a few nearby Life Stars. He still had many believers scattered across the star domain governed by the Divine Court.


    With these believers spreading his teachings, the number of his followers would soon recover.


    According to the message transmitted through the Incense Flame Golden Body that day, the incident had alerted a Great Emperor within the Divine Court.


    The Emperor seemed to have taken action himself, slaying several powerful beings, but their exact origins were still uncertain.


    With more than a year left until the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Chu Zheng did not plan to waste it.


    After adjusting himself to his peak condition, he left part of his consciousness within his main body and once again employed the Star Capturing Heaven Method.


    A year in Cangyun equals a hundred years within the Chaos Sea, he had ample time to advance further, to elevate his cultivation even more, to reach Golden Core Completion and possibly to Refine Spirit or continue to elevate his Immortal Path Cultivation and enter Tong Xuan Secret Realm...


    As the power of his Spirit and Soul grew, Chu Zheng found the Star Capturing Heaven Method increasingly effortless to use, and it hardly consumed much Qi Strength; he soon found a dazzling star path.


    At the other end of the star path was a vast continent, round as the heavens and square as the earth, not a Life Star, somewhat similar to the Cangyun Realm.


    ...


    Your journey continues with empire


    ...


    Dong Yuan Realm.


    The sky bore three suns and six moons that rotated, divided among the Nine Domains and Thirteen Wastes.


    This realm was a mix of fish and dragons, where various kinds of savage beasts predominated, occupying most of the land; the Human Race only occupied less than a quarter of the territory.


    These creatures, known as savage beasts in this realm, were inherently violent and unpredictable, incapable of communicating with humans, and often a savage beast would leave the Barren Domain and enter various domains to slaughter and hunt.


    The spiritual energy of heaven and earth in this realm was richer than the present Cangyun Realm, yet the Taoist orthodoxy for cultivation was different from any Chu Zheng had previously encountered.


    From the day they were born, children of this realm were marked with indelible totem imprints made of wild beast true blood by their elders on their bodies.


    With these totems on their bodies, cultivators could invoke mystic forces, connect with heaven and earth, and thereby execute divine secret skills.


    This method was greatly limited; those who could become powerful were ultimately few, and the situation of the Human Race was still precarious.


    Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul wandered the skies and soon found on a desolate piece of land the remains of a half-body.


    A boy, not yet four years old, with lifeless eyes, his lower body from the waist below gone, ribs exposed, his organs mixed with clotted blood scattered around.


    Nearby were many other bones, mostly incomplete, clearly fallen victims to a savage beast attack.


    A flash of Spiritual Light passed, and Chu Zheng entered the boy''s brow, and the repair process quickly began, regenerating the mutilated body.


    Breathing out¡ª¡ª


    Moments later, the repair was complete, and Chu Zheng exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi and fell into contemplation.


    Here, he could have enough time to slowly grow his cultivation and... develop his own followers.

 Chapter 212 The Secret of Totem, The Horde

    Upon the soil of the Dongyuan Realm, no deities were born, nor was there an Incense Fire Divine Path.For Chu Zheng, this was undoubtedly an excellent soil for propagating the seeds of his own faith.


    In this world, the Nine Domains and Thirteen Wastelands were vast enough that even though the Human Race only occupied a quarter of the territory, the population wasn''t less than that of the Cangyun Realm, numbering in the hundreds of billions.


    If he could become the only True God in this world, seizing all faith within it, Chu Zheng''s cultivation would undergo a terrifying leap.


    However, the absence of the propagation of Incense Spirituality meant that the people of this world did not believe in the existence of deities.


    Spreading the faith of a deity among a group of people with no concept of divine beings would be much more difficult than competing for devotees.


    In such circumstances, establishing a strong reputation first, then recasting mythological stories to create a god after death, seemed to be a relatively simpler method.


    However, the specific situation required further understanding of the Dongyuan Realm before proceeding to a more definitive judgment.


    As Chu Zheng was deep in thought, streams of spiritual energy began seeping into his body from his back and limbs, warming his flesh like trickling streams entering his four limbs and bones.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze instantly hardened; he stripped off his upper clothing. His Divine Sense was bound to his physical body and could not see behind him, but judging from the markings on his limbs, it was likely that the totem of a Mythical Beast had been imprinted on his back.


    The four claws, adorned with scales, coiled around his limbs, blood-red and exuding an aura of ferocity.


    After feeling it for a moment, Chu Zheng was somewhat moved; the totem on his back could actually autonomously absorb spiritual energy to aid his cultivation, delivering spiritual energy directly into his limbs and bones without the need to spend time cultivating.


    This method of cultivation was truly astonishing.


    If it could be overlaid with other Taoist orthodoxies, it would be like adding a clone that was cultivating all the time. Over time, this would create a considerable gap between him and other cultivators.


    Take this body now, which was already four years old; although it was inexperienced in cultivation, after four years of nourishment from the totem, its Qi strength was already extraordinary, easily possessing the force of a couple of thousand pounds.


    Seeing this, it was clear that the secrets of the totem had to be unraveled.


    The evening sky was blood-like with eagles and hawks used to scavenging carrion circling above. Chu Zheng stood up and scanned his surroundings; everywhere he looked, there were bloodstains and remains.


    From the information he had gathered during his previous Soul Division wanderings, within Dongyuan Realm there were no structured kingdoms, only tribes.


    Within the tribes, there were strong and weak, all closely related to their totems, but it was unknown at which level the totem on his back belonged.


    "Screech¡ª¡ª"


    There was a sharp cry from the skies, and a dark shadow of more than ten zhang swooped down, stirring up a mighty gust of wind.


    A black Divine Bird land in front of Chu Zheng, with a few figures standing on its back.


    Seeing the naked Chu Zheng standing there, several cries mixed with joy erupted:


    "There''s a child here!"


    "There are survivors!"


    [Ming Sculpture (Fourth Order): A ferocious bird that roams the edges of death, accustomed to moving in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, its body shrouded in the Qi of tribulation.]


    Chu Zheng''s eyes swept across the black Divine Bird and the figures, his gaze flickering slightly.


    The bird, comparable to a Divine Infant Cultivator, and the people standing on its back, none of their strengths were below the Fourth Order.


    The figures instantly dispersed in all directions, staying alert while they searched for any other survivors.


    A Great Man nearly ten zhang tall suddenly strode forward, hoisting Chu Zheng up to examine his back.


    According to the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, this person''s name was ''Lie,'' and he had reached the strength of the Fifth Order.


    In some smaller tribes, people did not have surnames, only given names. Surnames were something that only larger tribes had.


    Only those from larger tribes with populations extending beyond the limit of a single word needed more complex names as identifiers.


    After rough hands rubbed over Chu Zheng''s back for a moment, Lie fell silent for a while, and with a light sigh said, Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He''s not a child from our tribe."


    Before his words had faded, the dispersed figures each turned back, their eyes slightly dimmed, shaking their heads: Explore hidden tales at empire


    "Apart from this child, there are no other survivors."


    Among those scattered bones, presumably, lay all the family members of this child.


    "Lucky boy, it seems the spirits of the tribe are watching over you. To which tribe do you belong? What''s your name?"


    Lie held Chu Zheng aloft with one hand, the thick beard on his face rubbing against Chu Zheng, making him slightly uncomfortable.


    "Tribe... I don''t know,"


    Chu Zheng hesitated slightly before shaking his head and then said, "My name is Zheng Chu."


    This time reincarnated, he was not preparing to endure tribulation but to pave the way for the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    Currently, his principal body''s Qi Refinement''s Cultivation had entered a Stable Period, and without extra forces at work, it was difficult to make substantial progress. There was not much Tribulation Qi left around him, and undergoing tribulations need not be rushed.


    "Zheng Chu..."


    Hearing this name, the people around him all showed a hint of surprise.


    Merely having a two-character name was already characteristic of a larger tribe.


    "Well, let''s take him back first. We are all of the Human Race; if we can help, we should,"


    With a low murmur, Lie held Chu Zheng with one hand and stepped onto the Ming Sculpture, the thick Qi of tribulation hitting them, even starting to erode Chu Zheng''s flesh.


    Before Chu Zheng could react, Lie squeezed out a drop of blood from his fingertip and dripped it onto Chu Zheng''s back.


    In an instant, a burning sensation came from his back, and the totem as if came to life, its scales slightly opened, emitting a fierce warmth that dispersed the tribulation Qi.

 Chapter 212 The Secret of Totems, The Horde_2

    This clearly was another ingenious use of totemic power; the totem now seemed to become a protective dharma treasure that, using Lie''s fresh blood as energy, started to operate. Find exclusive stories on empireThis also somewhat resembled an array; perhaps the totemic patterns could be understood as something of the same category as formation patterns.


    As Chu Zheng calmly pondered the totem, the Ming Sculpture suddenly began its dive, swooping straight toward the ground.


    Above the earth, dust clouds filled the sky, herds of savage beasts were roaring, their cries piercing like thunder.


    This group of savage beasts belonged to the same species, adorned with dazzling tricolored long feathers, relying on their sturdy limbs to crawl, resembling lizards, and within their short and broad blood-filled mouths, interlocking sharp teeth crisscrossed.


    "After we catch this group of tricolor land fish, let''s head back to the tribe."


    With a low shout from Lie, he threw out a blood-colored divine bead, suspended it in midair, and like the backbone of a dragon, a divine light shone, and a dark fog traveled down his sturdy arm, meandering until it reached the back of his hand in a blink of an eye.


    The next instant, a pitch-black claw reached out, swelling rapidly with the wind, spanning more than a thousand zhang like the ancient peaks of Divine Mountain, crashing straight down.


    Boom!


    A gap was smashed into the herd, bones and flesh splattered everywhere, and blood mist sprayed into the air, directly absorbed by the blood-colored divine bead, without wasting a trace.


    The others also made their moves one after another, scattering and encircling the entire herd, striking and retreating with each hit, beginning to gradually consume them.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng quickly realized that Lie and his companions were out on a hunt and had only decided to change their plans upon encountering him.


    The coordination among these people was extremely smooth, without the slightest hint of stagnation, indicating they had likely been acting together for a long time.


    In just an hour, the beast herd composed of over ten thousand savage beasts was slaughtered to near extinction, with blood flowing for miles.


    Lie and his companions did not bother to collect the corpses and remnant bones or the flesh, simply using the blood-colored divine bead to absorb the blood qi.


    The husks with blood qi drawn out, lost their luster, and had been drained of all essence.


    The Ming Sculpture let out an excited cry, hovering in the sky, absorbing the deadly miasma that was gradually emanating from the field, and its pitch-black feathers became even more lustrous.


    The speed of the group cleaning up the battlefield was astonishing. After just half an hour, there was no longer the smell of blood in the air, leaving only dry bones on the ground.


    After confirming that nothing had been overlooked, Lie led his group on their way back.


    ...


    ...


    After three days and nights of travel, Chu Zheng finally saw a tribe before his eyes.


    It was midday, and smoke from cooking fires was already curling up inside the tribe.


    Chu Zheng glanced over and saw that at the end of the tribe, counting the houses made from green stones, it could not have been more than a few thousand inhabitants.


    Chu Zheng, being held by Lie, was taken into a green stone grand hall.


    The hall had a peculiar smell, with numerous shelves that held beast skins, beast bones that were being processed, and some herbs that had been gathered.


    There was only one person in the hall, an old woman with white hair, hunched over and leaning on a cane, dressed in a wide beast skin robe.


    The robe was sewn with many pockets filled with various small items whose purposes weren''t clear.


    "Witch."


    Lie approached the old woman, knelt on one knee to pay his respects, held Chu Zheng in both hands, and presented him to the old woman, explaining:


    "This boy is called Zheng Chu; we found him while hunting, he was attacked by a savage beast, and only he survived."


    "Zheng Chu?" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old woman murmured, not yet noticing the totem on Chu Zheng''s back, randomly grabbed a piece of beast skin, and wrapped up Chu Zheng who had been bare-bottomed all along:


    "Since you have saved him, it is fate. Let''s keep him then. The tribe lacks fresh blood, maybe it could add another totem selection for the tribe."


    "Understood, Witch. Then I will take him home to nurture."


    Lie immediately nodded in agreement, as this was indeed his intention. He picked up Chu Zheng and was about to walk outside the hall when the voice of the Witch sounded from behind:


    "In a few days, send Ying to continue her penance with me. I can''t hold on much longer. We need a new person to take over the Witch''s responsibilities. It''s all for the sake of the tribe, someone has to make sacrifices eventually."


    At her words, Lie''s footsteps faltered, and after a long pause, he nodded:


    "Alright."


    ...


    ...


    This Tribe was named ''Wangshan,'' simply because not far from the Tribe''s settlement was a Divine Mountain.


    The original Wangshan Tribe had thrived and propagated descendants with the help of the Spiritual Spring within the Divine Mountain and various kinds of fruits.


    Chu Zheng followed Lie on the way home. Everyone they met along the way was dressed in beast skins, without any vestment robes or woven attire.


    Before the assurance of survival, no one was willing to spend time on their appearance.


    Soon, Chu Zheng arrived at Lie''s home, a humble green brick house that was not particularly tall or spacious.


    "Ying."


    Lie called out loudly.


    Creak¡ª


    A soft sound followed as the door opened, and from inside ran out a girl of only about seven or eight years old, also clad in coarse beast skin, who embraced Lie''s legs with a face full of joy:


    "Father!"


    Lie gave a faint smile, his eyes slightly dimmed.


    Ying soon noticed Chu Zheng and couldn''t help but feel surprised, "Whose child is this?"


    Lie let go of Chu Zheng and said gently, "His name is Zheng Chu. From today onwards, he will be your brother."


    "Brother? Ying has a brother now?"


    The smile on Ying''s face deepened, and she couldn''t help but raise her hand to pinch Chu Zheng''s face, "Call me sister."


    Chu Zheng fell silent; upon contact, he noticed something peculiar¡ªYing''s body was extremely frail, no different from that of ordinary mortal children, with hardly any strength at all.


    This meant that Ying''s body did not bear a totem, which might have something to do with the witch they had encountered earlier.


    Lie casually handed Chu Zheng over to Ying, proceeding directly into the courtyard, where he took off his shirt to wash himself with water.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze was immediately drawn to Lie.


    Upon the broad back was an etching of a Mythical Beast Chu Zheng did not recognize, with a single horn on its head, somewhat resembling a Flood Dragon, but its body was scaleless, lustrous like an eel, with only one claw, and holding a vermilion pearl in its mouth.


    [Lie (Fifth Order): Borne with a Beast Spirit, long-term consumption of beast blood, body harbors Blood Fiend.]


    Perhaps it was because information about totems was scarce, that even with the Spiritual Eye, the information he could gather in a short time was limited.


    However, the words ''Beast Spirit'' did spark some thoughts in him.


    Before Chu Zheng could take a closer look, Ying, unable to wait, hurriedly pulled Chu Zheng inside and started looking for beast skins in the house, meanwhile sizing Chu Zheng up to find him fitting clothing.


    In the house was a copper mirror half the height of a man. Using this mirror, Chu Zheng was finally able to clearly see the appearance of the totem on his back.


    At first glance, it somewhat resembled a Qilin but lacked the antlers, and the beast''s pupils were blood-red.


    Chu Zheng tried to communicate with the totem, and quickly, the totem responded, a strange light flashing in the pupils, and the scales trembled as if about to come to life.


    His Qi Strength surged all over, and the speed at which he absorbed Spiritual Energy also increased significantly.


    However, the exertion lasted only for a few breaths before Chu Zheng had to stop, sweating profusely and deficient in essence within his body, desperately needing replenishment.


    Obviously, his strength was not yet sufficient to activate his body''s totem like Lie could.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng had been in the Wangshan Tribe for over two months.


    He had been cultivating the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record, not far from the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, and his Qi Strength grew stronger by the day.


    Moreover, during this period, he had finally gained some understanding of the totems.


    Within the Dongyuan Realm, totems were divided into four levels. First Class totems were mostly held by the large Tribes, and among the many totems of Wangshan Tribe, the best ranked only as Third Class.


    Totems were sentient. Plants and monsters, mountains and stones, lakes and seas¡ªall could serve as totems, and the differences in their power levels could be immense.


    Most Tribes'' totems were of the lowest kind. Even facing low-level Savage Beasts, they were barely hanging on, constantly at risk of annihilation, relying heavily on a multitude of plants and fruits rather than hunting for sustenance.


    Regarding the totem on his own back, Chu Zheng had asked Lie a few times but hadn''t received a precise answer. However, it should at least belong to a Second Class existence, higher than Lie''s, or rather, higher than that of Wangshan Tribe.

 Chapter 213 Savage Beast Blood, Wan Clan Alliance

    Find your adventure at empireDuring this period of observation, Chu Zheng had discovered a disadvantage of relying on totem cultivation.


    The totem continuously nurtured the cultivator''s body, making it increasingly strong over time. However, correspondingly, the strong body could not sustain itself merely on spiritual energy drawn by the totem and needed a large amount of energy as sustenance.


    Even those with cultivation like Lie, who practiced through totems, could not abandon eating and needed to hunt savage beasts.


    Previously, during the collection of beast blood qi, the Blood-Colored Divine Bead that Lie used was called the Melting Bead, whose primary function was to refine the essence of flesh and blood as sustenance for the tribe.


    Within this small tribe, there were no means to create folded space, making it too time-consuming to transport the flesh of savage beasts. Moreover, the accumulation of a large amount of bloody qi could attract powerful predators, easily bringing a disaster to the tribe.


    Besides this disadvantage, the life spans of these Totem Cultivators were also relatively much shorter. Immortal Path Cultivators, if they advanced to the Divine Transformation Realm and used life-extending precious medicines, could live for several thousand years, which was not difficult.


    The Pseudo-Immortals of the Tongxuan Secret Realm could even live for over ten thousand years.


    However, as the strongest in the Wangshan Tribe, Lie''s lifespan was less than five hundred years.


    Apart from the method of totem cultivation, in the Dongyuan Realm, there was another path of cultivation named "witch."


    The witch''s techniques varied greatly, including healing, controlling savage beasts, calling the wind and summoning the rain, and even precognition, possessing many Divine Secret Skills.


    Comparatively, the lifespans of witches were longer. The current witch in the Wangshan Tribe had already lived for over a thousand years. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The witches possessed incredibly powerful Divine Souls, but their physical bodies were very frail. Thus, they could rely on their powerful souls to maintain the vitality of their weak bodies and live longer.


    However, the requirements for cultivating as a witch were relatively higher, needing a lot of preparation even before birth.


    Even in the fetal state, they were subjected to witchcraft, and in the innate state, they would begin to absorb Yin Qi to strengthen their Divine Souls.


    Due to the imbalance of Yin and Yang within the womb, most witches were female.


    Lie''s daughter, Ying, was the successor to the next witch.


    Since Chu Zheng followed Lie home, Ying had gone to the residence of the witch to start her secluded cultivation.


    The current witch''s lifespan was nearing its end, and a successor was needed.


    ...


    ...


    Lie often went out hunting, so most of the time, Chu Zheng was alone at home.


    What he did every day was only to cultivate and then understand the world before him.


    Inside the Nine Domains and Thirteen Wastelands, most areas were territories where savage beasts roamed. Apart from the Human Race, there was another intelligent species in the Dongyuan Realm called the "Heavenly Spirit Race."


    The appearance of the Heavenly Spirit Race was similar to that of humans, with scales over their spines and a thin tail trailing behind them.


    The Heavenly Spirit Race did not cultivate totems but naturally possessed Divine Skills, maintaining their footing through Divine Secret Skills.


    The number of the Heavenly Spirit Race was not large, less than a third of the Human Race, but their overall strength was not much different. The relationship between the two races was decent, and there had been no wars for many years, often engaging in mutual trade.


    However, only strong tribes could conduct a marketplace, as without sufficient strength, they could easily be harassed by savage beasts.


    "Zheng Chu!"


    A loud shout came from outside, waking Chu Zheng from his cultivation. He got up and opened the door to see Lie in the courtyard showering, with several ferocious scratches on his back that were still bleeding.


    The totem that was originally on his back had now moved to his shoulder, unscathed.


    This totem seemed sentient, knowing how to avoid the risk of destruction.


    After cleaning the wounds, Lie walked into the house, pulled out a clay pot, and grabbed a handful of grey medicinal powder, which he applied to the wounds.


    The medicinal powder''s spiritual energy was overwhelming, and in a moment, the still-bleeding wounds had closed up, forming a thin scab.


    After doing this, Lie casually took out the Melting Bead, picked up another clay pot, poured out a bowl of Spirit Spring Water, and then extracted a strand of essence from flesh and blood, infusing it into it.


    In an instant, the clear Spirit Spring Water turned into a bowl of beast blood.


    He pushed the beast blood towards Chu Zheng and said concisely,


    "Drink it."


    Chu Zheng immediately picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.


    The immense Blood Qi instantly circulated through his limbs and bones, activating the totem on his back and bringing a gentle warmth. His Qi Strength increased significantly.


    This was the dietary method of the Human Race in the Dongyuan Realm, where a strand of essence from flesh and blood might condense the essence of an entire savage beast, promoting the growth of flesh, bones, and muscles.


    Lie often supplemented Chu Zheng''s nutrition. Now, though Chu Zheng was still some time away from the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, his Qi Strength had already surpassed ten thousand jin, nearing the twenty-thousand jin milestone.


    Lie was extremely sensitive to the strength and weakness of Blood Qi, and Chu Zheng''s rapid increase in strength could not escape his eyes.


    Even with the same totem, the ultimate growth could be drastically different. Each person''s absorption efficiency of Blood Qi and the speed of Qi Strength increase varied, all of which could lead to differences in strength.


    Chu Zheng''s rapid growth, with strength already stronger than many adults, was due to his innate Talents, unrelated to the totem.


    After discovering Chu Zheng''s Talent, Lie placed high expectations on him, hoping he could become another pillar of the Wangshan Tribe.


    After a while, the surge of Blood Qi in Chu Zheng''s face finally subsided, gradually returning to normal.


    Lie poured another bowl and was about to make Chu Zheng drink it when suddenly, a sharp whistle came from outside.


    He paused, putting down the bowl and striding out.

 Chapter 213 Savage Beast Blood, Wan Clan Alliance_2

    Chu Zheng drained the beast blood in one gulp and swiftly followed out.The previously calm tribe began to stir due to the sound of a whistle.


    High above the sky stood two figures, each with a pair of grey wings extending from their backs, bare-chested, with a Divine Bird etched on their chests.


    A flicker of spiritual light appeared in Chu Zheng''s pupils, and quickly, two pieces of information emerged.


    [Wan Yun (Fifth Order): Possesses a beast spirit, Second-Class Totem, the totem encompasses divine skills: Beast Transformation, Divine Speed, Thousand-Mile Eye.]


    [Wan Song (Fifth Order): Possesses a beast spirit, Second-Class Totem...]


    Two Fifth Order cultivators, both bearing a family name and possessing the same totem.


    As his understanding of this world deepened, the information provided by the Spiritual Eye became more specific.


    Seeing that both men shared the surname Wan, a flicker of realization flashed through Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    He had overheard idle chitchat amongst the tribe''s people and had some understanding of the current power divisions in the Dongyuan Realm.


    The human powers in the Dongyuan Realm were divided into three parts, each centered around a powerful tribe, forming a loose alliance.


    The Wangshan Tribe belonged to one of them, the ''Wan Clan Alliance.'' As a member of the alliance, they were required to regularly submit part of their hunting gains, a condition for protection.


    There are many Savage Beasts stronger than Lie; a single Sixth Order or higher Savage Beast could destroy the Wangshan Tribe.


    The Savage Beasts within this region had been cleared out by the Wan Clan, thus ensuring the tribe''s basic living environment.


    "Lie."


    The two figures in the sky retracted their wings and landed on the ground, evidently acquainted with Lie, and greeted him.


    Lie nodded in response, took out a Melting Bead, and handed it over to Wan Yun, speaking in a negotiable tone, "The nearby game is scarce, and the gains are not much. Can we take half now, and reckon the remaining half into next year''s share?"


    "That''s acceptable," Wan Yun agreed without difficulty, directly took out a Melting Bead, and began extracting the blood and essence from it.


    About half an hour later, the extraction was completed; the originally blood-colored Melting Bead turned much duller and started to grey slightly.


    An elderly witch, staggering forward with two robust men carrying large baskets on their backs filled with many neatly packed bundles emitting spiritual energy and medicinal fragrance, followed her.


    The witch, not needing to hunt, also had her duties, needing to timely submit a portion of herbs and medicinal powders for healing.


    Wan Yun and Wan Song, well-acquainted with the procedure, stepped forward without checking, respectfully greeted the witch, then directly lifted the baskets and prepared to leave.


    Lie put away the Melting Bead and, after a slight hesitation, called out to the two men:


    "Gentlemen, one moment."


    He pulled Chu Zheng to the front, directly stripped off his beast skin from the upper body, displaying the totem on his back, and directly said:


    "This child was found during a hunt, and I do not know to which tribe he belongs. Have either of you seen the totem on his body?"


    Lie originally intended to keep Zheng Chu, but after consideration, he chose to be honest, as upon growing up, Zheng Chu would still harbor thoughts of returning to his own tribe; it was better to clarify now.


    "This..."


    Upon seeing the totem on Chu Zheng''s back and after verification, Wan Yun slightly frowned:


    "He is not from any of our Wan Clan Alliance tribes; he belongs to another alliance. If you wish to raise him, do so. He might become a warrior in your tribe someday."


    He did not offer much advice, clearly not planning to help Chu Zheng find his tribe, as that would waste unnecessary effort.


    The Dongyuan Realm is too vast, with countless totems; it would be very difficult to find them, especially while needing to interact with other alliances.


    Seeing that the two were unwilling to get involved further, Lie said no more, bowed slightly, and watched the two depart.


    "Zheng Chu, do you want to find your own tribe?"


    Lie looked down at Chu Zheng: "If you want to go home, I''ll help you find it."


    "No need."


    Chu Zheng shook his head without any hesitation: "I''ll stay here."


    Without Lie, this very incarnation of him might not survive in a region riddled with Savage Beasts.


    During this time, he had also received a lot of care from Lie, which he intended to repay.


    Moreover, the strength or weakness of the tribe did not much impact his own cultivation.


    "Alright."


    A smile appeared in Lie''s eyes as he patted Chu Zheng''s head; this year''s game was not scarce, but he still kept half, specifically reserved as provisions for Chu Zheng.


    In the distance, the elderly witch watched Chu Zheng, deep creases forming at the center of her forehead.


    She sensed something amiss, something ominous, but was unable to see clearly for the moment.


    ...


    ...


    Your adventure continues at empire


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng had completed the Hundred Days Spiritual Transformation, and with the beast blood Uncle Lie often fed him, his Qi strength had surpassed 30,000 catties.


    [Name: Zheng Chu (Chu Zheng)]


    [Cultivation: First Order (Spirit Transformation Realm Early Stage)]


    [Cultivation Technique: Eternal Calamity Treasure Record]


    [Repair Master: Sixth Order (1578/8000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 60]


    [Currently Repairable: None]


    After glancing at his panel, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered slightly and he immediately rose, went out, and found Uncle Lie:


    "Uncle Lie, I want to undergo the rite of passage."


    In the tribe, children would undergo a rite of passage at the age of sixteen, where they must hunt and successfully bring back a Savage Beast alone to be considered an adult.


    Children who had not come of age were not yet allowed to leave the tribe alone.


    Only adults could freely enter and exit and had the right to venture out hunting alone.


    Although staying within the tribe was certainly convenient, Chu Zheng was somewhat worried that the Tribulation Qi might cause trouble for the Wangshan Tribe.


    Ever since that nearly fatal great calamity at the beginning, he had never dared to overlook the presence of Tribulation Qi.


    It was just like the last time with the Immortal Serpent Star; he couldn''t be sure whether the star was shattered because of him.


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Uncle Lie couldn''t help but think it was somewhat absurd:


    "You''re not even five years old..."


    Mid-sentence, he realized that Chu Zheng''s Qi strength was now much greater than that of an adult man; hunting a common Savage Beast would pose no problem at all.


    "Very well."


    After some thought, Uncle Lie nodded and agreed, realizing that encountering Savage Beasts at an early age could be beneficial for Chu Zheng.


    "Thank you, Uncle Lie."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes lightly flickered, understanding that the freedom to move about was crucial for him.


    Only by being extraordinary can one stand out among the ordinary. This would greatly aid him in weaving myths and legends in the future.


    Moreover, in this world, there was neither a contention of Taoist orthodoxy, merely totems, and even the dispersion of Heavenly Fate was somewhat unclear.


    Chu Zheng wanted to make some trials. After verification, he might even... propagate laws across the world, imparting the Great Circulatory Qi Guideline to the Human Race of this world, thereby leaving a true mark of the Taoist School and becoming a genuine Dao Lord!


    Now, having verified it on himself, at least the Totems can be cultivated concurrently with the Qi-refining Techniques.


    A True God who pioneers a cultivation method should indeed be remembered by the Human Race of this world; at least, after his departure from this world, it would sustain a period of incense.


    ...


    ...


    Chu Zheng''s rite of passage was soon put on schedule.


    Three days later, under the watchful eyes of many in the tribe, Chu Zheng, carrying a bone-made short spear and wearing a quiver, casually walked out of the tribe''s gate.


    Surrounded by waist-high weeds, Chu Zheng took a few steps and vanished from everyone''s sight.


    "Lie, are you really not going to follow him to check? He''s only four years old, what if..."


    "What if he gets lost?"


    "There are quite a few Savage Beasts around here; Zheng Chu is so small, he could be swallowed whole in one bite."


    "Should I go and check on him? It''s still not too late."


    Many people within the tribe were worried; a child under five venturing out to hunt alone had never been a precedent even in larger tribes.


    Especially for a small tribe like Wangshan, where due to the scant population, every child was extremely cherished, and many couldn''t bear it.


    Uncle Lie shook his head slightly, well aware of Chu Zheng''s strength. As long as he didn''t go too far, the nearby Savage Beasts would hardly pose a threat to him.


    Perhaps in less than half a day, Chu Zheng would return. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, he was already looking forward to what kind of prey Chu Zheng would bring back.

 Chapter 214 The Hunt

    Three scorching suns hung high in the sky, emitting extreme heat.Just the natural environment of Dongyuan Realm was much harsher than that of Cangyun Realm, and ordinary infants simply couldn''t survive in such high temperatures without the aid of a totem''s power.


    Chu Zheng had activated his Invisibility Technique, moving as swiftly as the wind through the wilderness; he had been away from the tribe for half a day, and had already encountered numerous Savage Beasts varying from Zeroth Order to First Order, rarely any Second Order.


    Clearly, for the safety of the tribe, the nearby area had been cleared, and the remaining Savage Beasts were probably intended for the coming-of-age rites.


    On this departure from the tribe, Chu Zheng only planned to survey the vicinity within ten thousand miles; as for the Savage Beasts, he could just bring one back when he returned to fulfill his obligations.


    After the coming-of-age ceremony, he would gain the freedom to come and go from the tribe as he pleased, so there was no need to rush.


    Upon reaching Spirit Transformation, Chu Zheng could wield many Divine Skills, so there was virtually no danger for him in this nearby wilderness. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a repair panel in hand, he didn''t need to stop to recover his strength; after traveling for an entire day, Chu Zheng was already thousands of miles from the tribe, and only when the six silver moons hung high did he finally halt his steps.


    In the vicinity, he discovered that occasionally there were Second Order Savage Beasts wandering about, far enough away from the Wangshan Tribe.


    For ordinary people in the Wangshan Tribe, their coming-of-age rites would not reach such a distant place.


    Not thirty miles ahead of Chu Zheng was a vast plain overgrown with weeds taller than a man.


    Beneath the cover of the weeds were some incomplete, huge stone blocks stretched out for dozens of miles.


    These were traces of activity from the Human Race; once there had been a tribe thriving here, now only ruins remained.


    For Chu Zheng, ruins like these were the places that interested him the most, offering many gains for him.


    Chu Zheng didn''t rashly approach the ruins; within that wasteland, his Spiritual Eye saw a powerful presence moving about, its Blood Qi exuberantly fierce, surpassing the scope of First Order, a Second Order Savage Beast.


    Such an existence, against his current strength, could not be confronted head-on, necessitating the use of some means.


    Chu Zheng concealed his Qi and slowly entered the plain, found a barren spot, and began to dig the earth leisurely to carve out Formation Patterns.


    Currently without a Magic Artifact in hand, naturally, much effort was needed to hunt such a Second Order Savage Beast.


    To avoid alarming that Savage Beast, Chu Zheng acted with great care, digging continuously day and night until all the Formation Patterns were completed.


    The Array he was using this time was a derivative of the Gold Element from the Five Elements Array, originating from the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record.


    This Array was an Incomplete, castrated version, greatly simplified; the complete version, within the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record, called the ''Gengjin Demonslaying Grand Array,'' had a Quality as high as Ninth Order and could suppress the existence of a supreme being.


    As Chu Zheng currently had no materials, he could only use the Transmute Stone to Gold technique to create golden threads which he buried into the Formation Patterns to enhance the Array''s potency.


    He then began to circulate his Yuan Qi within his body, continuously charging the Array with energy until exhausted, then used the repair panel to recover to his prime state, and repeated the process.


    Another full day passed, and it was deep into the night before the Array could no longer hold more Yuan Qi, and Chu Zheng finally ceased his work.


    He didn''t waste any time and, after a brief moment to regulate his breathing, got up and stealthily approached the Savage Beast.


    Savage Beasts have a strong sense of territory, and in the vicinity of this plain, there was only this one beast active.


    Chu Zheng soon reached the vicinity of the Savage Beast, observing it quietly from a few hundred zhang away.


    In the midst of the weeds lay a pitch-black giant beast nearly two zhang long, its fur as black as ink, limbs robust, covered in bulging muscles lined with blood vessels.


    At the moment, it was feasting, swallowing flesh and bones into its belly without wasting any.


    [Shadow Lion (Second Order): Habitually active at night, ferocious and violent in nature, delights in torturing prey, capable of cloaking itself in the shadows of the night, endowed with Divine Skills: Frenzied Blood, Shadow Transformation.]


    Savage Beasts active at night...


    Chu Zheng looked up at the sky, dawn was nearing.


    He patiently waited for over an hour until the first light of dawn appeared, and the rays of the morning sun soon spilled over the land.


    Only when it was fully light did Chu Zheng make his move.


    He withdrew hundreds of zhang away and then deactivated his Invisibility Technique before taking out his Bone Spear, cutting off a section of his arm, and hurling it forcefully, flinging it a thousand zhang and striking the Shadow Lion''s head before turning without the slightest hesitation and fleeing.


    Blood from the severed arm gushed forth, leaving a trail behind.


    Although it was daytime, which would somewhat affect the Shadow Lion, it was ultimately a Second Order fierce beast; catching up to him wouldn''t take much time. Every second counted.


    "Roar¡ª¡ª"


    A thunderous bestial roar erupted in the wilderness; Chu Zheng''s provocation had thoroughly enraged the Shadow Lion.


    The piercing sound of the wind carrying the beast''s roar bridged the distance, and within a mere span of a few moments, the Shadow Lion was less than a hundred zhang behind Chu Zheng.


    A heavy scent of blood mixed with the distinctive stench from the beast filled Chu Zheng''s mouth and nose.


    Silently calculating the distance, Chu Zheng felt certain that in just over a dozen more breaths, he would reach the area where the Array was located.


    "Wuu¡ª¡ª"


    A shrill wailing came from behind, the imminent threat of death approaching; Chu Zheng turned his head for a brief glance, and his expression suddenly changed.


    Experience new tales on empire


    A gigantic stone several zhang in diameter was hurtling through the air toward him; this was somewhat unexpected - the Shadow Lion actually resorted to throwing stones?!

 Chapter 214 Hunt_2

    In the rush, Chu Zheng was too late to dodge, and half of his body was smashed by the boulder, causing a crisp crackling sound between his bones. His entire body was instantly torn in two by the extreme fury of the colossal strength.The repair panel immediately went into operation, restoring his mangled flesh. Chu Zheng, taking advantage of the immense force from the boulder, flew out thousands of feet and tumbled into the area covered by the array. He then utilized the Invisibility Technique and retreated to one side. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Shadow Lion quickly followed, and a blinding golden light suddenly flared up; even in broad daylight, its brilliance soared to the sky, clearly visible from a hundred miles away.


    The Shadow Lion halted, letting out low growls from its throat continuously.


    Whirr¡ª


    The Formation Patterns lit up with dazzling light, and in an instant, over a thousand Flying Swords formed, falling like a shower of light.


    Pu pu pu!


    "Wu¡ª"


    The dull sound of flesh and blood tearing apart, mixed with painful moans, rose within the array. The Shadow Lion only struggled twice before it was turned into a sieve by the pervasive Sword Qi.


    The array lasted only for three breaths before it directly collapsed, the Yuan Qi dissipated, and the gold lines between the Formation Patterns broke inch by inch.


    Chu Zheng exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, realizing that if not for the repair panel, he would have nearly perished today.


    The Shadow Lion''s intelligence wasn''t high, but its hunting experience was quite cunning. It must have been active in these plains for a long time to have learned on its own to use the massive stones from the ruins of that Tribe as weapons.


    Chu Zheng stepped forward slowly, drawing the vital energy from between the flesh and blood of the Shadow Lion into his mouth, then turned towards the ruins.


    These ruins had been deserted for an extremely long time.


    From the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, these buildings dated back tens of thousands of years.


    For the beings of Dongyuan Realm, this was a very distant period, spanning many generations.


    Chu Zheng circled the entire ruins and discovered many weapons left from before: Bone Spears, Bone Knives, and Bone Arrows.


    All of these items were covered with intricate Talismatic Patterns, all broken, devoid of any spiritual energy.


    However, under the repair panel, these items regained their luster and began to emit surges of energy fluctuations.


    [Dragon Bone Spear (Fifth Order): A weapon of slaughter made from a True Dragon''s skeletal remains, engraved with Armor-Breaking Talisman Pattern, exerts a strong suppression on Low Grade Savage Beasts, intimidating beasts below Third Order, preventing them from getting close.]


    [Eagle Bone Blade (Fourth Order): A Warrior''s weapon made from the spinal bone of Divine Birds, carved with multiple Talismatic Patterns, providing sharpness and reinforcement, imbued with potent poison. Any creature of Third Order and below, upon contact with blood, would be choked.]


    ...


    Beyond these items, Chu Zheng also found an Incomplete Totem Stone Tablet.


    And after repairing this tablet, it brought a great surprise to Chu Zheng.


    [Totem Stone Tablet: Originating from the Red Bear Tribe, it bears the carvings of First Class totems, endowed with Divine Skills: Spirit Absorption, Colossal Strength, Mountain Moving, Avoiding Water and Fire, Vajra Indestructibility.]


    The slab was engraved with a huge bear, composed of mysterious Talismatic Patterns. Chu Zheng tried to comprehend it briefly but gained little insight.


    Without a reference, he could not attempt it.


    Carving totem patterns on one''s body is not an easy task; he needed to seek guidance from the witch.


    Within the Tribe, the newborns'' totem inscriptions are always done by the witch, so she should have considerable experience.


    This rite of passage, he had been out for almost five days¡ªno short amount of time. If he did not return soon, Lie might come looking for him, wasting unnecessary time.


    Looking at the desolate ruins before him, Chu Zheng felt somewhat dazed, holding the First Class totem, yet it still ended up like this.


    Tens of thousands of years ago, this place must have been far from as safe as it is now.


    However, from the weapons he had found, when the Red Bear Tribe was destroyed, there must not have been many elites left; otherwise, there shouldn''t be only Fourth Order and Fifth Order weapons present.


    The Wangshan Tribe was able to possess a powerhouse like Lie; with the Red Bear Tribe having a First Class totem, it should be even stronger; logically, there should have been the presence of Seventh Order or even Eighth Order beings.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, five days had passed since Chu Zheng entered the wilderness.


    "It has been five days already, no matter what, it''s time to come back. Could it be that he encountered danger?"


    "I fear he may have died in the wilderness, after all, he is still a child, ill-equipped to handle the perils there. Lie was too carefree; how could he agree to let such a young child go hunting alone?"


    Seeing that Zheng Chu had not returned for so long, most people in the Wangshan Tribe believed that Zheng Chu had already fallen prey to the beasts.


    Although there are no overly powerful beasts in the vicinity, there are still many dangers. Injuries and death often occur during the rite of passage in previous years.


    The wilderness is, after all, unknown, and many powerful Savage Beasts roam, leaving room for unexpected events to occur.


    Many members of the Tribe felt it was a pity: at his current age, Zheng Chu already possessed such power that he was destined for great achievements in the future.


    In time, Zheng Chu was very likely to become an invincible warrior surpassing even Lie. His premature demise would be a tremendous loss for the entire Wangshan Tribe.


    At the gate of the Tribe, Lie watched the endless expanse of wild grass with a dim gaze. A trace of unease couldn''t help but surface in his heart. He had enough confidence in Zheng Chu, but now, he too had some doubts.


    He was somewhat worried that Zheng Chu had run too far and might not find his way home. After all, he was still a child. Letting him go alone might have been too rash.


    "Father, could something happen to Zheng Chu?"


    Ying crouched beside Lie''s legs, her mood somewhat downcast. She was quite fond of her younger brother. Though Zheng Chu spoke little, he was very sensible.


    She was to follow the witch in practice and couldn''t always be by her father''s side. Zheng Chu would one day be able to look after their father for her.


    "No, he won''t." Lie shook his head. When he had found Zheng Chu, the scene was extraordinarily bleak. In such a situation, Zheng Chu still survived. He would definitely not die in this minor rite of passage.


    Before he finished speaking, Lie''s gaze sharpened, and his face suddenly revealed a hint of joy.


    Whoosh whoosh¡ª


    The wild grass rustled as Chu Zheng stepped out, looking the same as when he left, hardly a hair out of place, dragging a leopard nearly ten feet long with brown patterned fur, its head pierced by a bone arrow.


    Seeing this leopard, a glint of satisfaction flashed in Lie''s eyes.


    The Brown Patterned Leopard, among First Order Savage Beasts, was known to be particularly troublesome. Ordinary members of the Tribe would have to be at least twenty-five years old to hunt such a creature alone.


    Zheng Chu was not yet five years old, truly a prodigy among prodigies.


    "Zheng Chu is back!"


    Soon, someone in the Tribe spotted Chu Zheng''s figure, and with a loud shout, a crowd quickly gathered at the gate.


    A child of just over four years old completing the rite of passage was nothing less than a miraculous event.


    "He actually hunted a Brown Patterned Leopard, incredible!"


    "No, there''s more!"


    Only when the entire leopard was dragged out did the crowd notice something else being pulled along by its tail.


    A massive black head squeezed out from the wild grass, scarred all over and wrapped with various bone spear warriors. At a glance, there were no less than several dozen.


    "Is that the head of a Shadow Lion?!"


    "Did Zheng Chu actually hunt a Shadow Lion as well?!"


    A hint of shock inevitably flashed through Lie''s eyes.


    The Shadow Lion, a beast that required a hunting party led by a hunter of at least fifty years of age, supported by seven or eight men around thirty, would allow them to hunt it down, and even then casualties were possible.


    Yet Zheng Chu had done it alone.


    And the weapons tied to the Shadow Lion''s head were even more precious, few and far between in the entire Wangshan Tribe.


    It wasn''t until Chu Zheng approached that Lie noticed Chu Zheng was also holding something else in his arms¡ªa stone tablet.


    From a distance, the witch, who was walking at a leisurely pace, suddenly changed expression. Excitement surged in her cloudy eyes; she quickened her steps, approached, and asked incredulously:


    "Zheng Chu, this is..."


    Chu Zheng handed the stone tablet to the witch.


    "This... This is a First Class totem!"


    The witch gently caressed the stone tablet, unable to contain the excitement in her eyes: "The blessing of the Tribe''s spirit!"


    With this tablet, the Wangshan Tribe would undergo earth-shattering changes. Discover stories with empire


    "This has nothing to do with the spirit of the Tribe."


    Chu Zheng lifted his head slightly, his youthful face bearing a radiant smile:


    "It''s because I am very capable."


    Starting with the Wangshan Tribe, he intended to subtly destroy the Tribe''s faith in totems.


    Compared with totems, he would bring new hope to the Dongyuan Realm.


    Qi-refining Techniques, Formation Patterns, Weapon Forging, Ore Refining¡ªall these things would one day replace totems.


    He intended to have all of Heavenly Fate in the Dongyuan Realm be the purview of Qi Cultivators.

 Chapter 215 Change, The Path of the Totem

    The Sun and Moon Essence Qi of the Dongyuan Realm was far more abundant than that of the Cangyun Realm, especially the Moonlight, which at night was almost thick enough to be visible to the naked eye.Such an environment was incredibly favorable for Savage Beasts that grew by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.


    Nowadays, most of the Dongyuan Realm was occupied by Savage Beasts, which wasn''t unrelated to this.


    Totems could draw Spiritual Energy from the world to nourish the flesh and also absorb some of the essence of the sun and moon, but compared to Savage Beasts, the efficiency was much slower and simply incomparable.


    Furthermore, given the totems'' short lifespan, even if the Human Race had strong warriors emerge, they could only maintain stability for a moment. Even if they fought for some territories, after a few thousand years, they would ultimately be retaken by the Savage Beasts.


    This was just like the relics Chu Zheng had found this time; even such powerful Tribes would, over time, suffer devastating blows and find it difficult to contend with the Savage Beasts.


    However, for Chu Zheng''s Qi-refining Technique, such an environment also brought not a little benefit. At least his cultivation was much faster, and with sufficently dense Yin Yang Dual Qi, naturally, he would save some refinement time.


    ...


    ...


    As the night deepened, the Wangshan Tribe gradually sank into silence; the Ming Sculpture circled high above, vigilant against threats from all directions.


    In the distance between the mountains, roars of beasts could be heard, thousands of miles away.


    Inside the stone house, the candlelight flickered slightly.


    "How did you kill this Shadow Lion? And where did these Rune Soldiers come from?"


    Uncle Lie leaned against the door with his arms folded, gazing at Chu Zheng with slightly furrowed brows, still somewhat in disbelief.


    The Rune Soldiers that Chu Zheng had brought back nearly doubled the strength of the Wangshan Tribe.


    Especially that totem; in the not-too-distant future, it could bring about earth-shaking changes to the Wangshan Tribe.


    This matter was truly too bizarre; if not for seeing it with his own eyes, no one would believe it.


    "I found the ruins of a Tribe, picked up these Rune Soldiers, and happened upon this Shadow Lion, so I killed it."


    This explanation was what Chu Zheng came up with after considering what Uncle Lie could accept as reasonable.


    With the strength of the Rune Soldiers, he indeed had the potential to kill the Shadow Lion, and for the rest, he didn''t want to explain too much.


    The more he said, the more thought he would have to put in to cover up any discrepancies.


    Uncle Lie asked a few more questions, and after learning the specific location of the ruins, he spoke no further.


    After a period of silence, Uncle Lie''s gaze grew complex and he spoke seriously:


    "Zheng Chu, you''re truly remarkable, better than many of the adult warriors in the Tribe."


    To pursue the process no longer mattered; at least the outcome now was good. Zheng Chu''s arrival had brought new hope to the Wangshan Tribe.


    In this way, as long as Zheng Chu grew up, even if he died in the wilderness or reached the end of his lifespan, he would allow the Wangshan Tribe to continue on.


    Even if one day Zheng Chu were to leave, with a First Class totem, it was only a matter of time before the Wangshan Tribe would grow stronger.


    "Tomorrow, I want to see the witch; I have some things I want to ask her."


    Chu Zheng spoke, making a request with a shift in his gaze.


    "I''ll take you there," Uncle Lie didn''t refuse:


    "Sleep early; you''re still growing. If you don''t sleep well, you won''t grow tall in the future."


    Watching Chu Zheng climb onto the stone bed, Uncle Lie extinguished the candle inside and left.


    Outside, six full moons hung high in the sky; the rich Moonlight condensed into layers of light veils, covering the entire wilderness.


    The dew hung on the branches and tips of leaves, casting a soft glow under the moonlight.


    Uncle Lie looked up at the moon, his eyes reflecting a silver light:


    "Ya, I''m truly regretting it now."


    ...


    ...


    The next morning dawned.


    Another Grand Circulation had ended, and Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, eager to get out of bed.


    In the more than three months since he had joined the Tribe, he had not had any contact with the witch. He faintly felt that the witch did not like him very much and had been deliberately avoiding him.


    Now, the things he had brought back should be enough to change the witch''s mind about him.


    The witch was the longest-lived person in this Tribe, and only at the witch''s dwelling were the Bone Books kept, recording stories from very ancient times. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These things were indispensable for Chu Zheng to understand the totems and the Dongyuan Realm.


    He had also learned a bit about the witch during this time.


    Once someone became a witch, they could no longer be with another person for life, or they would be punished by the heavens and lose their deity powers.


    As to the reason behind this, Chu Zheng had roughly guessed a part of it; as the witch''s successor, while still a fetus, the Yin Qi was locked in, absorbing Moonlight, nourishing the Divine Soul, and when born, the Yin Qi was already extremely heavy.


    Many of the witch''s secret techniques required extremely heavy Yin Force to cast. If a witch were to be with someone, the balance of Yin and Yang would naturally be disrupted, many techniques could no longer be used, and they might even suffer a backlash, losing all their cultivation.


    In the eyes of the Tribespeople, this naturally became another interpretation¡ªthe witch was sacred, connected with heaven and earth, and could not be defiled by mortals.


    To the witch, the people of the Tribe were both worshipful and awe-inspired, much like reverence toward a deity.


    Daylight began to appear outside the house, and the temperature between heaven and earth gradually began to rise. Continue reading stories on empire


    Uncle Lie had been waiting in the yard, holding a Bone Spear.


    Seeing Chu Zheng come out, Uncle Lie casually tossed the Bone Spear toward him.


    Chu Zheng caught the Bone Spear instinctively, his expression one of confusion:


    "Uncle Lie, what''s this?"


    The Dragon Bone Spear, a top quality Fifth Order Rune Soldier, was the most powerful of those Rune Soldiers.

 Chapter 215 Transformation, The Path of the Totem_2

    "This Rune Soldier is of the highest quality, keep it for yourself; the rest, I will exchange for Blood Food according to their specific qualities over time."Lie explained offhandedly, not turning his head, and walked toward the courtyard gate: "Come on, I''ll take you to meet the witch."


    Chu Zheng followed Lie''s pace at a jog, saying softly, "It''s okay, there''s no need to be so precise... "


    If it weren''t for Lie picking him up from the wilderness, he might not still be within the Dongyuan Realm at this moment. The favor alone was substantial enough.


    Find your next read at empire


    "This is the merit you earned from hunting, it should be this way."


    Without a hint of emotion in his expression, Lie glanced back at Chu Zheng, who was running after him with short strides, and picked him up with one hand as he strode toward the dwelling of the witch.


    A few breaths later, Chu Zheng found himself inside a Green Stone Grand Hall at the center of the Tribe.


    The Great Witch, with his white hair, came shuffling over, leaning on his cane; Ying followed by his side, and upon seeing Lie and Chu Zheng, her face lit up with an uncontrollable radiant smile:


    "Father, Zheng Chu!"


    Lie nodded slightly and knelt on one knee to pay his respects: "Great Witch, Zheng Chu has come to seek your advice on some matters."


    "What do you wish to ask?" the witch asked Chu Zheng, his voice slightly hoarse.


    "I would like to see the Bone Book." Chu Zheng tried his best to keep his eyes wide open, maintaining the innocence and simplicity of his age, a flash of Spiritual Light in his eyes transmitting a stream of information.


    [Luan (Sixth Order): Great Witch in the Divine Communication Realm, his viscera deeply corroded by Yin Qi, gravely ill, his lifespan nearing its end, master of Divine Skills: Spirit Control, Medicine, Divination, Star Phase, Precognition.]


    Chu Zheng''s heart stirred slightly; just in terms of Divine Soul strength, this witch named ''Luan,'' was not weaker than a cultivator of the Tongxuan Secret Realm, comparable to a powerful being of Refining Spirit Returning to Void.


    However, his combat strength was clearly much lacking, and it remained unknown to what extent his Precognition skill could see; whether it could access some vague fragments or clearly view the trajectory of events.


    The Eternal Calamity Treasure Record also mentioned Divine Skills related to foretelling the future, which involved using Divination Art to calculate the trajectory of events.


    All things in the universe have their paths of motion; for instance, predicting the final landing spot of a meteorite falling from the sky based on its trajectory is not difficult, and this is also a manifestation of Precognition.


    Divination Art works in just this way, but it requires many conditions; if some are incomplete, the outcome of the divination can change significantly.


    For example, in a fight between two cultivators, one can generally predict the outcome based on their levels of cultivation, the strength of their Magic Treasures, and the number of trump cards they hold.


    However, their physical condition, psychological fluctuations, ability to adapt on the fly, and even external interference can affect the end result.


    These immeasurable factors are variables.


    Amidst the interference of variables, any method of foresight can deviate from the future.


    Chu Zheng has always harbored profound doubts about Precognition.


    After all, if part of the trajectory of events changed due to Precognition, then what was foretold previously should also see amendments, with vast and complex related information and elements¡ªan understanding far beyond his current Cultivation.


    The witch fell silent for a while, then gestured with a wave: "Follow me."


    Chu Zheng collected his thoughts and, feeling a slight delight, followed the witch to a wooden rack deep within the grand hall.


    The rack was piled high with the bones of Savage Beasts, densely inscribed with many twisted characters.


    These etchings on the bones recorded parts of the history of the Dongyuan Realm.


    Learning a new language was no trouble at all for Chu Zheng; he quickly immersed himself in these Bone Books.


    The witch stood by, watching Chu Zheng for a long time, then finally left slowly.


    ...


    ...


    The information recorded in the Bone Book was quite chaotic and fragmented; Chu Zheng, with enough patience, didn''t find sorting through the information tedious but rather enjoyed the process.


    ```


    According to some of the information, the situation of the Human Race in the Dongyuan Realm in the beginning was far more difficult than it is now, with almost no ability to protect themselves, always at the bottom of the food chain.


    Even the slightly weaker Savage Beasts basically maintained their own survival by preying on the Human Race, while the stronger Savage Beasts didn''t even bother with the weak energy in human flesh. Compared to that, hunting other Savage Beasts was more efficient and could fill their stomachs more quickly.


    In order to protect themselves, some people began to try various methods to enhance their physique and explored the way to extract strength from the bodies of Savage Beasts.


    At first, some people branded the shapes of powerful Savage Beasts onto their bodies, hoping to borrow the strength of those mighty creatures.


    After countless failures, the first totem finally appeared. Nature''s spiritual energy passed through the totem into the bodies of the Human Race, strengthening their flesh and bones.


    This type of totem was called ''Beast Spirit''.


    With the power of the Beast Spirit totem, the Human Race gained a bit of self-protection, and together with the breakthrough in lifespan, the population exploded over the course of a thousand years.


    However, the strength gained through the totems made the flesh of the powerful human figures a target for many top predators.


    What was once considered tasteless and a pity to discard had now become sufficient to satiate their appetites.


    The totems themselves were derived from these powerful Savage Beasts, so it was sheer fantasy to try to conquer these formidable creatures with the power of the totems.


    In less than a hundred years, the rising Human Race encountered a devastating blow, and many Tribes were destroyed as a result.


    Under the tremendous pressure of extinction, some began to shift their focus from Savage Beasts and looked towards the heavens, earth, sun, moon, and stars, creating even more powerful totems.


    This power was called ''Heavenly Pattern''.


    Later on, some applied the Heavenly Patterns to weapons, thus creating fearsomely powerful Rune Soldiers.


    But even with the existence of Heavenly Patterns, the living space of the Human Race was still continuously squeezed by the Savage Beasts.


    To prevent history from repeating itself, a large number of top figures began to look into the depths of the Human Race itself, looking to carve a new path of cultivation.


    However, after carrying a totem, attempting other methods was simply not feasible, and these people could only turn their gaze to unborn children.


    For trying out new cultivation paths, many newborns inevitably became sacrifices and died young due to various incorrect attempts.


    Until the arrival of the first witch in the Dongyuan Realm.


    With a powerful Divine Soul, the witch for the first time tamed a Savage Beast, developed the Spirit Controlling Method, and thus had dominion over Savage Beasts.


    As time passed, the cultivation methods of the witch became increasingly refined, and with the emergence of Medicine and Healing Medicine, the casualties suffered by the Human Race in hunts were greatly reduced.


    With the Divination Art to avoid disaster and seek fortune, many dangers were nipped in the bud, and only then did the Human Race get a breather and began to evolve to the state we see today.


    Although they were still unable to stand toe-to-toe with the Savage Beasts, they had gained the power to protect themselves and to have a territory where they could multiply and thrive.


    There is no mention of the witch''s methods of cultivation in these Bone Books.


    Chu Zheng sat there for half a month, and every day at dawn and dusk, Ying would bring him a bowl of beast blood to fill his stomach.


    This was Lie''s instruction; he was at a time when he was growing, and could not waste any opportunity to eat.


    Only after he had finished reading all the Bone Books on the wooden rack and neatly sorted them did Chu Zheng finally take a long breath and felt a sense of satisfaction.


    He had finally gained a general understanding of the totemic cultivation path, as well as the witch.


    Since there was no method of breathing and nourishment, those Cultivators carrying totems could only rely on the totems to draw strength and devour the essence of the blood and flesh of Savage Beasts to increase their Qi Strength.


    The energy of blood and flesh that Cultivators took in every day was limited, just like ordinary people eating meals; even if one ate from morning to night, there was only so much they could consume, and no more could be digested.


    Therefore, the classifications of cultivation levels in the Dongyuan Realm were very general, primarily based on age and somewhat similar to Savage Beasts.


    There are six stages: juvenile, youth, adult, mature, peak, and old age.


    According to cultivation, Chu Zheng has already left the juvenile stage and prematurely entered the youth stage.


    ```


    S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 216 Cold Wave is Coming, Fire Seed

    Childhood, youth, adulthood, prime of life, peak, old age¡ªthese six stages correspond to the Zeroth Order during childhood.Youth corresponds to the First Order to Second Order, generally between the ages of fifteen and fifty.


    Adulthood is from the Third Order to the Fourth Order; ordinary Tribe warriors should be around sixty to ninety years old to reach this level.


    Most Totem Cultivators remain between youth and adulthood, their power fluctuating between the Third Order and Fourth Order until they die of old age.


    This is a threshold; Third-Class Totems can only grow to this extent, and only a few with Second-Class Totems can break through the shackles of the body and step into the prime of life.


    The prime of life corresponds to the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order, typically around three hundred to eight hundred years old.


    The peak is the Seventh Order to Eighth Order, the apex of the Totem Path, where Supreme Beings are powerful enough to rival a fully-realized True Immortal, but they can only live for a few thousand years.


    As for old age, it is a unique period of decline for Totem Cultivators. Once they enter this stage, regardless of previous strength, their Blood Qi will begin to gradually decline, and the power of the totem will also gradually exhaust.


    This exhaustion is irreversible and will persist for a long time, with Cultivation likely falling by one or two realms.


    About totems, Chu Zheng also received some key information: the totem imprinted at birth can be replaced.


    However, there are certain limits; a Beast Spirit totem can only be replaced with another Beast Spirit, not with a Heavenly Pattern.


    The operational methods of the two differ. A direct replacement would overload the body, ultimately causing it to explode and resulting in death.


    Carving totems requires a great deal of spiritual focus and is generally done by witches.


    Especially carving a Second-Class or even a First-Class totem involves a terrifying amount of soul wear on a witch, and it is not an easy task.


    "Are you done?"


    Unbeknownst to him, the witch had already walked up beside Chu Zheng.


    "I''m done, thank you, witch." Chu Zheng stood up, grinning broadly.


    "No need to thank me, I should be thanking you," the witch sighed lightly. "I''m sorry, Zheng Chu, I previously felt you carried an ominous aura that might bring disaster to our Tribe, but now I may have been mistaken."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but pause for a moment, bearing an ominous aura... Could the witch sense the presence of Tribulation Qi?


    Your journey continues with empire


    Before he could ponder further, the witch spoke again:


    "Is there anything else I can help you with?"


    "No, thank you." Chu Zheng shook his head and turned to leave the temple.


    Just outside the temple, he saw Ying squatting at one side, sorting through medicinal herbs.


    "Zheng Chu!"


    Seeing Chu Zheng come out, Ying tilted her head and smiled, picked up a small bundle next to her, hurried over, and stuffed it into Chu Zheng''s arms:


    "The medicine I prepared; it''s good for your body, but don''t eat too much, just one pill a day."


    Chu Zheng opened the bundle, a flicker of Spiritual Light in his eyes.


    [Strengthening Tendon Pill (First Order): Made with a small amount of Spiritual Medicine mixed with Beast Bone powder, it strengthens bones and tendons when consumed.]


    "Thank you, Ying."


    As he looked at Ying, Chu Zheng''s gaze became somewhat complicated, knowing the difficult path she had chosen to become a witch, involving a life of renunciation of love and many sacrifices.


    And with her long lifespan, she would inevitably have to bid farewell to her elders and loved ones one by one, ending up in endless bleak solitude, existing only as a guardian deity for the Tribe.


    Such a life was indescribable by tragedy; the former Luan had walked this path step by step. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was not just happening to Ying, but countless Tribes across the Dongyuan Realm were experiencing the same tragic fate.


    "No need to thank me, I''m your sister; no matter now or in the future, I will protect you."


    Ying waved her hand and returned to her place wobbling, continuing to focus on sorting medicine.


    Chu Zheng clenched the bundle in his hands and walked slowly towards home.


    If there are no gods in this world, then someone must take their place, and right now, he wanted that position.


    ...


    ...¡­


    When Chu Zheng returned home, Lie wasn''t there; besides Lie, many of the Tribe''s able-bodied members were also absent.


    Lately, Lie had been going out frequently, eager to stockpile Blood Food.


    The environment of the Dongyuan Realm was quite harsh, and though it was warm all year round, every decade or so, a massive cold wave lasting three years would occur.


    Calculating the time, that was due to happen in the next two years, necessitating early preparation of flesh and Blood Qi to survive the winter, otherwise many newborns would not make it through this cold wave.


    Moreover, before the onset of the cold wave, many powerful Savage Beasts would emerge from their nests to feed, making it the most dangerous time in the Barren Domain.


    This meant that the safe hunting times were diminishing, and naturally, Lie''s departures from home were becoming more frequent.


    In the entire Wangshan Tribe, apart from him, no one else had stepped into the Fifth Order, so the burden he carried was naturally very heavy.


    Chu Zheng cleared his mind, rested for a moment, circulated the Grand Circulation, and contemplated his next steps.


    Now that he had passed the adult ceremony and could freely enter and leave the Tribe to search for relics, this was the best choice.


    If he really stayed within the Tribe for long, he might indeed bring trouble to the Wangshan Tribe as the witch had said.


    Now, what lay before Chu Zheng was to decide which step the Wangshan Tribe should take next.


    After weighing everything for a long time, Chu Zheng finally set his sights on Weapon Forging.


    Weapons were always in short supply in the Tribe; after the Melting Beads drained the flesh and Blood Qi, some Savage Beast bones could no longer be used to make weapons, and raw materials were always tight.


    If there could be an abundant supply of bows and arrows for use, then the losses from hunting would again be greatly reduced.

 Chapter 216 Cold Wave is Coming, Fire Seed_2

    The cold wave was about to arrive, and when that time came, all the warriors of the Tribe would remain within the Tribe, making it an opportunity to accumulate resources.Once he located a vein of Spirit Iron Ore, he could mass-produce Low-Grade Magic Artifacts. Utilizing this time, it would also not interfere with hunting.


    Ying''s Strengthening Tendon Pills were effective, but Chu Zheng clearly had no intention of following the Medicine Woman''s advice. In just two days, he had consumed nearly fifty Strengthening Tendon Pills. Any mild toxicity was quickly dissipated by the panel.


    Nourished by a large number of Strengthening Tendon Pills, Chu Zheng''s Qi Strength soared drastically, showing almost a daily transformation. When the medicinal effects were completely spent, without even discussing Yuan Qi, Chu Zheng already possessed colossal strength surpassing eighty thousand jin.


    After cultivating steadily for two days, just as Chu Zheng was preparing to leave the Tribe, Lie returned, his body reeking of a dense bloody scent mixed with the smell of medicine powders.


    Clearly, during this hunting outing, he had encountered numerous dangers.


    Outside the door, the subdued sobs of people could be heard from afar. This hunting trip must have resulted in many warriors not returning alive.


    "Uncle Lie, how are your injuries?"


    Chu Zheng stood up, and a flicker of Spiritual Light shone in his eyes as he scanned over Lie''s body, his expression changing slightly.


    The panel information indicated that Lie had sustained serious injuries, even to the point of damaging his life force and reducing his lifespan. Still, it was fortunate that they could be healed.


    "It''s nothing serious. I encountered an Ice Scale Flood Dragon in its prime, stronger than me. I was ambushed by that beast."


    Lie shook his head, taking off his outer robe, to reveal dozens of wounds on his chest, each deep enough to show bone.


    He paid no attention to the injuries on his body, his eyes filled with solemn concern:


    "The cold wave is imminent."


    Ice Scale Flood Dragons generally were active only during the cold wave period. An early appearance was a highly dangerous sign.


    "So soon?"


    Chu Zheng rubbed his temples, finding the situation somewhat thorny. He had thought there would be at least two more years. Now it seemed that he had been too optimistic.


    He needed to hurry to find a suitable Fire Seed as well as Spirit Iron veins.


    "Uncle Lie, I''m going out for a while."


    Chu Zheng immediately stood up and headed for the door, no longer able to afford wasting time. With the impending cold wave, finding veins would become far more difficult, with a higher chance of encountering top predators with empty stomachs.


    Seeing this, Lie did not stop him but simply reminded, "Take the Rune Soldier with you. If you''re outmatched, don''t try to be a hero."


    With Chu Zheng''s strength, plus a Rune Soldier in hand, within ten thousand miles, not much posed a threat to him.


    "Got it."


    Chu Zheng did not look back as he headed straight out of the Tribe.


    By relying on his sensitivity to the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, searching for veins was a trivial matter for Chu Zheng.


    Where the Gold Element Qi was dense, beneath it would be Divine Iron, but the harder task was finding a suitable Fire Seed.


    To venture into the earth''s core and take the Earth Fiend True Flame was one path, but for the current Chu Zheng, it was somewhat difficult.


    Without a Fire Seed, even if he had Spirit Mines, it would be pointless.


    ...


    ...


    It was midday, and the temperature was still hot, but compared to the past, the fierce heat seemed less oppressive.


    After a meticulous search, less than three hundred miles away from the Tribe, Chu Zheng found a vein.


    Digging less than thirty zhang into the ground, he touched raw ore.


    [Silverlight Ore (First Order): A Low-Grade Spirit Mine that can be refined into Silverlight Iron.]


    The entire vein was not very large, stretching less than ten miles, and the depth it extended was limited.


    After spending two days, Chu Zheng found more than ten veins within a thousand miles of the Tribe, one of which was a Second Order Spirit Mine with a sizeable reserve.


    The only difficulty was still the Fire Seed.


    Spiritual Fire was hard to find, and natural-born Spiritual Fires, with his current level of Cultivation, were difficult to control.


    The current solution was to seek from Savage Beasts'' bodies. Some Savage Beasts contained Beast Fire within them, which might just be usable.


    Chu Zheng moved slowly through the air, the Yuan Qi in his body flowing subtly as he felt the winds from all directions and discerned the changes of the Five Elements within them.


    Quickly, he captured a strand of active Fire-attribute Primordial Qi from the surrounding air and followed its trail. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After chasing for over a hundred miles, a Savage Beast with thick armor and a rhinoceros-like shape appeared within Chu Zheng''s line of sight.


    [Earth Flame Dragon (Second Order): A variant containing a strand of Flood Dragon bloodline, a carnivorous predator with fire poison contained within its body.] Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    The size of the Earth Flame Dragon was extremely large, more than twice the size of the Shadow Lion Chu Zheng had previously hunted, resembling a small mountain and radiating intense heat.


    Wherever it passed, it left behind huge, pitch-black footprints as if scorched by flames.


    The movement speed of the Earth Flame Dragon was quite slow, and Chu Zheng estimated its path, then repeated his old trick, using a portion of the Spirit Mines as the foundation to set up a large Array once again.


    One day later, Chu Zheng lured the heavily armored Earth Flame Dragon into the Array.


    However, the defensive power of the Earth Flame Dragon exceeded Chu Zheng''s expectations and, with inadequate preparation, the first round of sword light did not even severely wound it.


    After pondering for a few moments, at the instant the second round of sword light shot out, Chu Zheng took up the Dragon Bone Spear and pierced through its skull with one blow.


    After dispersing the Array, Chu Zheng quickly grasped and extracted a red ball of Spiritual Fire from the still-warm corpse.


    [Earth Flame (Second Order): Spiritual Fire nurtured within a beast''s body, whose ingestion aids cultivation, contains fire-avoiding power, and can slightly enhance the cultivation speed of Fire Attribute creatures.]


    Second Order Spiritual Fire was already sufficient to melt Second Order Spirit Mines, and for the now-beginning Wangshan Tribe, it was already enough.


    Chu Zheng swallowed the Spiritual Fire into his belly, forcibly refined it with the help of the repair panel, and then after hunting a few Savage Beasts, he placed their skins as padding and dragged tens of thousands of pounds of Spirit Mines to begin the return journey.


    When he returned to the Tribe, the atmosphere was somewhat somber.


    During the last hunting expedition, the Tribe had lost nearly ten warriors, and Uncle Lie was seriously injured, which was an extremely heavy blow for this small Tribe.


    "Zheng Chu, what do you need so many rocks for?"


    Someone quickly noticed Chu Zheng''s actions and was filled with curiosity.


    Chu Zheng didn''t answer; explaining through actions would be faster. He went straight for a slightly smaller Low Grade Spirit Mine and brought forth a ball of Spiritual Fire in his palm.


    Moments later, the Spirit Mine melted into liquid and gradually congealed into an arrow.


    Once the arrow took shape, Chu Zheng dispersed the Spiritual Fire, and a point of Spiritual Light surged from his fingertips, inscribing onto the arrow the simplest of Formation Patterns.


    Formation Patterns appeared before the eyes of the Dongyuan Human Clan for the first time.


    Immediately, a murmur of amazement arose all around:


    "Is this... a Rune Soldier?!"


    "Does it look sharper than those made from Beast Bones to anyone else?"


    "Can stone be refined into Rune Soldiers?! Aren''t we going to make a fortune?"


    Uncle Lie hurried over and, upon seeing this scene, his eyes flickered with surprise and doubt, "Zheng Chu, what is this?"


    The pattern on the arrow was something he had never seen before, but it was somewhat similar to the Heavenly Patterns on Rune Soldiers.


    Chu Zheng stood up, pointing at the Spirit Mines behind him:


    "Ore, if refined, can be turned into weapons, much more convenient than from Beast Bone."


    For the people of the Wangshan Tribe, Chu Zheng''s actions were undoubtedly revolutionary, and their faces were covered with astonishment and doubt.


    After a long while, Uncle Lie suddenly gestured to the crowd: "Shan, Tuo, you two come try it."


    Two figures walked out from the crowd, both middle-aged Great Men dressed in Beast Skin; in Chu Zheng''s eyes, they also had abundant Fire Element Qi flowing within their bodies.


    The two walked up to the pile of Spirit Mines, casually picked one, and then spewed out a ball of Spiritual Fire from their mouths to begin melting the ore.


    Seeing this, a flash of realization crossed Chu Zheng''s eyes; he had forgotten that these people, bearing totems, already possessed some unique Divine Skills, so it was not surprising that some could control Fire.


    Under the refining of the Spiritual Fire, impurities in the ore quickly faded away, turning into a pool of liquid that was then shaped into an axe under the control of Spiritual Fire.


    A glimmer of joy flashed in the eyes of the two men as they drew a drop of fresh blood and drew a Heavenly Pattern on the blade of the axe.


    Having experience in creating Rune Soldiers, this step was not difficult for them.


    As exclamations of amazement kept rising from the Tribe''s members, the witch, leaning on a walking stick in the distance, stood for a long time before turning and leaving.


    She silently returned to the inside of the Green Stone Grand Hall, took a clean Desolate Beast Skull, and vigorously inscribed some words to record the events of the day.


    This would be a change affecting the entire Tribe and even the entire Dongyuan Human Clan.

 Chapter 217 Heavenly Spirit Race

    Every hunting trip, Uncle Lie would leave the tribe at a great distance, carrying a multitude of Beast Bones back and forth, which was not realistic.Therefore, most of the time, he could only bring back the skeleton of some powerful Savage Beasts, and only occasionally could he forge a Rune Soldier.


    This was not a situation unique to the Wangshan Tribe, almost all tribes were like this, thus the number of Rune Soldiers was not considered high.


    Especially consumables like bows and arrows were extremely precious.


    Now, Chu Zheng had brought back Spirit Mines, and instantly, Uncle Lie smelled the enormous benefits that could not be ignored.


    He didn''t waste time and immediately gathered young and strong men in the tribe, following Chu Zheng to leave the tribe once again to start mining the Spirit Mines.


    Even though a cold wave was approaching, he no longer planned to go hunting, as long as there were enough Rune Soldiers, they could exchange Blood Food, Spiritual Medicine, and other resources with other tribes.


    Compared to fighting with Savage Beasts, mining was undoubtedly much safer and the returns were much higher.


    As one vein after another was depleted, a large amount of raw ore was transported back to the tribe, where a group of Totem Cultivators possessing Spiritual Fire transformed it into Rune Soldiers.


    Although the quality of the Spirit Mines was not high and the strength of the forged Rune Soldiers was limited, they were already sufficient for some ordinary cultivators.


    In a few months'' time, the veins within ten thousand miles had already been largely depleted, raw ores piled up like mountains, and thousands of Rune Soldiers stacked together, overflowing with Spiritual Light.


    "Uncle Lie, time for your medicine."


    Chu Zheng was holding a bowl of medicinal soup, bringing it to Uncle Lie.


    During these past few months, through the daily delivery of medicine, he had silently repaired Uncle Lie''s internal injuries using the panel.


    Uncle Lie took the bowl of medicine, drank it all down in one gulp and couldn''t help sighing:


    "The witch''s medical skills have advanced again."


    Uncle Lie didn''t know about all that Chu Zheng had done; he thought it was the witch''s doing.


    He was very aware of his own body''s condition, knowing that without this daily dose of medicinal soup, he couldn''t have healed or even would have prematurely aged and began to decline.


    This was equivalent to having his life restored. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Uncle Lie went out for a walk, inspecting the whole tribe, and upon seeing that the stockpile of Rune Soldiers was now sufficiently ample, he took Chu Zheng alone and boarded a Ming Sculpture, taking many Rune Soldiers, and left the Wangshan Tribe, heading southwest.


    "Uncle Lie, where are we going?"


    Chu Zheng was puzzled.


    "The market."


    Uncle Lie replied casually, his eyes also showing some excitement:


    "There, you can see treasures you wouldn''t find near the tribe, and even the remains of Savage Beasts from the ocean."


    Wangshan Tribe is surrounded by the Barren Domain and far from the vast ocean. Many cultivators live and die without ever seeing the sea.


    ...


    ...


    Before a cold wave arrives, many tribal communities gather for a grand meeting to exchange what they have in order to ensure their own survival.


    After all, given their various environments, some areas are rampant with Savage Beasts, abundant in Blood Food but lacking Spiritual Medicine; the smaller the tribe, the scarcer these resources.


    Uncle Lie and Chu Zheng traveled for nearly half a month and entered into the Great Desert.


    A sprawling complex of buildings covering thousands of miles came into Chu Zheng''s sight.


    Explore more at empire


    These buildings, mostly grand halls built from Green Stone, were now bustling and teeming with people.


    Shadows of various kinds of people and tamed Savage Beasts and fierce birds ascended and descended from time to time.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes gleamed with curiosity as Uncle Lie had told him a lot about the market along the way.


    This market had a very long history, existing already tens of thousands of years ago.


    It exists solely for trading and not for cultivators to live and reproduce, and when the cold wave comes, it will be covered with ice and snow, left devoid of life to avoid attracting powerful Savage Beasts.


    In the case of poor communication methods, a market that has been established will not easily shift its location.


    Because any change in location could decrease the survival chances of small tribes or even lead to their total destruction.


    Each time the market is open, it lasts for a long time, until the first snow of the cold wave falls, and only then does the crowd that has gathered gradually disperse.


    Everyone who attends the market is a peak force from various tribes, and Chu Zheng casually saw that few cultivators were below the Third Order, with only the occasional child younger than ten years old appearing.


    After settling the Ming Sculpture outside the city, Uncle Lie took Chu Zheng, walked through the bustling streets, found an empty spot, laid down Beast Skin, and displayed the newly forged Rune Soldiers. He made his moves cautiously, clearly having many concerns.


    Before Uncle Lie could even speak, some Totem Cultivators had already gathered around.


    "So many Rune Soldiers? Could it be your tribe was attacked by a Savage Beast?"


    Seeing the thousands of Rune Soldiers, the first response of many cultivators was that their tribe had encountered Savage Beasts, resulting in many casualties, hence freeing up so many Rune Soldiers.


    Chu Zheng sat silently to the side, his eyes always vigilant and constantly scanning the surroundings.


    Suddenly, a figure approached Uncle Lie; this person was not wearing Beast Skin but rather brocade clothing, appearing somewhat thin.


    Only cultivators from the larger tribes would pursue appearance; from just his clothes, this person''s identity was clearly extraordinary.


    [Bai Zhong (Fifth Order): Cultivator from the Heavenly Spirit Race, possessing Innate Divine Abilities: Binding Technique, Shape Concealment, Water Control.]

 Chapter 217 Heavenly Spirit Race_2

    The Celestial Spirit Tribe...Looking at the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel a bit astonished, giving it a second glance. This was his first encounter with a person of the Celestial Spirit Tribe.


    Bai Zhong appeared to be under thirty, indistinguishable in gender, with pupils shining a greenish-silver, like stars.


    The appearance of the Celestial Spirit Tribe, compared to the Human Race, was slightly more refined and similar to humans, except for the scales covering their spine and the thin tail, which Chu Zheng could not discern at all with the naked eye.


    On the bodies of Savage Beasts, one could still detect demonic energy, but the difference between the Celestial Spirit Tribe and the Human Race was minuscule.


    "What do you want to barter these Rune Soldiers for?"


    Bai Zhong slowly spoke, his voice hoarse and slightly gruff.


    "Blood Food, medicinal herbs..."


    After listing two items, Lie glanced at Chu Zheng beside him and hesitated for a while before he softly said,


    "If there is a Divine Ability Bone, even better."


    Divine Ability Bone?


    Chu Zheng was momentarily stunned. Lie had not mentioned this to him before, and it was not recorded among the witch''s Bone Inscriptions. Your next journey awaits at empire


    "You do have some insight. Have you encountered the Celestial Spirit Tribe before?" Bai Zhong looked Lie up and down, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes.


    "I have never encountered them, but..."


    Lie shook his head slightly, not hiding anything, and candidly said, "Previously, I saw someone selling Divine Ability Bones here, so I learned the details."


    Bai Zhong narrowed his eyes, pondered for a while with his head bowed, and then took out a few items, handing them over to Lie.


    A Melting Bead, half a piece of white bone, and a pile of Spiritual Medicine.


    Storage magic artifact...


    Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened; this was also his first time seeing such an item in the Dongyuan Realm.


    Even Lie, a Fifth Order powerhouse, did not possess a storage magic artifact, indicating just how precious they were in this realm.


    However, at this moment, Chu Zheng had no time to think about the storage magic artifact, as his attention was drawn to the half-piece of remnant bone.


    [Divine Ability Bone (Fifth Order/Incomplete): One of three spine bones of the Celestial Spirit Tribe people. For non-Celestial Spirit Tribe, integrating it into the body has a ten percent chance to awaken an Innate Divine Ability (repairable).]


    A bone embedded with Innate Divine Ability... and it could be grafted!


    Chu Zheng involuntarily inhaled a breath of cool air. How rare Innate Divine Abilities were, bestowed by the heavens, inherent from birth, yet in the Celestial Spirit Tribe, they had undergone a mutation.


    The items given by Bai Zhong were worth much more than those Rune Soldiers.


    Lie took the Spiritual Medicine and the Divine Ability Bone, then took out a Melting Bead and began extracting its Blood Qi.


    The amount of Blood Qi within this Melting Bead was astonishing. It took over two hours to complete the transfer.


    Bai Zhong, without further words, waved his hand and collected all the Rune Soldiers on the ground, turned, and left.


    Watching Bai Zhong''s retreating figure, Chu Zheng stared at his waist for a while but still did not see the expected tail, feeling somewhat disappointed for a moment.


    Lie tossed the Divine Ability Bone to Chu Zheng and slowly said, "Keep this with you. When you reach adulthood, integrating it into your body, you have a certain chance of receiving a blessing from above."


    "Is this Divine Ability Bone very rare?"


    Chu Zheng was curious. If every individual of the Celestial Spirit Tribe was like this, then the current relationship between the Human Race and the Celestial Spirit Tribe wouldn''t be as superficially stable as it is now.


    Innate Divine Abilities had a huge impact on a Cultivator.


    "Only those of the Celestial Spirit Tribe who reach their prime can preserve the Divine Rune on their spine after death," Lie nodded and said,


    "The Celestial Spirit Tribe can''t use the Divine Ability Bones themselves; for the most part, they are used to barter for resources with different Tribes."


    Unable to reuse these bones, the Celestial Spirit Tribe could only use them to exchange resources, ultimately returning them to the hands of the Human Race.


    Chu Zheng understood and fondled the half piece of white bone at his fingertips.


    On the incomplete Divine Ability Bone, some Divine Runes were still visible, yet now they were dim, and it was uncertain what the chances of awakening a Divine Ability would be after it was repaired and whether it was worth trying.


    Innate Divine Abilities, his body lacked them. Although innate Divine Abilities didn''t necessarily mean stronger combat abilities, they were definitely much better than having none at all.


    ...


    ...


    As soon as he had set up shop, the Rune Soldiers were all purchased, an indicator of their shocking efficiency and high demand.


    Such weapons, designed for battle, were always in short supply, regardless of the era.


    In the short term, Lie had no plans to make public the secret of forging weapons using Spirit Mines, a strategy devised by Chu Zheng. Whether these Rune Soldiers would develop new issues was yet to be seen.


    If many tribes started to imitate this and the Rune Soldiers eventually had problems, even the entire Wangshan Tribe couldn''t bear the wrath of the larger tribes.


    In front of those great tribes, the Wangshan Tribe had no capacity to withstand any risks, so the method of mining and weapon forging must remain a secret for now.


    Having sold everything, Lie decided to close up shop and, with Chu Zheng, began to wander around the marketplace.


    Apart from Blood Food, he also intended to buy some materials enhanced by Spirit Mines to remodel into a smelting furnace.


    Previously, Lie didn''t know what a furnace was until Chu Zheng explained it to him; then he understood it was a good thing that could save effort, further purify impurities, and improve the quality of the Rune Soldiers, beneficial in every way.


    Lie walked down the street, holding Chu Zheng in the palm of his hand, and said in a gentle voice,


    "Tell me if there''s anything else you want, and I''ll buy it all in one go."


    Now with the Blood Food he had, even if he spent a lot, there would be more than enough to help the tribe through the cold wave.


    Chu Zheng did not decline, he looked around, eyeing the antique marketplace through Lie, and purchased a few inconsequential trinkets.


    They were either fragments of Rune Soldiers or pieces of ancient bone inscriptions that detailed secret matters, still needing time to be understood.


    With the cold wave approaching and no one in the tribe capable of taking charge, Lie didn''t want to stay outside for too long.


    After wandering around the gathering for several days and acquiring all the materials needed for the furnace, Lie bought gifts for the children of the tribe and then started on his return journey.


    ...


    ... S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng, having reached the age of maturity, now had the freedom to enter and leave the tribe at will.


    Upon returning to the tribe and informing Lie about the design and things to note about the furnace, Chu Zheng could hardly wait to leave the tribe and found a vacant mine tunnel to enter.


    Ensuring there was nothing unusual around, Chu Zheng took out the Divine Ability Bone and restored it directly.


    A layer of gentle divine light flashed, the broken white bone gradually became whole, and the divine runes on it slowly revived.


    However, these divine runes, still half unintelligible to anyone, remained impossible to fully comprehend.


    [Divine Ability Bone (Fifth Order): One of the three spine bones of the People of the Celestial Spirit Tribe, non-members of the Celestial Spirit Tribe, when integrated into the body, have a fifty percent chance of awakening Innate Divine Ability.]


    Seeing the information transmitted by the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng''s eyes lit up with joy, as the chance of awakening had risen to fifty percent.


    A fifty percent chance was astonishing.


    After hesitating for a while, Chu Zheng still decided to put away the Divine Ability Bone for now, planning to try it when he reached the Third or Fourth Order.


    After repairing the divine bone, Chu Zheng didn''t rush back to Wangshan Tribe but began trying to forge a Storage Magical Artifact.


    Originally, he hadn''t planned to forge a Storage Magical Artifact so soon, but the current environment posed no problems anymore.


    Forging a low-grade Storage Magical Artifact wasn''t difficult, as long as one had a certain understanding of space.


    Although his cultivation was limited, Chu Zheng''s understanding of space was already profoundly deep.


    Now a Great Cultivator of Divine Infant Sixth Transformation, along with some space-folding techniques learned earlier in the Tianyao Federation, forging a Storage Magic Treasure wasn''t very difficult for him.


    Not having a Storage Magic Treasure at hand was somewhat inconvenient.


    After trying for a long time, Chu Zheng finally forged a Storage Bag. Although the space inside was very small, it was enough to keep a few trump cards.


    ...


    ...


    When Chu Zheng returned to the tribe, the furnace had already been built and was starting to operate.

 Chapter 218 Cold Wave, Totem Replacement

    With the furnace, the efficiency of smelting Spirit Mines multiplied by several folds, and numerous Rune Soldier embryos were gradually forged.During this period, Chu Zheng taught the most basic formation patterns to the Weapon Forging Masters of the Wangshan Tribe.


    This was a subtle influence to lay the groundwork for future arrays.


    As the speed of forging Rune Soldiers greatly increased, Lie took another trip to the market alone, bringing back a large quantity of Blood Food and Spiritual Medicine.


    Chu Zheng spent less and less time returning to the tribe; he preferred to remain in the wilderness, searching for relics and treasures, and then studying the Bone Books he had previously acquired from the market.


    These Bone Books contained the history of a tribe from the Dongyuan Realm, written in a very generalized manner, but among them were some pieces of information precious to Chu Zheng, regarding the methods to engrave totems.


    A totem is essentially an expression of all things in heaven and earth, and Beast Spirits are merely one aspect of them; their essence still originates from a form of power from heaven and earth, which inherently has traces to follow.


    With the repair panel at his disposal, he had no fear of experimentation. However, before that, there was some preparation to do as his current cultivation level was not enough to explore new totems. He would need to spend time and effort to deeply study them.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, more than a year had passed.


    The three suns in the sky had lost one without notice, which was the prelude to the coming of the Cold Wave.


    In at most another half year, all three suns in the sky would disappear, and the Cold Wave would subsequently arrive.


    The previously common low-grade Savage Beasts had vanished without a trace, each returning to their underground caves to prepare for a lengthy hibernation, reducing their energy consumption.


    The sense of dry heat in the air began to subside, and the winds that blew no longer carried a scorching heat but now had a touch of mildness to them.


    The atmosphere between heaven and earth silently changed, and every member of the Wangshan Tribe became extremely solemn, gradually moving underground.


    Only at this moment did Chu Zheng discover that a thousand feet beneath the Wangshan Tribe had already been hollowed out; the passageways were intricate and complex, spreading like a spider''s web, with many stone rooms carved out, Spiritual Springs drawn in, and plenty of Spiritual Medicine stored.


    For the younger and adolescent tribespeople, the stone halls and wooden huts on the surface were simply uninhabitable during the Cold Wave, so they had no choice but to move underground.


    Moreover, being exposed on the surface made it easy for top predators to detect their scent, inviting disaster.


    Even large tribes had to hide underground during the Cold Wave, or they would be easily harassed by Savage Beasts, encountering great calamities.


    At Lie''s insistence, Chu Zheng no longer ventured outside and remained in one of the underground stone rooms in the Wangshan Tribe, focusing on his closed-door cultivation.


    As his cultivation improved, Chu Zheng felt the existence of Heavenly Fate more clearly. Practicing Qi Techniques in the Dongyuan Realm was completely different from his time in the Cangyun Realm.


    Heavenly Fate did not cause him much influence, but neither did it provide much assistance. The Heavenly Fate of the Dongyuan Realm was extremely scattered, drifting about without any sign that Taoist Orthodoxy had ever existed.


    Strictly speaking, the Totem Path was not a complete path of cultivation; it was more like draping the Human Race with the outer covering of spiritual objects from heaven and earth, drawing power from this world through the totem.


    The power belongs to the totem, not to the Human Race itself. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng even doubted whether the power of the totem could continue to exist after leaving this world.


    Such a path is undeniably beneficial to the world; after death, everything returns to heavens and earth, having no impact on the world.


    But for cultivators, the significance of this may require some contemplation.


    However, this method of cultivation relying solely on totems doesn''t truly qualify these Dongyuan Human Clan members as cultivators.


    Experience new stories on empire


    Before solving the problem of racial survival, these Totem Cultivators hardly had the energy to think about these matters.


    Over a year''s time, with the innate Qi within the child''s body not yet dissipated, coupled with the nourishment from a large amount of Spiritual Medicine, Chu Zheng''s cultivation steadily entered Spirit Transformation Realm Perfection, nearing the completion of Jade Bone.


    The growth in cultivation made Chu Zheng''s physique much stronger, his appetite increased significantly, capable of digesting more beast blood.


    Drinking large amounts of beast blood daily, his body underwent an astonishing transformation. His Qi Strength had broken two hundred thousand catties, and now, he could easily kill a Second Order Savage Beast without relying on his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation.


    ...


    ...


    Down below, out of sight of the sun and moon, it was impossible to differentiate the time. Chu Zheng could only use the cycle of the Grand Circulation to keep track of time.


    Being underground without seeing the sun caused some trouble for his cultivation, slowing down his progress.


    About half a year after entering the underground palace, Chu Zheng cultivated Jade Bone.


    From then on, his time in Dongyuan had exceeded two years, and this rate of growth was not considered slow.


    Hum¡ª¡ª


    Lie directly pushed open the door and stepped into the stone room. He had shaved off his full beard, appearing much younger, around the age of thirty. His body was like a divine tower, cast from adamantine, but now his expression bore a touch of solemnity:


    "Zheng Chu, come with me."


    Having spoken, he turned and walked towards the depths of the underground palace.


    Chu Zheng followed, slightly puzzled.


    As he walked through the tunnels, he quickly noticed that something was off.


    The temperature underground was originally very high; the heat from smelting Spirit Mines could not dissipate in a short time, accumulating in this place. Moreover, with no ventilation, it was like a steamer.


    Just a few steps in, and one would be drenched in sweat, unable to stop the loss of moisture from their body.

 Chapter 218 Cold Wave, Totem Replacement_2

    By now, the temperature around had returned to normal, even a bit cold, and a layer of frost had formed on the walls of the passage."Uncle Lie, where is this leading to?"


    Seeing Lie continuing to press forward without looking up, Chu Zheng couldn''t help feeling puzzled.


    "Just follow."


    Lie did not give a clear answer, turned left and right, and entered the deepest part of the underground palace.


    Soon, the two of them entered a great hall supported by a dome.


    The hall was brightly lit and warm as spring, with the witch waiting there with Ying.


    In front of the witch was a jade table, on which were some unknown medicinal powders, pottery jars, short knives, and the Totem Stone Tablet that he had brought back.


    [Totem Stone Tablet: Originating from the Red Bear Tribe, it is inscribed with the methods of carving a first-class totem, which possesses divine skills: Spirit Absorption, Colossal Strength, Mountain Moving, Avoiding Water and Fire, Vajra Indestructibility.]


    A totem with five divine skills was a powerful totem of the first class.


    Chu Zheng looked at the witch and already had some guesses in his heart.


    "After the danger last time, my lifeblood was injured, and I originally had no intention of taking the risk to change my totem. Who would have expected it to recover as before." Lie spoke in a deep voice, then walked slowly in front of the witch, stripped off his upper beast skin, revealing his wide back, sat down on the ground, as still as a mountain:


    "Zheng Chu, I''ve brought you here today just to have you watch closely. You are still young, and rashly changing your totem could disrupt your lifeblood and harm your future. I shall be the one to pave the way for you this time."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s breathing tightened slightly. By now, his understanding of the Totem Path had advanced beyond his previous half-baked knowledge. Although a branded totem could be replaced, it was extremely dangerous, akin to passing through Ghost Gate Pass.


    Especially for the witch, this was her first time carving a totem of such a high level, posing a great risk as well.


    What''s more crucial was that the witch''s physical condition had already become quite poor.


    Carving a high-level totem consumed a great deal of energy. Now that the witch was nearing the end of her lifespan, it was uncertain whether she could endure until the end.


    "Watch carefully, Ying, this may be the only time I can do this in my life. Imprint this moment deep in your mind, brand it within your divine soul," the witch said solemnly.


    Standing beside them, Ying''s little face was taut as she nodded firmly.


    In these days, Ying''s pressure visibly increased. At her young age, her brows were always furrowed, and the brilliant smile that used to light up her face was nowhere to be seen.


    At the moment, she didn''t dare to divert her gaze in the slightest, not even casting a glance at Chu Zheng.


    The witch set aside her walking stick, picked up the short knife from the jade table, and its blade immediately shone with a silvery white light: Continue your journey on empire


    "Endure it."


    As the blade drew nearer to Lie''s back, the Mythical Beast totem resembling a Flood Dragon seemed to sense the threat and began to move and struggle.


    Gurgle¡ª


    The knife entered the flesh, making a soft sound, leaving a silver-lit cut without a trace of blood.


    Lie let out a muffled grunt, and his face was covered in sweat like rain, indicating that this was no simple cut. Even with his endurance, he was struggling to bear the pain.


    Under the pressure of the knife, the Mythical Beast totem soon retreated to the side of Lie''s shoulder.


    The witch seized the fleeting opportunity, and in a flash of lightning, she struck and delineated an area, completely cutting off the totem''s escape route.


    Hiss¡ª


    In the blink of an eye, the witch struck again, tearing off a whole piece of flesh from Lie''s shoulder. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The totem that had accompanied Lie for hundreds of years was thus stripped from his body.


    The next instant, his whole body began to convulse, and blood gushed out from the cut and his seven orifices. Despite Lie biting down hard and keeping his lips sealed, he couldn''t stop the outpouring of essence blood.


    His life force was visibly ebbing away at an alarming rate.


    Chu Zheng watched anxiously, wanting to step forward to save Lie''s life, but seeing the calm expression on the witch''s face, he dared not interrupt rashly.


    Ying''s eyes were red, yet she dared not blink, committing every one of the witch''s movements to memory and deeply etching them into her mind.


    The witch picked up the pottery jar and poured out streams of fragrant Spiritual Liquid from it, pouring it over Lie''s head, quickly stemming the flow of his essence blood.


    Then she took the medicinal powder and applied it evenly on Lie''s body, and the cuts previously made began to slowly close up.


    Without wasting a moment to catch her breath, she used the short knife to cut open her own brow, touched a bit of the seeping blood, and began to carve mysterious Talismatic Patterns on Lie''s back.


    Chu Zheng felt a chill in his heart as he sensed an unspeakably terrifying Divine Sense erupt from that aged and decrepit body, like an unfathomable ocean, its depth incalculable.


    The runes drawn by the witch were without any semblance of pattern, but upon marking Lie''s back, they began to interweave autonomously, gradually forming a complete design.


    A colossal bear with a burly figure slowly took shape.


    At this moment, the witch''s movements became very slow, as if intentionally allowing Ying''er to see clearly, deliberately slowing down the pace.


    But this undoubtedly placed an extreme burden on her own body, sweat pouring down like rain, mixed with the fresh blood that welled from her brow, making her look fierce and terrifying.


    Half an hour later, a complete giant bear finally took shape.


    Lie hung his head, having already passed out.


    The witch staggered, unable to stop herself from retreating, clearly drained of strength, unable to steady her form.


    Ying leaped forward to support her, eyes filled with urgency, "Witch..."


    Chu Zheng hurried over to assess Lie''s condition, fortunately, it was just excessive loss of Essence Blood, not life-threatening, and he would recover quietly without future complications.


    The imprinted totem was now operational, absorbing nature''s spiritual energy from the surroundings to heal his injuries.


    Chu Zheng had healed most of Lie''s injuries and looked up at the witch, his heart suddenly sinking.


    [Luan: Great Witch of the Divine Communication Realm, the Power of the Spirit and Soul greatly damaged, Life Origin exhausted, beyond recovery, irreparable.]


    This was exhaustion at the very foundation of the Divine Soul, even the healing panel was helpless now.


    The witch''s life was nearly at its end, her body had already entered the underworld, held here only by the strong support of her Divine Soul, forcibly remaining in the world.


    Already a body in its twilight years, and yet she had forcefully inscribed such a powerful totem; had it not been for her unresolved will, she might have died on the spot.


    The healing panel could not make up for the passing of life, something he had known since his first encounter with Geng Yiyang.


    "Ha... ha..."


    In the great hall, the witch''s heavy breathing echoed, she calmed herself for a moment, looking at Ying with eyes full of hope, "Did you memorize it all?"


    "I''ve recorded it all, not missing a single moment."


    Ying nodded rapidly, having already etched the previous scenes entirely into her Divine Soul, ready for review at any time.


    Such was the benefit of the powerful Divine Soul unique to witches, photographic memory.


    "Remember to review it often; what you don''t understand now, you''ll come to understand in the future."


    The witch sighed in relief, weakened, she collapsed to the ground, staring into the void with a vacant gaze, lost in thought.


    After a while, she turned her head toward Chu Zheng, "Zheng Chu, you go back first."


    Chu Zheng hesitated briefly, then nodded in response:


    "Alright, take care of yourself."


    Not until Chu Zheng''s figure had disappeared within the hall did the witch turn to Ying:


    "Go wake up your father."


    Ying ran to Lie''s side and, after a short while, managed to awaken him.


    The moment his eyes opened, a divine gleam flickered through Lie''s eyes, his back totem faintly glowed, surrounded by a halo of blood light, fully activated.


    He could already feel the power of the totem on his back, far more potent than his previous one by tens of times.


    "Lie."


    When Lie heard the witch''s call, he suppressed the turmoil in his heart and looked up.


    "Regarding Zheng Chu... I have something I want to tell you."


    The witch took a deep breath, a flash of determination in her eyes:


    "I always felt he was familiar, but it wasn''t until I inscribed the totem for you that my Divine Soul stirred, and many memories returned...


    "This child is extraordinary; I''ve seen someone like him before..."


    "Someone like him?" Lie was momentarily stunned before he prodded, "What does this mean?"


    "Nearly a thousand years ago, I met someone emanating an aura of misfortune, and the feeling he gave me was... very similar to Zheng Chu."


    The witch''s expression grew more grave, "He was a malevolent spirit from the Alien Realm, not a creature of the Dongyuan Realm."

 Chapter 219 Burial

    "An evil spirit from the Alien Realm?"Lie''s brows slightly furrowed, as there were indeed many peculiarities about Zheng Chu that differed from ordinary people:


    "The person you saw before, what eventually happened to him?"


    The witch became lost in her memories, and it took her a long time before she finally spoke: "He was an extremely terrifying person, belligerent, with a nature inclined to killing as if he couldn''t rest easy without causing trouble every day."


    "He once entered Beyond Heaven, hunting the Divine Phoenix Blood Phoenix, and he also ventured into the sea to capture and kill a True Dragon. He even killed many peak warriors from the large tribes, fearless, and with an unpredictable temperament, simply impossible to fathom with common logic."


    "Later, I heard that this person seemed to have died but where he died or how he died... there''s no way to know..."


    A tightness gripped Lie''s heart, uneasy: "Witch, the reason you''re telling me this now, is it because you want to...?"


    "This child, Zheng Chu, I can''t see through him... the trouble he attracts, our Wangshan Tribe might not be able to bear it."


    The witch''s face was covered with worry, and she didn''t know how to treat Zheng Chu.


    The current Zheng Chu owed a favor to the Wangshan Tribe, and the changes he had brought could transform the fate of a tribe.


    But if Zheng Chu, just like the person she knew back then, really came from the Alien Realm, he might one day bring catastrophic disaster upon the Wangshan Tribe.


    "I will keep a close eye on him."


    Seeing that the witch remained silent for a long time, Lie spoke in a heavy voice: "Regardless, he is someone I brought back. I will keep watching him and ensure he doesn''t stray from the right path."


    "You should go back now. I need to rest for a while. Just leave Ying by my side." Continue reading at empire


    The witch didn''t say anything more, and with Ying''s assistance, walked deeper into the temple.


    On a wide stone bed covered with thick, soft beast skin, Ying seemed somewhat distracted. After helping the witch onto the bed, she couldn''t help but ask softly:


    "Witch, will you harm Zheng Chu?"


    "No." The witch shook her head and tightly grasped Ying''s small hand, asking in a serious tone:


    "Ying, if one day the survival of the Tribe requires the death of Zheng Chu to continue, what would you choose? The extinction of the Tribe... or to let Zheng Chu die?"


    "Such a day won''t come." Ying answered without any hesitation, her expression serious: "If that day truly comes, then it would be my incompetence."


    "Witch, rest assured."


    Ying stood up straight, her gaze burning like torches, as she spoke each word decisively:


    "I will become the most powerful witch the Wangshan Tribe has ever had. I will protect the Tribe for you and carry on the flame of Wangshan."


    "Ying, I''m sorry."


    The witch sighed deeply, raising her hand to gently stroke Ying''s hair, her eyes filled with pity:


    "Your mother was my chosen successor, but she loved your father too much and couldn''t control her heart, ultimately forsaking her qualification as a witch, leaving this responsibility on your shoulders."


    Ying''s expression briefly stiffened, and she instinctively took a half step back, murmuring with her head lowered:


    "These things... my father never told me."


    She wasn''t aware of the past events and had never even seen her own mother. Growing up, all she knew was that her mother had died on the day she was born.


    "When your mother, Ya, gave up her succession as the witch to be with your father, she felt very guilty and found me after getting pregnant."


    A bitter smile tugged at the corner of the witch''s mouth: "As a witch, I understand and even envy your mother. At that time, there was no suitable child in the Tribe, and as my days were numbered, I agreed to Ya''s request."


    "Your mother was the most talented person I have ever seen. As a candidate for witch, her Power of the Spirit and Soul was incredibly strong from birth. Before she even came of age, she was stronger than some witches."


    "On the day you were born, she transferred all her strength to you, which is why you naturally possess spiritual power far surpassing many witches. However, it is also because of this that she..."


    At this point, the witch stopped talking and said no more.


    "So that''s how it is."


    Ying''s voice was low, her tone one of realization. She had always believed that she was responsible for her mother''s death and often felt very guilty.


    "Ying, don''t blame your mother. Sometimes, this is how people are, unable to control their thoughts, making many regrettable decisions." The witch''s expression was complex, her gaze dim. She had many regrets as well.


    "No witch."


    Ying raised her head, a slight smile on her face: S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My mother did what she wanted to do, and because of that, I exist. I think... my mother probably doesn''t regret being with my father. The only thing she might regret is not being able to succeed you and continue protecting the Tribe.


    "And I... will finish that task for her."


    In that moment, the clouds cleared from Ying''s heart, her eyes resolute. Her mother had given up her chance at life, passing on all her power to her, probably hoping she would fulfill this regret.


    ...


    ...


    The following days were calm and somewhat dull.


    Chu Zheng devoted most of his energy to cultivation, aside from occasional trips to the mining area to interact with the Weapon Forging Masters and transfer Formation Patterns, or to go into seclusion at his residence.


    He replayed the scene of the witch changing Lie''s totem over and over in his mind, absorbing the nourishment from it.


    The expert way she handled the totem left a deep impression on him and greatly deepened his understanding of the art of totems.


    Once he had fully grasped it, and his cultivation improved a bit more, he could attempt to create his own totem and then replace the one on his back.


    After changing Lie''s totem, the witch lay in bed for several months before she could barely get up. She was at the end of her tether, her body drained and completely squeezed dry, now only clinging to life through sheer willpower.

 Chapter 219 Burial_2

    Within the thousand-foot underground tunnel, frost had already formed, and it was extremely cold. Even with Chu Zheng''s current cultivation, he needed to circulate his Yuan Qi or allow the beast fire within him to flow to prevent his body from freezing stiff.After the cold wave had completely arrived, Lie''s health deteriorated further; he seldom went out and only moved around inside the hall. Lie pulled several robust youths to dig out another fire pit beneath the great hall and set up a place for ore refining, making the area around the great hall warm as spring.


    Despite these efforts, it was difficult to retain the witch''s fading life force.


    The weight of the words "No way to turn back the heavens" was already enough to explain everything.


    Hum¡ª


    Lie pushed open the stone door and stepped into the room, his expression somewhat solemn:


    "Zheng Chu, the witch has passed away, come with me to send her off."


    Chu Zheng was startled for a moment, then nodded his head and followed Lie''s steps.


    Four warriors from the Wangshan Tribe carried a jade coffin, which was already sealed. Ying stood by with little sadness on her face.


    Lie took the lead, walking toward the surface.


    As they neared the surface, the temperature around them plummeted rapidly, the ice layers thickening until the tunnel was completely blocked by ice.


    Lie''s Blood Qi began to surge, generating intense heat that instantaneously melted three meters of ice. The resulting ice water cascaded down the tunnel, forming a small stream that trickled underground.


    A moment later, the group reached the surface, where only ice and snow met their eyes.


    Chu Zheng set foot on the ground after a long absence, with the howling of the wind and snow echoing between heaven and earth, and saw nothing but a desolate winter devoid of any life.


    The former Wangshan Tribe had been completely sealed by heavy snow and hidden under thick ice.


    The extreme cold made Chu Zheng feel uncomfortable, prompting him to speed up the circulation of the beast fire inside his body, which made him feel much better.


    This extreme cold was somewhat beyond Chu Zheng''s expectation. Apart from the howling of the wind and snow, there was no other sound; the tumult was permeated with dead silence, as if even time and space had been brought to a standstill, completely frozen. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lie led the group forward, walking into a wasteland.


    The surrounding ice and snow quickly melted away, revealing a series of graves, as Lie continued towards a tombstone.


    The tombstone looked very clean, without any weeds around it, clearly tended to frequently.


    "Chu Ming''s tomb..."


    Chu Zheng looked at the name on the tombstone, his brows slightly furrowed, a surname on the name enough to indicate that this person came from no ordinary background.


    "He was once the strongest warrior of the Wangshan Tribe, originally from a large tribe. But for the sake of Luan, he stayed, joined the Wangshan Tribe, and protected the tribe for over four hundred years."


    Lie spoke gravely, "The witch''s last wish was to be buried next to him."


    Being a witch, she could not marry in her lifetime. Chu Ming waited for Luan for over four hundred years, maybe even longer.


    Without further explanation about Chu Ming, Lie dug a new grave next to the tomb and buried the jade coffin down.


    The witch''s funeral was simple, attended only by Lie and Chu Zheng, along with a few of the tribe''s strongest warriors and Ying.


    Ying was unaffected by the cold, her complexion rosy and her breath steady.


    Chu Zheng glanced at her with slight puzzlement, a thought stirring in his mind.


    Under his Spiritual Eye, Ying''s Divine Soul strength had reached the Third Order, a level of strength attainable only by adult Totem Cultivators and comparable to Great Cultivators in the Immortal Path''s Soul Condensing Realm.


    Ying was only ten years old so far, her future achievements boundless.


    The witch''s death did not impact the tribe too severely; everything continued as before.


    Your next read awaits at empire


    Ying succeeded the witch, beginning to prepare medicines for wounded warriors of the tribe and helping newborns with their totem tattoos.


    Her current skill level, although incomparable to Luan''s, was sufficient; apart from the First Class totem, she had mastered all other totem engraving techniques.


    In the eyes of the people of the Wangshan Tribe, she had already become a qualified witch, earning the respect of many of her tribespeople.


    Chu Zheng''s status within the Wangshan Tribe similarly soared, and the majority of the tribespeople regarded him as a rare genius.


    The Formation Patterns he devised greatly enhanced the power of the Rune Soldiers and reduced the losses incurred during their creation.


    At the same time, Chu Zheng had begun to teach the tribe''s warriors some basic breathing techniques of Qi absorbtion.


    This method drew in nature''s spiritual energy, and although it fell short of the true Qi-refining Technique, it significantly impacted these warriors, greatly enhancing their battle strength.


    Lie did not interfere with this, simply observing in silence, his attitude toward Chu Zheng remained as usual.


    ...


    ...


    This cold wave lasted a long time, a full half-year longer than usual, persisting for nearly four years.


    Had it not been for the ample reserves of Blood Food previously stored, many people in the Wangshan Tribe would likely have suffered from hunger.


    After enduring the cold wave, the populations of many tribes entered a period of growth, including the Wangshan Tribe; the number of newborns each year increased over the previous years.


    In response, Ying, serving as the witch, became incredibly busy. Day after day, she expended great effort to inscribe totems on newborns and tend to their bodies.


    Living underground and lacking in the intake of natural energy, Chu Zheng''s cultivation progressed slowly. However, with the help of various Spiritual Medicines, he still managed to aggregate the Dao Embryo and entered the mid-stage of the Dao Embryo Realm.


    The growth of his physical body was even more astonishing; his Qi Strength increased several times over, and now it was hard to find a Third Order Savage Beast that could withstand his palm.


    In the path of totems, he had reached adulthood. The connection between him and his totem became even tighter, with signs of Divine Skills beginning to manifest.


    As the cold wave receded, the temperature underground gradually began to rise. The high temperatures and the moisture from the melting ice layers caused many newborns to suffer greatly, and epidemics occurred from time to time.


    However, it was still not advisable to return to the surface just yet; they needed to persevere for a while longer.


    Lie had already taken the tribe''s top warriors and left the underground ahead of the others. They were tasked with thoroughly cleansing the Wangshan Tribe''s territory within ten thousand miles to eliminate any threats.


    The aftermath of the cold wave was filled with hungry Savage Beasts. Many powerful beasts, to compensate for their losses during the cold, engaged in frenzied killing and hunting.


    This period was even more dangerous than the onset of the cold wave.


    It was not until a month after the cold wave had passed that the Wangshan Tribe began migrating and returned to living on the surface.


    As soon as he got back to the surface, Chu Zheng eagerly left the tribe and ventured into the wilderness to release the frustrations of having been confined underground.


    Along the way, he often saw Savage Beast skeletons, their essence of Blood Qi drained away, evidently sucked dry by the Melting Beads.


    The Savage Beasts within ten thousand miles had been swept clear, and Chu Zheng saw no game until he ran over twenty thousand miles out, where he finally spotted traces of Savage Beasts.


    At the same time, he discovered traces of a tribe, and the traces were fresh.


    A claw print spanning over a hundred miles had obliterated the entire tribe, leaving behind only a deep pit where remnants of some palaces could faintly be seen.


    A tremendously powerful Savage Beast had passed by, destroying the entire tribe with a single strike, leaving none alive.


    Chu Zheng was slightly startled; such a blow, if it were to fall on the Wangshan Tribe, would result in the same outcome.


    The location was merely twenty thousand miles from the Wangshan Tribe, far too close.


    Chu Zheng steadied his mind, cleared the remaining traces in the tribe, obtained some fragments of Rune Soldiers and Bone Books, and began his return journey.


    ...


    ...


    When Chu Zheng returned to the tribe, the Wangshan Tribe was bustling with activity.


    After asking a few tribe members, Chu Zheng then learned of the recent events: a few days ago, people from the Wan Tribe had visited, bringing some Savage Beast meat and Spiritual Medicines.


    This was a celebration, congratulating the Wangshan Tribe for surviving the cold wave.


    Furthermore, the people from the Wan Clan also delivered an invitation concerning the Great Beast Hunting Festival.

 Chapter 220 The Great Beast Hunting Festival, Refining the Divine Ability Bone

    The Great Beast Hunting Festival, the most solemn festival of the Dongyuan Human Clan, was held only after the cold tide.It was led by the three major clans'' alliance, assembling elites from various tribes, each dividing their own hunting grounds, and launching a slaughter on the savage beasts.


    First, it celebrated the tribe''s survival through the cold tide; second, it was in retaliation for the savage beasts'' attacks during the cold tide.


    Within the cold tide, tribes destroyed by the claws and fangs of savage beasts were not few in number.


    Most crucially, after the cold tide, was the breeding season for many savage beasts; hunting one at this time was worth more than ten before the tide.


    For the ever-increasing number of savage beasts, this was an unmissable opportunity for battle, inevitably resulting in many deaths and injuries.


    The Great Beast Hunting Festival, led by powerful tribes, offered many rewards ¡ª Rune Soldiers, Spiritual Medicine, and the flesh of powerful savage beasts, as well as intermarriage and alliances between the tribes.


    This was also essentially a matchmaking congress for the entire Dongyuan Human Clan every dozen years or so, indirectly affecting many powers due to alliances through marriage causing shifts in circumstances.


    The flesh of powerful savage beasts, for Totem Cultivators, was the best nourishment, which, especially for prominent figures, could even involve a tribe''s witch intervening to replace a higher totem.


    This grand gathering naturally stirred some interest in Chu Zheng, who wanted to see if he could pick up some treasures or information about totems.


    The totem path, being compatible with Qi Cultivators, was beneficial for the original body; while the Martial Path could not be concurrently cultivated, having one more method to strengthen the physical body wasn''t a bad thing, as it could enhance one''s combat strength.


    The only downside might be that his lifespan could suffer some loss, but, with the Repair Panel, it should be able to reduce a lot of physical damage and extend the lifespan as much as possible.


    Now, what he needed more was to increase his cultivation level; as for the lifespan, he could consider it later, being young enough with plenty of time to spend.


    ...


    ...


    "Are you interested in going to the Great Beast Hunting Festival?"


    Chu Zheng had just returned to his tribe, and Uncle Lie found him to ask about his intentions.


    The Great Beast Hunting Festival was not attended by every tribal member; at most, it would not exceed half of the tribe''s overall strength. This was a fight against savage beasts, a life-threatening risk.


    Every past Great Beast Hunting Festival had seen significant casualties, and for the survival of the tribes themselves, certain risks had to be avoided.


    Ultimately, the Great Beast Hunting Festival was held because those large tribes did not want to see their people suffer heavy casualties, which was why this festival existed.


    To fight against savage beasts was not something a single tribe or clan alliance could accomplish; it required more tribes'' participation.


    "I want to go."


    Chu Zheng nodded without any hesitation, "Uncle Lie, when will we be setting off?"


    "In half a year."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s puzzled look, Uncle Lie continued, "We need to give the savage beasts some time to breed and carry their young."


    Savage beasts with offspring under their care would also have their combat strength significantly affected, killing two birds with one stone.


    In the struggle and conflict of races, any means are fair and justified.


    Chu Zheng understood, then returned to his dwelling, retrieving the Divine Ability Bone he had repaired earlier. Continue your adventure with empire


    Before participating in the grand competition, he needed to refine the Divine Ability Bone, now his cultivation was enough.


    He was curious about what kind of Innate Divine Ability this bone would bring him.


    Innate Divine Abilities, inherently mysterious, differed significantly from those developed later in life.


    What Chu Zheng really wanted to verify was whether this Innate Divine Ability could affect his true body.


    If his true body could also awaken an Innate Divine Ability like his avatar, then this trip to the Dongyuan Realm would truly be worthwhile.


    To merge the Divine Ability Bone into his body, he first had to remove a spinal bone, then replace it with this bone, inserting it into his body.


    Due to their identical structure, each person could only integrate up to three Divine Ability Bones, awakening up to three Innate Divine Abilities, a unique mystery of the Heavenly Spirit Race.


    If the Divine Ability Bones weren''t inherently ineffective for the Heavenly Spirit Race themselves, the current state of the Dongyuan Realm might well be different.


    Chu Zheng lay on the stone bed, his hands folded into a sword, stabbing into his back, and enduring the intense pain, he forcibly plucked out a spinal bone.


    Immediately, he stuffed the Divine Ability Bone into the gap, filling the vacated space.


    As the Divine Ability Bone was inserted, stained by the blood, it immediately emitted a faint glow, and a powerful qi burst forth from the void, engulfing Chu Zheng in an instant.


    In that moment, Chu Zheng felt as if a heavy hammer had struck his mind, and he passed out.


    He was unconscious for quite a while before Chu Zheng eventually regained consciousness, glancing at the outside sky in mild shock; he had been unconscious for at least two hours.


    The wound on his back was still aching faintly as he operated the Repair Panel to mend the injury on his back, sitting up.


    Feeling around for a moment, his expression changed slightly as he sensed that his Divine Sense seemed much stronger.


    With a thought, Chu Zheng pulled up the avatar panel. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Name: Zheng Chu (Chu Zheng)]


    [Cultivation: Third Order (Late Stage of Dao Embryo Realm)]


    [Cultivation Technique: Eternal Calamity Treasure Record (Tenth Order)]


    [Talent: Spiritual Eye (Fourth Order), Soul Capturing (Sixth Order)]


    [Repair Master: Sixth Order (4050/8000)]


    [Remaining Daily Repair Counts: 60]


    [Currently Repairable: None]


    In the Talent section, a new ability named Soul Capturing appeared.


    As Chu Zheng sensed the changes within his body, he pondered.


    Once the Divine Ability Bone entered his body, the Divine Rune on it vanished without a trace, turning into an ordinary spinal bone.


    Once a Divine Ability Bone is contaminated, even if it is dug out and replaced with another, it cannot be reawakened to an Innate Divine Ability, potentially a constraint by the Dongyuan Heavenly Dao.

 Chapter 220 The Great Beast Hunting Festival, Refining the Divine Ability Bone_2

    ```Chu Zheng gathered his thoughts and his consciousness returned to his body, where he checked his status panel.


    As expected, the word "Soul Capturing" appeared in the talent section, similar to the "Spiritual Eye," originating from the depths of his divine soul, and unrelated to his physical body and strength.


    The divine skill of "Soul Capturing" was not of high grade, but it had the potential to grow, related to the strength of one''s own divine soul.


    During combat, it could capture the spirit of the opponent; if the cultivation levels were similar, one could seize the fleeting opportunity for battle, and strike with certainty.


    Beyond that, "Soul Capturing" could also control the spirits of living creatures, manipulating savage beasts and even cultivators was not a difficult task.


    Divine skills of the divine soul are scarce, and combined with the fact that it was an innate divine ability with potential to grow, the value of this Divine Ability Bone was immeasurable to Chu Zheng.


    It seems that, in the future, he needed to devote some effort to searching for high-grade Divine Ability Bones. Innate divine abilities could greatly assist his true form; wasting this opportunity would be far too regrettable.


    The Great Beast Hunting Festival was an event even the Heavenly Spirit Race would attend. As long as he had the appropriate bargaining chips by then, exchanging for two more Divine Ability Bones should not be difficult.


    Putting aside the thoughts in his mind, Chu Zheng began to circulate his Grand Circulation, Refining Essence into Qi.


    The Sun and Moon Essence Qi of the Dongyuan Realm was astonishingly abundant, and the growth rate of his Dao Embryo was rapid. In at most two more years, he would be able to try condensing his Life-bound Golden Core.


    Without the help of Heavenly Fate, this level of speed was unimaginable. Without the restored status panel to alleviate the harm that Spiritual Medicines could do to the body, no Qi Cultivator could have reached his state.


    ...


    ...


    Six months passed in the blink of an eye.


    Led by Lie, Chu Zheng and half of the elite warriors of the tribe set out on the road to the Great Beast Hunting Festival.


    Ying stayed behind in the tribe, as a witch could not be away from the tribe for long. During these six months, besides inscribing totems for newborns, she was always preparing healing herbs, which was extremely exhausting.


    The warriors from the Wangshan Tribe setting out for the Great Beast Hunting Festival were armed to the teeth, with an entire array of weapons and armor, including shields and boots.


    Previously, due to the limitations of Beast Bones, most of the Wangshan Tribe''s Rune Soldiers were of an offensive type, and only large tribes had protective armor made from the scales of Savage Beasts.


    Processing armor from Savage Beast scales required an extremely high level of skill, not merely the interplay of various Talismatic Patterns but also the regulation of the scales'' flexibility and protective qualities, which only a high-grade Talisman Soldier Master could possess.


    The inability to melt down the scales and reshape them surely entailed significant limitations.


    The Weapon Forging Masters of the Wangshan Tribe were far from being able to forge such scale armors.


    However, forging iron armor from Spirit Mines was much less troublesome.


    One only needed to smelt the metal, then shape it with molten Spiritual Liquid and engrave either Talismatic Patterns or Formation Patterns upon it.


    Lie was filled with anticipation for the upcoming festival. With the enhancement of their weaponry, the Wangshan Tribe was bound to return full-handed.


    Aside from these, Lie also prepared a large number of Rune Soldiers for trading with other tribes.


    ...


    ...


    After traveling for nearly half a month on the backs of Ming Sculptures, the delegation from the Wangshan Tribe finally arrived at the gathering point.


    This place was not where the Great Beast Hunting Festival would be held, but rather where the Wan Clan''s Tribal Alliance gathered.


    The location of the Great Beast Hunting Festival was beyond the Human Race territories, in the ''Thirteen Wastes'' of the Nine Domains and Thirteen Wastes.


    In the Nine Domains, half belonged to the Human Race and the other half to the Celestial Spirit Race. Although there were many Savage Beasts active, it was somewhat safe.


    But the Thirteen Wastes were truly the realm of Savage Beasts, utterly uninhabited by humans, and it was simply impossible for anyone to survive there.


    If it weren''t for the combined efforts of the three major clans controlling the field, it would be impossible for the individual tribes to penetrate into the territory of the Thirteen Wastes to hold such a grand event.


    The Wangshan Tribe arrived a bit late, and the departure ceremony of the Wan Clan''s Tribal Alliance had already begun.


    A large number of Savage Beasts were put into a giant pit, where many warriors from different tribes were battling the beasts.


    ```


    ```


    A vast amount of blood splattered, congealing into a river. Totems bathed in the blood of Savage Beasts glimmered brightly, eliciting rounds of cheers.


    This was a method to boost morale, first stimulating the warriors from various Tribes gathered here with the blood of Savage Beasts, inciting them into an excited state.


    Chu Zheng surveyed his surroundings, his gaze suddenly sharpening. He saw some individuals from the Celestial Spirit Race.


    Their number was not many, but they were all strong fighters, with none of their cultivations below Fourth Order.


    Those who came to participate in the Great Beast Hunting Festival were all warriors of various Tribes who had reached adulthood, with none below Third Order, but in comparison to the Celestial Spirit Race, they were still significantly weaker.


    ...


    ...


    The ritual before departure was swiftly completed. Millions of elite fighters from various Tribes gathered together, strong as clouds.


    Chu Zheng, mingling with the crowd, saw many awe-inspiring elites, including those of Seventh or even Eighth Order, the pinnacle of Totem Cultivators.


    Most Tribe warriors wore only beast skins, with many even going bare-chested, unabashedly displaying the totems on their backs.


    The warriors of the Wangshan Tribe were extremely conspicuous among the many Tribes, drawing frequent gazes with just the armor covering their entire bodies.


    Continue reading on empire


    However, in such an enthusiastic atmosphere, no one came forward to strike up a conversation just yet.


    Besides these Totem Cultivators, Chu Zheng also saw a significant number of witches, all clad in hooded black robes that concealed their faces. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many powerful Tribes had more than one witch, unlike small Tribes like the Wangshan Tribe, which only had a single line of transmission.


    This was related to resources. A small Tribe could not afford to support two witches at the same time. Witches required Secret Medicines to increase their Divine Souls for cultivation, and such medicine was hard to come by, necessitating a large amount of Blood Food for trade, which was quite resource-consuming.


    After the ceremony, people from the various Tribes were quickly led to a gigantic Divine Bird, and they sequentially climbed onto its back.


    This was not a living creature, but instead an extremely formidable Rune Soldier. Hundreds of miles long, it was like a mountain range.


    This Rune Soldier was built upon the skeleton of a gigantic Divine Bird, clad in feathers of different Divine Birds. Each feather featured Talismatic Patterns along its length, emitting a faint glow. There were houses and palaces on it, enough to accommodate tens of millions of people.


    [Heavenly Phoenix Flying Ship (Eighth Order): Main body forged from the skeleton of an Eighth Order Azure Phoenix, combining feathers from a hundred Divine Birds and 7,830 different Formation Patterns. Possesses Divine Skills: Space Shattering, World Escaping, Hundred Phoenix Chant.]


    Eighth Order!


    It was on par with an Immortal Treasure.


    Receiving the information from his Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng was momentarily astonished.


    This was without a doubt the pinnacle in Dongyuan Human Clan''s ability to forge Talisman Soldiers, a feat requiring an immense amount of manpower.


    Just the task of hunting down an Eighth Order Divine Bird was incredibly arduous, costing many lives and a long, massive endeavor to collect the feathers of these Divine Birds.


    However, the result proved worthwhile. This Heavenly Phoenix Flying Ship had an astonishing combat power, a treasure upon which the Wan Clan Alliance could rely for its very foundation.


    After several days, the people from the various Tribes finally all boarded the flying ship, settling down among the feathers.


    After adjusting for half a day, the Heavenly Phoenix Flying Ship spread its wings and took to the sky, carrying millions of elites toward the northwest.


    This Great Beast Hunting Festival would last at least two years, and many had prepared themselves, knowing they might not return to their Tribes.


    In just under half an hour into the journey, guests arrived at the Wangshan Tribe''s quarters.


    The members of the Wan Clan had come calling, interested in the Rune Soldiers forged from Spirit Mines.


    The Wangshan Tribe stood out conspicuously, attracting the attention of many Tribes, and the Wan Clan naturally noticed as well.


    Lie and Chu Zheng had anticipated this scenario, or rather, they had deliberately intended to attract attention, which is why they had been so ostentatious.


    The Wan Clan would certainly want to uncover the secrets, and using this as leverage to negotiate for some benefits beforehand was the wisest choice.


    After this Great Beast Hunting Festival, it would no longer be possible to keep the existence of the Spirit Mines and Rune Soldiers a secret. Therefore, it was better to take the initiative into their own hands.


    ```

 Chapter 221 Faith

    The Wan Tribe brought a total of three people, with the leader being a Seventh Order powerhouse named Wan Xu, who had entered the pinnacle of his strength.Chu Zheng and Lie shared a room, and not long after they had settled in, the Wan Clan paid a visit.


    To carry as many people as possible, the houses on the Heavenly Pheonex Flying Ship were built densely and narrowly. The rooms felt rather cramped. Now with a few more people, it immediately seemed crowded and the air circulation became somewhat stagnant.


    "Lie, where did these weapons come from?"


    Wan Xu swept a glance at the Rune Soldiers piled in the corner. He didn''t beat around the bush and got straight to the point.


    He appeared no older than thirty, at first glance younger than Lie, wearing luxurious brocade robes with Talismatic Patterns flowing on them, which were Fifth Order Rune Soldiers.


    The Wangshan Tribe was already under the protection of the Wan Clan, and it seemed that Wan Xu and Lie were already well-acquainted, so there was no need for any pleasantries.


    Lie and Chu Zheng showed no surprise. Lie stood up, took a Rune Soldier, and handed it to Wan Xu.


    "These are blades forged from Spirit Mines."


    Lie briefly explained, then gestured for Chu Zheng to come forward and began to melt a piece of Low Grade Spirit Ore on the spot.


    Wan Xu watched silently, not interrupting.


    Half an hour later, a First Order Rune Soldier had taken shape in Chu Zheng''s hands.


    "Forge Stone into Soldiers?!"


    Wan Xu took the Rune Soldier from Chu Zheng''s hand, his eyes brightening with interest. He nearly immediately grasped the immense benefits hidden within.


    Compared to Weapon Refining with Beast Bones, this malleable Spirit Ore was undoubtedly much more convenient.


    "Who discovered this?!" Coming back to his senses, Wan Xu stared at Lie somewhat excitedly, neglecting Chu Zheng standing aside.


    Lie pointed at Chu Zheng and spoke softly, "He did. His name is Zheng Chu."


    Chu Zheng had long discussed this matter with Lie and was ready to divulge the technique of Refining Ore into Soldiers to the Wan Clan Alliance.


    Relying on the power of the Wangshan Tribe alone, they couldn''t keep this secret safe, so they decided to transfer it to the Wan Clan in exchange for a share of the benefits. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furthermore, Chu Zheng needed to use the Wan Clan to spread the name Zheng Chu throughout the tribes along with the technique of Refining Ore into Soldiers to build momentum for the future.


    First, to establish his reputation; it would be much easier to embark on God Creation later, at least laying down some groundwork.


    "Oh? This child?"


    Wan Xu fixed his gaze on Chu Zheng with a trace of puzzlement in his eyes, "Zheng Chu? Isn''t he a member of the Wangshan Tribe?"


    People of the Wangshan Tribe had no surnames, and this ''Zheng'' surname didn''t seem to belong to any well-known and established family.


    In an instant, his expression froze, and looking at Chu Zheng filled with incredulity, he asked, "You''ve reached adulthood?"


    Previously, his attention was all on the Spirit Ore; now that he inspected closely, he immediately discovered the powerful Essence Blood lurking within Chu Zheng.


    Even for a Totem Cultivator with exceptional talent, reaching adulthood typically required at least twenty to thirty years, or even longer.


    To become an adult before ten years of age was unheard of even within the entire Wan Clan Alliance, defying all expectations.


    "Indeed, he is not." Lie nodded and said, "I rescued him from the wilderness; I do not know to which Tribe he belongs."


    Wan Xu suddenly reached out, pulled Chu Zheng to his side, and directly unwrapped the Beast Skin he was covered in. After a thorough search, he grew more and more amazed,


    "Just a Second-Class Totem, and he reached adulthood before ten years of age?!"


    The strength of a totem determines the speed of a person''s growth.


    There''s a limit to the number of totems a witch can inscribe each year. To inscribe a First-Class Totem drains a lot of energy, so naturally, not every newborn can receive a First-Class Totem.


    In most cases, even for the Wan Tribe, newborns generally only receive a Second-Class Totem, and then between the ages of five and ten, they will have an opportunity to replace their totem.


    Those who grow faster and consume more naturally have higher talent and thus receive more resources.


    Occasionally, there are exceptions¡ªsuch as when both parents and ancestors have high qualifications and a history of fast growth¡ªthen the first totem inscribed on a newborn can be First-Class.


    But even a First-Class Totem couldn''t possibly endow a growth speed as miraculous as Zheng Chu''s!


    Snaping back to reality, Wan Xu turned his head to look at Lie and inquired, "How much does he eat every day?!"


    "Six bowls of adult Savage Beast Essence Blood daily."


    Lie didn''t hide anything; he knew exactly how much beast blood Chu Zheng consumed each day.


    Hearing this, Wan Xu couldn''t help but exclaim in astonishment, looking at Chu Zheng as if looking at a treasure, saying, "Truly remarkable."


    Find adventures on empire


    One bowl of Essence Blood is equivalent to half a Savage Beast, and within the Tribe, an ordinary adult warrior drinking one bowl could sustain three days'' worth of needs.


    This child''s appetite was nearly that of twenty adult warriors; it was too exaggerated.


    "A child not even ten years old, not only with exceptional talent but also this clever?" Wan Xu scrutinized Chu Zheng, his eyes filled with a hint of surprise and suspicion, "How did you discover that these stones could be used to refine soldiers?"


    Chu Zheng was naturally prepared for this and immediately recounted a fabricated story.


    Out hunting in the wilderness, he encountered a Savage Beast. During the struggle, the beast fire melted the Spirit Ore into liquid. Once cooled, it took on a new shape, and on a whim, he used the liquid to forge a blade and inscribed Talismatic Patterns on it, thus discovering the method of Refining Ore into Soldiers.


    Such stories came easily to Chu Zheng, and he could come up with several on the fly. As for their veracity, as long as they were plausible and had some rationality, no one would care too much.


    In essence, how it was discovered wasn''t important. What mattered was the value brought forth by the discovery of the Spirit Mines.


    "Truly a profound blessing, perhaps this is a divine favor upon our Human Race!"

 Chapter 221 Faith_2

    Wan Xu did not harbor much doubt, his face brimming with irrepressible joy."Lie, would it be good to send Zheng Chu into the Wan Clan?"


    Wan Xu tilted his head toward Lie, speaking in a consultative tone, "With the Wan Clan, he will have a better future. I will ask the Great Witch to intervene, to replace his totem with a first-class one and cultivate him with care."


    At this moment, he had already set aside the matter of the Spirit Mines, focusing instead on Chu Zheng''s potential.


    "Zheng Chu has already undergone the rite of adulthood; he can decide for himself, I won''t interfere." Lie didn''t give an answer but left the choice to Chu Zheng.


    Deep down, he didn''t want Zheng Chu to join the Wan Clan, but considering Zheng Chu''s future prospects, joining the Wan Clan was undoubtedly the better option.


    In the Wan Clan, there was the flesh of powerful pinnacle Savage Beasts, stronger Secret Medicines to enhance Blood Qi foundation, and plenty of first-class totems to choose from.


    No matter how you looked at it, the Wan Clan was a notch above the Wangshan Tribe.


    "Zheng Chu, do you want to come with me? The Wan Clan can offer you better resources."


    Wan Xu looked at Chu Zheng, extending the olive branch once again.


    After a moment of hesitation, Chu Zheng shook his head, "I''d like to consider it later."


    Joining the Wan Clan now was not a good choice, with too many powerful individuals around, it would hinder his God Creation.


    No one would wish to venerate a weakling; the power of the Wangshan Tribe was just right.


    This time, as he undertook his transformation ordeal, Chu Zheng didn''t know how long he could sustain it, but aspiring to reach the Seventh or even Eighth Order seemed a bit unrealistic; he might not last that long, and it would require a great deal of time, at least tens of thousands of years.


    According to his original plan, he would stay in the Dongyuan Realm for at most a hundred years, and then he would have to shift his focus back to his original body; after all, this was only an incarnation, not his entirety.


    "There''s no rush, whenever you want to join the Wan Clan, just tell me, you''re welcome anytime." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wan Xu was not in a hurry to press for an answer. Turning to Lie, he steered the topic back to Ore Refining into Soldiers: Find your next adventure on empire


    "This time, your Wangshan Tribe will be credited with a merit. After the Great Beast Hunting Festival, rewards will be sent to the tribe. After I verify this method with my clan, I will promote it in the name of Zheng Chu throughout the entire alliance."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help being somewhat surprised. He was still considering how to get the Wan Clan to agree to associate this method with the name ''Zheng Chu'', but it turns out there was no need for him to bother at all.


    "Why by the name of Zheng Chu?" Lie frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.


    This was tantamount to pushing Zheng Chu into the spotlight, attracting too much attention, and there would be no small trouble.


    His concern was primarily from Zheng Chu''s perspective, attracting too much notice could bring considerable trouble for both Zheng Chu and the Wangshan Tribe.


    The smile on Wan Xu''s face faded, and he said earnestly, "The Human Race today needs a miracle."


    With his level of Cultivation, only one step away from the pinnacle of the Dongyuan Realm, he could see far more than Lie could.


    Facing the Savage Beasts, the Human Race is falling back day by day; they need some special power to maintain confidence and prop up this increasingly desperate world.


    Zheng Chu is a miracle. He will use the method of Refining Ore into Soldiers to make Zheng Chu''s name resonate throughout the entire Dongyuan Realm.


    Given Zheng Chu''s talent, it''s only a matter of time before he grows up. He will exaggerate Zheng Chu''s talent even further, even demonize it to make as many people as possible aware that the Human Race is blessed by the heavens.


    The power brought by faith can sometimes be as strong as a totem, even if it can only be maintained temporarily.


    Such examples have existed before, though they are all like a fleeting meteor, gone in an instant, but they ultimately help the Human Race maintain stability for a while.


    At least, before Zheng Chu''s departure from this world, many people can hold a glimmer of hope.


    ...


    ...


    The speed of the Heavenly Phoenix Flying Ship was extremely exaggerated; in less than two days, it had crossed several domains and entered into the wilderness.


    The Hunting Ground of the three-clan alliance of the Human Race was not far away, standing in a tripod formation with the other two clans having already arrived.


    The sky over the wilderness differed slightly from that of the Nine Domains, with billions of miles without a cloud, and the sun gave off a more terrifying heat.


    Under the scorching sun, Chu Zheng only felt the Yuan Qi within him operating much faster, the Yang Qi inside him rising, and a slight irritability being born.


    As far as the eye could see, there were forested mountains, grasslands and Gobi, encompassing everything. Often, one could see huge dark shadows moving through the mountains, and with their steps came a thunderous rumbling sound.


    The air seemed to be permeated with the smell of blood, and bones could be seen everywhere.


    Once everyone had left the Flying Boat, the divine bird, massive as a mountain, once again rose into the air, circling above, with several peak powerhouses who had stepped into the Eighth Order domain sitting in control above it.


    What they needed to guard against were the threats that might emerge from outside the Hunting Ground.


    The Great Beast Hunting Festival was also an event of extreme risk for the Human Race.


    There had been accidents in Beast Hunting Festivals before, when over ten peak-level Savage Beasts jointly broke into the hunting grounds, wounding the majority of the Human Race''s elite warriors, nearly leaving the Human Race too weak to recover. It took thousands of years to regain some Yuan Qi gradually.


    A simple encampment was quickly erected, stretching out for hundreds of miles, and a thousand-zhang wide Jade Pool, situated at the forefront of the camp, was filled to the brim with crimson beast blood.


    Passing through this pool would fully activate the totem, able to amplify the battle power of a Totem Cultivator for a short period.


    Besides that, there was another use. When the totem was in an activated state and bathed again in beast blood, it would leave some traces.


    After killing a Savage Beast, using the heart blood of the Savage Beast to cleanse the totem would be recorded and then used as a criterion for evaluating merit.


    Since it was the Great Beast Hunting Festival, naturally, the more Savage Beasts were hunted, the more the rewards.


    The totem would remember how many Savage Beasts you killed, with no allowance for dishonesty.


    ...


    ...


    After resting for one day, the warriors from the various clans successively bathed in beast blood and set off into the wastelands.


    The order of entry into the Blood Pool had an unspoken rule: the Wan Clan went first, followed by some larger clans with surnames.


    As for warriors from smaller tribes like the Wangshan Tribe, they fell behind.


    Lie and Chu Zheng blended into the crowd, walking towards the Blood Pool.


    "Once you enter the wasteland, you will act on your own, be careful," Lie said gravely, giving him a warning.


    After entering the wasteland, he would not be able to follow by Chu Zheng''s side any longer, hindering his own hunting aside, he might also bring danger to Chu Zheng.


    Some powerful Savage Beasts particularly liked to hunt targets full of Blood Qi. His presence next to Chu Zheng might attract some incredibly strong Savage Beasts, and even the aftershocks of their fights could crush Chu Zheng to death.


    "Uncle Lie, you''ve said before, I''m of age now, I know what to do," Chu Zheng replied casually, stepping into the Blood Pool.


    Hearing this, Lie couldn''t help but feel a momentary haze.


    Even though he told Wan Xu that Zheng Chu was of age, he was still habitually treating Zheng Chu like a child, overlooking the fact that he was now a qualified adult warrior, and even more so, his battle strength was amongst the upper-middle tier of those who came from the Wangshan Tribe.


    By the time he came back to his senses, Chu Zheng''s figure had already disappeared into the Blood Pool, lost from sight amid the flow of people.


    ...


    ...


    The instant he stepped into the Blood Pool, Chu Zheng felt a warmth on his back as his totem seemed to start moving.


    The warm beast blood instantly submerged his whole body, bringing a burst of warmth.


    Restlessness surged in his chest, somewhat uncontrollably raising a trace of killing intent, difficult to suppress.


    In the beast blood, there was more than met the eye, likely mixed with Spiritual Medicine that excited and invigorated the spirit.


    Taking a deep breath, Chu Zheng suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, left the Blood Pool, and headed into the depths of the wastelands alone. He had many methods to preserve his life but couldn''t take care of others simultaneously; acting alone was the most appropriate.


    Even though cultivators numbering in the millions had gathered, when scattered throughout the entire wasteland, they were like a drop of water in the ocean, not causing the slightest ripple.


    In but a moment, within miles around Chu Zheng, not a single person could be seen.


    "Whoo¡ª"


    A high and piercing cry echoed in the void, and a massive dark shadow dived down, completely enveloping Chu Zheng.

 Chapter 222 Traces of the Qi Cultivator, Nine Orifices Golden Core

    Aura winds howled, the brutal airflow sweeping across all directions, instantly triggering Chu Zheng''s nerves.Chu Zheng glanced up, a claw almost ten meters in size hurled directly at his Spiritual Eye. Sharp as a blade, reflecting cold light, it was capable of slicing metal and smashing jade.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng drew out his Dragon Bone Spear, its tip flashing with cold light. He raised his hand and thrust upward, aiming at the heart of the claw.


    Buzz¡ª


    A gust of wind arose, the giant claw withdrew, and a dark shadow soared into the air, retreating abruptly.


    Only then did Chu Zheng clearly see the entirety of the Savage Beast: a ferocious bird enveloped in gray feathers. According to the information given by his Spiritual Eye, it was a Third Order Savage Beast, not far off in strength from him.


    "Screech¡ª"


    A high-pitched cry echoed between heaven and earth. Despite missing its strike, the ferocious bird did not leave, but continued to hover around Chu Zheng. Continue your adventure at empire


    This level of Savage Beast already possessed considerable intelligence. The reason it had targeted Chu Zheng as its prey was probably that it had noticed Chu Zheng''s lack of a Strong Bow, which posed no threat to it.


    Lacking mana and with only a strong physical body, even a Fifth Order expert like Lie could not fly freely, needing the assistance of birds or Divine Birds totems to soar.


    Chu Zheng put away the bone spear and took out a Strong Bow from his Storage Bag.


    His Storage Bag already filled with rune soldiers and magic artifacts he had created, was there for added precautions.


    Seeing the Strong Bow suddenly appearing in Chu Zheng''s hands, the airborne ferocious bird exhibited obvious panic, turned its direction, and flapped its wings trying to flee.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and suppressed the mana surging inside him, relying on his body strength to draw the bowstring, aiming and shooting several arrows in quick succession.


    The sharp sound of space shattering rose, resulting in a series of sonic booms. Before the sound reached, the arrows had already penetrated the body of the ferocious bird, causing a tremendous force to burst open, tearing massive gashes.


    Blood rained from the sky as the ferocious bird fell, crashing heavily into the wilderness, raising a cloud of dust.


    At Chu Zheng''s level, his archery skill could no longer be described merely by accuracy. As long as the strength was sufficient and the arrow fast enough, it was a certain hit with no possibility of missing.


    This ferocious bird, with a wingspan of over twenty meters, would be untouchable for regular Totem Cultivators without a Strong Bow in hand.


    Chu Zheng stepped forward and split open the chest of the ferocious bird, extracting its still warm, faintly beating heart, absorbing a wisp of blood from it into the totem behind him.


    The totem, bathed in beast blood, emitted a warmth, memorizing the scent of the ferocious bird.


    He then took out a Melting Bead, sucked dry the blood qi of the ferocious bird, and then turned to leave.


    This time at the Great Beast Hunting Festival, although Chu Zheng had come for the Divine Ability Bone of the Heavenly Spirit Race, if he could collect some rewards along the way, that was naturally better.


    Chu Zheng looked around, and seeing no sign of anyone, summoned a Flying Sword and, controlling it, soared into the depths of the wilderness.


    Having secluded himself for several years, he had accumulated quite a bit of Tribulation Qi by his side. Experiencing more combat was also a way to wear it down, reducing the potential trouble it could bring to the Wangshan Tribe.


    ......


    ......


    In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.


    Chu Zheng traveled deep into the hunting grounds, regardless of personal loss, hunted hundreds of Savage Beasts, and soon entered a desolate area.


    Apart from the bones of Savage Beasts, there were also many bones of the Human Race, likely left from past Great Beast Hunting Festivals, many of which were covered by Savage Beast bones, incomplete and jumbled together, clearly having become food.


    Along the way, Chu Zheng discovered many fragments of rune soldiers, all of which he collected, among them several high-quality Sixth Order rune soldiers, reaping a great harvest.


    However, the Savage Beasts active nearby were visibly stronger, mostly fluctuating between Third and Fourth Order, with most being Fourth Order.


    Fourth Order Savage Beasts were not something Chu Zheng could handle at the moment. Further ahead, his current strength was somewhat stretched thin.


    Besides the bones, Chu Zheng also saw many Totem Cultivators from various tribes, mostly elites with Cultivation around Fourth Order. Their battlefield had already advanced to this point, engaging in extremely bloody combat with the Savage Beasts, with casualties on both sides.


    After some consideration, Chu Zheng changed direction, deciding to circle around and then head back to the camp.


    His current military exploits were already enough to exchange for quite a few resources. Those rune soldiers could completely be exchanged for two pieces of Divine Ability Bone; his initial goal had been achieved.


    Chu Zheng turned around and went in a wide arc, slowly moving toward the camp.


    After traveling for several days, Chu Zheng stopped in a valley, surrounded by scattered bones of humans and Savage Beasts. Chu Zheng casually inspected a few and discovered some rather startling information.


    Around were skeletons, whether of humans or savage beasts, none were below Eighth Order.


    The essence Qi within these skeletons had been completely extracted, leaving behind nothing of value. Even when Chu Zheng used the "Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing" divine skill to try and extract something, he was unable to obtain anything useful from these skeletons.


    Perhaps it was precisely for this reason that these skeletons had been preserved until now.


    Chu Zheng made a large round and carefully counted; there were a total of seventeen skeletons, which meant that nearly twenty True Immortal-level experts had died near this unremarkable valley.


    The information implied by this was startling.


    With some vigilance, Chu Zheng headed deeper into the valley.


    The entire valley had clearly been scavenged. It was empty, with nothing but scattered rocks and no useful information.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not rush to leave, but began a meticulous search of the valley. So many powerful beings had died here, all their essence Qi drawn out.


    The various anomalies were enough to indicate that there was an unknown secret within this valley.


    Chu Zheng dug through the rocks inch by inch, going three feet into the ground, searching for traces left long ago. After spending several days, he finally found some clues.


    A half-wall built of blue bricks came into his view.


    [Damaged Temple (First Order/Incomplete): Originally enshrined a powerful deity, rarely received incense offerings, and had long been abandoned (repairable).]


    A temple?


    Seeing the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng''s expression suddenly sharpened. The Dongyuan Realm actually had traces of Incense Spirituality Taoist Orthodoxy?!


    He did not hesitate, immediately activating the repair panel, restoring the entire temple.


    In an instant, a temple spanning thirty feet made of blue brick and tiles appeared before Chu Zheng.


    He pushed open the door and stepped into the temple. The altar was empty, and fragments of the divine statue were yet to be found.


    Chu Zheng did not hurry to look for fragments of the divine statue. He looked around the temple''s structure, his eyes gradually turning from questioning to startled.


    The construction of this temple was identical to that of the damaged temple where he had discovered the Ancestral Dao Golden Body in the Cangyun Secret Realm. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The deity worshipped here, could it be that Ancestral Dao?!


    Chu Zheng sucked in a cool breath and began to search around the temple inch by inch. When his eyes fell on a handful of red soil, a surge of information suddenly entered his mind.


    [Ancestral Dao Golden Body (Second Order/Incomplete): Ancestral Dao Divine Statue, lacked incense offerings and had not undergone Spiritual Awakening, destroyed in a great battle, repairable.]


    As the repair panel activated, a divine statue appeared before Chu Zheng.


    Looking at the divine statue which resembled his appearance, Chu Zheng sucked in a cool breath, feeling a tingling in his scalp.


    It was indeed the Ancestral Dao Golden Body?!


    Qi Cultivators had been here before, but for some reason, they had not spread their teachings to the human race of this realm.


    Staring at the Ancestral Dao Golden Body, Chu Zheng frowned in deep thought for a while, then took a sprig of Pure Incense from beside the altar, lit it, and offered three respectful bows in the Taoist manner, offering up the incense.


    As a Taoist School cultivator, to see the Ancestral Dao and offer up a sprig of Pure Incense was only proper, especially since the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record he practiced was also an inheritance from this deity.


    Right after finishing the incense offering, ripples appeared in the void, and a jade box fell from the void, landing on the altar.


    "What is this..."


    Chu Zheng, puzzled, reached out and took the jade box into his hands, directly opening it.


    A dazzling golden light burst out, and seeing the contents of the box, Chu Zheng involuntarily held his breath, his eyes filled with disbelief, and he exclaimed, "A Golden Core?"


    A flawless Nine Orifices Golden Core rested quietly inside the jade box, emitting brilliant golden light, with the spirit apertures inside flickering with the phantom images of nine great divine skills.


    The absence of any aura on the Golden Core proved that its owner had died.


    ......


    ......

 Chapter 223 Swallow the Pill, Ascend to Heaven in One Step

    [Nine Orifices Golden Core (Fourth Order): Originating from the embodiment of a Mysterious Immortal, this core was refined from the remaining essence at the juncture of the immortal''s lifetime exhaustion. Upon ritualistic self-disembowelment to extract the core, if a Qi Cultivator consumes it, their cultivation can reach the perfection of the Golden Core Realm. Non-Qi Cultivators, however, will explode and die. (Details)][Detailed Information: The Golden Core gathered from practicing the Purple Cloud True Scripture comes with divine skills: Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique (Ninth Order), Law of Heaven and Earth (Ninth Order), Shrinking Earth into Inches (Ninth Order), Heaven Returning Technique (Ninth Order), Demarcate (Ninth Order), Beast Servant (Ninth Order), Samadhi True Fire (Ninth Order), Swallowing Stars (Ninth Order), Move Stars Change Constellations (Ninth Order)]


    Gazing at the information within his Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation.


    This Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing technique; an unnamed Mysterious Immortal possessed mastery over it as well.


    If he obtained this through the Repair Master panel, then was there some connection between the Repair Master and the Qi Refining Lineage?


    This single Golden Core, simply by swallowing and assimilating it, would immediately allow Chu Zheng to step into the perfection of the Golden Core Realm and also instantly possess nine divine skills. This was a legacy from a Mysterious Immortal, on par with the stature of an Immortal King or Immortal Venerable, equivalent to a supreme existence in the universe.


    None of the nine divine skills within the Golden Core were below the Ninth Order; these were the Mysterious Immortal''s personal insights, elevated to this level.


    It could be said that by consuming this Golden Core, Chu Zheng''s transformation into spirit from Qi refining would be just in sight, akin to an ascent to the heavens, saving him at least a hundred years of arduous cultivation.


    However, grafting another''s Golden Core was something he had never done before, and he didn''t know if there might be any dangers involved.


    By swallowing this Golden Core, he would be in debt to this unknown Mysterious Immortal. Could he handle the karmic repercussions of a Mysterious Immortal?


    Yet he was more puzzled that the Golden Core could change ownership. If according to this method, one could integrate someone else''s Golden Core without any side effects, wouldn''t Mysterious and even Golden Immortals of the Qi Refining lineage be able to mass-produce Qi Cultivators with Nine Orifices Golden Cores?


    This seemed somewhat exaggerated, and there might be some restrictions he was yet unaware of.


    Looking at the Golden Core at his fingertips, Chu Zheng closed his eyes and pondered for a long while before finally raising his hand and tossing the Golden Core into his mouth.


    He had dealt with existences at the Immortal King level before, and there was no need to be overly cautious. If he could overcome the Refine Spirit Realm in this incarnation and step into the Returning to Void during this tribulation, he would have a chance to elevate the rank of Repair Master to Seventh Order.


    A Seventh Rank Repairer corresponded to cultivators of the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm. At that time, there might be an immense surprise waiting for him. If he could repair Semi-Immortal Treasures and Semi-Immortal Pills, the hidden cards in his hand would suddenly skyrocket.


    If he had a Semi-Immortal Treasure in hand, the cultivators of the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm would find it far from easy to take action against him.


    Upon swallowing the Golden Core, a sensation of intense swelling spread through his viscera, tearing a bloody path and forcefully squeezing into his Dantian.


    A tremendous suction emerged from the Golden Core, draining the mana from Chu Zheng''s body in just a few breaths.


    Inside the Dantian, the original Dao Embryo began to wither, its essence drained. All the essence was absorbed into the Golden Core.


    As his mana was fully drained, Chu Zheng felt no emptiness; on the contrary, he experienced a fullness like never before.


    Streams of Spiritual Liquid gushed from the Nine Orifices of the Golden Core, replenishing his desiccated Dantian. The surging mana began to enhance his body''s strength.


    The mysteries of the nine divine skills successively flooded into his mind.


    Before Chu Zheng could thoroughly experience them, a strong hunger emanated from his limbs, urgently needing a replenishment of Blood Qi.


    He immediately took out the Melting Bead and extracted all the accumulated flesh and Blood Qi from recent times, swallowing it into his stomach. His body''s strength rose drastically at an astonishing rate.


    The muscles and bones stretched, his stature increased, and his Qi Strength grew incessantly.


    After nearly half a month, Chu Zheng finally assimilated most of the changes brought by the Golden Core. His cultivation also reached the perfection of the Golden Core Realm, surpassing his original Qi Refinement''s Cultivation.


    Within the Sea of Consciousness, his Divine Soul was eager to try, just one step away from ascending to the Refine Spirit Realm.


    Chu Zheng chose not to continue cultivating. He slowly stopped his practice, preparing to return to the camp.


    Through his own cultivation, it would have taken him at least two to three years to enter the Refine Spirit Realm, but within the camp, there was a secret medicine that could increase the power of the spirit and soul, sparing him this period of time.


    Once he stepped into the Refine Spirit Realm, he would be able to return to the hunting grounds to hunt Savage Beasts in their prime, which would yield far greater benefits than now.


    Explore hidden tales at empire


    There were still more than a decade until the next Great Beast Hunting Festival, so there was no need to waste this rare opportunity.


    Just as his breath had stabilized and Chu Zheng was about to rise, a slight fluctuation transmitted in his heart, a subtle change occurred where his main body was located.


    Chu Zheng sat back down again, shifting most of his attention back to where his main body was.


    ......


    ......


    In the Cangyun Realm, Wanlong City.


    Within the secret chamber, Chu Zheng suddenly opened his eyes, a burst of colorful light shining on his brow, as his spirit and soul underwent a metamorphosis, and his cultivation surged once again, advancing to the Divine Infant Seven Transformations.


    The Divine Infant Seven Transformations marked the late stages of the Divine Transformation Realm, and Tongxuan was now within sight, inseparably linked to the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    At the moment of breakthrough, Chu Zheng sensed a calling from the distant stars, someone was summoning him.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng closed his eyes again, and a thread of Divine Sense traversed the stars, following the call.


    Time was indeterminate, but when Chu Zheng regained consciousness, light returned before his eyes, and he found himself unable to move, with a figure kneeling not far beneath him.


    "Yuan Dazun¡­"


    As he recognized the kneeling figure, Chu Zheng murmured somewhat dazedly, looking around, he found himself in a magnificent temple.


    His consciousness had returned once more to the starry sky where the Incense Fire Divine Path reigned supreme.


    Upon hearing the soft call from above, Yuan Dazun kowtowed repeatedly, weeping for joy:


    "Greetings, Dao Lord!"


    Chu Zheng glanced at Yuan Dazun, and after briefly estimating through his bone age, he quickly came to a conclusion.


    A hundred years had passed since the death of one of his incarnations.


    There was a plethora of redundant information within the Golden Body which had not been dealt with. During this time, he was almost in a state of slumber, entirely cut off from the outside world.


    Chu Zheng spent some time processing the backlog of information before beginning to understand the current situation.


    Over this century, Yuan Dazun had not given up on spreading faith for him, always working to increase his followers, and now the cultivation of his Incense Fire Divine Path was ever increasing, close to becoming a Junior Heavenly Monarch.


    A Junior Heavenly Monarch, already Sixth Order, was equivalent to Tongxuan.


    But now Yuan Dazun was limited by his insufficient cultivation, and he was gradually finding it difficult to control the believers under Chu Zheng''s command.


    Ever since one of Chu Zheng''s incarnations perished with the dissolution of the Immortal Serpent Star, the position of Venerable had remained vacant. Although Yuan Dazun had once received a blessing, a hundred years of cultivation had only just sufficed to bring him to Third Order.


    For someone about to step into the Sixth Order as a Junior Heavenly Monarch, managing the believers with this level of cultivation was undoubtedly becoming inadequate.


    Looking at Yuan Dazun kneeling on the ground, an idea flickered through Chu Zheng''s mind. If he combined the method of the totem with these believers, perhaps it would produce a favorable effect. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 224 Military Achievements

    "From this day forward, you are Venerable."After considering for a moment, Chu Zheng once again expended a large amount of his essence to bestow a divine blessing upon Yuan Dazun, forcibly elevating his cultivation to the Fourth Order.


    Then, using the power of the spirit and soul as a medium, he imprinted a totem on Yuan Dazun''s back.


    The totem borrowed the power of Heaven and Earth. Many totems from the Dongyuan Realm might not work in this star domain, so for the sake of caution, Chu Zheng left a cloud-like Third Order totem on Yuan Dazun''s back.


    In any world, there are always clouds, it should have some effect more or less.


    The moment the totem took shape, Chu Zheng immediately felt strands of spiritual energy flowing endlessly into Yuan Dazun''s body.


    "Thank you for the God''s favor!"


    Perceiving the changes in his cultivation and body, Yuan Dazun couldn''t help but continuously bow down in ecstasy.


    Gaining the position of Venerable meant that he had definitively separated himself from the many followers, obtaining authority over them, and with his enhanced strength, binding those followers was no longer a difficult task.


    "Go pick some more followers," Chu Zheng instructed.


    Just one sample wasn''t enough to verify the totem''s viability; he needed to create more totems and observe for decades or even a century to draw some conclusions. This was a path of cultivation, not something that could be implemented so easily.


    The followers of the Divine Court were his main reliance for improving cultivation at present. Before the successful God Creation in the Dongyuan Realm, they were also a foundation that should not be carelessly abandoned.


    Soon, Yuan Dazun picked out a hundred people for Chu Zheng. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng spent some time and expended a great deal of energy to complete the imprinting of the totems one by one.


    As the first batch of cultivators in this starry sky to have totems inscribed, their future was filled with uncertainty.


    Chu Zheng could not be sure whether this path was the right one, but for Yuan Dazun, without the totem and without the divine blessing, the First Order was already his limit.


    At least now, their path of cultivation could extend further than before.


    This summoning by Yuan Dazun''s divine sense had given Chu Zheng some ideas. Perhaps through the Incense Fire Divine Path, he could create a secret treasure that would allow one to traverse the distances of the cosmic starry sky and communicate rapidly.


    The speed of message transmission was too slow; sometimes, it could delay many matters.


    How exactly to implement this still required further research, but it would have many uses in the future.


    ...


    ...


    After dealing with the trivial matters of the Divine Court, Chu Zheng''s deity incarnation once again fell into slumber, and his consciousness returned to the Dongyuan Realm.


    This back and forth had taken some time, and several months had passed within the Dongyuan Realm.


    Calculating the time, Chu Zheng didn''t waste any more effort and headed directly back to the camp.


    With the Divine Skill "Shrinking Earth into Inches" assisting him, his travel speed increased by dozens of times, and in less than a day, he had returned to the camp. Along the way, he also casually slew a few Fourth Order Savage Beasts.


    At this moment, the camp was bustling with noise, warriors from various tribes had returned in droves, boasting of the blood-red battle achievements recorded on their totems, exchanging what they needed; many People of the Celestial Spirit Tribe were also mingled among them.


    During the Great Beast Hunting Festival, the Heavenly Spirit Race did not send many tribesmen to participate. The population of the Celestial Spirit Race had always been limited and could not withstand too many losses.


    Occasionally, some Celestial Spirit tribesmen participated just for the experience and did not intend to truly risk their lives.


    Chu Zheng stepped into the camp, took a casual glance, and noticed many Rune Soldiers made from the smelting of spirit mines.


    The Wan Clan had acted quickly; on this frontline battlefield, many warriors had already begun to understand the method of Weapon Refining with spirit mines.


    Identifying the direction, Chu Zheng headed towards Wangshan Tribe''s location.


    Along the way, he heard many people mentioning his name, linked with the art of Weapon Refining; Wan Xu had not deceived him and had indeed spread his reputation.


    Soon, he arrived near the dwellings of the Wangshan Tribe.


    "Are you... Zheng Chu?"


    Seeing Chu Zheng, Uncle Lie showed a somewhat incredulous expression. Due to the strengthening of his physique, Chu Zheng''s figure had significantly changed, but his appearance had not altered much.


    "Uncle Lie."


    Chu Zheng greeted with a smile.


    "Not right, how come I feel your Blood Qi..."


    Uncle Lie realized something was amiss, staring at the powerful Blood Qi surging around Chu Zheng, his eyes revealing a hint of shock as he took a half-step back:


    "How is this possible?! Are you nearing the Prime of Life?!..."


    Uncle Lie''s expression was somewhat bewildered, momentarily struggling to believe it. Before the Great Beast Hunting Festival, Zheng Chu''s Blood Qi fluctuations were just at the beginning of adulthood, far from the perfection of that stage.


    Now, Zheng Chu was not far from the Prime of Life, only a step behind the realm where Uncle Lie stood.


    This rate of growth was indeed astonishing. How much would one have to consume daily to grow so much flesh in such a short time? It certainly seemed more like a freak of nature.


    "I hunted a few Savage Beasts at the Perfection of their Prime recently, which increased my Qi Strength a bit,"


    Chu Zheng said with a smile, not offering too much of an explanation. He could roughly understand why Uncle Lie''s reaction was so exaggerated.


    The Prime of Life corresponds to the Third to Fourth Order, and after swallowing the flesh and essence of several hundred Savage Beasts, his physical strength had indeed reached the level of the Fourth Order.


    Being only one level below Uncle Lie, it was certainly difficult for him to accept and could even be deemed horrifying.


    Chu Zheng took out some of the Savage Beast materials from his Storage Bag and placed them neatly, then walked around the camp to ensure nothing was amiss before returning to his base.

 Chapter 224 Military Exploits_2

    Lie still stood motionless at his original spot, not budging an inch."Uncle Lie, where should I go to exchange the merits from beast hunting for rewards?"


    Seeing that Lie was taking a long time to recover his senses, Chu Zheng stepped forward and asked.


    "To the northwest of the camp, someone from the Wan Clan is there."


    Lie gradually regained his composure and flipped his hand to take out a beast skin bag and stuffed it into Chu Zheng''s hands, "This is a part of the cultivation resources specially prepared for you by the Wan Clan as a reward for discovering the Spirit Mines."


    Chu Zheng''s expression shifted as he stretched out his hands to receive it, and as expected, the pouch made from beast skin was a Space Artifact; the space within was slightly larger than the Storage Bag he was currently using.


    As one of the three great alliances of the Human Race, it was not surprising for the Wan Clan to possess a Space Artifact.


    Inside the beast skin pouch were some Spiritual Medicine, two Rune Soldiers, large pieces of Savage Beast flesh, and a Melting Bead that stored the essence of the flesh.


    The Melting Bead''s capacity to hold Blood Qi was limited, and it could not absorb some of the High Grade Savage Beast''s flesh; those two pieces of flesh, originated from a Seventh Order Savage Beast, and the energy contained within was quite astonishing.


    The two Rune Soldiers, both of Sixth Order quality, fell a bit short of a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, as they hadn''t undergone Spiritual Awakening and remained inanimate, incapable of battling on their own.


    "The Wan Clan has sent a message; if you have time, you can go there to change the totem on your back,"


    Lie calmed his disordered breathing and slowly persuaded, "This will be beneficial for you as well."


    "There''s no rush for this matter, I need to consider it a bit."


    Chu Zheng did not immediately agree, changing the totem was a matter he had his own ideas about, and he was already exploring the method to create totems; in time, he expected to gain some results.


    He wanted to try to construct some totems that would also be of great use to his true body; before that, there was no need to rush in changing his other totems.


    The most urgent task was to search for Secret Medicines that enhance the Divine Soul and step into the Refine Spirit phase.


    Once he entered the Refine Spirit phase, he wanted to re-enter the Hunting Ground and see if he could again find some traces of that Mysterious Immortal.


    That Mysterious Immortal had cut out his own Golden Core and left it within that temple, obviously for a destined person of later times, perhaps leaving some other traces as well.


    This Nine Orifices Golden Core saved him much hardship; the nine Divine Skills it contained were also greatly beneficial to his true body, accelerating his cultivation progress in the Golden Core Realm.


    It wouldn''t take long before his true body could also reach the Golden Core Completion Perfection Realm, and he could begin to attempt Refine Spirit.


    "Uncle Lie, I''m going to check the northwest of the campsite and will be right back."


    Chu Zheng secured the beast skin pouch, then stuffed his self-forged Storage Bag into Lie''s hands and directly turned to leave.


    Lie looked at the Storage Bag in his hands, his eyes growing more complex.


    This series of unusual occurrences had forced Lie to believe, just like the old witch had said, Zheng Chu indeed came from an Alien Realm and possessed many incomprehensible abilities.


    After a while, Lie sighed softly, clenched the Storage Bag, and turned away.


    He did not know whether concealing this for Zheng Chu was right or wrong, but from the current situation, it seemed to be more beneficial than harmful for the Dongyuan Human Clan.


    ...


    ...


    The northwest area of the camp was the liveliest place.


    More than eighty percent of the Totem Cultivators and witches participating in the Great Beast Hunting Festival gathered here.


    Here, one could exchange any reward recorded by the totems on their back, including changing totems.


    The process of checking the merits was simple: take a specially made Nine-section Bone Needle, insert it into the totem, and leave it for three breaths.


    The bone needle would change from white to red, gradually altering layers; based on the color change of the bone needle, one could roughly deduce the number of Savage Beasts killed, with practically no margin of error.


    Chu Zheng followed the crowd and slowly moved forward; after waiting for most of the day, it was finally his turn.


    The person checking him was a woman, about twenty-three or twenty-four, only wrapped in a bandeau on her upper body, her totem clearly visible, a giant python with blue scales spiraling down from her spine and curling over her lower abdomen.


    Under the sunlight, her skin shone with a wheatish gloss, her figure supple, like a lioness in the wild, exuding the unique savageness of the barbaric era, her cultivation had entered the Fourth Order, comparable to Chu Zheng''s current physical body, at the peak of adulthood.


    "You are... Zheng Chu?"


    The woman sized up Chu Zheng with a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze.


    Chu Zheng, somewhat puzzled, looked up at her and nodded, "Yes."


    The corners of the woman''s mouth curved slightly as the giant python coiled around her body slowly moved to her shoulder, wrapping around her forearm and gently brushing against Chu Zheng''s spine, bringing a chill that considerably distracted him.


    "My name is Wan Jue, I''ve seen you in the tribe, and you seem to have grown up quite a bit."


    Before her words had finished, a tingling sensation spread across Chu Zheng''s back as a bone needle penetrated deeply into his spine.


    A striking blood light flared up, quickly drawing the attention of many around them.


    The Nine-section Bone Needle had turned completely red, resembling red agate and shining with a lustrous glow.


    Exclamations of awe immediately filled the air, such intense red light indicated the hunting of hundreds or even thousands of Savage Beasts of the same realm.


    Considering Chu Zheng''s current cultivation, it would require the defeat of several hundred or even a thousand adult Savage Beasts to achieve such a feat.


    This was a record most Totem Cultivators could only dream of.


    "Truly impressive." Wan Jue withdrew the bone needle, a hint of admiration in her eyes as she asked, "What reward would you like?"


    "Secret Medicine that enhances the Divine Soul, or Divine Ability Bones." Chu Zheng named the two items he currently needed the most.


    Secret Medicine that could enhance the strength of the Divine Soul was extremely precious to witches, commonly sought after by witches from various tribes and always in high demand.


    Not to mention Divine Ability Bones, which were also beneficial for one''s body.


    "Oh?"


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s request, Wan Jue showed a hint of surprise, "Don''t you want to change your totem behind you? With your talent, using a Second-Class Totem is truly a waste."


    Chu Zheng shook his head, "No need, the totem isn''t important."


    At his words, Wan Jue chuckled softly and lifted Chu Zheng''s chin with her finger, her black and white pupils morphing into a pair tinged with a faint golden divine light:


    "After you join the Wan family, I''ll be your woman, how about that? I''ll ask the Great Witch to change your totem without requiring your battle achievements."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s expression remained unflustered as he slowly donned his beast skin jacket and whispered, "I''m only nine and a half years old this year, I don''t need a woman; just give me the Secret Medicine and Divine Ability Bone."


    A burst of laughter erupted around them, a few men of similar age teasingly approached:


    "A nine-year-old baby, what would he understand?"


    "Wan Jue, I am just as old as you!"


    "Wan Jue, you want to marry? I''ll use the best Rune Soldier of the tribe as a gift, choose me!"


    The Great Beast Hunting Festival was essentially a matchmaking event, and although these were jokes, some genuine intention was known only to themselves.


    Wan Jue''s face showed no anger; she glanced at the surrounding men with an obvious look of disdain in her voice, "What''s the use of just being older? Strong on the outside but hollow inside, who knows what weak offspring that would produce, just wasting my fertile soil."


    In between her words, she reached out to pinch Chu Zheng''s still youthful cheek, smiling as she said:


    "Since you''ve already reached adulthood, you can also marry, be my man and whatever you want in this world, I can provide it for you."


    Chu Zheng took a step back, rubbed his face, and repeated, "Secret Medicine, Divine Ability Bone."


    Wan Jue''s grip was surprisingly strong, and even with his current physical strength, it left a red mark on his skin. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You little thing, at such a young age, you''re really no fun at all." Wan Jue found him uninteresting and quickly pulled out five pills and two white Divine Ability Bones, stuffing them into the beast skin pouch at Chu Zheng''s waist.


    "Wan Jue, that''s not right."


    "You gave him too much! His battle achievements can''t be worth all that."


    A murmur of discussion emerged around them, the value of just two Divine Ability Bones was significant, not to mention the Secret Medicine for enhancing the Divine Soul, which was worth more than a regular adult combatant''s level Savage Beast.


    Wan Jue''s expression turned cold, with a sharp shout:


    "The shortfall in battle achievements, I will cover for him, I am willing, it''s none of your business! Disperse!"

 Chapter 225 Refine Spirit

    Wan Jue''s identity clearly set her apart from the ordinary; the crowd that had gathered around her instantly dispersed, not daring to entangle any further."I''ll pay back the excess later," Chu Zheng glanced at the secret medicines and divine ability bones in the beast skin bag, said casually and then turned to leave.


    He was merely a passerby in this realm and did not intend to get involved with anyone. He indeed needed these secret medicines at the moment, and after all, it wasn''t a debt he couldn''t repay. He would simply pay it back in spades in the future.


    Wan Jue''s eyes flickered slightly as she crossed her arms and fell into contemplation. From the brief interaction, Zheng Chu didn''t seem like a nine-year-old child at all¡ªhe possessed maturity far beyond his peers.


    Given the talents Zheng Chu had displayed, reaching the pinnacle realms in the future was inevitable. If she wanted to act, she would have to think of something sooner rather than later to take him down directly.


    After leaving the war merits exchange place, Chu Zheng walked around the nearby marketplaces, collected a number of defective items, including several incomplete totem stone tablets, and some secret medicines.


    Once a totem stone tablet became incomplete, its value plummeted. Only a few witches would buy them to study the talismatic patterns on them, making their overall worth extremely low.


    Chu Zheng took them into his possession, feeling a bit of unexpected joy. There were four tablets in total, aside from one first-class totem, the remaining three were second-class.


    For the Wangshan Tribe, they could greatly enhance their foundation, while those secret medicines were a bit costly, consuming a lot of rune soldiers and the flesh essence qi.


    ...


    ...


    By the time Chu Zheng returned to the Wangshan Tribe''s stronghold, Lie had already finished his preparations and was about to enter the hunting grounds for the second time.


    News about him had already reached Lie''s ears first.


    "Wan Jue is the brightest pearl of the Wan Clan Alliance, blessed with extraordinary talent and clever thoughts, and many are interested in her. You have come of age, and sooner or later you will need to marry. Now that she has taken an interest in you, you might consider it," Lie said, revealing a hint of self-interest.


    After marriage, one would naturally have many concerns, more stable than being alone. The chances of uncontrollable situations occurring would be less, and he truly wished from the bottom of his heart for Chu Zheng to start a family.


    "In this life, I have no intention of marrying. The savage beasts are not yet vanquished, and the Dongyuan Human Clan is still struggling. If I waste my time on these trivial matters, when will I accomplish anything?" Chu Zheng spoke with solemnity in his tone and a determined look in his eyes. On the path to god creation, he could allow no unforeseen interference. In this life, he aimed to make a name for himself, to be remembered throughout the ages in Dongyuan Realm, to spread his teachings across the world, and to completely reverse the plight of the human race.


    He wanted to be the one who reshaped the universe, to create a god. Naturally, he required something different from ordinary people.


    Hearing this, Lie''s expression briefly stiffened, and his heart gave a sudden quiver; for a moment, he struggled to discern the truth in Chu Zheng''s words.


    "Good!"


    A sharp cry came from a distance; Wan Xu strode up to Chu Zheng, barely concealing the turbulence in his eyes, somewhat excited:


    "I heard of your return to camp, so I came to see. At such a young age, to have such lofty ambitions, you are remarkable!" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Behind Wan Xu were several other people, including Wan Jue whom he had recently met. At this moment, her gaze roved and she looked down, seemingly pondering something.


    "Senior Wan Xu,"


    Chu Zheng greeted him, and then took out a piece of beast bone with bone inscriptions carved on it:


    "Observing the savage beasts absorb the sun and moon essence qi and their rhythmic breathing, I had some insights, please have a look."


    Even if Wan Xu hadn''t come today, Chu Zheng had planned to find an opportunity to visit him another day.


    This beast bone recorded a simplified version of the Great Circulatory Qi Guideline, at most suitable for cultivating up to the Dao Embryo, without any method to condense a Golden Core.


    Chu Zheng had already taught some rudimentary breathing techniques to the Wangshan Tribe members before. This version was even more profound and intricate.


    Originally, Chu Zheng had not planned to transmit his knowledge so quickly, but an unexpected acquisition of a Nine Orifices Golden Core greatly accelerated the pace of his cultivation improvement.


    With his progress, he would reach the Refine Spirit realm soon, and there was no longer the need to hide as he had.


    The breathing methods were indeed similar to the way savage beasts draw in the essence qi of the sun and moon. The reasoning was flawless¡ªit was meant to pave the way for the later, more complete transmission of knowledge.


    With his level of cultivation, even if Wan Xu was not a cultivator of the same path, he could sense the significance of this breathing method, his fingertips beginning to tremble faintly.


    "Have you actually found this path?!" Wan Xu''s voice quivered as he grasped the beast bone, his fingers trembling slightly, filled with disbelief.


    Although the current potential seemed limited, Zheng Chu was still young, and no one could predict what he might develop into in the future.


    To seek a unique path for the human race, past sages had poured countless efforts and only managed to derive the ''witch'' practice, which still had great limitations.


    The discovery by Zheng Chu was a shocking revelation, even for those at the pinnacle of Dongyuan Realm, this had never been accomplished before.


    "What is this method called?" Regaining his composure, Wan Xu asked.


    "Zhou Tian Breathing Method," Chu Zheng replied offhand, knowing the name would eventually be replaced.


    "Zhou Tian Breathing Method..." Wan Xu looked up at Lie, sighing lightly:


    "I came here to discuss the marriage between Zheng Chu and Wan Jue. Since he is not interested, I will not bring it up again."


    Wan Xu put away the beast bone and said softly, "I will continue to promote this method under the name of Zheng Chu."


    Upon hearing this, Lie frowned slightly, "Isn''t that a bit inappropriate?"

 Chapter 225 Refine Spirit_2

    a single spirit mine weapon refining had already made zheng chu known to all, adding in a new path not explored by many pinnacle experts of the human race, which could probably bring great troubles to zheng chu.merely those researchers of demonic possession among the peak experts, would likely immediately seek out zheng chu to inquire about the specifics of this breathing technique, leading to many uncontrollable troubles.


    "i think... zheng chu should be more aware of the risks than you,"


    wan xu glanced at chu zheng, his expression solemn, and made a promise, "no matter what happens, the wan clan alliance will ensure your safety."


    this promise was substantial; it even implied that the wan clan alliance, even if it came into conflict with the other two alliances, would stand by chu zheng.


    if previously wan xu had only seen chu zheng as a freak occurrence, now he had come to regard chu zheng as a genuine beacon of hope.


    the hope of the entire dongyuan human clan.


    a new path of cultivation meant that the dongyuan human clan might have a chance to break the shackles imposed by the totem, entering a brand new domain that would bring unimaginable changes to the entire dongyuan realm.


    the appearance of chu zheng had already brought some changes to the dongyuan realm.


    the situation of the dongyuan human clan was one where change meant survival, and no change meant death.


    although the current changes were minuscule, they were changes nonetheless, which was much better than remaining stagnant and slowly being driven to a dead end.


    wan xu soon hastily departed. throughout, wan jue, who followed wan xu, had not spoken, leaving with a smile full of interest on his face.


    uncle lie pondered for a while, set down his packed gear, and changed his original plan of entering the hunting grounds for the second time, preparing to stay and help chu zheng cope.


    "uncle lie, i can take care of myself, don''t waste your time,"


    chu zheng, seeing uncle lie''s intention, declined tactfully. whether uncle lie stayed here or not had little impact.


    once that breathing technique was spread, he knew it would inevitably cause great waves; he had already made preparations to cope with it.


    the dongyuan human clan would not kill him over a still incomplete breathing technique, which would be like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs; moreover, those peak experts would value his life more than he did himself.


    upon hearing this, uncle lie fell silent for a long while, grunted affirmatively, and without further ado, prepared and then left the camp.


    he needed military exploits, needed more cultivation resources, to sustain the newborns of the wangshan tribe after the cold surge; he couldn''t keep relying on chu zheng to support them.


    ...


    ...


    after seeing off uncle lie, chu zheng returned to his residence and without wasting any time, immediately began his closed-door cultivation.


    the secret medicine given by wan jue was of the fifth order, which was most suitable for the current chu zheng, and the medicine was also very mild.


    chu zheng did not hesitate, raised his hand to swallow a secret medicine into his stomach, and began to refine it.


    a mild energy emanated from his viscera, sequentially passing through the lower dantian, middle dantian, and finally entering inside the upper dantian at the brow, shaking the niwan palace, where the power of the spirit and soul began to expand and grow at a steady rate.


    after a moment, chu zheng raised his hand again, swallowed another secret medicine, and continued his cultivation.


    when the effects of the secret medicine were exhausted, in his sea of consciousness, there finally appeared a ripple as a somewhat ethereal primordial spirit gradually took shape within.


    the moment it formed, it instantly transformed into a massive primordial spirit, colossal and majestic, sitting cross-legged within the niwan palace, radiating venerated aura.


    stepping into the refine spirit realm, chu zheng''s power of spirit and soul grew terrifyingly fast; this was the first stage of qi refining into spirit, where the yin yang dual qi nourished the body over time, eventually giving rise to the yang god, feeling all-around comfortable.


    chu zheng did not cease his cultivation; instead, he took out two divine ability bones and, imitating the previous action, opened his back spine, changing the bones.


    these two divine ability bones were of the sixth order, many times better than what chu zheng had initially purchased, and were quite complete; after restoration, the chance of awakening divine skills reached as high as seventy percent.


    to chu zheng''s expectations, the two divine ability bones once again brought him two innate divine abilities.


    [sky roaming (sixth order): divine skill of the spatial system, allows traveling between spatial rifts, hiding one''s form.]


    [soul snatching (sixth order): absorbs spirit souls into the body, increasing one''s divine soul. it comes with certain side effects, as it is easy to be influenced by residual memory fragments within the spirit souls.]


    like the previously obtained soul capturing, innate divine abilities contained growth potential that greatly benefited his original form.


    within sky roaming, chu zheng was enveloped with abundant information on the laws of space, which instantly elevated his understanding of spatial laws substantially.


    as his comprehension of the laws deepened, the most direct change was in his strength'' chu zheng''s speed of escape and ability to traverse space had advanced incredibly.


    the divine skill soul snatching was somewhat domineering. ostensibly, it appeared to be a shortcut; however, the side effect of being influenced by memory fragments indeed made chu zheng somewhat apprehensive.


    such influences, uncertain if they can be eliminated or whether they will cause future complications, required cautious exploration bit by bit.


    ...


    ...


    this time, upon entering the refine spirit realm, chu zheng had sealed himself in closed-door cultivation for almost half a month.


    during this period in the outside world, the zhou tian breathing method had gradually begun to spread.


    this was the first time many cultivators of the dongyuan realm independently attempted to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, finding this sensation quite different from that of the totem path.


    experience tales with empire


    the shock brought about by the zhou tian breathing method was extraordinary, far exceeding chu zheng''s initial expectations.


    when he ended his seclusion and stepped out of his residence, the camp of the wangshan tribe was already filled with top cultivators from various major tribes.


    at a glance, nearly a hundred people were seated within the camp, vaguely divided into three areas, with even more people crowded around outside the camp.


    a flicker of spiritual light flashed in chu zheng''s eyes as he scanned the area, his heart trembled secretly; none of those seated inside had a cultivation lower than the seventh order, and most of those surrounding the area were also strong cultivators of the fifth order and upwards.


    looking around, chu zheng''s gaze finally settled on the three most conspicuous individuals at the center.


    [wan qiong (eighth order): totem path cultivator, head of the wan clan alliance, cultivation at the pinnacle realm perfection, possesses nine totems, has reached the ultimate pinnacle of one path, his future path has ceased.]


    wan qiong appeared to be in his thirties, with fine features and long hair, a straight posture, and wore brocade clothes with hidden dragon scales, displaying a daunting oppressive force with even the slightest movement of his circulating blood qi.


    [yan bi (eighth order): totem path cultivator, head of the yan family alliance, cultivation at the pinnacle realm perfection, possesses twelve totems, has reached the ultimate pinnacle of one path, his future path has ceased.]


    yan bi looked somewhat older, nearing his fifties, with short hair, a resolute face, and his upper body clothed in a beast skin jacket, revealing a robust chest, his skin faintly red, a red vertical mark on his forehead, and a red flower branded on his cheek.


    [shan xun (eighth order): divine shaman path cultivator, head of the shan clan alliance, cultivation in the divine shaman realm perfection, has mastered yin god body, proficient in over seven hundred and thirty divine ability secret techniques, her future path unclear, trapped by a bottleneck, making no progress.]


    shan xun was a great witch, the only woman among the three, and draped in a black robe. she appeared to be over forty, with some white hair at her temples. considering the lifespan of a witch, she was likely much older than the other two, perhaps even from a different era.


    these three, all heads of their clan alliances, had cultivations comparable to a nine tribulations true immortal, an immortal path lord, only a step away from reaching the realm of an immortal venerable.


    chu zheng''s expression became solemn, his heartbeat gradually coming to a halt, feeling an ineffable sense of oppression.


    despite having been in many major events, the intensity of so many powerful gazes focused on him in an instant was overwhelming.


    any individual present could crush him to death with a mere flick.


    although he had anticipated it, he was still somewhat surprised at how much the dongyuan human clan valued this method of cultivation.


    "zheng chu, i have seen such esteemed predecessors."


    coming back to his senses, chu zheng bowed respectfully, raising his head to face the visitors directly.


    these people before him were the absolute summit of the dongyuan human race. if he could successfully establish his status, then afterwards, he might be able to start his plan for god creation directly. s§×ar?h the nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 226 The Choice of the Three Great Clans

    "zheng chu, how did you come by this breathing technique?"yan bi was the first to speak, his resolute face betraying neither joy nor anger, his eyes sharp as knives.


    "i observed the savage beasts absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon, and thus made some attempts,"


    chu zheng immediately began to explain the origins of the zhou tian breathing method, "savage beasts inhale and exhale the quintessence of the sun and moon to grow their bodies and nurture divine skills. as fellow living beings, the human race should not be incapable of doing the same."


    the qi-refining technique is itself about absorbing the essence of the sun and moon, and shares many similarities with the breathing method of the savage beasts.


    as savage beasts grow in strength, they nurture within their bodies a ''beast elixir,'' which holds a mysteriously similar function to the golden core.


    for the next step of the solidifying pill technique, chu zheng planned to wait some time before releasing it, until his refine spirit reached great completion and he stepped into the returning to void. by then, the zhou tian breathing method should already have wielded no small influence.


    after listening for a while, shan xun raised a question, "this technique has some flaws. many warriors cannot find the qi sensation in the initial step, why is that?"


    before arriving here, she had already researched the breathing technique and indeed found it to be feasible. however, many warriors could not grasp the so-called qi sensation. after several days of trying, it was very difficult for them to get started.


    "savage beasts vary in strength, and so do humans. totems might perhaps become an interference,"


    chu zheng explained, then added, "for newborn infants, perceiving qi sensation should be much easier."


    the qi-refining technique is related to comprehension and varies greatly between different individuals.


    moreover, the most critical point is that all these grown warriors have totems behind them.


    with totems present, these cultivators will encounter numerous difficulties in searching for qi sensation. many cannot distinguish whether the power they feel comes from the totems or from breathing.


    being unable to distinguish these powers, they naturally struggle to grasp the moment their bodies draw in the essence qi from the sun and moon, and hence find it very difficult to get started.


    "i see that this technique still has many imperfections." wan qiongzhan stood up, walked over to chu zheng, and said meaningfully,


    "do you have the subsequent cultivation methods?"


    chu zheng''s eyes flickered slightly. he could now be sure that these three people in front of him must have noticed something amiss, after all, his behavior did not resemble that of a ten-year-old child.


    after a moment of silence, chu zheng gave an answer, "there will be."


    at this stage, he could only bet that these three people would ultimately stand by his side.


    if it was unfeasible, he could simply abandon this incarnation at worst. the greater loss would inevitably be borne by the dongyuan human clan.


    now, he had shown a certain value. if these three people in front of him were unwilling to trust him, then even if he tried harder later, the result would remain the same.


    this also held some benefit for chu zheng, at least allowing him to come to a conclusion more quickly without wasting further time. read exclusive content at empire


    to promote the incense fire divine path in the dongyuan realm, he couldn''t avoid dealing with the alliance of the three major clans. without the consent of those at the apex of the human race, progressing to the next step would be exceedingly difficult.


    after a long silence, chu zheng spoke up, "if there is nothing else, i need to leave for a hunt."


    wan qiong turned to glance at the other two. seeing that neither had anything to say, he gestured,


    "go then. after the great beast hunting festival, we will come looking for you again."


    ...


    ...


    after chu zheng left, the leaders of the three-clan alliance did not depart but entered a nearby stone temple and sat around a table.


    following a moment of silence, wu xun was the first to speak,


    "his eyes shine with divine light, and the power of the spirit and soul is very strong, stronger than many witches of the tribes. i''m afraid he is not a creature from our dongyuan realm."


    she had noticed something off about chu zheng at first glance. his body was strong, but his divine soul was much stronger.


    for someone of chu zheng''s age, this was far too unnatural, beyond what human effort could achieve.


    wan qiong nodded, "indeed, he does not seem like a creature from the dongyuan realm. he bears some resemblance to that demon from a thousand years ago, possessing a warm aura that makes one want to draw close."


    "the subsequent cultivation methods must lie in his hands; he simply hasn''t released them yet."


    a flash of murderous intent in yan bi''s eyes disappeared as quickly as it had come. "why not take action directly, capture him, and then let shan xun ''question his soul,'' extracting all his memories?"


    "indeed, that is one method, but only if we can bear the consequences,"


    shan xun, with an unflustered expression, said softly, "if he truly originates from the same source as that demon from a thousand years ago, we may not be able to threaten him."


    "when that demon appeared, he was already a force to be reckoned with, stronger than most peak warriors. but this zheng chu, with low cultivation, is not worth worrying about,"


    yan bi shook his head, frustration emerging in his brows,


    "i cannot wait that long. the power of the totems has reached its limit. after all, attempting to use these patterns copied from all things in the world to defeat the world itself is an impossible feat."


    "i''m not talking about his cultivation,"


    shan xun gently shook her head, "if we kill zheng chu and gain nothing, then the dongyuan human clan will have missed a crucial opportunity. who knows when another visitor from an alien realm will come." sear?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    at this point, she paused slightly, "once our cultivation reaches a certain point, we cannot escape the constraints of the world. these beings capable of traversing the cosmos to come here likely possess far greater strength than we do."


    "moreover, have you forgotten what that demon said back then? in his eyes, the entire dongyuan realm is bland as food, a pity to discard."


    as the words settled, the three once again fell into silence.

 Chapter 226 The Choice of the Three Great Clans_2

    even if unwilling, they had to admit they had never seen the vistas of the great universe. in the eyes of those who traversed the stars at will, they were just a group of natives who hadn''t seen much of the world.in the universe, there exist beings capable of casually obliterating the entire dongyuan realm, a realm they could hardly imagine.


    "although that demon acted recklessly, he also greatly helped our human race. if it weren''t for him severely injuring the beast emperor years ago, our days wouldn''t be as good as they are now."


    wan qiong took a deep breath and said solemnly, "the beast emperor has not appeared for over a thousand years; we don''t know how well his injuries have healed. my wan clan doesn''t want to miss this opportunity, to spare his life or not, zheng chu, please make a decision soon."


    "spare him," shan xun said without any hesitation. she wanted the secrets that zheng chu carried; this might help her break through her current limits and step into a new realm.


    "in that case, i won''t say much more."


    yan bi immediately stood up, looking at wan qiong, "since he is now with the wan clan, let him continue to stay among the wan clan. if there is anything needed for his cultivation practice in the future, let me know at any time."


    right now, zheng chu''s strength was too weak; he didn''t know when he would be ready. he had already prepared himself to wait a thousand years.


    in decisions concerning the survival or extinction of a clan, the three prominent clans quickly reached a consensus.


    this was almost an inevitable choice.


    before leaving, shan xun hesitated and said, "should someone be sent to protect him? if by any chance he dies..."


    "a being from the alien realm capable of crossing the starry skies to here will not be so weak."


    "you are overthinking it."


    yan bi and wan qiong shared the same opinion; the impression that demon had left on them was too deep. he alone had ventured into the thirteen wastelands, breaking through the seven desolations, and severely wounding the beast emperor. such achievements were unprecedented.


    their logic in his actions, they simply could not understand; he was either seeking death or on the way to seeking death, without a moment''s pause.


    if it weren''t for his constant desire for death, it would be impossible for anyone to kill him.


    ...


    ...


    the gathering of strong individuals from the three clans soon dispersed.


    this place was the stronghold of the wan clan. wan qiong had not left; he returned to the residence of the wan clan.


    wan jue stood at the doorway, watching wan qiong slowly return, then approached somewhat nervously:


    "grandfather..."


    the finest warriors of the three major clans had all gathered here, a scene she had never seen before. the last time this occurred was probably a thousand years ago.


    "zheng chu is still alive, don''t worry."


    wan jue immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a trace of joy flashing in her eyes, "then..."


    before she could finish speaking, wan qiong shook his head and interrupted, "i disagree."


    "why?"


    wan jue''s eyes were full of questions; she had never seen her grandfather adopt such an uncompromising attitude before.


    "you are not from the same world as he is. do you know what his nature is like? whether he is man or ghost? how could you marry and have children?"


    wan qiong stated bluntly, "there is no possibility between you and him. stop it here. i will personally pick a few for you later, and you can choose. remember, starting today, you must not provoke zheng chu again, or i will break your legs and lock you in a beast cage."


    "..."


    wan jue was silent for a while, then nodded, "i remember."


    wan qiong nodded in satisfaction and said no more, walking away slowly.


    the beings from the alien realm pose too many uncontrollable risks, and it''s also unknown how long they will stay in this world. if he were like that demon from a thousand years ago, it would be too cruel for wan jue.


    after all, she was his own bloodline; he could not stand by and watch wan jue stray from the right path.


    after wan qiong left, wan jue''s eyes shifted slightly, and the corners of her mouth gradually curled up.


    confronting her grandfather openly would be foolish; waiting until everything settled down to confront him was not too late.


    at a young age, she had already drawn the attention of the leaders of the three clans; the man wan jue had chosen must be extraordinary.


    at this moment, wan qiong''s reminder that ''they were not from the same world'' had already been completely dismissed by her.


    ...


    ...


    having entered the hunting grounds for the second time, chu zheng''s mindset had undergone many transformations.


    most of his attention was focused on the reactions of the three tribes'' alliance; if all could become his support, then he might have a chance to take over most of the incense power in the dongyuan realm.


    this was a great realm with a vast population, counting in the billions; if he could completely conquer it, his cultivation level would likely enter a considerably long period of explosive growth.


    after stepping into the refine spirit realm, chu zheng moved through the hunting grounds with much less urgency.


    with the cultivation of the refine spirit realm and the great divine abilities of the nine orifices golden core in hand, ordinary fifth order savage beasts were nothing more than trivial in his eyes, effortlessly eradicated.


    nourished by a vast amount of flesh and essence, his physique grew extremely fast.


    along with the nourishment of his primordial spirit, less than a year after his second entry into the hunting grounds, his physique had surpassed the limits of adulthood and entered the prime of life.


    chu zheng had never practiced the martial path; his original self had only cultivated a martial dao divine ability "slaughter blood descending dragon."


    his current formidable physical body had already far surpassed his original self, but compared to martial cultivators, there was still quite a gap.


    he had seen with his own eyes the blood qi of a martial god, which he was far from reaching even if one day he stepped into the sixth order.


    a fifth order cultivator in his early teens, having cultivated for only six years, was undoubtedly chu zheng''s most rapidly growing incarnation, including his original self, all thanks to a single nine orifices golden core.


    with a golden core swallowed into his belly, he first realized that his fate was not dictated by the heavens; this was not an empty phrase.


    a golden core was sufficient to elevate someone to high heights instantaneously.


    in the following days, chu zheng explored the surroundings of the temple he had discovered earlier, trying to find some traces of that mysterious immortal, but he constantly came up empty.


    apart from the nine orifices golden core he had obtained, the mysterious immortal had left no traces, as if vanishing into thin air.


    however, chu zheng always felt something was amiss. the golden core had just happened to be in this place and happened to fall into his hands; it was a little too coincidental.


    it was just like with zhao tingxian previously, as if someone had arranged everything in advance.


    ...


    ...


    "woo¡ª"


    the heavy sound of a horn came from afar. above the vast sky, the heavenly pheonex flying boat crossed the heavens, its long cry resonating between heaven and earth like a hundred phoenixes passing by.


    this was the signal for recall; this great beast hunting festival was coming to an end. read the latest on empire sea??h th§× n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    all cultivators from the tribes, upon hearing the signal for return, had to withdraw immediately without any delay.


    around the entire hunting ground, there was an even broader battle line; this line ensured that no large number of peak phase savage beasts could enter the hunting grounds.


    the sounding of the recall signal meant that this line could no longer hold up and could no longer block peak phase savage beasts from entering.


    if someone was too slow, they would become prey for the retaliating savage beasts.


    after every great beast hunting festival, savage beasts would have an extremely fierce retaliation; offspring were equally important for savage beasts.


    during the hunting festival, countless pregnant savage beasts would die in the skirmishes, a loss that was hard for the entire group of savage beasts to bear.


    at least, the beast kings among them could not tolerate such provocation and would organize a beast wave to attack the nine domains.


    this was a dispute that occurred every dozen years or so; all tribes had become accustomed to it.


    after the great beast hunting festival, a more terrifying war ensued, lasting at least three to five years, and only after the beast wave would there be a rare period of peace.


    upon hearing the recall signal, chu zheng did not hesitate; he immediately gave up his search for further clues and began his return journey.


    during this period, he had hunted many savage beasts, accumulating a lot of essence and blood, enough to last him for a while.


    there were plenty of opportunities in the subsequent beast wave; there was no need to rush.


    he also needed some time to rest and prepare some strategies.


    now that he had entered the refine spirit, he had sufficient ability to refine some astonishingly powerful dao weapons. whether used for arranging formations or for slaughtering enemies, they could significantly increase his arsenal.

 Chapter 227 Chi Feng

    when chu zheng returned to the temporary camp at the hunting grounds, most of the people from the tribe had already returned and started boarding the heavenly phoenix flying ship. s§×arch* the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.the people from the wangshan tribe had boarded the ship earlier, only uncle lie had stayed in the camp, waiting for chu zheng to return.


    "the vanguard of the beast tide is not far from here, return to the tribe to rest early. there''s a tough battle ahead,"


    uncle lie urged, and quickly took chu zheng aboard the heavenly phoenix flying ship.


    several days later, even before the wan clan alliance could count the numbers from each tribe, they had urgently prompted the heavenly phoenix to depart the hunting grounds in a great hurry.


    aboard the ship, people from various tribes were mixed together, and the clamor of searching for relatives and fellow tribesman filled the air, creating chaos.


    "this year''s great beast hunting festival ended more than two months earlier than previous years, too rushed,"


    uncle lie looked at the chaotic scene before him, his brow slightly furrowed, feeling a bit ominous: "it has never been so rushed before, i fear something uncontrollable might have happened with the savage beasts."


    this kind of tense reaction already showed how critical the situation had become.


    looking at the chaos before him, chu zheng also felt something was amiss. the wan clan alliance was already a pinnacle force of the dongyuan human clan, and what could make them so flustered...


    before chu zheng could think further, the sky above suddenly darkened, the clouds obscured the sky, and the radiant sun''s light vanished in an instant.


    the next moment, the sky turned blood-red, and the setting sun hung in the air.


    a searing heat attacked from above, and chu zheng looked up, his expression drastically changing. in the sky was a burning mass of blazing fire clouds.


    amidst the clouds, delicate feathers that seemed forged from immortal gold radiated an intensely fierce divine qi, reflecting myriads of divine radiance.


    this was a terrifying divine bird larger than the entire heavenly phoenix flying ship with wings spanning thousands of miles, its edges impossible to see.


    a flash of spiritual light flickered in chu zheng''s pupils, and he quickly transmitted a piece of information.


    [chi lu (eighth order): originating from the chi feng clan, at the pinnacle realm perfection, possesses the blood of the heavenly phoenix, potential to grow to the ninth order, restricted by heavenly dao laws, unable to achieve a breakthrough.]


    chi feng, possessing the blood of the heavenly phoenix, would have been a formidable giant beast comparable to an immortal king or immortal venerable if not for the suppression by the heavenly dao laws of the dongyuan realm.


    "it''s the king of chi feng, run!"


    uncle lie pulled chu zheng inside a cabin, his expression unable to hide his horror.


    boom!


    a thunderous roar erupted, the entire heavenly phoenix flying ship suddenly tilted, and a massive shockwave hit. even with chu zheng''s physical body at its current strength, he felt his blood churn, and some cultivators with slightly lower cultivation vomited fresh blood, their organs injured.


    uncle lie breathed slightly faster, checking on chu zheng''s safety: "are you badly hurt?"


    "i''m fine, uncle lie, do you recognize this fierce bird?" chu zheng steadied his blood and felt the surrounding tribulation qi.


    fortunately, the tribulation qi wasn''t tumultuous. this incident was unrelated to him, and it wasn''t likely to pose great danger.


    "that is the beast king from the chi feng clan; i saw it nearly two hundred years ago during the great beast hunting festival,"


    uncle lie''s face was as grim as water: "it has a deep blood feud with the wan clan, always lurking and waiting to attack, and it seems this time its target is clan leader wan."


    aboard the heavenly phoenix flying ship, divine feathers from the chi feng clan were not uncommon. continue reading at empire


    chu zheng tried to extend his divine sense to observe the outside situation. as soon as his divine sense reached out, he witnessed a terrifying scene.


    a claw, entwined with divine fire like a collapsing mountain range, suddenly crashed down, directly targeting the neck of the heavenly phoenix, the murderous intent bone-chilling!


    clang!


    the melodious sound of metal clashing exploded, sharp and resounding. the heavenly phoenix flying ship suddenly shuddered, many feathers covering its neck dispersed as if raindrops falling from the sky, kicking up dust all around.


    a figure rose into the air, holding a bone spear with tassels hanging with red feathers, printed with various patterns ¡ª it was the leader of the wan clan, wan qiong, also a supreme being at the pinnacle realm perfection.


    chu zheng glanced over, his heart trembling slightly. the bone spear in wan qiong''s hand was an eighth order rune soldier, not yet nurturing a true spirit, but it locked within a dragon spirit, its power no less than an immortal treasure!


    whooo¡ª


    suddenly, a dragon''s roar issued from the summit of the sky, the bone spear traversing the heavens, projecting a streak of bloody spear light.


    in an instant, the wind howled like thunder, the body of the spear moved like a dragon, targeting directly at the abdomen of chi lu, aiming to disembowel with its strike.


    chi lu didn''t delay a moment, flapping its wings to rise and avoid the sharp edge of the bone spear, but it was still a step slow; its tail was slashed open.


    blood gushed like a fountain, falling from the sky summit, forming a blood-red waterfall.


    having landed a blow, wan qiong''s expression remained ice-cold, without a ripple, as bloodlight surged beside him. totems one after another disengaged and rose into the air ¡ª divine birds, heavenly patterns, each unique.


    as the totems disembodied, they instantly began to draw nature''s spiritual energy, transforming essence with symbols and bones with patterns, nurturing real bodies with the nourishment of nature''s spiritual energy.


    this was the utmost marvel of totemic power, turning the intangible into tangible, manifesting the true might of the totems with the aid of nature''s spiritual energy, a genuine grand divine skill.


    the heavenly phoenix flying ship didn''t delay a moment, instantly retreating from the battlefield where wan qiong and chi lu clashed, heading towards the heartland of the human race.


    chu zheng strained to look into the distance, only to see that beside chi lu, several more massive shadows appeared, all beast kings who had entered the pinnacle realm.


    the savage beasts that came this time weren''t limited to just the chi feng clan''s king but was a premeditated ambush specifically targeting wan qiong.


    the heavenly phoenix flying ship sped extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, chu zheng could no longer see the situation in the battlefield, only able to sense the worsening fluctuations of nature''s spiritual energy, incessantly streaming towards that battlefield.

 Chapter 227 Chi Feng_2

    on the flying boat, various tribes began to deal with the aftermath, as the two strikes from chi lu had left many warriors injured, and some even dead, urgently needing attention. experience tales at empirea large number of witches were unified by the wan clan to start treating the injured cultivators from various tribes.


    chu zheng stepped out for a round and listened to the discussions among the tribes, gradually coming to some understanding.


    the last beast king of the chi feng clan was personally slain by wan qiong, with its feathers becoming spoils of war, to this day tied to the bone spear, forming a bunch of red tassels.


    the king of chi feng had been out of sight for a long time, and this sudden attack, hasty and unexpected, may even have been specifically aimed at wan qiong.


    the chiefs of the three major clans were usually stationed within their domains and seldom visited the wastelands. even during the great beast hunting festival, they rarely attended in person.


    in human territories, with rune soldiers, divine shamans at the side, and many more trump cards, it is extremely perilous for the savage beasts.


    it can be said that for the savage beasts, wan qiong''s arrival in the wastelands was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    after learning some insider information, chu zheng couldn''t help but sigh. this time, wan qiong''s visit was specifically for him. sea??h th§× n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he had originally thought that this matter had little to do with him, a mere coincidence. but now it seems that, at the end of the day, this matter still had some connection to him.


    it''s likely that wan qiong''s experience was not an isolated case; yan bi and shan xun might have also been ambushed.


    although this was not the first time, chu zheng still couldn''t help feeling a bit of a headache.


    trees long for peace, yet the wind keeps blowing. no wonder qi cultivators often face grim fates and rarely meet a good end. under such circumstances, pursuing steady cultivation is truly difficult.


    about half a day later, the heavenly phoenix flying boat safely returned to the heartland of the human race, delivering people from each tribe back in turn.


    the news from the hunting ground also quickly spread. wan qiong and the other two clan chiefs all safely returned to their respective tribes, only suffering minor injuries.


    chu zheng heard some external news that seemed to indicate the heavenly spirit race intervened to help. otherwise, even the chiefs of the three great clans might not have retired in one piece.


    this time, a total of fourteen beast kings were deployed, which had never happened before in the great beast hunting festivals¡ªan astonishing move.


    after returning to the tribe, in less than half a month, the wan clan visited again. this time, it was wan xu who came alone, wanting to take chu zheng to the wan tribe to discuss some matters, at the behest of wan qiong.


    if it had not been for the beast king ambush, perhaps the wan clan would have visited sooner.


    chu zheng followed wan xu and left the wangshan tribe. after a day''s journey, he finally arrived at the most central region of the wan clan.


    the surrounding area still had many savage beasts in sight, but they had all been controlled by the spirit control technique, like the ming sculpture of the wangshan tribe that had been domesticated by the human race.


    the core tribe of the wan clan consisted of more than ten tribes, scattered within millions of miles, with each tribe having a population of no less than tens of millions.


    just the single wan tribe had a population of over a hundred million.


    this was just the wan tribe alone. including the other large tribes, a single domain had a population of at least a hundred billion.


    however, relative to the vast territories, it was still a case of sparse population, with some desolate areas not seeing a tribe for a million miles.


    chu zheng followed wan xu into a tribe, delving deeper, until they finally arrived at a grand hall.


    seeing the structure of the grand hall, chu zheng couldn''t help but take in a cold breath, his expression slightly changed.


    the entire hall was built with spirit stones, and the quality was extremely high, generally between high quality and top quality spiritual stones.


    the ample spiritual energy had filled the air around the hall with spiritual mist. chu zheng glanced at his restoration panel, and now the number of daily restorations had increased to over a hundred times.


    building a palace with top-quality spiritual stones was something unthinkable in the cangyun realm.


    the spiritual energy within the dongyuan realm was much richer than that of the cangyun realm, by more than just a notch, and many places bore spirit veins.


    chu zheng initially thought that these spirit veins had not been discovered by anyone yet, and he would still benefit from them later on.


    now it seemed that the wan clan had long since discovered the wonders of spirit stones.


    staying in this grand hall, the totem''s autonomous absorption of spiritual energy would also speed up; this was a very tangible change.


    several people were already standing inside the hall, including the leaders of the three great clans they had met before.


    wan qiong''s complexion was somewhat pale, his blood qi had suffered a lot of damage. according to the information received through the spiritual eye, the injuries were not serious, they just needed some time to heal.


    the expressions of yan bi and shan xun seemed normal, but according to the information reflected through chu zheng''s spiritual eye, their injuries were much more severe than wan qiong''s; they were just forcing themselves to endure.


    especially yan bi, he was not young anymore, and this skirmish had essentially pushed him closer to his final day.


    "let''s get straight to the point, we need new cultivation methods, you can lay out your conditions directly."


    yan bi spoke first, followed by a series of uncontrollable, light coughs.


    hearing this, chu zheng''s brows slightly furrowed, picking up on the underlying message in those words¡ªit seemed they were ready to lay all cards on the table.


    "about a thousand years ago, the dongyuan realm saw the emergence of a person very similar to you, who startled the world with his every move, not a native of the dongyuan realm, styling himself as ''daoist qi xing'', also known as ''xiao hongdu''."


    shan xun spoke softly, a hint of complexity flashing in his eyes: "you and he... must come from the same place."


    chu zheng''s gaze flickered, and after a moment of contemplation, he shook his head in denial: "that''s not the case, there are some differences."


    taoist school''s qi cultivators are scattered within the great universe, generally throughout the myriad realms, while he comes from the immortal alliance.


    the golden core that was previously acquired ought to belong to that person, just that it''s unknown whether there would be a chance to meet in the future.


    "regardless of what relationship exists between you, it''s irrelevant to us; right now, we just need new methods of cultivation."


    wan qiong spoke bluntly: "the savage beasts are too powerful; if it weren''t for the assistance of the heavenly spirit race, at least one of us three would have sustained heavy injuries. we need new cultivation methods to enhance our realm, present your demands."


    "i am called ''daoist venerable zheng chu''."


    chu zheng''s eyes shone like fire as he spoke solemnly: "i want all tribes of the dongyuan human clan to construct my golden body statue, offer incense morning and evening, worship day and night, and every ten years, present a blood food sacrifice."


    since things were already clear, he might as well go all the way.


    the reason why wan qiong and the others had been unable to break through was likely similar to that of chi lu they had observed earlier, constrained by the laws of heaven and earth.


    qi cultivators, seizing heavenly life for themselves, fundamentally would not be hindered by heavenly fate; this represented a path worth trying for wan qiong and the others.


    if the three great clans truly could help in his god creation, and promote the name of daoist venerable zheng chu, chu zheng wouldn''t mind imparting the complete great circulatory qi guideline, along with two volumes of the immortal ascension method from the eternal calamity treasure record, to the dongyuan human clan.


    after a moment of contemplation, shan xun spoke softly: "what can you give us?"


    "a chance to break free from the chains of heaven and earth."


    chu zheng didn''t beat around the bush but instead laid out all his cards:


    "furthermore, the complete techniques for weapon forging, alchemy, arrays, fu lu, along with two additional paths of cultivation, i can hand them all over to you."


    these two additional paths of cultivation naturally referred to the second-fold immortal martial; as to whether they would be of use to the dongyuan human clan, that''s another matter.


    the totem techniques could integrate with the qi refining lineage; merely this possibility alone was enough for them to attempt it.


    chu zheng was not an expert in alchemy, but the eternal calamity treasure record encompassed the alchemy dao.


    though there are variations in medicinal herbs between worlds, as long as there is a herb, it can''t escape from belonging to yin or yang.


    to distinguish the yin-yang attributes of spiritual medicine and including many alchemy techniques such as "infusing," "melting," and "merging" the pills, albeit the recipes, would be enough for the dongyuan human clan to pass down through generations.


    as for pill recipes, it was for future generations to research and discover; that was not something chu zheng needed to consider. what he sought now was only incense fire willpower.


    hearing this, all three clan leaders could not help but stand up.


    without any further hesitation, chu zheng took out a beast bone and began to inscribe bone inscriptions on it.


    this was the complete great circulatory qi guideline; the follow-up dao integration and returning to void techniques would be discussed after he indeed received the incense fire willpower.

 Chapter 228 An Unusual Beast Tide

    as dusk fell, the slanting sun cast a blood-red hue inside the green stone grand hall.the beast bone engraved with the great circulatory qi guideline was passed through the hands of the chiefs of the three clans, each reacting differently.


    shan xun looked over it twice, then asked, "does this method have any drawbacks?"


    "there are indeed some drawbacks,"


    chu zheng didn''t hide anything and nodded, "cultivators are subject to the interventions of heavenly fate; fortunes are fickle, exposing them to misfortunes and disasters, making it hard to meet a good end."


    tribulation qi is the greatest obstacle for qi cultivators. from his journey, one could see hints of this; if it weren''t for someone secretly protecting him, coupled with the repair interface, he would have died countless times already.


    it was extremely rare for qi cultivators to remain alive and cultivate to the heavenly immortal stage. this path is in fact much harder than the path to immortality.


    "these are not real drawbacks," yan bi scoffed softly, the red divine flower imprinted on his cheek stirring:


    "even if we don''t cultivate this method, how many in this world can actually meet a good end?" sea??h th§× n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    as wan qiong caressed the beast bone in hand, his brows slightly furrowed, "even if one cultivates this method to the highest level, it''s not comparable to warriors in the pinnacle realm. what about the subsequent techniques?"


    the quality of the great circulatory qi guideline is only of sixth order, capable of cultivating up to the returning to void realm at most; subsequent techniques for dao integration and becoming an immortal are naturally not included.


    "once the golden body is established and i have obtained what i want, i will naturally give them to you,"


    after a slight pause, chu zheng then said, "likewise, this technique will be passed on in the name of daoist venerable zheng chu, and so will be all the various methods i give you later on."


    he could not stay in this realm forever; if the three of them were to renege on their agreement later and destroy his fledgling temples, his barely established faint beliefs would be instantly crushed, leaving not a trace behind.


    only by making daoist venerable zheng chu an entity that can change the dongyuan human clan''s predicament could his incense fire and followers truly take root in the dongyuan realm and grow over time.


    from then on, the dongyuan human clan to be born would bathe in the divine radiance of daoist venerable zheng chu from the moment of their birth.


    as time passed, when wan qiong and his generation passed away, leaving the world without interference from other incense fire deities, the dongyuan human clan would eventually become his for the taking.


    this process might take thousands or even tens of thousands of years or longer, but with the stark difference in the flow of time, chu zheng could afford to wait.


    the three looked at each other for a few moments before their gazes settled on chu zheng simultaneously, and yan bi spoke in a deep voice:


    "in that case, the agreement between us is settled. i hope you will disclose everything, leaving no detail untold."


    "of course," chu zheng nodded, "i''ll wait here for the good news."


    hum¡ª


    before chu zheng''s words fell, a ripple suddenly stirred in the void of the hall, and a figure rushed out in haste, his expression horrified. he knelt before wan qiong and kowtowed:


    "chief, the savage beast tide in the thirteen wastelands has erupted, breached three layers of our realm''s border defenses, and is pressing into our heartland. clans such as the golden hook eagle, divine rabbit, flying scorpion have been completely wiped out!"


    wan qiong''s gaze immediately sharpened, with a surge of killing intent in his eyes. discover exclusive tales on empire


    shan xun and yan bi''s expressions also changed subtly as they took out several bone tiles from their sleeves, blood patterns emerged on them, condensing into bone inscriptions.


    "the yan clan has also been attacked, the perimeter has been breached, and more than one beast king has led the onslaught. this beast tide is feared to be unlike any before," yan bi''s forehead tightened, his expression fluctuating, a cloud of doubts arising in his heart.


    "the heavenly spirit race has also been attacked on their borders, with significant casualties. this is not an attack solely on our human race," shan xun took a deep breath, his tone grave, "i fear this trouble is considerable."


    wan qiong also realized something, speaking softly, "either a new beast emperor has ascended, or that formidable tiger has awakened."


    the aftermath of the great beast hunting festival had always been met with a retaliatory beast tide, but never had there been a crisis as severe as this moment.


    among the savage beasts, they were not a united front, especially since, for nearly a thousand years, with the beast emperor missing and the throne vacant, the kings of each tribe had been eyeing the position of beast emperor.


    compared to before, the situation for the human race and the heavenly spirit race had improved considerably over this thousand years, but now with a full-scale invasion of savage beasts, this relative peace was unlikely to continue.


    "in the coming period, we will all need to go to the frontier to fend off the beast tide, and may not have time to help you work on that golden body,"


    wan qiong looked at chu zheng and casually said, "you should stay here and wait for news. once the beast tide has passed, we will discuss further."


    implementing the cultivation methods and the other means that chu zheng spoke of a moment ago would take a lot of time to truly affect the dongyuan human clan which could take hundreds to thousands of years to see results. but now, the human race did not have that much time.


    "i will not wait here idly," chu zheng shook his head, his expression serious, "please take me to the frontier with you."


    with the repair interface, he would be at least much stronger than those witches in saving lives, not to mention the fact that he could also fix rune soldiers damaged in battle.


    in this war, he had to do his utmost, no matter how much he could contribute.


    the prerequisite for attaining the incense fire willpower of the dongyuan human clan was for the clan to survive, not to be exterminated.


    the frontier battlefield would surely gather most of the human race elites. people who showed up there would become the crucial pillars of the dongyuan human clan in the future. it would only be beneficial to start making contact with them in advance.


    hearing what chu zheng said, yan bi and shan xun, who were about to leave, stopped in their tracks.


    "you want to go to the battlefield? with your current strength? looking for death?" yan bi didn''t mince his words, believing that chu zheng staying here was the best option, to avoid needless sacrifice.

 Chapter 228 An Unusual Beast Tide_2

    shan xun''s brows furrowed slightly, as he clearly did not agree with chu zheng''s plan either."i will go myself; you might as well take me along," chu zheng said without wasting words explaining, knowing that the more he explained, the slower they would be to act, missing the opportunity to save more people.


    "if he seeks death, let him go as if he had never been here," yan bi said somewhat impatiently. he did not entangle himself further, as the totem shadow flickered behind him, and the next instant, his figure disappeared into the void, leaving no trace.


    at this moment, time was of the essence, as any further delay could potentially lead to the destruction of a tribe. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "let''s go," wan qiong said, without further ado, grabbing chu zheng and stepping into the void.


    after one step, it was as if the rivers and mountains had inverted, and they had traveled billions of miles away.


    wan qiong''s cultivation was now comparable to that of a nine tribulations true immortal. within the immortal alliance, he was considered one of the top powerhouses, possessing divine skills.


    the distances between the stars are often calculated in tens of billions of miles, and only by maneuvering through the void like this could one traverse the great universe in one''s physical body without dying halfway in the cold silence of space.


    the sky was about to turn to night. normally, the time was utterly silent, but now, the air was filled with the roar of battle and beastly bellows like rolling thunder, piercing the ears. even the thick moonlight could not cover the pungent smell of blood soaring skywards.


    chu zheng stood above the nine heavens, scanning the battlefield that stretched for over a million miles, with numerous savage beasts breaking through the blockade and continuously pouring into the nine domains like ink droplets in clear water, staining the barbaric lands with a layer of blood, the flames of war raging everywhere.


    "this is a symbol of the wan clan. carry it, and no one will trouble you,"


    wan qiong casually tossed chu zheng into a camp and handed him a bone tile before disappearing without a trace, clearly heading to a more dangerous battleground to confront those beast kings.


    at this moment, the camp was already filled with the injured. witches in black robes moved through the camp, mixing medicinal powders and treating the injured totem cultivators, appearing somewhat flustered.


    the witches bustling around here mostly had lower cultivations, fluctuating between third and fourth order. the stronger great witches were undoubtedly at the frontlines, using the spirit controlling method to deal with the beast tide.


    the smell of blood mixed with various medicinal powders was extremely pungent, and all one could hear were the intermittent heavy breaths and suppressed moans of pain.


    most of the injured that were brought back from the battlefield were severely maimed, some with shattered organs, not far from death.


    the witches had secret medicines that could regenerate limbs and heal organs, but such medicines were exceedingly precious and would not be used unless absolutely necessary.


    thus, most of the injured brought here were merely kept alive with some medicinal powders, their survival left to fate.


    the alchemy dao of dongyuan realm was very rudimentary. the witches merely took various spiritual medicines, ground them into powder, and then mixed them using the power of spirit and soul to create secret medicines.


    this somewhat crude method not only failed to fully utilize the medicinal properties of the spiritual medicines, wasting them, but the effects were also quite unstable, often having side effects, with medicinal toxicity being the most obvious.


    elixirs could also have toxicity, but after being refined, this toxicity was greatly reduced and could be completely assimilated by the body.


    looking at the tragic scenes around him, chu zheng''s brows were tightly furrowed. he immediately took out the identity proof given by wan qiong and found the person in charge of this particular camp, getting straight to the point:


    "notify all witches to come to me in batches to get medicine."


    the chief of the camp, also a member of the wan clan named wan zhe, saw the bone tile in chu zheng''s hand and issued the order without hesitation.


    chu zheng then took some common herbs from the camp''s storeroom and mixed them with some of his own fresh blood, forming several medicinal pills.


    with his blood as a medium, he could use the repair panel to save the lives of those injured here.


    soon, witches from around the camp came to his door in succession to collect the secret medicine from chu zheng''s hand.


    through the contact with his blood, various notifications about the injured began to appear in chu zheng''s mind almost instantly.


    he did not hesitate and activated the panel right away, not holding back as he healed their injuries completely.


    his reason for coming here was to perform miracles, turning the impossible into the possible. that was the task at hand.


    this was his first attempt at such large-scale repairs. the divine soul trembled slightly, as if he sensed a trace of the panel''s operation.


    nature''s spiritual energy surged wildly, crazily converging within chu zheng''s body. the influence caused by the flow of spiritual energy widened, and soon it stirred the spiritual energy within tens of thousands of miles to rush in like a tide.


    "my leg, it actually grew back?!"


    "what is this divine medicine?!"


    cries of disbelief soon echoed throughout the camp.


    moments later, the area in front of the house where chu zheng resided quickly filled with people.


    wan zhe stood at the doorstep for a long time, wanting to knock but not daring to disturb. just as he hesitated, chu zheng had already opened the door and stepped out.


    "this... cousin, what was that secret medicine just now? it''s so miraculous!"


    "i was half-crippled, yet able to keep my life, thanks to the medicine you bestowed on me, cousin!"


    "how could such medicine be used on us? it truly is a wasteful extravagance; it should be reserved for the elders of the tribe!"


    the crowd''s reaction varied, some beating their chests and lamenting the waste of the divine medicine, while others were full of gratitude, their faces showing the unease of a narrow escape.


    "i am zheng chu, from beyond the heavens. if you wish, in the future you may honor me as a dao lord. today''s rescue was in recognition that we are all part of the human race. if there is a need, offer incense and worship. if i sense it, i will come again."


    before the sound of his voice had faded, chu zheng''s figure had already vanished into the void, leaving no trace.


    the people looked at each other, and inside the once empty stone house, there now stood a divine statue clad in a taoist robe, its face identical to that of zheng chu just moments before.


    next to the statue, a stack of bone books lay.


    a witch hurried forward, flipping through the pages. her eyes suddenly widened with joy, and she exclaimed loudly, "it''s a medicine book!"


    ...


    ...


    chu zheng, using the invisibility technique, quietly left the camp and hurried to the next.


    his journey was merely to repay kindness; he had no intention of deep contact with these people, for the more he mingled, the more the divinity of ''daoist venerable zheng chu'' would fade.


    the bone books left beside the divine statue were scrolls about the alchemy dao, detailing parts of the essence of healing medicine.


    these were things chu zheng left for the witches.


    with such a vast battlefield, he couldn''t cover everything; teaching these witches in advance could save many more lives.


    even with his strong individual power, its effect on the entire surge of beasts was minimal.


    it was better to maximize the effect of the recovery panel, as this would have the greatest impact on the battle situation.


    having traveled for a while, chu zheng suddenly felt a peculiar sensation.


    in the cangyun realm far away, his original body experienced a slight change.


    after carefully feeling it for a while, chu zheng''s expression subtly changed.


    just now, his original body had, through the vast starry sea, sensed the existence of the dongyuan realm.


    the medium wasn''t his current incarnation but came from his first golden body that had recently formed and received incense.


    in that brief moment, incense fire willpower had already begun to form inside the camp.


    like those golden body statues in the divine court, once this golden body in the dongyuan realm accumulates enough incense fire willpower, it could awaken spiritually.


    then, even if this incarnation of chu zheng perishes for some reason, his original body would still be able to project magic and perform divine acts across realms through this golden body. continue your journey with empire


    moreover, once his cultivation was high enough, he would be able to directly traverse the cosmos with a single thought, opening a passage between the two realms and arriving in the dongyuan realm in an instant.

 Chapter 229 Beast Emperor, Deadly Weapon

    in the methods of cultivation chu zheng had encountered so far, the path of incense fire deity was undoubtedly the shortcut among shortcuts.however, the side effects were also quite evident, as the massive death of believers would lead to a decline in cultivation.


    chu zheng''s cultivation had previously fallen by two minor realms.


    most of the time, incense fire deities were in slumber. if caught off guard and their believers were killed instantly in large numbers, it could significantly weaken their power, allowing them to be subsequently cut down.


    on the other hand, cultivation piled up by a large amount of incense fire willpower had a quite worrisome actual combat strength.


    leaving aside the extremely powerful martial path chu zheng had seen, just the qi refining lineage and immortal path cultivators alone, in a battle of the same realm, could take on five or even more.


    if it comes to individual combat, incense fire deities almost instantly collapse, only relying on the gap in realm of cultivation, and bullying the weak to have a slight chance of victory.


    even with the strong attacking the weak, there was always a possibility of being overturned, and in various taoist orthodoxies, there were not a few geniuses capable of battling across realms.


    however, chu zheng cultivated multiple paths and did not show any deficiencies in combat strength for the time being, but there eventually were some risks that would need to be addressed one day.


    now, chu zheng needed this strength. matters of the future could only be considered later.


    in the days that followed, chu zheng traveled between various camps, requesting no recompensation, healing a large number of soldiers and witches.


    this power was incredibly precious in war, akin to a miracle.


    golden bodies, following the trail where chu zheng advanced, rose from the ground.


    the name daoist venerable zheng chu, in less than half a year, had resonated throughout the entire wan clan alliance, almost single-handedly stabilizing the precarious defense lines. s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the incense fire willpower was gradually growing; the flames of the deities began to burn.


    in dongyuan realm, where there had never been deities before, the initial batch of chu zheng''s believers was of very low quality, not even reaching the level of false believers.


    but accumulation of small amounts turned into a substantial gathering, which for chu zheng, was also a considerable gain.


    the power of the spirit and soul in his original form was steadily increasing, advancing towards the divine infant eight transformations.


    ......


    ......


    in the blink of an eye, several years had passed.


    after years of toil, chu zheng''s gains were tremendous, having earned the support of many tribes.


    the belief in daoist venerable zheng chu had thoroughly branched and spread within the dongyuan human clan, and temples with golden bodies sprang up, worshipped daily by crowds, making the golden bodies bathed in the incense clouds transform more powerfully.


    as the number of believers increased and the incense fire willpower surged, chu zheng''s original form was also significantly impacted, with his cultivation once again breaking through, entering the divine infant eight transformations.


    now, his fame was not only limited to the wan clan alliance. the yan clan and shan clan alliance, even including the celestial spirit tribe, all held him in a distinct status.


    the moment the yan clan and shan xun from the shan clan heard the news, they immediately paid chu zheng a visit, inviting him to their respective alliance territories. after staying for some time and witnessing his abilities firsthand, both were incredulous.


    the celestial spirit tribe naturally did not miss this opportunity. now it was a time of joint defense against the beastly outbreaks, several elders of the celestial spirit tribe personally visited, setting forth many conditions, they took chu zheng back to the celestial spirit tribe.


    accompanying him were a pinnacle realm eighth order warrior and a great witch stepping into the divine shaman realm, a security measure from the wan clan for chu zheng''s safety.


    chu zheng naturally had no objections and was quite cooperative, healing countless beings along the way.


    the only regret was that limited by the rank of the repair master, the highest he could repair were sixth order warriors and great witches, nothing beyond that.


    the heavenly spirit race had always been sparsely populated, each of their lives was extremely precious, and chu zheng, seizing this opportunity, had gained numerous resources for cultivation and secret medicine, elevating his cultivation significantly.


    during this time, the experience of a sixth order repair master was fully accumulated.


    once his true body''s cultivation stepped into tongxuan, or his incarnation''s cultivation advanced further, entering a new domain, the rank of the repair master would naturally progress to seventh order. explore hidden tales at empire


    given the current rate of increase in incense fire willpower, it wouldn''t be long before chu zheng''s true body''s cultivation could arrive at the tongxuan secret realm.


    once the rank of the repair master was promoted to seventh order, according to chu zheng''s previous speculation, there should be some changes when repairing items above seventh order.


    at the very least, there would be new divine skills anomalies.


    ......


    ......


    after the battlefronts had gradually stabilized, chu zheng wasted no time and immediately started his next move.


    over the past few years, the human race had been mining spirit mines and refining warriors extensively, from which chu zheng selected many materials of superb quality for his own use.


    he had long planned to refine the warriors for his own use, but the sudden beast tide kept him constantly on the move, leaving no time for this.


    meanwhile, chu zheng also planned to transmit the knowledge of formations through the incense flame golden body to various tribes.


    the path of formations, boundless and profound, was absolutely a sharp sword against savage beasts.


    however, he had just been secluded for less than a few months when a series of startling changes suddenly occurred on the battlefield.


    the beast emperor appeared, leading more than a dozen beast kings in a sudden attack on a key pass, instantly tearing through the defensive circle, and the estabilished stability was instantly shattered.


    the wan clan suffered heavy losses, wan qiong was severely injured, allowing the beast tide to press further in.


    although chu zheng had never seen the beast emperor with his own eyes, the reports from the battlefield described it as a white tiger with a six-colored divine wing, terrifying in its combat strength.


    even pinnacle realm warriors were like torn ragweed under its claws, annihilated with a mere flick of its hand.


    under such critical circumstances, wan qiong had no choice but to enlist the wan clan''s last resort.


    the dongyuan human clan had, naturally, been preserving many trumps since they had contended with savage beasts since ancient times, not least the wan clan alliance harbored an absolute lethal weapon.


    this weapon was named ''sky-rending divine crossbow''.


    this was an exceedingly powerful rune soldier, created by an ancestor of the human race at his death''s door, he pooled together the human race''s top powerhouses, depleted his spirit and soul to produce it, using the bones of more than a dozen beast kings.


    this weapon was almost on the verge of breaking the limits of the totem path, its might divine.


    struck by an arrow, not even a beast king level being had the chance to face a second arrow.


    in other words, this was a terrifying murder weapon capable of killing an immortal path lord in a single strike.


    upon receiving the news, chu zheng hastily left seclusion, after some investigation, he finally arrived within the wan tribe and saw what the sky-rending divine crossbow was.


    the bolt alone was as thick as a pillar that three men could embrace together, marked with various high grade talismatic patterns, a terrifying murder weapon that was the culmination of the dongyuan human clan''s top essence.

 Chapter 230 The Majesty of the Beast Emperor, Discard

    the divine crossbow, spanning dozens of zhang, was fixed upon a white jade platform, entirely crafted from beast bones that were pieced and polished together; the body of the crossbow merged with the jade platform and was inseparable.the jade platform was also engraved with various colorful talismatic patterns, surrounded by figures, all of whom were at least of the seventh order, each a top-notch powerhouse at the peak of the totem path.


    from the day the sky-rending divine crossbow was forged, it connected to the earth, impossible to move; thus, the effective range of the arrows it could shoot couldn''t reach the wasteland.


    this treasure was forged by the human race as a means of self-preservation, inherently incapable of initiating attacks, only able to retaliate passively.


    since ancient times, whenever the bowstring was drawn, it was destined to return drenched in blood without fail, helping the wan clan through numerous crises. however, this was the first time it faced a beast emperor.


    historically, the beast emperors rarely left the thirteen wastelands, showing little interest in the human territories or perhaps, it was apprehensive of the hole cards held by the various dominant clans.


    every ten or so years during the beast tide, it was usually led by several beast kings. in the recorded history, the times the beast emperor personally stepped into human domains were few and far between.


    when chu zheng arrived, the divine crossbow had already been activated, the bowstring fully drawn; wan qiong stood beside the divine crossbow, his expression grave, still recovering from serious injuries, his complexion somewhat pale.


    [sky-rending divine crossbow (eighth order): using the carcasses of thirteen eighth order complete savage beasts as the main material, supplemented with immortal jade as the base, condensing 4,863 talismatic patterns, this weapon of mass destruction is tailored for fleshly beings, significantly amplifying its might, with attached divine skills: evil-breaking, spirit accumulation, blood suppression...]


    clearly, this was a weapon specially forged to target powerful savage beasts, capable of inflicting severe damage to the flesh.


    chu zheng dissipated the spiritual light in his eyes and turned his head to look; not far ahead of the arrowhead, a light curtain was suspended in mid-air, resembling a glass mirror, reflecting a scene that appeared as if it were hell.


    mixed among various colored savage beasts, stretched endlessly like a tide, amidst them, remains of shattered green stone temples could be vaguely seen, scattered and no longer intact.


    this was a tribe that had just been crushed by the beast tide, with no survivors.


    this represents the irreconcilable conflict between the savage beasts and the human race, between prey and predator, which could never coexist peacefully.


    during these short days since the frontline collapse, chu zheng felt that his incense fire willpower had been greatly diminished, with a large number of followers dying or injured, his own cultivation had started to show signs of decline.


    this was an unavoidable side effect of the incense fire divine path.


    chu zheng stared at the light curtain, his expression suddenly stern, above the overwhelming beast tide, a giant tiger sprawled among the clouds, its six-colored wings hanging in the air, exuding intense fluctuations of the laws, with many fierce birds and rare species following on the side of its wings, covering the sky and earth. continue your journey on empire


    separated by the light curtain, chu zheng could not ascertain its specific details, but from its terrifying size that rivaled life stars, its strength was evident.


    if nothing unexpected, this was the beast emperor.


    chu zheng glanced at the crossbow arrow poised to launch, his breathing slightly heavy, could it be¡­ was this an attempt to kill the beast emperor across the void directly?


    for a moment, chu zheng felt uneasy; he had never witnessed the power of the sky-rending divine crossbow, and even from behind the light curtain, he could feel a suffocating terrifying pressure emanating from that white tiger.


    totem cultivators of the seventh and even eighth order, in front of this white tiger, were no different from ants.


    hum¡ª


    before chu zheng could ponder further, the sky-rending divine crossbow suddenly emitted a faint glow, and the arrow had already left the bowstring!


    crack¡ª


    a crisp cracking sound exploded, the void within thousands of miles filled with web-like cracks, directly shattered by the bowstring; the terrifying aftermath was gradually smoothed out by the faintly glowing talismatic patterns, ensuring no nearby beings were hurt.


    in an instant, the crossbow arrow entered the light curtain, crossing the void, reaching a destination unknown billions of miles away.


    a blinding divine light shone from between the curtains, and chu zheng strained his eyes to see¡ªthe howling arrow, carrying a tremendous airwave, tore a massive gap within the beast tide and headed straight for the beast emperor!


    the enormous tiger under wu yun suddenly stood up, its six-colored divine wings fluttered slightly, casting a screen of light formed by condensed dao laws in front of it.


    crack¡ª


    the six screens of light were pierced in an instant, and the crossbow bolt continued its relentless trajectory, passing through the shoulder side of the white tiger, tearing open a blood hole more than ten thousand zhang in diameter, with royal blood gushing down like raging waves, forming a river of blood in the blink of an eye.


    "it''s injured!"


    "as expected of the sky-rending divine crossbow, its power is truly terrifying!"


    in front of the screen of light, a crowd of totem cultivators looked exhilarated, yet the countenance of wan qiong turned pale as snow in an instant.


    this single arrow had killed countless millions of savage beasts, possessing the might to obliterate worlds, but it only left a blood mark on this beast emperor''s body, hardly considered a serious wound.


    the blood hole, with a diameter of more than ten thousand zhang, was like just another meteorite crater on a star in comparison to the enormous body of the white tiger, almost unaffected.


    if it were not for the law of obliteration carried by the crossbow bolt, which could suppress the regeneration of flesh and blood of living beings, it would not take long for such a wound to heal.


    suddenly, the screen of light rippled intensely, and a thunderous beast roar, filled with tyrannical intent to kill, echoed from an unseen distance, causing chu zheng''s eardrums to swell, nearly bursting.


    his expression changed drastically, and the tribulation qi at his side began to surge violently, rapidly evolving towards impending death.


    without the slightest hesitation, chu zheng''s nine orifices golden core within his dantian vibrated thunderously, yuan qi surged violently, deploying all his life-preserving divine skills, he rapidly fled toward the distance.


    under "shrinking earth into inches", he was already tens of thousands of li away in the blink of an eye. s§×arch* the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the next instant, a razor-sharp claw pierced through the screen of light, traversing countless tens of thousands of li of void, striking with lethal force.


    the expression of wan qiong changed instantly, the shock was evident in his eyes, but there was no time for him to be distracted.


    the beast emperor was the absolute strongest among savage beasts, within the wan clan alliance, apart from him, no one else could bear it.


    he struggled to prop up his severely injured body, the nine layers of totems he bore all lit up with divine light, condensing nature''s spiritual energy, materializing into a solid form, blocking in front of that claw.


    bang!


    the nine totems shattered, and the body of wan qiong exploded significantly, chunks of organs mixed with blood and bones that were mashed into mud, splattered everywhere.


    the severe aftermath swept across all directions, affecting all living beings within tens of thousands of li.


    chu zheng, who had fled to an extreme distance, was also considerably affected, his internal organs shook, suffering some minor injuries.


    although at a very heavy cost, this claw was ultimately blocked by wan qiong, the affected area was not wide, some were severely injured, but no one died.


    wan qiong did not attend to his own injuries, blood gushing from between his teeth, he let out a fierce howl, his voice spreading far and wide: "spread my command, abandon all things that cannot be easily carried, evacuate the ancestral land immediately!"


    "what about the sky-rending divine crossbow?!"


    several top powerhouses of the wan clan shifted slightly in expression, the sky-rending divine crossbow was immovable, to evacuate completely would mean leaving this supreme treasure behind.


    "let it be! i will seal it."


    wan qiong did not hesitate, his muscles surged, temporarily stopping the bleeding, he summoned the heavenly pheonex flying ship with a wave of his hand:


    "board the ship!"

 Chapter 231 Consultation, Changes in Heavenly Fate

    "abandon the sky-rending divine crossbow?!""are we going to give up our ancestral land? clan leader, why must we resort to this?!"


    all the high-ranking members of the wan clan were filled with confusion. aside from the sky-rending divine crossbow, there were many heavy weapons within the ancestral land that were inconvenient to take away, as well as a large amount of resources. stay updated through empire


    these things couldn''t all be afforded space and storage, representing accumulations over millions of years.


    moreover, aside from the ancestral land, there were many large tribes nearby, and it would be impossible to evacuate within a single day.


    "leave behind all the supplies! send the message quickly! we must be fully prepared within two hours!"


    wan qiong took out several secret medicines, stuffed them into his mouth, and suppressed his injuries with a more urgent tone:


    "bring as much as we can, burn the rest, and ensure that clan members under thirty board the ships first! inform all tribes to converge towards the yan clan!"


    seeing wan qiong''s urgent urging, the people around him dared not delay any longer and immediately rose into the sky, dispersing in all directions to notify several nearby large tribes.


    at the same time, the great witches within the wan tribe began to act, sending orders across the void to the tribes under the banner of the wan clan alliance.


    as he looked at the sky-rending divine crossbow beside him, wan qiong''s breathing grew heavier, and he cast talisman seals, connecting them to the talismatic patterns on the immortal jade platform, and formed a series of god locks to thoroughly seal the sky-rending divine crossbow.


    the spiritual intelligence of high-grade savage beasts was already not low, completely capable of operating the divine crossbow. this weapon must not fall into the hands of savage beasts.


    aside from the power of its arrows, the sky-rending divine crossbow''s ability to seek out qi and open doors in space could cause great trouble for the human race.


    after doing all this, wan qiong''s eyes were filled with thick bloodlines, and he never imagined the beast emperor''s strength had grown to this point, even capable of acting across the void with the sky-rending divine crossbow.


    in at most one day, that monstrosity would find this place, from start to finish, he only had one chance to act. now, it was crucial to save the lives of his clan members as much as possible.


    while many of the wan clan members boarded the ships one after another, chu zheng returned to the side of the sky-rending divine crossbow and looked towards the somewhat disheveled wan qiong:


    "clan leader wan, i need to make a trip back to the wangshan tribe."


    the wangshan tribe was too weak to withstand the onslaught of the beast tide, he could not just watch these acquaintances be directly devoured by beasts.


    the location of the wangshan tribe was not too far from the wan tribe, and he should be able to get there in time to notify them.


    "no need; just stay by my side, i will send someone else to fetch them."


    wan qiong did not agree; relocating a small tribe of just a few thousand people was simple, anyone could go, but chu zheng was indispensable.


    this was the hope of the dongyuan human clan.


    "thank you, clan leader wan." chu zheng sighed in relief, bowing in gratitude.


    "no need, between you and me, it is just a transaction. the wangshan tribe is also a part of the wan tribe. even if you hadn''t spoken up, i would have sent someone regardless."


    wan qiong waved his hand, heavily injured and not in the mood for more words: "board the ship."


    his gaze swept across the area inch by inch, his eyes reflecting a complex expression.


    to abandon the ancestral land that had been prolonged for a million years, even he could not help but feel a mix of emotions at this moment.


    ...


    ...


    following wan qiong''s order, the tribes within the scope of the wan clan alliance began to move, converging in the direction of the yan family alliance.


    now that savage beasts were rampant everywhere, many tribes suffered heavy losses, and some were even wiped out entirely.


    the ancestral land of the wan clan was no exception, trampled flat by the beast emperor, with countless lives lost as a result.


    fortunately, the yan clan received the news quickly and sent many reinforcements, minimizing the casualties to the greatest extent.


    the great witch god traversed the world to inspect the battlefield and discovered, somewhat unexpectedly, that the white tiger, after flattening the wan clan''s ancestral land, had not taken any further action but instead seemed to have settled beside the sky-rending divine crossbow, as if it had fallen into slumber.


    as each tribe retreated and under the influence of the beast tide, the territory once occupied by the wan clan soon fell.


    among the three major clans, the yan clan was the strongest, with yan bi standing as the current strongest of the dongyuan human clan, and their foundation was deep enough.


    without the interference of the beast emperor, the human race eventually managed to hold back the vanguard of the beast tide and re-established their defenses.


    after this battle, chu zheng''s golden body was mostly destroyed. due to the chaos of war causing displacement among various tribes, the number of worshippers significantly decreased, and the daily incense fire willpower saw a precipitous decline.


    his steadily rising cultivation faced a setback, but fortunately, this deficit could be supplemented by consuming spirit pills, so his realm had not dropped.


    ...


    ...


    the yan clan tribe.


    inside the grand hall, the chiefs of the three major human race clans came together once again.


    this was arguably the most frequent they had seen one another in thousands of years.


    besides the three of them, only chu zheng was present.


    wan qiong''s complexion was still deathly pale, his body covered in cracks, his totem shattered, and he had sustained almost incurable serious injuries.


    chu zheng had examined him with his spiritual eye and found that, with his current repair master rank, he simply couldn''t repair the injuries.


    initially, his rank as a repair master was only zeroth order, but he had still been able to partially repair the great circulatory qi guideline of sixth order.


    now, his repair master rank had reached sixth order, yet he could not repair anything of seventh order.


    the existence of seventh order, as well as eighth order, apparently held a qualitative difference from those below sixth order. without reaching that level, there was no way to fix the problem.


    "this abomination''s strength has grown stronger than before; i suspect that it has already set half a foot into the legendary holy domain and may soon become a true holy beast..."


    s~ea??h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 231 Discussion, Changes in Heavenly Fate_2

    wan qiong''s voice was slightly hoarse. he had clashed with the beast emperor twice, and no one knew the strength of that white tiger better than he did."holy beasts were only legends in ancient times, never truly witnessed by anyone. i even doubt whether this realm truly exists."


    yan bi''s brow furrowed, his expression solemn, "but if it is real, i fear it could bring a calamitous disaster upon our human race."


    "i actually think this could be an opportunity,"


    shan xun shook her head, disagreeing with yan bi''s view. a divine light flashed in her eyes, brilliant as the stars:


    "exactly because no one has ever seen a real holy beast, there naturally isn''t a holy beast totem either. but if that monstrous creature truly steps into that realm, it could also be an opportunity for our human race."


    the few people beside her were slightly moved, catching the implications in her words.


    if they could carve a genuine holy beast totem, perhaps those who came after them would have a chance to advance further, stepping into the holy domain.


    "if we could obtain its essence blood and carve out a stone tablet of the holy beast totem, our human race will inevitably have the opportunity to slaughter savage beasts and dominate the dongyuan,"


    "since ancient times, when has a holy beast appeared? over these many years, only the current white tiger has had even a slim chance."


    shan xun''s gaze grew increasingly intense, "it''s merely skulking and surviving for the moment, not unprecedented. as long as the fire seed remains, the human race can still rise again; it just needs some time."


    "the lifespan of that monstrous creature is still unknown; i fear it could outlast us all. if it attacks now, we still have no power to fend it off."


    wan qiong sighed softly, his face showing no joy. creating the holy beast totem was too ethereal. if the beast emperor really entered that realm, it would be very hard for the human race to survive. continue your adventure at empire


    after all, the demon from a thousand years ago nearly killed it, and among the generations of beast emperors, this white tiger harbored the strongest hatred towards the human race.


    considering the lesser pressure on the current heavenly spirit race compared to the human race, one could already see some clues.


    the three of them exchanged glances, and finally, their gaze fell on chu zheng nearby, faintly hopeful.


    they all came from beyond the outer space, could he perhaps have some way to deal with the beast emperor?


    chu zheng: "..."


    was this asking him to kill the beast emperor?


    in the gazes of the three, after a moment of silence, chu zheng appeared slightly embarrassed, "my strength is still shallow."


    asking him to confront the beast emperor was akin to a fairytale. if it really came to that step, the dongyuan human race would most likely have already perished.


    the three immediately looked somewhat disappointed. at this moment, they too were desperately seeking a miracle.


    chu zheng thought for a while, took out a pile of beast bones, and sat down to continuously carve bone inscriptions.


    aside from the immortal ascension method from the eternal calamity treasure record, he wrote down every immortal martial scroll he had mastered.


    there was no point in hiding these scrolls now; they''d only be for the dead to see eventually.


    but even with these scrolls, given the current situation, they weren''t likely to be of much use.


    time was too pressing to wait for these cultivation techniques to take effect.


    seeing chu zheng''s actions, the three immediately understood and gathered around him, passing around the inscribed scrolls.


    after a while, shan xun was the first to look up, her face troubled, "it won''t work. even if we start cultivating now, there won''t be enough time."


    she could sense that among these scrolls, there were paths superior to the totem path, but given the current situation, starting from scratch, it was unknown how many years it would take to see even a hint of success.


    these cultivation techniques were indeed very important for the dongyuan human race, symbolizing the future.


    but under the present circumstances, they were unlikely to be effective; if they couldn''t get past this obstacle and handle the beast emperor, the dongyuan human race might not have a future at all.


    wan qiong and yan bi also looked up at chu zheng, each letting out a long sigh, "if the man from a thousand years ago were you, perhaps we would still have a fighting chance."


    but now, just waiting for that white tiger to wake up meant the downfall of the human race was imminent.


    hearing this, chu zheng frowned, slipping into thought. his gaze shifted, landing on shan xun. a flash of insight sparked across his mind, and he blurted out:


    "i want to see the witchcraft cultivation method."


    witchcraft primarily cultivated the divine soul, different from the totem path, with the potential to breakthrough realms. he held the incense fire divine path and the eternal calamity treasure record, possessing many secret techniques that could amplify the divine soul within a short period. at the very least, he could use formations to draw in large amounts of moonlight to gather yin qi, which could potentially help shan xun force a breakthrough into a new realm.


    regardless, it was worth the attempt.


    hearing this, shan xun didn''t harbor much hope, but still he raised his hand and cast a glow of spiritual light, implanting the witchcraft cultivation method into chu zheng''s mind.


    now, they had no other paths to try, so letting chu zheng give it a try was harmless.


    ...


    ...


    unexpectedly to everyone, once the beast emperor fell asleep, it was for three years with not the slightest sign of waking.


    the ancestral land of the wan clan alliance had completely turned into a paradise for savage beasts, without a trace of human presence.


    taking advantage of this precious time, chu zheng studied the witchcraft cultivation methods and once again molded his golden body, seizing the opportunity to promote the qi-refining technique and the second-fold immortal martial path.


    with the arrival of many newborns, traces of qi cultivators appeared among various tribes, and those with extraordinary talents had already stepped into the jade bone realm.


    the increase in qi cultivators gradually caused some small changes between heaven and earth.


    inside the grand hall.


    chu zheng, who was circulating his circuit of qi, suddenly opened his eyes, looked up at the sky, and felt a sudden chill in his heart. since entering the dongyuan realm, he had never felt any changes in heavenly fate.


    the heavenly dao of this realm seemed to have always been asleep, with no reactions whatsoever.


    but just now, he vaguely felt that heavenly fate had begun to flow, but it was not flowing towards the qi refining lineage; instead, it flowed in another direction.


    the heavenly dao of the dongyuan realm seemed to have awakened and displayed an unfriendly attitude towards the qi refining lineage.


    chu zheng immediately began to experiment; he tentatively tried to draw some protective heavenly fate, and soon encountered resistance from heavenly dao.


    "something is wrong..."


    this situation made chu zheng frown; something had definitely changed in the dongyuan realm that he was unaware of.


    ...


    ...


    within the territory of the yan family alliance.


    inside a small tribe called ''songhe.'' sea??h th§× nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    it was noon, and the great sun hung high.


    inside a stone house, a three-year-old child, who was resting, suddenly opened his eyes, which showed a maturity not befitting his age.


    "the nature''s spiritual energy here is decent; cultivating to dao integration is not difficult."


    after sensing his surroundings, a hint of satisfaction flickered in the boy''s eyes.


    during the last battle with the tianyao federation, he had failed before achieving success and died midway, resting for several years before he had a chance to try again; this time, he could not afford to waste it.


    thinking this, nie longhu rolled off the bed, pushed the door open, and walked out of the stone house, ready to start absorbing the essence of the great sun and circulate circuit of qi.


    just two steps outside the door, he saw a child seated in meditation under the burning sun, surrounded by a mist of yang qi, fluctuating with his breaths.


    "what a coincidence?!"


    seeing the child before him flowing with yin yang dual qi, nie longhu''s expression momentarily stalled, subconsciously thinking he had encountered a fellow practitioner.


    after coming to his senses, he immediately approached and greeted:


    "i am surnamed nie, given the name longhu by my master, a disciple of the great clarity primordial daoist lord lineage; my master is the north spirit golden immortal, who cultivates in the chuyun cave of liyang mountain in the guangyuan realm. may i ask, fellow daoist, from which celestial abode do you come?"


    the child, disturbed, slightly opened his eyes with impatience:


    "what do you want?"


    seeing the clear and piercing gaze of the child, nie longhu''s eyes sharply intensified: "where did you learn the qi-refining technique?!"


    the taoist school had a clear decree not to disseminate teachings within the chaos sea; he had been incarnated and experienced calamities through thousands of lifetimes and had only occasionally met incarnated fellow practitioners, but had never seen the lineage of qi refining before.


    the child in front of him was clearly a kid, yet practiced qi-refining technique; there was only one explanation.


    someone had propagated teachings in this realm.

 Chapter 232 Reunion, The Path of Qi Refining

    ```"what qi-refining technique? have you lost your mind in your sleep?"


    a hint of anger surfaced on the child''s face, "sleeping until the sun is high, have you completed your morning lessons today? be careful, or uncle yi will smack your bottom!" experience more tales on empire


    nie longhu had no interest in picking a fight with a child and searched through the fragmented memories in his mind, indeed finding some traces of qi-refining techniques.


    "drawing in the yin yang dual qi, hundred days spiritual transformation, sculpting jade bones, constructing the dao embryo, gathering golden core, refining primordial spirit..."


    nie longhu''s expression involuntarily revealed a trace of solemnity.


    this was not some superficial breathing technique, but a genuine qi-refining technique, a route to the heavens!


    who was so bold as to impart such techniques to the world, without fear of karmic retribution befalling them?


    if they were not careful and provoked the heavenly dao, leading to a tribulation targeting qi cultivators, then this realm would be utterly ruined for them.


    once the great realm sealed the boundary wall, there would no longer be any opportunity to incarnate and undergo tribulations.


    nie longhu pursed his lips, his eyes brimming with suspicion, and immediately turned to leave, beginning his investigation of the tribe before him.


    his incarnation came with jumbled memory fragments, unable to sort out useful information; an extensive investigation was required to understand the cause and effect.


    "daoist venerable zheng chu..."


    "weapon forging technique, formation techniques, alchemy..."


    after circling around the pine crane tribe, nie longhu learned quite a bit about daoist venerable zheng chu, his heart growing heavier.


    so many auxiliary cultivation methods; this did not seem like imparting techniques, but more like changing heaven and earth. was a branch from the taoist school planning to make a move on the chaos sea? was this world one of their outposts?


    while contemplating, he stopped in front of a sacrificial altar.


    a thirty-foot-tall divine statue stood atop the altar, draped in a yin yang taoist robe, the contours of the facial features distinctly visible.


    "that face..."


    looking at the slightly familiar face of the divine statue, nie longhu fell into thought.


    after staring at the divine statue for a long while, he gradually came to his senses and remembered a person he was not particularly keen to associate with:


    "chu zheng?!"


    ...


    ...


    in the ancestral land of the yan clan, chu zheng suddenly felt a storm of thunder and lightning pass through his heart, and the power of faith around him began to boil.


    he abruptly opened his eyes, a chill in his heart; someone in this world had called his true name?!


    the true name of a deity, for an incense spirituality deity, was of utmost importance. with the golden body responding, he had to manifest signs of divinity; if the main body was not far, he might even have to personally rush to the place. sea??h th§× n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    what baffled chu zheng was how there could be someone in this world who knew him, even calling out his true name to his divine statue?


    chu zheng focused and soon located the golden body.


    a glimmer of spiritual light flashed in the eyes of the divine statue, seeing the three-year-old boy standing before it.


    [nie longhu (zeroth order/eighth order): bone age three, an incarnation undergoing tribulation of a heavenly immortal, with awakened wisdom. (details)]


    chu zheng did not check the details, filled with surprise. he hadn''t expected to have such a deep connection with this nie longhu, and now they had met again.


    however, this time he had arrived a bit earlier, and now he was at the refine spirit level, while nie longhu had yet to set foot on the path of cultivation.


    withdrawing his divine sense, chu zheng did not hesitate and immediately stood up, heading in the direction of nie longhu.


    on the path of qi cultivation, nie longhu was much stronger than him, and he had many questions to ask. last time, at the tianyao federation, things happened so suddenly that he did not have the chance to ask in detail.


    moreover, with the current situation, nie longhu might have a better solution.


    to reach that tribe more quickly, chu zheng directly requested a totem cultivator at the pinnacle realm to send him there.


    moments later, he arrived before the divine statue.


    at that moment, nie longhu was still dazed, not having come back to his senses.


    "brother daoist nie, it''s been a long time," chu zheng greeted with a fist and palm salute.


    including the time spent in the divine court, he hadn''t seen nie longhu for over a hundred years, feeling somewhat moved by the reunion of old acquaintances.


    "why is it you again?!"


    nie longhu snapped back to reality, seeing chu zheng before him and his face immediately turned green.


    for him, the tianyao federation was just an incident a few years ago, and even thinking of it now felt ominous.


    seeing chu zheng again, he felt like he hadn''t properly calculated the auspiciousness of his incarnation for this tribulation, which was truly an oversight.


    "it''s been a long time, seeing brother dao away from the human realm is truly comforting. please come with me for a drink, let''s catch up!"


    chu zheng showed no concern for nie longhu''s evident reluctance, laughing heartily, grabbed nie longhu, and headed straight for the ancestral land of the yan clan.


    ...


    ...


    the moon was full, the dark canopy adorned with stars like candles shining through a sea of gauze, dreamlike and illusory.


    inside the green stone grand hall, a table was set, basins of savage beast flesh, spirit fruit brew steaming with spiritual fog and emitting a tempting sweet fragrance.


    nie longhu sat stiffly in his chair, his small stature barely able to peek over the table, his eyes filled with gloom.


    the moment he saw chu zheng, he had a premonition of his fate: this incarnation to undergo tribulation was probably coming to a hasty conclusion.


    at the golden core realm, chu zheng could already provoke mysterious immortals; now his cultivation had improved even further, and those he could provoke would only be more troublesome.


    "brother daoist nie seems to be in a bad mood? we are sworn brothers; if there''s something on your mind, feel free to speak up."


    chu zheng drank another cup of spirit brew and got straight to the point, "i''ve encountered some trouble, was worrying with no one to consult, and your arrival, brother dao, has relieved the urgency of my situation."


    "why do you spread your teachings in this world while undergoing incarnation for tribulation?"


    nie longhu''s mouth twitched, he took a deep breath and said, "you''ve really outdone yourself this time."


    ```

 Chapter 232 Reunion, The Path of Qi Refining_2

    "what does this mean?" chu zheng looked slightly startled."how did you embark on the path of incense fire deity?" nie longhu was somewhat aggrieved, his gaze on chu zheng carried a hint of disappointment.


    having spent decades with chu zheng in the tianyao federation, he could see that chu zheng''s talent was extraordinary and his comprehension was far beyond that of ordinary people.


    for this reason, had his path been smooth, chu zheng in the qi refining lineage might have achieved great heights, becoming a mysterious immortal or even a golden immortal was not an impossibility.


    but now that chu zheng had taken the path of the incense fire deity, things were different.


    "during the last tribulation, i accidentally discovered the path of becoming a god through incense fire."


    chu zheng''s gaze tightened and he asked, "is this path not feasible? i hope brother daoist can enlighten me."


    "with your talent, you should proceed steadily. why take such a risky shortcut?"


    nie longhu''s face was complex at this moment, he was unsure whether to lament the fearlessness of the ignorant or to comment on chu zheng''s wild fantasies:


    "with such complex willpower, after your returning to void, the primordial spirit will inevitably be impure. how then could you achieve dao integration?"


    "the qi refining lineage is supposed to minimize the addition of karma. by becoming a god and protecting your followers, aren''t you inviting boundless karma, thus putting the cart before the horse and squandering your energy for nothing?"


    "now you not only preach in this realm but have also shaped an incense flame golden body and taken the path of becoming a god through incense, which is tantamount to destroying your own path. how can you achieve great things with such impatience for quick success?"


    hearing this, chu zheng frowned and instinctively retorted:


    "did not the ancestral dao also have countless golden bodies? why wasn''t he afraid of the karma added to him? according to brother daoist, what use were so many golden bodies for him?"


    upon hearing this, nie longhu was momentarily at a loss for words. he was just a heavenly immortal, far from the realm of the ancestral dao. how could he comment on the matters of the ancestral dao.


    after a long silence, he finally sighed lightly, "the mortals worship the ancestral dao golden body, seeing only their own essence. what effect does it have on the ancestral dao? can you compare yourself to the ancestral dao?"


    the entire taoist school had only produced such one ancestral dao.


    the path of becoming a deity through incense, for the qi refining lineage, was all harm and no benefit. this, nie longhu could guarantee.


    chu zheng fell into deep thought. he had never noticed anything amiss about the path of becoming a god through incense; his primordial spirit''s cultivation had grown steadily, and he had not felt any impurities.


    if it weren''t for the nourishment from the incense fire willpower, his own cultivation might not yet have reached the divine transformation.


    as nie longhu said, it was indeed a true shortcut, but it was also fraught with many risks that could potentially hinder his future prospects.


    but having come this far, chu zheng couldn''t possibly abandon the path of the incense fire deity merely on nie longhu''s word; that would be a retreat.


    he would find a solution. before that, he would continue with the original plan to take over the faith of all in the dongyuan human clan.


    if he could accomplish this, he would be able to complete the nine transformations of divine infant and enter tongxuan or even the immortal tribulation secret realm in an extremely short amount of time. enjoy more content from empire


    once he reached that step, it wouldn''t be too late to decide on his next course of action.


    the example of zhao tingxian was still in front of his eyes, proving that the path of becoming a deity through incense was not unattainable, but that one must grasp certain methods.


    what he needed most now was to increase his cultivation more quickly so that he could take charge and prepare for leaving the cangyun realm.


    "brother daoist nie, let''s talk about these matters another day. today, there is indeed something for which i''d like to ask your help,"


    chu zheng steered the conversation back and looked up towards the hall entrance: "please, come in."


    three figures appeared at the hall entrance and slowly walked inside, they were the leaders from the three clans.


    seeing the three people coming in together, nie longhu''s heart sank; their cultivation was comparable to his own, standing at the pinnacle of heavenly immortals.


    one more step, and they would be supreme beings comparable to mysterious immortals, from which he was still far away.


    however, whether he could take this step remained an unknown. he had lingered at this juncture for a long time yet still had not found the way.


    "brother daoist nie has just woken from his enlightenment, and might not fully understand the current predicament of the dongyuan human clan, let me explain a bit."


    chu zheng got up and introduced nie longhu to the identities of the three individuals from wan qiong, then he laid out the current situation plainly.


    "your thoughts are somewhat naive." s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    after hearing what chu zheng had said, nie longhu shook his head and looked toward shan xun, his eyes devoid of any ripples:


    "you want to set up a great formation, forcibly gathering moonlight, pooling it into yin qi, to aid her in breaking through, this idea is not wrong. under normal circumstances, there''s even a great chance of success, but you forgot to consider the existence of the heavenly dao."


    "heavenly dao?"


    upon hearing the term heavenly dao, chu zheng was struck with a thought; he had noticed the changes in heavenly fate before, just not fully understanding the reasons behind them.


    "this world has its limits, it is not that you can reach a realm merely because you wish to. if the heavenly dao does not unlock its shackles, the beings within the realm will forever have no chance of advancing."


    as nie longhu''s words fell, the leaders of the three clans couldn''t help but change their expressions simultaneously.


    "how is this possible?!" shan xun exclaimed in a moment of loss.


    "if the heavenly dao does not permit our advancement, are we to just wait for death then?"


    bloodshot eyes appeared in yan bi''s vision, unable to imagine that the bottleneck that had troubled him for long was due to the world before him.


    "why must you be dissatisfied?"


    nie longhu glanced at the three individuals, puzzled, "the world before you, indeed has shackles, but it has never actively harmed you in the slightest."


    "how difficult is the path of cultivation? the immortal path undergoes nine tribulations, exactly eighty-one bolts of heavenly lightning before one can ascend to immortality; after ascension, numerous existential great calamities such as the five elements and yin-yang enwrap one, presenting a treacherous path at every step, akin to treading on thin ice."


    "for those of the qi refining lineage, it''s the same, with constant natural disasters and man-made calamities. the heavens seem intent on annihilating us, always on the brink of death, requiring constant diligence every day, not daring to relax even for a moment, for a slight mishap would mean the annihilation of both body and dao, with no chances of returning."


    "you simply need to inscribe your totem from birth, not needing to worry about your own cultivation. as years pass, ascending to immortality is as simple as eating and drinking ¡ª isn''t that enough?"


    "not being entangled by tribulation qi and still reaching this stage, how fortunate are you?!"


    nie longhu sighed deeply, "you three were born as the pride of the heavens, destined to stand at the pinnacle of the world, this world has already granted you ample favor."


    the three individuals inevitably fell into silence; indeed, from birth, they had been enveloped by the aura of the heavenly favorites, accompanying them nonstop to this very day.


    but this didn''t mean they were satisfied with that.


    "according to what you have just said, should us dongyuan people just obediently await our slaughter, merely waiting for death?" wan qiong sneered, "should i even thank heaven then?"


    "that wouldn''t be necessary."


    nie longhu waved his hand, "the dongyuan human clan has survived to this day and will naturally continue to do so in the future. the current situation is but a minor disturbance."


    "what about that white tiger?" chu zheng questioned, "its power seems to have exceeded the limits of this realm. clan leader wan is the supreme expert of this realm, and even when using our clan''s secret treasure, he still had no ability to counter it."


    if it were not for that beast emperor, the situation wouldn''t have gotten this bad.


    listening to your earlier words, i can also understand the notion behind your preaching, but still the same sentence, you have oversimplified the situation."


    nie longhu said indifferently, "why do you think that white tiger has been asleep for numerous years and has yet to awaken? even after thousands or tens of thousands of years, it won''t be able to overcome that barrier and will only have the path of becoming one with the dao."


    "its power has already reached the world''s limit, who knows, after one of these hibernations, it may never wake again."


    nie longhu surveyed the individuals before him and spoke lightly, "you''re overestimating your own place. just the few of you, what virtue or ability do you have to meddle with the rise and fall of a realm''s populations?"


    "we are but ants, how are we to speculate on the intentions of the heavens? as long as heaven isn''t dead, this battle, the dongyuan people will not perish, nor will the savage beasts."

 Chapter 233 Qi Refining Great Calamity, Great Realm Dispute

    "brother daoist nie, are you suggesting that even without any intervention, the human race would still emerge unscathed from this battle?"chu zheng had a slightly puzzled expression, while the leaders of the three clans nearby also showed subtle doubt in their eyes.


    if there was a chance to annihilate the human race, the savage beasts would definitely not let it slip, they would certainly eradicate them completely.


    "i spoke of a scenario without external forces interfering, but now you are already intervening,"


    nie longhu shook his head, glanced at the three from wan qiong, and spoke slowly, "i ask the three of you to step aside for a while, as there are some secrets that i cannot divulge just yet."


    the three from wan qiong exchanged glances, said nothing more, and turned to leave the hall. they didn''t go far, entering a side hall not too far away.


    "in the chaos sea, transmitting such a massive scale of qi-refining technique to people, do you understand the consequences it could bring about?"


    stay updated via empire


    after the three had left, nie longhu''s expression suddenly darkened, and his brows were tinged with irritation.


    becoming an avatar and facing tribulation is no trivial matter; it involves numerous risks. due to chu zheng last time, he had already wasted several years. if he were to fail the tribulation again this time, and it were to terminate prematurely, his true form might encounter severe troubles.


    after stepping into the heavenly immortal realm, cultivation is like rowing upstream against the current ¨C not advancing is retreating, and tribulation qi accumulates unceasingly. at this rate, the tribulation qi of his true form would soon trigger a minor tribulation.


    the most frustrating part was that he had no reason to blame chu zheng.


    the world of becoming an avatar to face tribulations inherently involves great randomness. he had rarely encountered any fellow qi cultivators before, yet now he had encountered the same person twice, which was almost unheard of.


    if it weren''t for nie longhu being sure there was no causal connection between him and chu zheng, he would even suspect it was chu zheng''s deliberate doing.


    "brother daoist nie, my entry into the path of qi refining was also due to a coincidence; without my sect''s enlightenment, there are inevitably some aspects i do not grasp well. i hope you won''t hesitate to instruct me,"


    chu zheng spoke with a solemn face, sincerely asking for guidance. on his path of cultivation, he had never had the guidance of a knowledgeable master, and had always been fumbling his way forward, sometimes making assumptions in his actions.


    however, being in the immortal alliance, even if he wanted to take a master, there really was no way for him to do so.


    "the occasional appearance of an avatar undergoing tribulation won''t have much of an impact on the world, because the avatars destined for tribulation are ultimately meant to die, and the heavenly fate they gain will eventually nourish the world."


    "now, with so many qi cultivators in the dongyuan realm, the accumulated tribulation qi does not disperse and all require the blessing of heavenly fate. this naturally attracts the attention of the heavenly dao, which is not the way of this realm, and it will certainly be rejected by the heavenly dao."


    nie longhu restrained the irritation on his face and spoke gravely:


    "once a taoist orthodoxy is abandoned by heaven and earth, it will inevitably trigger a taoist tribulation. at that time, if there is no external help, all qi cultivators will die!"


    "what is a taoist tribulation?" chu zheng''s heart grew cold.


    nie longhu pondered for a while, then decided to start from the beginning in explaining to chu zheng: s§×ar?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "you can consider the great realm in front of us as a powerful cultivator. the beings within the realm are like the yuan qi in our bodies, a constantly circulating energy. the great realm draws energy from the great universe to grow stronger, which can be seen as our cultivation."


    "the cultivation systems of different worlds often cannot be compatible, just like the conflicts between the myriad heavens and realms and the immortal alliance martial hall ¨C an irreconcilable ''kill or be killed'' situation."


    "the heavenly dao is the actual ruler of the great realm, making basic judgments. people like us who embody to face tribulations are external evils for the great realm. typically, the heavenly dao will eliminate such external evils when they intrude."


    "however, most of the time, the heavenly dao is in dormancy. minor intrusions of external evils sometimes dissipate before it even reacts, causing no major disruptions."


    "the world we are currently in has no communication or interaction with the outside. even if cultivators of the totem path have combat power comparable to heavenly immortals, they still cannot break free from the world''s shackles. this clearly shows that the current great realm has entered a semi-sealed state, allowing entry but not exit, and is very resistant to external forces."


    "now that you are spreading the qi-refining technique to the world, it''s like completely rooting external evils. the qi refining lineage, seizing heavenly life for oneself, and using heavenly fate for one''s own benefit, are threats that the heavenly dao cannot tolerate. once the heavenly dao of this realm reacts, it will inevitably start purging."


    "the loss of heavenly fate means a decline in the heavenly dao''s own power. to avoid this, nature will bring about killing tribulations and then strengthen the boundary wall, completely sealing the great realm to prevent other external interferences."


    at this point, nie longhu could not help but sigh deeply, "the manifestation of a taoist tribulation is nothing but natural disasters and human calamities, but the final outcome will inevitably be the triumph of the heavenly dao. given the current spread of the qi-refining technique, due to your interference, the dongyuan human clan might be eradicated as a result."


    for the heavenly dao, the survival of a specific taoist orthodoxy is not too important. after some time, new human clans will naturally arise and retrace the old paths."


    "is there a way to resolve this?" chu zheng''s brow furrowed tightly; he had not anticipated that the dongyuan human clan might be implicated because of him, and he felt somewhat uneasy at the thought.


    "currently, i have two methods. the first is to seize the moment while the qi-refining technique has not spread far, to nip it in the bud. the witches of this realm are highly skilled in the path of the divine soul, and erasing some children''s memories is not a difficult task, there is still a chance to recover. or..."


    as he moved to the second option, nie longhu''s voice hesitated slightly:


    "invite a mysterious immortal from the taoist school to intervene, to shatter the spirit of the heavenly dao of this realm, and integrate the dongyuan realm into the taoist school, directly incorporating it into the myriad realms."

 Chapter 233 Qi Refining Great Calamity, Great Realm Dispute_2

    as the words fell, before chu zheng could speak, nie longhu added another sentence:"however, the region of the chaos sea is unique. golden immortals cannot enter, and mysterious immortals may not necessarily threaten the heavenly dao of this realm."


    after all, it is a vast realm capable of independently cultivating beings at the pinnacle of heavenly immortals. the power of its heavenly dao is difficult to fathom.


    "later, i will invite those three to come in and first try to erase the traces of the qi-refining technique. if there isn''t enough time, we can discuss it in detail later."


    chu zheng did not hesitate too much and directly chose the first method. the second method was too risky and uncertain, and he did not know how many days it would require. it was better to try the first method first.


    "brother daoist nie, apart from this qi-refining technique, will the incense fire divine path also have an impact?"


    while asking, chu zheng couldn''t help but hesitate. if the incense fire divine path also had to be abolished, then his incarnation undergoing this trial by reincarnation would be futile, gaining nothing.


    "the incense fire divine path will not have much impact on the heavenly fate. those believers are originally the creatures of dongyuan realm. overall, their impact on the world is negligible, but for you personally... it''s not so clear."


    nie longhu was somewhat uncertain. he had never personally followed the incense fire divine path. previously, chu zheng had mentioned the ancestral dao, and for a moment, he also hesitated to make a definite judgment:


    "after you cultivated the incense fire divine path, did it have any impact on you?"


    hearing this, chu zheng thought for a while and honestly said, "i must not conceal the fact that i am currently cultivating multiple paths. so far, i have not found any disadvantages, but perhaps more time is needed to verify."


    "the last time we met, i knew you were not a person of the taoist school, not living within the myriad heavens and realms. you must be residing within the immortal alliance or the martial hall." sea??h th§× nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    nie longhu pondered for a few moments, then cautiously advised, "now the war between the myriad heavens and realms and the immortal alliance martial hall is escalating, becoming ever more vast, and showing a sign it might decide the fate of the cosmos."


    "you are ultimately a qi cultivator, staying in the immortal alliance; there will come a day when you cannot stay hidden. if the situation turns dire, come find me in the ten thousand realms battlefield. then, i will take you to meet several dao lords and introduce you to them."


    chu zheng was highly perceptive, and he truly could not bear to see such a capable individual remain hidden and buried.


    "thank you, daoist brother. during this incarnation and this trial, i also encountered a strange occurrence and would like to inquire about it."


    after expressing his thanks, chu zheng placed one hand on his dantian, slightly opened his mouth, and breathed out the golden core, emitting a dim divine light, drawing it out of his body.


    "a nine orifices golden core?!"


    seeing the golden core in front of chu zheng, nie longhu was slightly stunned.


    a nine orifices golden core, among qi cultivators, is exceedingly rare. even if someone has slightly lesser talent, in the future, they might have the opportunity to reach the status of a golden immortal.


    that an incarnation could form a nine orifices golden core was truly extraordinary.


    "this core is not mine, but i obtained it from a temple of the ancestral god, and it should be a relic of a mysterious immortal," chu zheng said with some confusion, "can this golden core actually be transplanted?"


    if a golden core could be transplanted, then qi cultivators could completely transplant a nine orifices golden core to enhance their own talents, which obviously seemed against the natural order.


    "transplant a golden core?" nie longhu rubbed his face, his brow tightening slightly, somewhat puzzled: "a golden core can naturally be transplanted, but this is only on the surface. it doesn''t impact one''s personal talents much and doesn''t mean that possessing a nine orifices golden core qualifies one to reach the golden immortal status."


    "inside the golden core, there exists a unique imprint belonging solely to the qi cultivator. even if forcefully merged, there would be a sense of rejection. however, within this golden core, i only feel your qi, very pure, with not a trace of impurities."


    nie longhu examined the golden core closely, his confusion deepening:


    "unless... the owner of this golden core deliberately dispersed their power, even spending a great deal of energy to forcibly erase the imprint on the golden core, and then personally performed the act of cutting the abdomen to take out the core. only then is this possible."


    nie longhu''s eyes filled with doubt. what would be the benefit of doing such a thing?


    sacrificing so much energy to cut oneself open to extract a golden core, leaving behind a core that might never be retrievable in this realm? for someone else?


    not only is there no benefit, but it also adds a layer of karma.


    chu zheng took back the golden core, contemplative.


    the first time he encountered the ancestral dao golden body was in the cangyun secret realm, where he obtained the eternal calamity treasure record. this second time encountering a temple of the ancestral god, he acquired a nine orifices golden core.


    if one said there was no connection between the two, something still felt amiss.


    the nine orifices golden core was of great significance to his true form. at least, when it came to the selection of divine skills, it provided a confirmation. once he returned to cangyun and stepped into golden core completion, it wouldn''t take long.


    "perhaps, you indeed have great heavenly fate in the path of qi refining,"


    after pondering for a long time, nie longhu could only come to this conclusion. there were always some things in the world that couldn''t be judged by conventional wisdom.


    "brother daoist nie, what are your plans next?" chu zheng didn''t dwell on it any further and turned to inquire about nie longhu''s subsequent arrangements.


    "send me to a safe place. i want to cultivate in tranquility. this time, having transformed and undergone calamities, i no longer wish to stay with you."


    nie longhu didn''t hesitate at all and emphasized again, "if you have any other questions, ask them all now. don''t come looking for me again in this life!"


    being with chu zheng, nothing good ever happened, a belief nie longhu held without doubt.


    chu zheng pondered for a moment and asked, "this totem path seems to have little conflict with qi-refining techniques. do you think they can be cultivated concurrently?"


    "you, who already master several paths, still want to cultivate concurrently? why be so greedy? in your lifetime, reaching the pinnacle of one path is already difficult enough. why distract yourself further?"


    nie longhu was greatly puzzled. he only cultivated the path of qi, and sometimes even felt that his lifespan wasn''t sufficient, let alone diversifying into other taoist orthodoxies, which was simply a waste of time.


    "learning more is always right."


    experience new stories on empire


    chu zheng didn''t feel that his energy was insufficient. cultivation was not something that could be achieved overnight. it required a lot of time, and cultivating multiple paths didn''t put any pressure on him. it also allowed him to explore the secrets of other taoist orthodoxies.


    know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.


    if he hadn''t cultivated the immortal path, he wouldn''t have been able to forge the town immortal mace or develop the law-breaking runes.


    "the totem path has a fixed limit and isn''t very useful, but it''s easy to manage. if you want to cultivate it concurrently, it''s not impossible."


    "brother daoist nie, to express my gratitude for resolving my doubts, i have a talismatic pattern to give you."


    chu zheng took out a smelted spirit mine from his sleeve and carved a talismatic pattern onto it.


    "this is..."


    looking at the talismatic pattern on the spirit mine, nie longhu felt it looked somewhat familiar.


    "this talismatic pattern is called ''law breaking.'' it might have some remarkable effects against immortal path cultivators," chu zheng explained.


    realizing this, nie longhu took the fist-sized spirit mine and tucked it into his robes, indifferently saying:


    "similar runes have existed in the ten thousand realms for ages. since ancient times, people have studied them, and even the ancestral dao has passed down the ''immortal-banishing rune.'' still, your rune should also be able to verify a thing or two."


    chu zheng wasn''t surprised that people had already researched talismatic runes targeting immortal path cultivators; if he could study something, so could others.


    the world is never short of exceptional geniuses.


    "well, i will invite those three over to discuss, and after that, i''ll send brother daoist nie on his way."


    chu zheng sensed that nie longhu had some reservations about him, so he immediately stood up and left the temple to invite the leaders of the three clans.


    after explaining the situation, the leaders of the three clans did not delay. they quickly passed on commands to each tribe, and the witches of the tribes handled the matter.


    at this point, their only option was to trust chu zheng and nie longhu. they knew much less about the rules of the great universe and the world than nie longhu did.


    "could we try the method you mentioned before?"


    shan xun hesitated for a moment, looking toward chu zheng with a flicker in her eyes.


    what she referred to was chu zheng''s earlier suggestion of using an array to gather moonlight to aid her in her breakthrough realm.


    the temptation of advancing her realm was too great; even if it might be in vain, she still wanted to give it a try.

 Chapter 234 Ominous Signs of Death, Great Misfortune

    "this..."chu zheng wavered a bit at shan xun''s persistent desire to try, and subconsciously looked towards nie longhu.


    "do whatever you want to do, i won''t interfere, and it has nothing to do with me." s§×ar?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    nie longhu''s expression tightened slightly as he jumped off the chair and tugged at the corner of chu zheng''s beast skin coat, "send me off first."


    he did not want to stay a moment longer. every opportunity for transformation through trials was precious, and if it could be spared, he naturally did not want to waste it.


    the sun and moon essence qi in the dongyuan realm was quite abundant, and his cultivation speed here would be much faster.


    finding a place to quietly stay for a few hundred years, then coming out to face tribulations and dissipate the tribulation qi, that was what he now wished to do.


    "if that''s the case, brother daoist nie, we shall meet again."


    chu zheng did not insist, and immediately asked yan bi to arrange for two people to escort nie longhu to the human race''s heartland.


    after nie longhu left, chu zheng pondered for a moment, agreed with shan xun''s idea, and began preparing to set up a grand formation for her.


    to assist a majesty like shan xun at the peak of the eighth order in breaking through, the formation to be set could not be a simplified version like the ones chu zheng had set up before; it required a complete ninth order grand formation.


    having selected one after several days, chu zheng immediately began observing the night sky and deducing the most intense moment of yang qi in the coming decade.


    this time, the grand formation chu zheng intended to set, known as the ''reversing yin-yang formation,'' was originally a killing formation, but it had a unique effect in gathering the yin yang dual qi.


    a complete formation, given chu zheng''s current cultivation, was utterly impossible to set up on his own; it required the assistance of an eighth order supreme being to craft the formation flags.


    at the moment of the most intense yang qi, he would draw upon the heavenly yang qi, then wait for the sunset and moonrise, transforming extreme yang into extreme yin, and extracting the true essence of supreme yin qi to nourish the divine soul, perhaps giving shan xun a fleeting chance.


    at this moment, the beast emperor slumbered in the wan clan''s ancestral land, and it was unknown when it would awaken. once it awoke again, the yan clan would become the next wan clan alliance, and many would die then.


    even if it was as nie longhu had said, the human race might ultimately remain safe, but during this process, the deceased could not be brought back to life.


    as the leader of a clan, shan xun could not simply sit by, despite the high risk involved.


    no ninth order entity existed in the dongyuan realm due to the heavenly dao, and chu zheng also wanted to use this opportunity to see if other changes could be drawn out.


    ...


    ...


    the tribes that originally belonged to the wan clan alliance had gradually integrated into the yan clan, which leapt to become the strongest power within the dongyuan human clan.


    because of this, the wan clan''s members inevitably felt some reluctance, and many of the lower tribes did not quite understand wan qiong''s previous decisions and even harbored some grievances.


    in their eyes, the sky-rending divine crossbow had already injured the beast emperor. a few more strikes could have potentially driven back the beast tide.


    in the ancient histories, every beast tide had always been repelled in the end.


    however, under wan qiong''s command, the ancestral land was just given up, an outcome many in the wan clan found difficult to accept.


    facing some skepticism, wan qiong never explained himself; his entire focus was on assisting chu zheng in crafting formation flags and searching for a suitable location for the formation.


    in his eyes, personal honor or disgrace was far less significant than the survival of the clan.


    after facing the beast emperor twice, he had already been gravely injured at his foundation, significantly shortening his lifespan, having not much time left. if he wanted to restore the ancestral land within his lifetime, he could not afford to waste any effort on these trivial matters.


    the wangshan tribe, along with the wan clan, also merged into the yan clan, a small tribe of thousands of people, hardly noticeable.


    however, partly out of personal interest, chu zheng recommended lie''s daughter, ying, to a divine shaman.


    ying indeed had outstanding talent and was ultimately taken under the divine shaman''s wing, carefully instructed.


    as for ying''s previous position, another witch was dispatched by the wan clan to take over.


    initially, chu zheng also wanted to offer lie a chance, but he declined, choosing instead to remain within the wangshan tribe, often going to the frontline to fight in the beast tides, accumulating military merits.


    chu zheng did not insist, observed the starry sky at night, mingled at the edges of the battlefield during the day, saved countless people using his repair panel, and steadily increased his followers.


    as the number of people he saved grew, chu zheng suddenly noticed that occasionally a streak of golden light would descend from the void and merge into his body.


    this streak of golden light, elusive, disappeared before chu zheng could open his spiritual eye.


    he checked thoroughly for a long time, found nothing unusual, and even his cultivation speed had quickened a bit.


    over time, he stopped obsessing over it and temporarily put it out of his mind. discover exclusive tales at empire


    ...


    ...


    in the blink of an eye, several years had passed.


    the beast emperor continued to slumber within the wan clan''s ancestral land, and the beast tide''s attacks grew increasingly unruffled, stabilizing the situation.


    as various tribe witches acted, the recently ignited practice of qi-refining technique gradually fell into silence, no longer mentioned, and the immortal martial arts also went unqueried.


    during this process, chu zheng discovered once again the changes in the heavenly fate, the previously activated heavenly fate once again entering its initial dormant state, as if it had fallen into deep sleep.


    however, chu zheng''s golden body still advanced methodically, and the arts of alchemy and forging continued to spread, a craft that could be completely separated from the qi-refining technique, not stirring changes in the heavenly fate, but significantly benefitting the human race.


    chu zheng''s daily increase in incense fire willpower began to grow steadily, and the explosive increase in the number of believers was most directly reflected in the changes in his cultivation.

 Chapter 234 Ominous Signs of Death, Great Misfortune_2

    the strength of stars'' divine soul continuously soared and had stepped into the nine transformations of divine infant realm. one step further would bring him into tongxuan.to avoid the regression of his cultivation again, chu zheng''s original body had already begun to gather spirit pills in wanlong city to stabilize his divine soul and solidify his cultivation foundation.


    he needed to quickly integrate and comprehend his rapidly increasing cultivation, preparing to advance towards tongxuan.


    once he entered tongxuan, his cultivation would be fully capable of taking on the role of a master of a holy land, capable of supporting the backbone of taixuan and truly forging his own era.


    the preparation for the reversing yin-yang formation was proceeding methodically; the nine yin nine yang eighteen pole array flags required for the array, with the help of the cultivators at the pinnacle perfection realm from wan qiong fire wall and others, were all fully ready.


    the foundation of the array had also been laid, spanning one hundred thousand miles, flattening an entire spirit vein, using large blocks of translucent spirit jade as the base, radiating dazzling brilliance.


    the formation patterns had been engraved, and each line was filled with spirit line melded from spirit mines, all made of materials associated with extreme yin, such as cold iron, nether mining, yin stone, and so forth.


    everything was now ready, only waiting for the right moment.


    after more than a year of deducing the stars, chu zheng finally calculated the time of extreme yang, which was now just nine days away.


    ...


    ...


    several days swiftly passed, and soon it was the eve of the day of extreme yang.


    the night wind sang, the moonlight shimmered like silver.


    a figure in a black robe slowly stepped into the great hall where chu zheng was.


    chu zheng slowly opened his eyes, surprised to see the visitor, and stood up in greeting, "shan clan chief?"


    it had been a long time since he had last seen shan xun; these years, in preparation to face the breakthrough, shan xun had been in secluded cultivation, adjusting her own state.


    she was no longer in her prime and needed some methods to adjust her state even better.


    "i am here to express my thanks today," said shan xun.


    she appeared younger compared to before her seclusion, around thirty, her temples free of any grey hair, jet-black as ink.


    however, in chu zheng''s spiritual eye, her true state was undeniable, sustained by a secret technique, sacrificing her lifespan to stimulate vitality, similar to a last flicker of light, difficult to maintain for long.


    if this breakthrough were to fail, even if she survived by chance, her lifespan would considerably diminish, and she wouldn''t have much time left.


    "you give too much weight to your words, clan chief. this is merely a transaction where all parties get what they need. i have gained far more than i have given; for me, this is a most advantageous deal," chu zheng slightly shook his head, what he had done wasn''t much, and it was mostly for his benefit; it hardly counted as a favor to shan xun.


    if he could gain the faith of the dongyuan human clan, he wouldn''t be long before entering the immortal tribulation secret realm, and then, the entire great universe would be open to him, no longer confined to this cangyun world.


    if the dongyuan human clan develops rapidly enough, using the incense fire willpower to become an immortal isn''t out of reach.


    this was his ultimate goal.


    "dao lord is quite straightforward," said shan xun as she slowly walked up to chu zheng, sat down in front of him, her expression somewhat complex: "i come with an embarrassing request."


    during this time, she had divined for herself multiple times, each time indicating a great misfortune, a sign of impending doom.


    fearing that the final result tomorrow would not be favorable, she also came prepared to arrange her final affairs.


    "do not hesitate to speak, clan chief," chu zheng said.


    as for the outcome tomorrow, chu zheng didn''t have much confidence, but this action could very likely provoke the heavenly dao.


    going against the divination, from what nie longhu had said previously, shan xun''s fate might not be too promising.


    "looking back over thousands of years, few who reached the end of their paths expired naturally. i have lived a long life and have acted without shame, not betraying the forebears of the human race and deserving of my divine shaman robe. now, as death approaches, i still have many concerns i cannot let go of," shan xun kept silent for a while before speaking.


    "if i perish tomorrow, the path of the divine shaman will need a successor. now, with your golden body spread throughout the four territories of our human race, finding a suitable successor should not be difficult for you," said shan xun.


    finding the right successor is never easy; shan xun had prepared both ways. she had already selected a few potential successors within the shan clan, but in the end, they still fell short of her standards.


    nowadays, the influence of daoist venerable zheng chu within the human race has been growing day by day. earlier, he was able to detect the presence of nie longhu through his golden body, so he should also be capable of detecting some exceptionally talented individuals by this means.


    "it''s a small effort for me, i will take care of this for you before i leave the realm," he had said.


    with the increasing incense fire willpower, chu zheng now already possesses numerous golden bodies that are spiritually awakened, seeking out those young geniuses with strong innate divine souls isn''t a difficult task anymore. sea??h th§× nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    moreover, he could personally intervene to adjust the innate foundation of a fetus, transforming it into a body of extreme yin. given his current cultivation in the refine spirit realm, this was not a difficult feat.


    "apart from this, i have another question, i would like to get an answer from you, master," he added.


    "following the path of witchcraft, from birth, one is destined to a life of solitude and suffering. for many witches, this is lifelong torment. can this path truly see a turning point?"


    shan xun''s eyes held a touch of expectation. she had studied the qi-refining technique. if the qi refining lineage could achieve yin-yang balance, there was no reason the divine shaman lineage couldn''t achieve it as well.


    she was no longer young, much older than both wan qiong and yan bi. those born in her era had long passed away.


    in the dongyuan realm, all she saw were the later generations; her friends and relatives from the past had long since turned into mere bones, forever separated by life and death.


    perhaps that is why, when facing experiments that could potentially lead to her death, she never once hesitated or doubted.


    yet, she still found it hard to accept the destiny predetermined for a witch from birth.


    her path had come to an end, but perhaps future generations might see a glimmer of hope.


    "i''m sorry, right now it''s hard for me to give you a precise answer," chu zheng responded with a trace of apology, then added, "but i will try some things."


    ever since he learned of the witchcraft cultivation methods, chu zheng had uncovered some of its secrets. lone yin does not grow, lone yang does not last, only the harmony of yin and yang conforms to the core operation principles of the great universe.


    the path of the divine shaman was inherently a distorted path that arose under unique conditions.


    but as he had said before, whether it could be done, and what consequences might follow, he wasn''t clear and couldn''t make promises lightly.


    "that''s enough for now, thank you for your efforts tomorrow," shan xun said, no longer speaking. she stood up, turned, and left with a stride lighter than when she had arrived.


    discover more stories at empire


    ...


    ...


    at noon, the sun was high in the sky.


    the array that spanned a hundred thousand li emitted a faint glow, beginning to absorb the qi of extreme yang from the heavens and the earth.


    eighteen pole array flags were distributed according to the positions of the nine palaces, integrating yin and yang.


    as the yang qi flowed away, the temperature around them began to plummet visibly, and ice crystals formed in the air, only to be melted instantaneously by yang qi rushing in from all directions.


    in an instant, a heavy rain poured down.


    suddenly, the skies darkened, and the curtain of stars rose as dusk fell.


    shan xun took a deep breath, not wasting any time, she stepped into the center of the array, motioning chu zheng to begin.


    the six full moons traversed the zenith. chu zheng did not hesitate and activated the array.


    the array, having accumulated a whole day''s worth of yang qi, reversed its flow instantly.


    yin and yang reversed in a moment, extreme yang turned into extreme yin.


    dense moonlight was drawn down, and the entire array''s formation patterns lit up instantly, their brilliance shooting up into the heavens.


    the yin qi was compressed to the extreme, turning into extreme yin spiritual liquid, merging into shan xun''s limbs and bones.


    in just a moment, her aura underwent a drastic change, crossing an insurmountable gulf as her divine soul''s fluctuations surged, tearing apart the array, and the light of the primordial spirit illuminated everywhere.


    mysterious law runes surged from the void, continuously entering her body.


    with each passing moment, her aura soared crazily, seemingly without end.

 Chapter 236 Conclusion of Cause and Effect

    the divine shaman lineage relied on cultivating yin qi to strengthen the primordial spirit, thereby deriving numerous mystical divine techniques.this was somewhat similar to that of a qi cultivator, who did not need to devote much effort to research divine skills. if one''s cultivation was sufficient, they could apply the methods left by the predecessors and display many secret techniques.


    from the embryonic state, shamans were infused with a substantial amount of yin qi. innately different, they were mostly born female, with the occasional exception who lacked yang qi and could not be considered a normal male baby.


    this path of cultivation was quite abnormal; one could even say it was harmful to the harmony of heaven, as it reversed the natural order, forcibly intervening in innate matters, naturally carrying significant side effects.


    chu zheng had researched for a long time and still had not found an appropriate solution.


    according to the cultivation method of witchcraft, ultimately without any external interference, one would turn oneself into a yin god, completely abandoning the physical body, similar to an incense spirituality.


    by that time, they could no longer be considered living beings.


    chu zheng conducted many experiments, and the results were consistently unsatisfactory. once the yin qi within a witch''s body was neutralized by yang qi, the cultivation would immediately become unstable, even leading to a complete loss of mana.


    the primordial spirit remained powerful and did not regress, but with yang qi causing interference and blockage, it could no longer deploy any secret techniques or divine skills.


    after fruitless attempts, chu zheng immediately considered another path, drawing from the immortal law he had acquired earlier, and created a new method of cultivation similar to witchcraft.


    the primordial spirit as yin, the physical body as yang, completely separating the two.


    valuing the primordial spirit over the physical body, using the primordial spirit to nourish the frail physical body to achieve a much longer lifespan and more robust mana.


    as the physical body''s yang qi influenced the primordial spirit, its properties would gradually change, ultimately cultivating into a yang god.


    this was a method of cultivation existing only in chu zheng''s mind, requiring a long time for validation.


    but now, he had plenty of time.


    the white tiger had been slain by the heavenly dao; the position of beast emperor was vacant, giving the human race a long period of peace, long enough for him to complete this incarnation''s journey.


    ...


    ... s§×arch* the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    with the sunset and moonrise, and the repeated cold waves, nearly a hundred years had passed.


    in a hundred years, enough had happened; the wan clan''s territories were all reclaimed, the frontline camps of the three clans had advanced deep into the three desolates, and the human race''s territory had doubled compared to before.


    the population had also surged dramatically. chu zheng''s golden body was almost omnipresent in every tribe of the dongyuan human clan, with countless believers.


    however, the quality of these believers was exceedingly low; true believers were few and far between.


    in a world without the seeds of faith, establishing a deeply rooted deity required a long time.


    moreover, not everyone was willing to believe in gods. without the slightest reverence, even if they worshipped, it could only be considered blasphemy, unable to provide any incense fire willpower.


    nevertheless, decades ago, chu zheng''s original body had already sensed the barrier of the tongxuan realm. with just a thought, he could cross it.


    yet he suppressed his rising cultivation and began to do his utmost to stabilize his foundation and purify his divine infant.


    he took seriously the impurities mentioned by nie longhu before, and to avoid interference with his path, he wasted a great deal of incense fire willpower to repeatedly purify and refine it until there were no impurities left, only then integrating it into the divine infant.


    years of accumulation had made his divine infant stronger than that of a typical immortal path cultivator with the nine transformations of divine infant by more than ten times, ready to enter tongxuan at any time.


    during this century, chu zheng had spent a lot of time and energy researching witchcraft, inevitably affecting his progression in his cultivation.


    now, the secret medicines for increasing cultivation needed to be prioritized for newborns, and they were in short supply. as he was not from this world, there was no need to waste this resource; the dongyuan human clan needed them more.


    with the nine orifices golden core within him, even if chu zheng only practiced the circulation of qi daily without taking any secret medicines, his cultivation had steadily stepped into the completion of refine spirit realm over the years, just one step away from the refining spirit returning to void realm.


    his cultivation base was already sufficient, but chu zheng was not in a hurry to take this step.


    having not emerged in a hundred years, the tribulation qi had accumulated to a certain extent. he had a premonition that crossing this step would bring a major calamity.


    for him, the tribulation qi was the next problem to be solved. in this life, walking in the world under the name zheng chu, the mitigated tribulation qi had almost no effect on his original body.


    if it were not for his sufficiently solid foundation before, which endured enough tribulation qi for him to calmly cultivate until refining spirit returning to void, coupled with his original body''s qi refinement''s cultivation not being too high, he would likely already be facing trouble.


    ...


    ...


    as night fell and the moon shone brightly among sparse stars.


    inside the hall.


    clad in a black robe, chu zheng sat cross-legged on a jade couch, his eyelids lightly closed, circulating the circuit of qi and drawing in yin yang dual qi.


    with completely stretched muscles and bones, tall and straight, and with a broad back, his body, in every inch of flesh, was filled with unimaginably powerful vitality.


    the totem was constantly enhancing his vitality; even without much cultivation, his current physical body, tearing apart a fifth order fierce beast, still required no effort.


    moments later, chu zheng slowly opened his eyes, sitting high like a divine monarch on a cloud, and softly called out, "wan xiu." your adventure continues at empire


    a girl around fifteen or sixteen years old, with bright eyes, hurriedly rushed into the hall, bowed deeply, and respectfully said, "dao lord, what are your divine instructions?"


    her eyes were filled with sincere reverence, clearly worshipping chu zheng as one would a god.

 Chapter 236 Settling Karma_2

    chu zheng''s heart was not greatly disturbed. as an incense fire god, he was all too aware of the true devotion, or lack thereof, from his followers.wan xiu had always been respectful toward him, offering incense and worship every day for many years without a single mistake.


    yet, from beginning to end, he had never drawn even the slightest bit of incense fire willpower from her.


    no matter how respectful she appeared on the surface, it couldn''t conceal the thoughts at the bottom of xiu''s heart. she was unwilling to worship chu zheng as a deity. she harbored her own ambitions and was not content to be subservient to others.


    chu zheng was not concerned about this and continued to assess her cultivation, "how is your practice of the soul extension technique coming along?"


    "i''ve made some progress."


    the young girl''s smile was full of joy, and a clearly visible spiritual light flickered between her brows, revealing fluctuations of divine sense far surpassing those of ordinary people.


    in the next instant, a slightly hazy figure stepped out slowly, bearing an identical countenance to the girl, with a lively smile contained therein.


    wan xiu''s talent was extraordinary, especially in the aspect of the divine soul, where she possessed remarkable innate ability.


    she was the disciple chu zheng had chosen for shan xun.


    after a hundred years of meditation, he finally achieved some results. he had comprehended a new path, blending the lineages of divine shaman with the immortal scripture that primarily cultivated the divine soul, giving birth to a new path toward becoming an immortal.


    the ancient witches of the present day were becoming increasingly rare, and the vast majority of witches had begun to specialize in the dao that chu zheng had enlightened.


    this was a brand new path, still somewhat incomplete, but it had already circumvented the constraints of the immortal bone while retaining many techniques of the divine shaman.


    the only drawback was that this method had high requirements for innate talent and required a certain degree of insight, so the threshold was not low.


    however, this new path did not require one to sever emotions and defy one''s nature like the witches of the past, who saw love and affection as a dangerous torrent and dared not cross the line.


    this was also considered as fulfilling shan xun''s last wish. with chu zheng''s current abilities, he had done as much as he could; this was his limit.


    after inspecting wan xiu''s cultivation, chu zheng nodded slightly and his gaze shifted to outside the temple. "come in."


    a woman approaching thirty entered the temple, her expression respectful, bowing in a courteous salute:


    "wan jue, greets the dao lord, i have come to fetch ah xiu."


    "from today onwards, wan xiu need not serve here anymore."


    chu zheng rose slowly, speaking in a deep voice, "whatever happens to her from now on has nothing to do with me."


    he had painstakingly taught wan xiu for more than ten years, doing quite enough.


    holding the objective he had come to achieve in dongyuan realm, he had completed nearly all of it, and now was the time for leaving the realm, to settle some karma.


    "dao lord, has wan xiu done something wrong?"


    upon hearing this, wan jue''s expression changed subtly, her gaze instinctively shifting to wan xiu at her side.


    chu zheng turned his head to look, sharply catching the fleeting joy in wan xiu''s eyes. he said no more, simply gestured with his hand, signaling for the two to leave.


    "many thanks, dao lord."


    without further questions, wan jue bowed in thanks and then took wan xiu by the hand to depart.


    as they were about to exit the door, wan jue turned back for one last glance at the temple. chu zheng''s figure had already disappeared without a trace, leaving only the gentle night breeze in the hall.


    "mother?"


    wan xiu slowed her cheerful steps, puzzled.


    "it''s nothing."


    wan jue''s lips curled into a smile, her hands gently ruffling the girl''s fluffy hair, a warm smile spreading across her face: "let''s hurry home. a few days ago, your father specially hunted a blood phoenix, just perfect for nourishing your body."


    "mother, i will definitely become very strong."


    wan xiu''s eyes sparkled as she clenched her fist, her tone filled with resolve, "stronger than everyone in this world."


    "yes, my ah xiu is the mightiest..."


    with adoring eyes, wan jue took wan xiu''s hand and slowly left the temple, blending into the night, their figures gradually receding into the distance.


    ...


    ...


    high above the nine heavens, the aura wind howled.


    a shadow streaked across the night sky, weaving through the gaps in space, covering tens of thousands of miles in a single step.


    witnessing days and nights, after several days of travel, chu zheng stopped above a secluded mountain range.


    divine sense swept across the land, and soon, a slight smile appeared on his lips. with one step, he arrived at a mountainside.


    at the mountainside stood a stone gate several zhang high. the gate was tightly closed, shrouded in layer upon layer of arrays, completely isolated from the world.


    "brother daoist nie, chu zheng has come to visit!"


    chu zheng called out in a low shout that reverberated through the wilderness.


    boom¡ª


    the stone gate suddenly flung open, and a tall figure stepped out slowly, with a hint of gloom between his brows.


    "brother daoist nie, i am about to leave the realm, and have specially come to bid you farewell."


    chu zheng glanced at nie longhu, his mind coming to a conclusion.


    after nearly a hundred years of cultivation, nie longhu had reached the golden core middle stage, and with the eight orifices of the golden core, his talent was indeed extraordinary.


    "if you want to go, just go. no need to come and see me."


    nie longhu muttered a phrase, his brow twitching as he shifted his gaze, hiding the trace of astonishment in his eyes.


    ''truly a freak!''


    explore stories at empire


    in just over a hundred years, to reach great perfection in refining spirit, just one step away from returning to void.


    even for those who have reincarnated through calamities, this speed of progression is rather too exaggerated, which is enough to prove the extent of chu zheng''s terrifying comprehension.


    "before i leave, there are some matters i would like to consult with brother daoist about," said chu zheng after taking a deep breath and speaking calmly, "brother daoist once mentioned the ways to enter the myriad heavens and realms..."


    "what are you planning to do?"


    nie longhu looked somewhat wary. a hundred years ago, shan xun had breached the sect gate, causing a stir that alarmed the heavenly dao. naturally, he could not have been unaware.


    nie longhu had gained a further understanding of chu zheng''s capacity for causing trouble.


    initially, he quite intended to bring chu zheng into the sect gate, but such a maverick and prodigy was really too unpredictable and risky.


    having interacted over this period, he had discovered certain traits in chu zheng that were unlike ordinary people; this man truly had no fear of death.


    this was not because his reincarnated calamities would not affect his true body. nie longhu had lived through a thousand lifetimes and had never seen anyone like this; he was absolutely sure of this point.


    to chu zheng, death or trouble held no deterrence or fear at all.


    daring to think, daring to act, daring to try without concerning himself with the consequences, and bold to the extreme.


    such a person, who had chosen the qi refining lineage, whether a blessing or a curse, would undoubtedly bring about much trouble.


    from the standpoint of his own safety, nie longhu truly did not wish to associate with chu zheng. however, to let such a rare individual die in some corner was also something he found difficult to accept.


    hesitating for a long while, nie longhu let out a soft sigh. since they were both qi cultivators, he should help if he could.


    in this lifetime, although chu zheng had acted recklessly, he had also helped him. without shan xun breaking the sect gate and taking away the fierce tiger, it would not have been so easy for him to cultivate in peace.


    "remember well what i am about to tell you," nie longhu said gravely, with a more serious expression. "i told you last time we met, if you have the chance, come to the ten thousand realms battlefield and find me. i can lead you into the myriad realms to meet a few dao lords."


    as he spoke, he extended his finger, a point of spiritual light shining on its tip, transmitted into chu zheng''s mind:


    "this is the coordinate of the ten thousand realms battlefield, but before that, i have a few things to remind you. the realm boundary battlefields are the most tightly sealed places. there''s virtually no hope of deceiving the immortal alliance or martial hall and crossing the boundary wall."


    "near the boundary wall, immortal path emperors often patrol, and occasionally strong beings from the ancestral realm of martial dao will appear, which is extremely perilous. in front of such beings, at a single glance, all your secrets will be unveiled, even the threads of karma cannot be hidden."


    taking a deep breath and becoming even more solemn, nie longhu said, "in other words, if you are discovered, it means complete annihilation for your ten clans. if you are not alone and have family and friends, then think it over before you act."


    hearing this, chu zheng pondered, his eyes growing deeper.


    "as long as you can arrive at the ten thousand realms battlefield alive, even just near the boundary wall, i can ask my master to personally take action to open a path for you and lead you out."


    once he finished speaking, nie longhu raised his hand to form a seal, and condensed a dao seal which he imprinted into chu zheng''s mind:


    "inside the ten thousand realms battlefield, release this dao seal, and i will sense it and come to rescue you as soon as possible."


    watching chu zheng memorize the dao seal, nie longhu''s expression gradually returned to calm. there were some things he hadn''t fully disclosed.


    to reach the true ten thousand realms battlefield, one needed at least the cultivation of peak dao integration or even the heavenly immortal realm to manage it.


    without reaching this level of cultivation, even if chu zheng managed to reach the battlefield, he would hardly be able to hold on until help arrived; escaping with his life would be difficult. s§×ar?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 237 Preparing to Leave the Realm, Tribulation Qi Transformation

    there are no benefits without their costs, and nie longhu was willing to help chu zheng on the condition that chu zheng had sufficient value.currently, chu zheng was far from having the qualifications to warrant aid from a golden immortal of the taoist school. should he step into the realm of heavenly immortal and demonstrate his worth, nie longhu would not mind offering a favor, smoothly aiding his journey.


    qi cultivators care deeply about cause and effect; his act of helping was in hopes of receiving assistance in the future.


    the calamity transformation method has its limits; deceiving the heavenly dao of a single realm might be simple, but duping the entire great universe was exceedingly difficult.


    even someone as powerful as the ancestral dao was, at this moment, entwined with tribulation qi and had already vanished without a trace.


    ultimately, there would be a calamity that even he could not transcend with his own power, and when that time came, he would naturally need a powerful external force to assist him.


    chu zheng was a possibility, but whether he could be utilized in the future remained uncertain.


    "thank you for your guidance, taoist brother. this life ends here, and i hope we may meet again in the future."


    chu zheng expressed his thanks and, without further comment, turned and left directly.


    nie longhu''s words, he only believed halfway.


    the boundary wall would undoubtedly be difficult to cross, guarded by top-tier experts of the second-fold immortal martial path. if he were to go recklessly, the outcome could be dire.


    as for the golden immortal of the taoist school mentioned by nie longhu, chu zheng did not care about it, preferring to act as if he had never heard it.


    qi cultivators least want to be entangled in cause and effect; based on nie longhu''s unilateral view, the possibility of a golden immortal helping him in the ten thousand realms battlefield was minuscule.


    chu zheng would not stake his survival on a shaky promise; that would be unwise.


    throughout his life, the only thing he could rely on was himself.


    as he was about to leave, chu zheng suddenly stopped, turned around, and eyed nie longhu with some surprise:


    "taoist brother, you have secluded yourself here for so long, not appearing in the world. aren''t you afraid of tribulation qi entangling your body?"


    nie longhu had been in seclusion for a hundred years, almost never leaving his cave dwelling.


    for qi cultivators, that simply wouldn''t work as tribulation qi would accumulate, causing significant trouble.


    when he first came to this world, tribulation qi had always been accumulating invisibly, often requiring him to venture into the wilderness to combat savage beasts to dissipate the tribulation qi.


    "transcending through various embodiments is fundamentally interdependent; the embodiment aids the original body in dissolving calamities, and likewise, the original body can shield the embodiment from disasters. you, with your shallow cultivation, are still unable to grasp the profundity within," nie longhu stated openly:


    "my original body has reached heavenly immortal perfection; for me, the tribulation qi accumulated by the embodiment during secluded cultivation is trivial. simply transferring the tribulation qi to the original body and dealing with some minor matters will dissipate it entirely."


    as cultivation improves, the embodiment need not worry about dissipating tribulation qi during the accumulation phase, until the cultivation of the embodiment approximates that of the original body, which is the moment to come forth.


    upon hearing this, a flash of insight crossed chu zheng''s mind; the reason that mysterious immortal abruptly emerged from transmigration was probably because he realized the heavenly dao of this world did not tolerate the existence of ninth order beings, thus initiating his tribulation prematurely.


    his experience with embodiment and transcending tribulations was limited; it was difficult to compare with these old monsters who spanned thousands of lifetimes. there was still much to explore.


    "can there only be one embodiment?"


    regaining his senses, chu zheng couldn''t help but ask another question. sea??h th§× n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "naturally, there can be more than one, but the cost of transcending through embodiments is not insignificant. with my current cultivation, it''s difficult to manage two embodiments simultaneously. having more makes it challenging to achieve effective results," nie longhu shook his head, his eyes filled with longing:


    "once you step into the mysterious immortal realm, perhaps you''ll have the spare capacity to manage more embodiments. should you reach the realm of golden immortal, you might even reverse time and space, undergoing tribulations in the past, present, and future¡ªthis is the essential path to the great luo realm through the ''three-life great calamity.''"


    daluo golden immortals, known as the eternal and indestructible realm, span the river of time and shadow all of history and future. within the taoist school, only the ancestral dao has truly stepped into this realm.


    in the great battle of the late primordial era, the ancestral dao faced enemies from both the past and present. someone had helped him open the gate of time, seeking aid from the future, which is a documented historical fact.


    nie longhu''s words stirred chu zheng''s mind; affecting the past and the future, was it not possible to interfere with the already known facts, and even completely rewrite the direction of history?


    how could this be achieved while avoiding temporal paradoxes?


    "now that we''ve come to this point, let me give you another reminder; during the embodiment''s trials, it''s not uncommon to leave several threads of cause and effect for future use," nie longhu spoke again, offering a suggestion: "when an insurmountable calamity approaches, pull out a few threads of cause and effect, sever them cleanly, and you can transform a great calamity into an ordinary one, gaining a bit more chance for survival."


    severing all ties with cause and effect is indeed clean and free from future troubles; however, it also means no way back, only advancing further.


    among qi cultivators, there are those who choose the heretic path, slaughtering entire families but leaving a single lineage alive, waiting for descendants to seek revenge.


    this is similar to planting fruit trees, creating controllable calamities for oneself, also a path to take.


    nie longhu did not encourage chu zheng to take the heretic path, but leaving a few threads of cause and effect might save his life in the future.


    this was his personal experience, invaluable, and he would not have shared such advice if he did not see potential in chu zheng.


    find exclusive stories on empire


    "thank you, taoist brother, for not sparing your advice."


    chu zheng no longer hesitated, sincerely thanked him, and departed.


    nie longhu did not continue the conversation, watching chu zheng leave the cave dwelling, swung his sleeve to close the stone door, and immersed himself in meditation.


    how far chu zheng could grow, he did not know, but he still hoped that this person would live a long life.


    in the great universe, the ancestral dao alone accounted for twenty-five percent of the heavenly fate, while all the heavenly fate of the myriad realms combined was merely fifteen percent. the qi cultivators of the taoist school among them accounted for just one or two percent.

 Chapter 237 Preparing to Leave the Realm, Tribulation Qi Transformation_2

    the lineage of qi cultivators is sparse, and it always requires fresh blood.without fresh blood, there would be no change.


    even those divine sects and holy clans that have been inherited for tens of thousands of years, despite their numerous disciples and unfathomable foundations, continuously recruit fresh blood, all in the pursuit of change.


    in the ever-changing great universe, not changing means awaiting death.


    ... your next chapter is on empire


    ...


    having left the retreat of nie longhu, chu zheng concealed his tracks, traversed three domains in succession, and began his final action before leaving the realm.


    he aimed to exchange all the rune soldiers and totem stone tablets in his possession for spiritual medicine and cultivation resources as much as possible.


    in the dongyuan realm, he had no descendants, and he was somewhat reluctant to simply forsake the wealth accumulated over a hundred years.


    after obtaining these resources, he planned to perform the "pluck stars" technique, seize a meteor from beyond the heavens, and then, upon sending the meteor out of the realm, take all his savings with him.


    atop the meteor, he would leave a spiritually awakened golden body as a coordinate, sending it to a star domain near the immortal alliance, where his true self would retrieve it when his cultivation was sufficient.


    that was exactly what zhao tingxian had done in the past, using a heavenly dao incarnation to intercept cangyun''s great realm''s heavenly fate for many years, and when departing, he even took most of the treasures from the cangyun secret realm and sent them all into the chaos sea.


    if not for that, zhao tingxian would likely not have set foot in the immortal venerable realm by now.


    from this, the importance of resources is evident; they wouldn''t be useless in the future.


    after spending several months, chu zheng traveled far and wide before he finally disposed of all the repaired rune soldiers and totem stone tablets he had, exchanging them for a large amount of cultivation resources.


    ...


    ...


    in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.


    in a barren wilderness, chu zheng successfully obtained a meteor using the pluck stars technique and expended his heart and spirit to inscribe numerous layered arrays on it.


    however, when proceeding to the next step, he encountered trouble; it was easy to claim a star, but difficult to send it away.


    with his cultivation, it was hard to make the meteor break free from the dongyuan realm, and his initial idea faced setbacks momentarily.


    after considering various plans for several days without success, he had no choice but to seek assistance.


    chu zheng returned to the wan tribe, explained his purpose, and requested wan qiong''s help.


    wan qiong did not refuse; in fact, he even placed the eighteen yin yang array flags he had expended a lot of resources to create for setting up the reversing yin-yang formation on top of the meteor, letting chu zheng take them as well.


    in this world, this set of array flags was no longer of use, but placed on the meteor, they could serve to protect chu zheng''s considerable resources.


    the new cultivation path deduced by the witch for chu zheng was open to both men and women, a significant grace to the dongyuan human clan that could not be erased.


    if not for chu zheng, shan xun would never have been able to cross that barrier until death, the beast emperor would still roam the world, and countless people would have perished; wan qiong always held gratitude for this in his heart.


    to ensure that chu zheng could retrieve these resources more quickly, wan qiong utilized the sky-rending divine crossbow to open a space portal directly facing the great universe, helping chu zheng send the meteor far away.


    this time, chu zheng felt the terrifying power of the sky-rending divine crossbow even more vividly.


    in his perception, the meteor carrying the golden body swiftly retreated, passing through the space portal with residual momentum that pierced through several star domains; the speed then gradually slowed down until it finally entered the vast universe, drifting towards the edge of the chaos sea, starting a long journey.


    "many thanks to clan leader wan."


    having settled everything, chu zheng heaved a sigh of relief and offered a fist and palm salute.


    "no need, dao lord, you have shown great kindness to our dongyuan human clan; this was just a simple effort, so there''s no need for thanks. if we were to speak of gratitude, how many times must i thank you to be enough?"


    wan qiong waved his hand, seemingly unconcerned, his expression slightly somber: "my lifespan is nearing its end, and we may not meet again in this life. let this be our farewell, may you achieve your wishes and be safe on your journey."


    upon hearing this, chu zheng fell into contemplation and after a long silence, he took out a beast bone, used his finger as a pen to leave a page of ancient scripture, and stuffed it into wan qiong''s hand, saying solemnly:


    "the day will come."


    although it impacted his own incense fire willpower, he still left the incense fire divine path to the dongyuan human clan.


    this was an alternative path.


    before meeting nie longhu, he had not considered this option, but now, he decided to give it a try.


    in the immortal alliance, he was already isolated, the taste of being utterly alone was not pleasant.


    leaving behind some threads of causality might be useful to him in the future.


    after leaving behind the bone book, chu zheng did not stay for long, he crossed the void and left the human race domain, entering the barren domain.


    it would be a pity not to fully exploit an avatar like this one, its last vestige of usefulness. it just so happened to serve as a proof for some of his ideas. sea??h th§× novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ...


    deep within the barren domain.


    in a valley surrounded by mountains, a dark green abyss sat in the center, gathering the earth vein qi from all directions, and within its waters, spiritual mist twisted and dragon essence rose, a prime location for nurturing true dragons.


    boom!


    ''awoooo¡ª''


    suddenly, thousand-zhang high waves burst from the abyss, shooting straight into the sky. a flood dragon with a unique horn on its head broke through the surface, its high and mighty dragon roar echoed through the wilderness, startling countless birds into flight.


    a giant palm, wrapped in the mystical light of yin and yang, followed closely behind, turning from palm to blade and heavily chopping down on the flood dragon''s spine.


    crack¡ª


    a crisp explosion sounded, and the flood dragon, spanning hundreds of zhang, folded instantly, its spine broken, crashing into the mountains and crushing countless peaks.


    ''whimper¡ª''


    the dragon''s roar turned into a piteous wail.


    ripples spread through the void, and a figure stepped out.


    watching the flood dragon struggling to rise, chu zheng''s gaze sharpened as he once again extended his palms, pressing them down.


    boom!


    the immense palm, formed of condensed yuan qi, precisely gripped the flood dragon by the side of its neck and its vital point, pinning it firmly between the mountains, rendering it unable to move.


    a following fierce shout that could pierce gold and shatter stone dispersed the clouds above for thousands of miles:


    "i will ask you once more, my name is chu zheng, do you understand or not?"


    hiss¡ª


    the flood dragon, held down against the ground, had its eyes boiling with a murderous intent, its scales fanning out angrily, beneath the faint green scales a blood-colored divine light flowed for a moment.


    the next instant, a nearly zhang-long spear of blood burst forth from its throat, turning into a blood dragon shadow that vanished into the void, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    with the blood arrow leaving its body, the flood dragon''s form went limp, as though its sinews had been drawn out, it lost all of its remaining strength.


    chu zheng only felt a heat in his chest, and upon tearing open his robes, a piece of green dragon scale emerged at his heart, resembling warm jade, emanating waves of heart-searing heat.


    this came from the flood dragon.


    a flicker of spiritual light in chu zheng''s eyes quickly revealed the origin of this mark.


    [contrary scales seal (fifth order): a secret technique of the true dragon clan, mostly used at the brink of death, burning all essence blood to create a tracking marker, it is hard to erase once cast aside flesh and bone.]


    seeing this, chu zheng''s eyebrows furrowed slightly; he combined his fingers into a sword, sending out a beam of sword light that pierced the flood dragon''s head, taking the life of this fifth order flood dragon.


    the green dragon scale in his chest continued to burn hot. this secret technique was prepared for future vengeance; the background of this flood dragon had to be extraordinary, otherwise, a being with the cultivation of fifth order could hardly occupy such a spiritual land.


    as chu zheng was lost in thought, the tribulation qi beside him began to churn; his eyes brightened slightly, and without moving a step, some expectation arose within him.


    less than an hour later, the shattered mountain range''s skies suddenly darkened, from clear to cloudy; in just a few breaths, thunderclouds started surging.


    between the dense clouds, the silhouette of a true dragon could be seen shuttling, and in an instant, heavy rain poured down, covering hundreds of thousands of miles.


    killing intent rose in the void, locking down firmly on chu zheng.


    the accumulated tribulation qi of a hundred years boiled violently, gradually evolving into a death tribulation.


    with this sight, chu zheng''s gaze grew even more intense. to command the clouds and rain was the art of true dragons.


    this green-scaled flood dragon truly had the backing of a true dragon.

 Chapter 238 Incense of One Realm in Palm, Seventh Rank Repairer

    massive thunderclouds enveloped hundreds of thousands of miles, and the divine radiance of the three suns could not penetrate even a fraction, making it impossible to see one''s own fingers when extended.fierce lightning streaked across the sky, like an extremely sharp light blade, tearing the pitch-black curtain instantly.


    in the blink of an eye, the faint light outlined the huge figure moving between the clouds, indiscernible at a glance.


    [earth abyss dragon king (eighth order): king of the earth abyss dragon clan, at the pinnacle realm of perfection, a pure-blooded true dragon with tremendous potential, bound by the heavenly dao laws, unable to breakthrough.]


    looking at the information transmitted by his spiritual eye, chu zheng slightly curled the corners of his mouth, unexpectedly finding the existence of a true dragon lineage behind this green flood dragon, likely sharing some blood relation with this dragon king.


    this was a dragon king comparable to the chief of a clan, his power at the world''s pinnacle. previously in the beast tide, he had not seen this dragon king''s figure.


    it seemed that in the beast tide stirred up by the beast emperor, some of the savage beast clan groups had not participated, or perhaps, this dragon king had been on the battlefield on the side of the heavenly spirit race at that time.


    brightly, a star suddenly lit up among the dark clouds. the earth abyss dragon king opened his eyes, and within his pale golden vertical pupils, molten lava-like fierce flames surged visibly.


    feeling the nearly solidified tribulation qi beside him, chu zheng grinned. without waiting for him to speak, a clump of heavenly fire had already descended from the sky like a meteor falling, smashing towards him head-on. s§×arch* the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    chu zheng wanted to move, but his figure was firmly pinned in place by the invisible spatial laws, unable even to speak.


    the earth abyss dragon king''s cultivation far surpassed his, and his understanding of spatial laws was beyond chu zheng''s reach.


    facing such a being, chu zheng had no leeway even to struggle.


    heat waves hit his face, and chu zheng''s features uncontrollably began to distort, his skin cracking inch by inch, and his invulnerable body dried up in just a few breaths.


    boom!


    heavenly fire struck the ground, all directions shook, the earth moved and mountains swayed, and the ground cracked like a spider web, the sky filled with flowing fire and flying magma, the molten magma gathering into billowing flames, filling the broken earth abyss.


    chu zheng didn''t even have time to use the repair panel, his body and primordial spirit almost burnt to extinction, the last lingering thought in his mind being that he hadn''t even had time to reveal his name.


    ...


    ...


    cangyun realm.


    wanlong city.


    inside a secret room, chu zheng suddenly opened his eyes, looking at the nearly exhausted tribulation qi beside him, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his eyes.


    as for the results, this incarnation had indeed blocked a lot of tribulation qi for his original body.


    recalling the pain of having his physical body and primordial spirit completely burnt away, chu zheng couldn''t help but rub his brow, a slight twitch at the corner of his eye, this kind of death left a deep impression, requiring some time for quiet adjustment.


    before he could recover, a flow of incense fire willpower came from beyond the heavens, infusing into his primordial spirit.


    this became the final straw, directly shattering the barriers chu zheng faced in entering the tongxuan realm.


    his cultivation had been forcibly suppressed for too long, now no longer able to be controlled.


    in dongyuan realm, the incense fire willpower, now almost entirely in his control, had been suppressed for so long, which was no easy feat.


    crossing the boundary of cultivation level in an instant, the yin yang divine infant in chu zheng''s sea of consciousness burst forth with auspicious colors, starting from the undying qilin, transforming successively into nine types of mythical beasts.


    ultimately, the divine infant transformed back to his original appearance, the yin yang dual qi within the divine infant surging, intersecting, and faintly manifesting a glimpse of chaos.


    nine transformations of divine infant, also known as deification nine transformations, each transformation nearly doubling the combat power.


    by reaching this step in the tongxuan, one is considered a deification, and at this realm, the cultivators can also be called pseudo-immortals.


    in the cangyun realm before any major changes had occurred, such formidable figures were extremely elusive, seldom seen even among people from holy lands.


    since embarking on the path of cultivation, in just over ten years, he had reached tongxuan, becoming a true top-tier power in the cangyun realm.


    but at this moment, chu zheng no longer had time to experience his own increased cultivation, as his mind was entirely occupied by the information from the panel.


    [your repair proficiency has reached the master level, previously restricted by cultivation, the progress was difficult, but now with the advancement in cultivation, you have finally become a seventh rank repairer.]


    [due to a large accumulation of experience, your repair proficiency has undergone a qualitative change, now repairing seventh rank items poses no significant challenge to you.]


    [during the long process of repairs, you slowly discovered some secrets, realizing that the different energies in the world are essentially the same and can be converted into each other, you comprehended a divine skill: return to the origin]


    [return to the origin (tenth order): high-grade divine skill, can transform all things into primordial qi.]


    tenth order divine skill!


    chu zheng''s heart was shaken, this was, besides the eternal calamity treasure record, the only other divine skill he had encountered that was of the tenth order level.


    as a massive amount of information flooded into his mind, chu zheng''s eyes gradually brightened.


    return to the origin unraveled many of his doubts.


    in the universe, millions of paths of cultivation exist, but only a handful can ascend above the eighth order.


    beings stepping into the eighth order and above have a special ''qi'' formed within them, unique to their cultivated path.


    read new chapters at empire


    such as the ''immortal qi'' within the bodies of immortal path cultivators, or the ''primordial qi'' within beings of the myriad realms.


    these types of qi, which chu zheng had extracted before from some of the spoils of war, carried a strong exclusivity, incompatible with other rival paths.


    this is a barrier deliberately drawn between many great paths to prevent the leaking of their own taoist orthodoxy''s power.

 Chapter 238 Incense of One Realm in Hand, Seventh Rank Repairer_2

    cultivating an eighth order living being is no easy task, at least far more precious than the ordinary life stars.once cultivation reached the eighth order, the disparity in combat power between them was huge, yet the energy contained within their bodies was truly terrifying.


    however, with the presence of immortal qi as a barrier, even if cultivators from the myriad realms killed a true immortal, the flesh, blood, and immortal treasures of the true immortal were of no use to them, and vice versa.


    ultimately, these energies, as time passed, would return to their respective taoist orthodoxy in other ways; even if a war was lost, only a small part of heavenly fate was lost, preventing greater losses.


    after digesting this information, chu zheng had gained a new perspective on the current state of the great universe.


    the existence of these taoist energies was the real reason why the current power dynamics of the various factions of the great universe could barely maintain stability.


    if a war could not plunder sufficient resources, then it was a business with a total loss of blood and treasure.


    therefore, all parties were very cautious.


    nie longhu had once told him that the wars between the myriad heavens and realms and the immortal alliance martial hall were getting bigger, suggesting a battle that would determine the fate of the universe, likely for these reasons as well.


    the struggle for heavenly fate, once started, had to be fought to the end with no room for compromise.


    all living beings from other taoist orthodoxy must be slaughtered, and all heavenly fate must be seized to dominate all paths and completely eliminate future troubles.


    however... for chu zheng, who had acquired return to the origin, no matter which faction''s taoist orthodoxy he faced as an enemy, he would benefit.


    immortal qi and primordial qi, in his hands, had no distinction; they would ultimately become the root force of the great universe.


    what puzzled chu zheng slightly was that the power extracted from the remains of creatures from the myriad realms was primordial qi.


    from this, it seemed that the current situation of the myriad realms was how the great universe should naturally be.


    the current power of the immortal alliance was closely related to the existence of immortal qi; by extension, the martial hall must be the same.


    chu zheng snapped out of his contemplation and brought up his own panel.


    [name: chu zheng]


    [cultivation: qi refinement: mid-stage of golden core realm, immortal path: initial stage of tongxuan realm]


    [root bone: yin yang immortal bone (superior quality), five elements spiritual body]


    [cultivation technique: eternal calamity treasure record (tenth order), taixuan divine fire scripture (eighth order)...]


    [divine skills: return to the origin (tenth order), qi gathering and heaven repairing (ninth order), qilin transformation (eighth order), heavenly escaping five elements technique (eighth order), tai yuan dragon sword dance (eighth order), five thunder righteous law (sixth order), slaughter blood descending dragon technique (sixth order), space condensing art (sixth order)...]


    [talent: spiritual eye (fourth order), soul capturing (sixth order), sky roaming (sixth order), soul snatching (sixth order)]


    [repair master: seventh rank (0/16000)]


    [remaining repairs for the day: 1]


    [current repairable:...]


    looking at the remaining number of repairs, chu zheng''s brows furrowed. his daily repair allowance should still count in the dozens.


    looking at the chain of experiences after becoming a seventh rank repairer, chu zheng felt a slight headache and gently deliberated before flipping his palm and taking out a half-man-height golden great bow.


    the bow was covered with mottled marks left by time, and the bowstring was broken,


    [falling star bow (seventh rank/incomplete): an exceptional semi-immortal treasure, the bowstring snapped and body cracked, immortal patterns broken, repairable (0/3)]


    [detailed information: an immensely powerful semi-immortal treasure, severely damaged, requires three strands of immortal qi for repairs.]


    this semi-immortal treasure was obtained from the cangyun secret realm; when initially acquired, the panel indicated that it was irreparable, but now repairs were achievable, albeit with some conditions.


    the reason was not difficult to understand.


    the source of the panel''s operation was the absorption of nature''s spiritual energy, but once the rank reached the seventh order, traces of various taoist orthodoxy appeared, which could no longer be compensated by nature''s spiritual energy.


    seventh order marked the beginning of transformation, where beings would be permanently branded with the mark of the taoist orthodoxy, indelible.


    chu zheng did not hesitate, took the immortal qi he had gathered from that piece of damaged immortal bone, activated the panel, and infused it into the falling star bow.


    the body of the falling star bow emitted a faint glow, and many of the mottled marks faded away.


    chu zheng heaved a sigh of relief, as long as it could be repaired, it was not a big deal.


    he glanced at the panel, the daily refresh of repair opportunities had already returned to zero.


    clearly, to repair something above the seventh order, not only was immortal qi needed, but also repair opportunities.


    read latest chapters at empire


    upon entering the role of a seventh rank repairer, chu zheng could distinctly feel that the panel was restricted.


    this restriction was not from the panel itself, but from his own body, and possibly, it was limited by the environment of this world.


    the environment of cangyun realm could only be considered ordinary after all.


    the "great immortal realm" mentioned by the immortal alliance was the real vast world capable of nurturing entities that surpassed the immortal kings.


    there, the panel should give him some new surprises.


    however, with his current condition, unless he completely abandoned his qi refinement''s cultivation, going to the great immortal realm would mean seeking death.


    chu zheng once again conjured an aura, extracted from the remains of myriad realm beings, which was primordial qi.


    he wanted to try if he could transform this primordial qi into immortal qi by using the return to the source technique.


    after a series of attempts, chu zheng had to give up reluctantly; it simply did not work or, to put it another way, with his current strength, reversing it was too difficult.


    after pondering for a long time, chu zheng took out the true immortal flesh and fragments of immortal treasures he had obtained from the extraterrestrial battlefield earlier.


    the immortal qi required to repair immortal treasures was even more astounding, ranging from a hundred to several thousand.


    after selecting carefully, chu zheng chose a piece of flesh, operated the qi gathering and heaven repairing technique, and after spending several days, extracted a strand of immortal qi.


    he began the attempt again, and this time, the return to the source worked; after several days, the immortal qi successfully transformed into primordial qi.


    having reached this step, chu zheng immediately stopped experimenting. the conversion from immortal qi to primordial qi was, for now, a one-way flow in his case and could not be wasted arbitrarily.


    fragments of immortal treasures and true immortal flesh were not easy to come by; within the territories of the immortal alliance, unless something significant happened, cultivators of the immortal tribulation secret realm would rarely face any disturbances.


    the previous situation in the cangyun realm was ultimately an exception.


    places with plenty of fragments of immortal treasures and true immortal flesh were only the battlefields of the myriad heavens and realms and the cosmic borderland adjacent to the vast universe mentioned by zhao tingxian.


    chu zheng continued to extract immortal qi and repair immortal treasures. currently, it was somewhat strenuous for him, but the falling star bow just fit the bill.


    with such a semi-immortal treasure to protect him, the cultivators from cangyun realm entering the immortal tribulation secret realm could hardly trouble him.


    as for the sect-defending immortal treasures of the holy lands, taixuan was not without them.


    after spending nearly half a month, chu zheng once again extracted two strands of immortal qi, using the repair panel, he completely repaired the falling star bow. sear?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the giant bow, wrapped in golden divine radiance, was cleansed of all dust, emitting a wave of immortal spirit fluctuations from within, which began communicating with chu zheng''s divine sense without any resistance.


    a tongxuan spiritual treasure already possessed a spirit, having an intelligence not weaker than a human''s; naturally, a semi-immortal treasure was even more superior.


    before completely repairing the falling star bow, chu zheng began tempering and refining it with his own essence blood to establish a connection.


    the spiritual perception of the falling star bow did not show much resistance; it had been damaged in a great battle, and its previous master had died.


    moreover, it understood that chu zheng had fully repaired it, granting it a second life, which was an act of re-creation.


    the thoughts of an immortal treasure spirit were not so complicated; at this moment, in its eyes, chu zheng was no different from the weapon forging master who had originally crafted it.


    the completely repaired falling star bow did not disappoint chu zheng in terms of power; with his current strength, along with the assistance of its internal immortal spirit, he could shoot two arrows.


    according to the immortal spirit, without a semi-immortal treasure for protection, any cultivator below the five tribulations in the immortal tribulation would undoubtedly die.


    however, the only regret was that this semi-immortal treasure did not have the capability to fight on its own; it was still just a weapon.


    in this respect, it was quite inferior compared to a tongxuan spiritual treasure.


    chu zheng continued to store the falling star bow within his body for nurturing and bent his head back to extracting immortal qi.


    days later, a transmission interrupted his activity.


    the great tournament of ten thousand sects was about to officially begin.

 Chapter 239 The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects Commences, Immortal Alliance

    over a hundred years had passed in the dongyuan realm, and more than a year had elapsed in the cangyun realm.the great tournament of ten thousand sects was already at the point of its official commencement.


    this letter of communication originated from the host of wanlong city, the biluo sect.


    this major sect, which emerged with the inception of the great tournament of ten thousand sects, was always responsible for handling the specific arrangements.


    from the start of the great tournament of ten thousand sects until its conclusion, and until the disciples of all holy lands and various sects departed, all logistics were guaranteed by the biluo sect.


    in exchange, every hundred years, the biluo sect would receive a substantial payment from among the major holy lands, including the taixuan holy land.


    the taixuan holy land had been secluded for a long time, devoid of fresh blood, and it had been quite a while since it last participated in grand events like the great tournament of ten thousand sects. however, during the tenure of geng yiyang, timely deliveries of spirit pills and magical treasures were always made.


    to most people, geng yiyang''s actions seemed somewhat wasteful, but their effects were obvious.


    even though taixuan had not participated in the great tournament of ten thousand sects for a long time, chu zheng and a multitude of taixuan disciples still received the highest standard of treatment.


    the language within the letter was very courteous, inviting chu zheng to come out of seclusion and attend the opening ceremony of the great tournament of ten thousand sects.


    after a moment of contemplation, chu zheng discontinued his refinement of immortal qi and got up to leave his seclusion.


    since his initial arrival in the cangyun realm, chu zheng had been aware of the great tournament of ten thousand sects.


    in a twinkle of ten years, counting the years he had spent incarnating and traversing tribulations, he had personally experienced hundreds of seasons. now, as he recalled the days at the song residence, he couldn''t help but feel a trace of emotion.


    ...


    ...


    outside the secret chamber stood a taixuan disciple on guard, a young man of sixteen or seventeen, whose cultivation had already entered the entry path.


    "taixuan inner sect, lang jing, pays respects to the saint lord."


    the disciple bowed deeply, his eyes filled with admiration.


    the saint lord was not much older than themselves, but he had already etched a myth into history. almost every taixuan disciple viewed chu zheng as a benchmark.


    "has there been any unusual activity in wanlong city lately?"


    chu zheng casually inquired. after being in seclusion for over a year, a place teeming with a mix of dragons and fishes like wanlong city must have undergone some significant changes.


    "nothing major has happened recently."


    lang jing pondered for a moment and shook his head slightly, "wanlong city has been very quiet. the prodigies of various sects are mostly in seclusion, presumably adjusting their condition in preparation for the competition."


    chu zheng was slightly surprised and nodded, ready to leave. s§×ar?h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "saint lord, should i inform the lady?"


    lang jing couldn''t help but add, "the lady comes here every day, waiting for your seclusion to end."


    song lingxue held a somewhat special status in the taixuan holy land. she had no specific position, but as chu zheng''s wife by formal marriage, during this period, all taixuan disciples referred to her as ''lady''.


    just as chu zheng was about to speak, a figure approached from not far away, clad in a light cyan vestment robe, tall and slender. her hair was tucked up with a spirit hairpin, revealing her delicate brows and eyes like a painting. at this moment, her gaze was deep, with no hint of joy on her face.


    "lingxue."


    a slight smile appeared in chu zheng''s eyes. to him, it had been a century since he last saw song lingxue, and his heart was inevitably in turmoil.


    "are you going out?"


    song lingxue lowered her eyelids, glanced at the spiritual light about to dissipate in front of the secret chamber''s door, and immediately knew someone had sent a message.


    if no one had sent a message, chu zheng likely would not have left his seclusion yet.


    chu zheng faintly sensed something was off with song lingxue''s emotions, but couldn''t immediately fathom why, so he nodded with a smile:


    "a message from the biluo sect, inviting me to attend the opening ceremony of the great tournament of ten thousand sects. you''ll accompany me."


    upon hearing this, song lingxue''s gaze dimmed slightly, and she lowered her head in agreement: "alright."


    her time left by chu zheng''s side was already limited. his seclusion this time had already taken more than a year.


    the great tournament of ten thousand sects wouldn''t last very long. as the taixuan holy master, chu zheng''s days ahead would probably be full of trivial matters, and the times they could be alone together would only decrease.


    her stay in the cangyun realm had entered its final countdown.


    chu zheng observed song lingxue, who seemed somewhat listless, with a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. he noticed nothing unusual, which puzzled him: "what''s troubling your mind?"


    "nothing," song lingxue shook her head, saying no more.


    chu zheng''s eyes shifted lightly, and he smiled faintly: "after we return later, i have something for you."


    "what is it?" song lingxue''s heart stirred, and she lifted her head: "spirit pills and magical treasures are of no use to me; you should keep them for yourself."


    to her, these items of the immortal path were indeed not very useful. continue your adventure with empire


    "it''s not those. you''ll know when we return."


    chu zheng held back from saying more, took song lingxue''s hand, and proceeded towards the center of wanlong city.


    ...


    ...


    it was still early, and dawn was just breaking.


    the center of wanlong city was already crowded with people.


    in the middle, there stood a white jade immortal palace, suspended in mid-air. in front of the palace, there sat a high platform with five chairs in red, white, black, yellow, and green, representing the five great holy lands of the southern region.


    atop the high platform, there was no one. in front of the palace, a multitude of figures had gathered, each one a holy land elder or a distinguished member of a true immortal noble family.


    and from the martial hall came two special envoys, xie xingzhong and yu ning.


    the pair looked in high spirits with ruddy cheeks, chatting and laughing with the surrounding crowd, dispelling any previous awkwardness.


    clearly, during their time in the cangyun realm, they had not been strangers to these grand sects of immortals.


    a red streak flashed across the void, landing before the immortal palace,


    song lingxue, unwilling to interact with these people, stayed outside the assembly.


    chu zheng''s gaze swept over the people before him, eventually resting on bai zhixiao, cloaked in black.


    as the only one among them to have stepped into the immortal tribulation secret realm, and as the taixu saint lord, he stood among the crowd like the moon surrounded by stars.

 Chapter 239 The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects Commences, Immortal Alliance_2

    ```"you''ve entered the tongxuan realm?"


    as their gazes met, a sudden shock flashed through bai zhixiao''s eyes.


    in the past year, wanlong city had been tranquil without any disturbances, and the hidden dragon list had not seen any changes for a long time. in recent days, few within the holy lands paid much attention to it.


    therefore, very few people were aware of chu zheng stepping into the tongxuan realm at this moment.


    hearing bai zhixiao''s voice, all the people around him were momentarily stunned and then, noticing the unobstructed aura beside chu zheng, expressions of similar astonishment flooded their faces after they''d reacted.


    the tongxuan realm, pseudo-immortal! even past masters of holy lands had not transcended this realm.


    among the various holy lands, tongxuan cultivators belonged to the absolute peak. at present, such individuals were mostly waging war in battlefields beyond their domain, with very few remaining in the cangyun realm.


    chu zheng''s cultivation had utterly surpassed theirs, making him a genuine holy master-level figure!


    bai zhixiao felt a chill in his heart. among those present, he undoubtedly knew chu zheng the best, having personally investigated all information about him.


    it had been no more than ten years since chu zheng embarked on the immortal path, just a mere decade!


    ten years to reach tongxuan realm¡ªeven zhao tingxian in the past did not possess such a terrifying progress rate. from the divine infant stage to the tongxuan realm, he had taken nearly a hundred years. had there ever been such speed?


    could it be that this man was on course to become an immortal within a century?!


    ''a monster, he must surely be a monster!''


    bai zhixiao inwardly let out a fierce cry, fingers trembling slightly within his sleeve, and a wave of fear involuntarily rose in his heart.


    it was not that he was wary of chu zheng''s cultivation but that such a terrifying speed of cultivation had utterly overturned his understanding.


    even the most monstrous talents should not be able to defy common sense like this, yet as his cultivation level rose his progression speed seemed to become even faster!


    for a moment, the area in front of the fairy palace fell into an eerie silence.


    "taixuan holy master, truly worthy of being the top of the hidden dragon list of the cangyun realm, is indeed exceptional," xie xingzhong said with a loud laugh, breaking the silence, "the younger generation is to be feared. with such a prodigy emerging in the immortal path, how can we worry about its decline?"


    originally, chu zheng had helped him to heal his old injuries, enabling him to step into the martial half-saint realm. he owed chu zheng a great favor, so seeing him advance rapidly in cultivation, his heart was filled with joy.


    the others around gradually came to their senses, offering their congratulations with bowed heads and unconsciously adopting a more humble posture.


    "congratulations to the taixuan holy master for stepping into the tongxuan secret realm, crossing the tribulation to become an immortal, the day is but near at hand!"


    "congratulations to the taixuan holy master for entering tongxuan, making another stride on the immortal path, taixuan shall thrive!"


    chu zheng gazed at bai zhixiao, his expression showing neither joy nor anger, and he raised his hand to gesture,


    "it''s just a stroke of luck for the time being, you all flatter me too much. on the immortal path, you are all my seniors, there''s no need for such courtesy."


    bai zhixiao calmed his emotions and spoke indifferently, "now that the taixuan holy master has arrived and everyone is present, let''s begin the opening ceremony."


    as his words ended, he walked forward slowly, preparing to ascend the platform in front of the fairy palace.


    "taixu holy master, please wait a moment."


    an elderly man in his late fifties who wore an earthy yellow vestment robe from the primordial spirit holy land, stemming from the same lineage as shang zuling, spoke out with a deep voice.


    now, aside from bai zhixiao and chu zheng, the other holy masters were mostly away in foreign domains. this elder, whose cultivation had entered tongxuan, was evidently the current authority of the primordial spirit holy land.


    "shang liangyi? what''s the matter?"


    interrupted so abruptly, bai zhixiao frowned slightly, showing a bit of impatience.


    his composure had been disturbed by the news of chu zheng entering the tongxuan realm, losing the steadiness he usually maintained, with a hint of irritation in his tone.


    "the taixuan holy master is the leader of the hidden dragon list of our cangyun realm, the strongest prodigy of our generation, and a master of one of the holy lands. why not have the taixuan holy master preside over this opening ceremony? what do you think?"


    shang liangyi''s expression was calm, with not the slightest ripple, but his words were shocking.


    hearing this, the people around exchanged glances, their faces filled with hesitation.


    to preside over the opening ceremony was to act as the host for the great tournament of ten thousand sects, a role of extraordinary significance.


    this event gathered the attention of all forces from the cangyun four regions and would affect the rise and fall of various powers for a century or even a millennium.


    to preside at such an occasion often signified the position of the number one person in the cangyun realm.


    bai zhixiao, whether in terms of cultivation or status, could indeed be regarded as the number one person in the cangyun realm.


    find your adventure at empire


    however, shang liangyi''s words seemed rather thought-provoking, as this was tantamount to sending a signal to choose sides.


    ```


    ```


    standing on the side of taixuan holy land, or tai xu holy land.


    shang liangyi''s straightforward words instantly made the atmosphere of the venue tense as a drawn sword.


    "shang liangyi, you really think highly of yourself," bai zhixiao''s mouth twitched with a hint of a smile, but his eyes were frosty cold.


    calling him out and then suggesting that chu zheng replace him on the stage?


    this was a great humiliation! how could shang liangyi dare to do so?!


    with his current level of cultivation, he could crush him with a single finger!


    "the taixu saint lord takes it too seriously, we are all old folks who have aged, this era should naturally be handed over to the young."


    sensing the murderous intent hidden in bai zhixiao''s eyes, shang liangyi''s expression remained calm, and with a hint of confusion he said:


    "now that several holy masters are battling beyond the territories, and you are the only one who has returned to cangyun, aren''t you here to enjoy your twilight years? wouldn''t it be good to save some effort?"


    several gasps of shock immediately arose from the surroundings, his words casually laced with mockery, sarcastically suggesting that bai zhixiao was afraid of death and greedy for life, nearly tearing off all pretenses.


    upon hearing this, bai zhixiao quickly withdrew from his anger, regained his composure, and looked at shang liangyi:


    "is this the intention of the primordial spirit holy land?"


    if no one had instructed him, shang liangyi would never dare to act like this, it seems that the primordial spirit saint lord had given him some instructions on the battlefield beyond the territories.


    this included, perhaps, getting on good terms with chu zheng.


    "nowadays, i hold power in the primordial spirit holy land, my words naturally represent the intentions of the primordial spirit holy land."


    shang liangyi did not retreat a bit, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "taixuan holy master''s talent is evident to all, he should naturally preside over the opening ceremony of this event."


    as his voice fell, his gaze swept across the crowd: "what say you all?"


    he didn''t give anyone a chance to catch their breath, forcing the crowd to make an immediate decision.


    it was common knowledge that taixuan holy land and tai xu holy land were already at odds, like fire and water.


    to disagree now was to be an enemy of chu zheng, and to agree was to risk offending tai xu holy land, as well as bai zhixiao.


    as for how to choose... the decision couldn''t be easier.


    chu zheng was not yet of age, and if bai zhixiao hadn''t entered the immortal tribulation secret realm due to heavenly anomalies, he''d be nearing the end of his life by now, his potential quite visible.


    the weight of these two options had long been clear in the hearts of those present.


    "the eastern territory song clan, agrees."


    "heavenly throne holy land, agrees."


    "jinli holy land, agrees."


    ...


    in an instant, nearly seventy percent of those in power from various factions stood on chu zheng''s side.


    the remaining thirty percent, also didn''t speak out in favor of tai xu holy land, but stood aside with awkward smiles, choosing not to help either side.


    bai zhixiao swept his gaze across the crowd, adjusted his cuffs, cleared the path, and said lightly, "tai xu holy land also agrees." s§×ar?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    after speaking, he calmly urged, "taixuan holy master, please take the stage, don''t miss the auspicious time."


    in full view of everyone, bai zhixiao made the choice to bow down without a moment''s hesitation, demonstrating the quality of being adaptable, able to bend and stretch fully.


    from beginning to end, chu zheng stood quietly to one side, his thoughts not much stirred, his mind already wandering beyond the nine heavens.


    in his eyes, this great tournament of ten thousand sects already had little significance.


    shang liangyi showed a trace of a smile on his face, looked at chu zheng, and gestured with his hand: "please, taixuan holy master, ascend the stage as soon as possible."


    chu zheng came back to his senses, apologized with a bow: "i am flattered by the high esteem of the elders, and i will not decline."


    he wasn''t particularly concerned about the significance of taking the stage, just thinking of getting it over and done with swiftly, not to waste time.


    the next instant, chu zheng''s figure had already appeared on the high platform, standing in front of the red jade chair.


    his gaze wandered around the surroundings, quickly spotting a somewhat familiar figure.


    song lingqing.


    ```

 Chapter 240 The Great Competition Progress, Demon Immortal

    the white jade immortal palace hung suspended in mid-air, bathing in the morning sun, radiating a translucent radiance of seven colors.the platform was even higher than the immortal palace, located at the very pinnacle of the center of wanlong city.


    this place was a platform that could only be ascended once every century in the cangyun realm, and the moment chu zheng stepped onto it, he naturally attracted countless gazes.


    the young man on the platform, tall and upright in his stance, clad in red garments and a golden crown, with a jade belt around his waist and divine rings on his shoulders, alongside the blood jade, symbolizing the identity of the taixuan holy master, hung at his side, glowing faintly, exuding an indescribable aura of nobility.


    among the crowd below, song lingqing was momentarily stunned, and upon noticing chu zheng''s sweeping gaze, she hastily lowered her eyelids to hide the complexity in her eyes, slowly tightening the palm under her sleeve.


    from the day she first set foot on the path of immortality, she had sworn in her heart that one day, she would reach the pinnacle of this path and look no more upwards at anyone.


    today, this thought grew ever stronger in her heart.


    what others could achieve, she could achieve as well; it was merely a matter of more effort and time.


    besides song lingxue, many in the crowd had interacted with chu zheng, especially miao luan, ji xiao, and other true transmissions from tai xu holy land, all of whom appeared dumbfounded, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.


    in their imaginations, the one who should be standing on that platform at this moment would be their holy master, bai zhixiao.


    however, now, chu zheng had surpassed bai zhixiao to be the first to ascend the platform, and as true transmissions of the holy land, they understood the meaning behind this more than anyone else.


    before the crowd could regain their composure, chu zheng''s voice already resounded between heaven and earth, clearly reaching the ears of everyone present, displaying the manifestation of divine skills.


    "thank you, fellow companions, for coming from afar to participate in the grand tournament. the hidden dragons of ten thousand sects arise today from the abyss, which is a fortune for my cangyun."


    "under the protection and grace of the immortal alliance, since the first grand tournament, countless true immortal seeds have been born in my cangyun..."


    prior, chu zheng had learned quite a bit about the great tournament of ten thousand sects.


    the speeches at the opening ceremony were clich¨¦d, unchanged for many years, and it was likely that many in the audience could recite them by heart.


    chu zheng followed the usual tradition, preaching for a while, mostly encouraging words for the youth''s cultivation, containing little substance.


    after finishing the pleasantries, chu zheng turned and cast a spell of mana, activating the array atop the platform.


    in an instant, the void burst with thunderous roars, and a golden-bottomed divine list suddenly emerged, suspended in the air, cascading down from above, its light golden large characters fluttering, dangling with over ten thousand pieces of information.


    at the top, the words "hidden dragon list" shone brilliantly.


    the appearance of the hidden dragon list signified the official start of the great tournament of ten thousand sects.


    until the end of the great tournament of ten thousand sects, this list would bear only one person''s name, who would be the head of the hidden dragon list.


    only then would the real competition of heavenly fate begin.


    the ranking of the hidden dragon list determined the pace of cultivation progress for those listed in the coming century.


    beneath the words "hidden dragon list," the first line bore chu zheng''s name.


    "hidden dragon list first: taixuan holy land, chu zheng, bone age twenty-seven, in the initial stage of the enter tong xuan."


    the second place on the hidden dragon list still belonged to shang zuling, who had left the realm for some time now.


    with her not being within the realm, the cangyun heavenly way naturally could not sense her precise cultivation, and this list had not been updated for a while; now, no one knew to what extent her cultivation had reached.


    following closely behind shang zuling were over ten individuals, all in the divine infant realm, and further down, were cultivators in the soul condensing realm.


    this edition of the great tournament of ten thousand sects featured over a dozen divine infant realm cultivators all under the age of a hundred, an unprecedentedly grand occasion.


    but at this moment, no one looked at the names of those prodigies who had stepped into the divine infant realm; everyone''s eyes were fixed at the top of the list.


    "the tongxuan secret realm! bone age twenty-seven?!"


    "the taixuan holy master has already entered tongxuan!"


    "he''s not even thirty years old! so young!"


    a moment after they saw chu zheng''s cultivation, a buzz of surprise instantly erupted around them. the hidden dragon list was only held by a few holy lands, and in the memories of many, chu zheng''s cultivation was still at the initial stage of divine transformation as it was the last time he appeared. s~ea??h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    many cultivators had never seen the hidden dragon list and were unclear about chu zheng''s exact age, only knowing he was very young, but they never expected that chu zheng could be so young.


    not to mention those cultivators who were already over a hundred years old, even among his contemporaries listed in the hidden dragon list,


    a tongxuan before thirty was unheard of in the known ancient histories of the cangyun realm, including the first leader of the great tournament of ten thousand sects, shang cangyun, who never had such an aptitude.


    "with such talent, could it be that the cangyun realm is about to welcome another peerless immortal king?"


    "with such a person as the taixuan holy master, perhaps the cangyun realm might as well be renamed as the taixuan realm."


    in a moment, divine sense waves ebbed and flowed like tides around, mixing with whispered conversations.


    many words, many cultivators dared not speak aloud, but the undercurrent of sentiment was gradually shifting. explore more adventures at empire


    the rise of taixuan nearly became a consensus for everyone.


    many elders and renowned figures standing before the immortal palace remained silent, some joyful, some anxious.


    bai zhixiao appeared indifferent, staring at the platform, his eyes shining intermittently, as if weighing options.


    after ritualistically handling the opening ceremony, chu zheng stepped down from the platform and took the lead into the immortal palace.

 Chapter 240 The Competition Progress, Demon Immortal_2

    within the fairy palace, encapsulating the universe, existed a small cave heaven world. a huge radiant screen was suspended in midair, dividing into thousands of frames that reflected the arenas.a century passed, covering a vast span. among the younger prodigies, many were destined never to rank high on the hidden dragon list and could only combat opponents of similar age.


    however, this rule applied only to ordinary cultivators outside of the holy lands and great noble families.


    within the families of the holy lands, and amongst the common true immortal noble families, the timing of childbirth was often aligned with auspicious celestial alignments. if the timing was off, they would delay the birth to control the bone age.


    sometimes, they would let a woman carry a child for as long as ten years. some children were born able to speak human languages, exhibiting precocity from within the womb and entering the world with enlightenment and even pre-established cultivation levels.


    therefore, most prodigies from the holy lands and true immortal noble families on the list had a bone age of at least between eighty and ninety-nine years.


    this was an inherent disparity, and the top rankings on the list were mostly dominated by the holy lands and these families.


    about half an hour later, figures gradually appeared on the screens showing the arenas, supervised by judges, and the grand tournament began.


    the judges of the tournament were also from the biluo sect.


    in the cangyun realm, this was an absolute neutral force backed by the five great holy lands, and no cultivator would question the fairness of biluo sect.


    the great tournament of ten thousand sects was extremely perilous, but the real danger lay in the journey to the tournament. surviving the journey to wanlong city meant overcoming the most challenging hurdle.


    the combats in the tournament naturally resulted in injuries and death, but there were cultivators on the side to control the arena, preserving life in all but the most extreme circumstances.


    in past tournaments, besides the one destined for the top of the hidden dragon list, the first ranked individuals from the spirit spring realm, entry dao realm, and soul condensing realm would receive a substantial reward consisting of spiritual objects contributed by each of the five great holy lands.


    this session saw some changes, besides the top of the hidden dragon list already being designated for chu zheng, there was now a prize for the first ranked in the divine infant realm.


    chu zheng''s gaze searched the screen briefly and soon located the taixuan disciples.


    the young taixuan disciples were mainly participating for the experience. their opponents were mostly peers, thus naturally avoiding elite competitors from the great holy lands and heirs of true immortal families, resulting in more wins than losses.


    after watching for a moment, chu zheng gradually relaxed and began searching for song lingqing''s whereabouts.


    soon, he made a discovery. your journey continues with empire s~ea??h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    in the year he was in seclusion, song lingqing''s cultivation had ascended further. he had entered the late stage of entry dao realm, flagrantly marking himself among his peers and qualifying to contend for the top position in the entry dao realm.


    on the screen, song lingqing, holding a spirit sword, with sword light like rain around him, outmaneuvered his opponent in just two rounds. with the sword pointing directly at his opponent''s throat, the intervention of a ringside judge halted the combat, granting him an effortless victory.


    his actions were crisp and decisive, showing in these years, he had frequently engaged in combative spells, building a solid foundation.


    after a while, chu zheng felt no desire to watch further and turned to leave.


    such lower-level cultivator combats were useless to him, merely a waste of time. he had much to attend to and could not afford to linger.


    the two envoys from the martial hall did not leave. they stared at the screen, engrossed, savoring a scene they rarely encountered.


    bai zhixiao watched chu zheng''s departing figure, seemingly making a certain decision, his gaze as calm as water, he, too, turned and left the fairy palace.


    ...


    ...


    upon leaving the fairy palace, bai zhixiao made his way back to tai xu holy land station and entered a secret chamber at random, closing out the external array and isolating all disturbances.


    then, he took out a jade wall and infused it with immortal power to activate it.


    moments later, a light door emerged with slight ripples, faintly projecting a beautiful silhouette.


    shortly after, the soft light condensed into a water mirror reflecting a lush landscape of ancient woods.


    a woman with red lips and white teeth lay on the branches of the ancient tree, with green hair flowing over her shoulders and skin pale as snow.


    upon seeing the figure in the mirror, bai zhixiao took a deep breath and bowed respectfully:


    "cangyun realm, master of tai xu holy land, bai zhixiao, greeting the dongsheng demon immortal."


    "who do i have here, it''s you..."


    the woman, appearing leisurely, stretched languidly and sat up. her legs were long, her waist slender and enticingly exquisite, emanating an indescribable captivating charm. her eyebrows slightly raised, she sized up bai zhixiao a few times, and said with interest, "the matter i discussed with you the other day, have you agreed to it?"


    bai zhixiao nodded firmly, solemnly saying, "as instructed by the demon immortal, it is my duty. after dealing with chu zheng, i will also welcome the demon race back to the cangyun realm to take control of the northern region again."


    "later, i will send two demon emperors from the immortal tribulation realm to secretly enter the realm. the three of you together should find it not difficult to kill him."


    hearing this, the dongsheng demon immortal smiled faintly, "the human race has a saying, ''a wise man submits to circumstances.'' the taixu saint lord should be such a wise man."


    "demon immortal, this matter is significant, and we still need to plan extensively."


    bai zhixiao''s face showed no joy, and he said in a low voice, "chu zheng is now favored by the immortal alliance. if it''s from the immortal alliance''s side..."


    "i''ll handle the immortal alliance''s side, no need for you to worry. in a few more days, i''m afraid you might die by his hand."


    the dongsheng demon immortal casually broke a branch and plucked off its lush green leaves one by one, saying nonchalantly:


    "i have already inquired. chu zheng possesses the yin yang immortal bone, and after entering the true immortal realm, he will surely advance rapidly into the seven tribulations true immortal, which is almost certain, and by then, i may not necessarily be his match. it''s better to deal with him earlier to ease the mind."


    "you are perhaps unaware, demon immortal, that chu zheng is the top contender of this session''s great tournament of ten thousand sects in the cangyun realm, and according to past traditions, he is to be directly admitted into the immortal alliance..."


    bai zhixiao looked somewhat hesitant, his gaze flickering uncertainly.


    had it not been for this reason, he would have taken action himself long ago.


    taking action against a true immortal seed favored by the immortal alliance was too risky; he needed some assurances.


    "put away your tricks. i will not take back what i''ve said. after the deed is done, i will reward you with a lower quality immortal treasure. don''t worry about the immortal alliance''s side, it''s just a lowlife from cangyun."


    the dongsheng demon immortal''s expression became slightly stern: "talk more nonsense, and i will find someone else."


    if chu zheng had come from any other great realm, not only would she not act against him, but despite past grievances, she would even have been willing to pay a huge cost to make amends with him, because the talent chu zheng displayed was truly too astonishing.


    unfortunately, chu zheng came from the cangyun realm, a group incapable of assimilating immortal blood, without the qualifications to become immortal descendants, at most reaching true immortal perfection, insignificant for the immortal alliance.


    otherwise, with the talent chu zheng now displayed, there would be no need for him to participate in the childish game of the great tournament of ten thousand sects; he would have already been brought into the great immortal realm for personal instruction by an immortal king.


    with her years of connections within the immortal alliance, suppressing this matter wouldn''t take much effort at all.


    "calm your anger, demon immortal."


    hearing this, bai zhixiao said no more, bowing deeply.


    the water mirror shattered, transformed back into a mass of soft light, and finally solidified into the original jade wall.


    staring at the jade wall in his hands, bai zhixiao lingered for a long time, and finally turned to leave.


    to kill chu zheng, he would have to make comprehensive arrangements. striking on chu zheng''s way back to taixuan was the best choice.


    at that time, the immortal treasure located at the taixuan holy land would be too far to react in time.


    ...


    ...


    after leaving the fairy palace, chu zheng found song lingxue amidst the crowd and together they headed back to the residence of the taixuan holy land.


    now, the residence of the taixuan holy land was covered with streams of colorful lights.


    in just a short moment, chu zheng received countless invitations, varied in nature, each with different content.


    there were proposals for disciple alliances through marriage, gifts, and many who wanted to send their children to the taixuan holy land, inquiring when chu zheng would next open the sect gate.


    the last time taixuan reopened its sect gate was nearly six years ago, and according to normal practice, the next opening should be planned in advance.

 Chapter 241 Tournament Results, Rewards

    chu zheng paid no mind to the flood of messages coming his way; he accepted them all and planned to bring them back for fu quanliang to deal with at his discretion.these were but trifles, and to him, they were nothing more than a waste of energy. now, he had more important matters to attend to.


    having reached the tongxuan level, he could now navigate the starry sea with the aid of magic treasures akin to the "star-shatter shuttle."


    as a qi cultivator, his dependency on the environment was not as demanding as that of an immortal path cultivator. even in the cosmic wilderness, he could live stably, albeit with some minor inconveniences.


    after getting the taixuan holy land in order, he would be able to head to realms beyond, roam the starry sea, and then, using the star capturing heaven method, travel through incarnations and trials to accumulate resources and draw closer to the chaos sea.


    once his foundation was sufficiently deep, he could try his luck at the ten thousand realms battlefield that nie longhu had mentioned.


    before heading to the ten thousand realms battlefield, he needed to find zhao tingxian in the chaos sea and get some information first.


    zhao tingxian was the most powerful being he had access to and would likely know something about the ten thousand realms battlefield.


    having only one source of information often affected the accuracy of one''s judgment, so chu zheng needed more information to verify against each other to ascertain the truthfulness of these messages.


    "follow me, i have something to give you."


    after storing away the disorganized messages, chu zheng led song lingxue into a secret chamber.


    "so secretive, what could you possibly be giving me?" song lingxue''s eyes flickered with curiosity.


    without keeping her in suspense, chu zheng took out a jade book. the book was about half a finger thick, and there was a groove on the side holding a jade pen, inscribed with mysterious talismatic patterns.


    back in the dongyuan realm, his divine sense had been summoned by yuan dazun, returning to the golden body within the divine court. experience tales at empire


    it was then that chu zheng conceived the idea that, perhaps through the incense fire divine path, he could create a secret treasure that would allow one to cross the vast distances of the cosmic starry sky to achieve rapid communication.


    in fact, the immortal alliance already possessed such techniques. however, the reach of their communication was typically very limited, often constrained within a single great realm and sometimes not even spanning an entire continent, leading to frequent disconnections.


    while in the dongyuan realm, chu zheng devoted much effort to his research and eventually achieved some results.


    initially, in the cangyun realm, he fashioned an incense flame golden body from a piece of spirit jade, which was then nurtured to spiritual awakening using the incense fire willpower transmitted by devotees.


    he then erased the incense essence from this golden body and, using qi refining techniques, forged it into a pair of jade books.


    the golden body, equivalent to the flesh of an incense deity, implied that chu zheng was essentially using one of his own bodies to create a pair of secret treasures that were inseparably connected.


    using the same method in the dongyuan realm, he forged another pair of jade books, and after some experimentation, his idea was confirmed.


    the jade books indeed served as a bridge for communication, capable of transmitting messages.


    although he was unsure if there was a limit to the contact range, the jade books were definitely able to establish a connection between the cangyun and dongyuan realms.


    the chaos sea lay at an extremely remote distance; separated by the boundless starry sea, the distance to the martial hall was probably comparable.


    the jade book had arrays set by chu zheng that could draw sun and moon essence qi for energy replenishment. after sending a message, depending on the distance, it needed at least half a month to two months to restore energy.


    this was the limit without involving incense fire willpower.


    after all, the martial hall is the martial hall, and in their eyes, the incense fire divine path was considered heretical. if the scent of incense was too strong, it might even cause some trouble for song lingxue.


    "carry this jade book with you, and after leaving the realm, if you wish to contact me, just write on it, and i shall receive your message," chu zheng said as he placed the jade book into song lingxue''s hands, speaking softly. s§×ar?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "i''ve put a lot of thought into this item, and it shouldn''t have any issues, but it will need some time to recover after transmitting a message."


    this precious jade, after the refining process, had become a special magic treasure, similar to chu zheng''s incense flame golden body.


    seeing song lingxue in a daze, chu zheng couldn''t help but ask, "how is it? does it meet your expectations?"


    song lingxue came back to her senses, lowered her eyelids to cover the turbulent emotions in her eyes, and after a long pause, she finally whispered,


    "thank you, my husband, i love it."


    to her, nothing could be more precious.


    the ability to establish contact with chu zheng across the starry sea, even if only through brief written words like a letter, was more than enough for her.


    what pleased her even more was that chu zheng was willing to put effort into their relationship and take the initiative to maintain their bond.


    with the jade book in her possession, it meant that their connection wouldn''t be completely severed after she left the realm.


    perhaps, she didn''t need to be overly pessimistic about their future.


    as long as one is alive in this world, there will be a day of reunion, a time to meet again.


    "no matter when or where, i am always by your side, always here," chu zheng said as he gently stroked song lingxue''s hair, his gaze as deep as still water, his tone not loud yet emphatic,


    "it won''t be long before i come to find you at the martial hall. i won''t make you wait too long."


    just like in the past with taixuan holy land, he now had the confidence to make that promise.


    this universe, to him, was no longer a vast unknown. the once boundless starry sea now seemed to have discernible boundaries.

 Chapter 241 Tournament Results, Rewards_2

    His road was still long, and so was Song Lingxue''s.Song Lingxue gently shook her head without speaking, her hand softly wrapping around Chu Zheng''s neck, slowly looking up, the trace of unease that had lingered in her eyes swept away.


    After a long while, she finally bit her lip and whispered,


    "Will you enter seclusion again these next few days?"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng lifted Song Lingxue in his arms and said in a low voice,


    "Naturally, these few days will not make much of a difference."


    ...


    ...


    With the support of transcendent powers, the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects proceeded smoothly. There were not many deaths, but the number of injured was not small.


    Therefore, although not many participated in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, merely over ten thousand, quite some time was needed to heal after the battle. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For these geniuses, this period was indispensable; many realized their faults after defeat, which then made them stronger.


    After a loss in competition, everyone still had another chance to challenge; they could choose any peer from the same realm. If victorious, they would take their place.


    Those who surpassed their predecessors were no rarity throughout history.


    Time, like sand slipping through one''s fingertips, passed unnoticed until it was gone, leaving no trace to grasp.


    All beings surged forward amidst this sand, some indistinguishable from the grains, buried in the sands of time without causing any waves.


    Others, through the trials of these sands, became dazzling precious jades, standing above the sandy seas, radiating splendid colors.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was merely a microcosm.


    Song Lingxue was, after all, concerned about her family; she was present for every one of Song Lingqing''s matches.


    In the Entry Dao Realm competition, Song Lingqing already shone brilliantly. Though young, her moves were fierce, without a hint of hesitation, drawing the attention of many.


    Many began inquiring about the Sect behind her, to inevitably find nothing. The conclusion they reached was that she was a mere Loose Cultivator.


    After nineteen bouts, Song Lingqing, with her own strength, successfully secured the first place in the Entry Dao Realm of this edition of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    When she emerged victorious, her body was covered in scars, yet her eyes blazed with an exceptional light, revealing an edge never seen before.


    Overcoming the challenge of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was tantamount to defeating her inner demons, leading to an astonishing transformation of her spirit.


    From beginning to end, Chu Zheng never interfered in Song Lingqing''s matches, nor did he send any Elixirs or Magic Treasures her way.


    From their few encounters, he could see a bit of Song Lingqing''s temperament; she did not like being indebted. His help in the past had already put substantial pressure on her, further charity would have the opposite effect.


    When one''s debts of gratitude became too great to repay, they often turned to extremes.


    Chu Zheng never liked to impose his will on others; to him, Song Lingqing and Song Lingxue were ultimately different.


    The rewards for first place in the Entry Dao Realm were quite substantial: one million Middle Quality Spirit Stones, one Top Quality Magical Treasure, twenty bottles of various Treasure Pills, and plenty of Spiritual Medicine and Materials.


    "Ling Qing, congratulations."


    Looking at Song Lingqing descending from the platform, joy hid in Song Lingxue''s eyes. After all, as sisters of the same blood, she hoped Song Lingqing''s journey would be smoother.


    Even if their paths differed.


    Song Lingqing''s expression was a bit complex as she threw a Storage Bag to Chu Zheng,


    "I know these mean little to you, consider it repaying a part of the debt I owe you."


    Inside the Storage Bag were fifteen bottles of Treasure Pills and eight hundred thousand Middle Quality Spirit Stones.


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much and directly took the Storage Bag. Song Lingqing was being rational; she kept the Top Quality Magical Treasure that was most useful to her.


    Even in repaying a debt, her decision was well-considered, not a result of impulsive generosity.


    "Are you coming back for dinner today?"


    Song Lingxue hesitated for a while, then said with a measure of caution, "Father misses you too."


    Song Lingqing was silent for a moment before she donned a pristine vestment robe, obscuring the fierce-looking wounds on her body, and whispered,


    "Understood."


    Chu Zheng turned and walked towards the high platform. There were the most cultivators in the Entry Dao Realm, and naturally, it would finish the latest. At this point, the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was nearing its end.


    As the top of the Hidden Dragon List, he was going to claim his reward.


    Even though he now held a Semi-Immortal Treasure in his hand and had remnants of several Immortal Treasures on him, he would not waste these things that rightly belonged to him.


    This iteration of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was undoubtedly the most special one.


    Because the top of the Hidden Dragon List had secured the premier position without participating in any arena battles.


    As a True Immortal Seed of the current age, the rewards Chu Zheng could obtain far exceeded many cultivators'' imaginations.


    Five million Top Quality Spiritual Stones, one Semi-Immortal Pill, one Semi-Immortal Treasure, fifty bottles of Top Quality Treasure Pills, and one volume of Immortal Scripture for cultivation to the True Immortal Perfection.


    The combined value of these items would outstrip the entire wealth of many great Sects, even if they pawned everything.


    The Immortal Scripture, in particular, was a rarity in the world; not even the ancient Holy Lands or True Immortal Noble Families possessed but a few.


    For Chu Zheng, what interested him were some of the elixirs and that piece of Semi-Immortal Treasure. Explore new worlds at empire


    The hosting of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects had rotated amongst the Four Great Sacred Lands, excluding Tai Xuan Holy Land, and it was indeed Tai Xu Holy Land''s turn this time.


    Therefore, the Semi-Immortal Treasure awarded this time was also provided by Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Bai Zhixiao approached Chu Zheng with a green frost long sword in hand, his expression neither happy nor angry, and spoke indifferently:


    "This sword is named ''Cloud Abyss.'' It was passed down by a predecessor of my Tai Xu Holy Land. It contains the Tai Xu Sword Energy, a first-class weapon for slaughter. Please, Taixuan Holy Master, treat it well in the future. I''ve heard that the Holy Master is well-versed in the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance; this sword will complement it perfectly."


    [Cloud Abyss (Seventh Order): Forged from a mixture of abyssal gold crystal and nine layers of spirit cloud liquid. Warmed by its owner for a long time, it has developed a hint of the Tai Yuan Sword Intent. When wielding the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance with this sword, its might will be amplified by thirty percent, and cutting down cultivators below the Fourth Realm of Immortal Tribulation will be as trivial as plucking grass by the roadside.]


    The blade edge was near, and the rich essence of the Water Element assaulted the senses. The cloud patterns on it connected into a network. Chu Zheng''s eyes blinked with a trace of spiritual light, and he glanced at Cloud Abyss, his brow imperceptibly furrowing.


    It wasn''t that there was a problem with Cloud Abyss; it was precisely because the sword had no issue that he found it strange.


    Could Tai Xu Holy Land truly be willing to part with such a wondrous treasure for him?


    If he were in the position of Tai Xu Holy Land, he would also casually choose the lowest grade defense-type Semi-Immortal Treasure and be done with it. Yet now, there was an unexpected gain.


    However, anomalies often indicated a deeper scheme, and there must be some calculation he was unaware of.


    Chu Zheng had always been somewhat wary of Bai Zhixiao. This man had deep schemes, and from the very beginning of their meeting, harbored strong murderous intentions against him. It was unpredictable when he might suddenly strike a fatal blow.


    "Thank you, Taixu Holy Master," he said.


    Chu Zheng felt a surge of caution. His expression remained unchanged as he swiftly stowed away Cloud Abyss, silently thinking,


    ''I hope one day to wield this sword and sever your head.''


    For Taixuan Holy Land, Bai Zhixiao was always a significant threat. If he truly planned to leave the realm, he must strike first to eliminate Bai Zhixiao.


    The Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects occurred once every hundred years, and Chu Zheng had risen to prominence in less than a decade. Now, only a few months later, the tournament had ended, and the century''s accumulation, like a tsunami shock, rose swiftly and fell just as quickly.


    Chu Zheng glanced at the proud figures of various Sects below the platform, with undercurrents swirling in his eyes.


    For these scions of different Sects, the journey back would be even more dangerous than the journey here because they had transitioned from the shadows to the light, utterly exposed.


    Though the Hidden Dragons had emerged from the abyss, their scales were still young, and their foundations shallow. Faced with malice from the dark, it was hard to resist.


    In past years, many young prodigies gained fame only to be assassinated on their journey home. This was not an uncommon occurrence.


    Moreover, with most of the older generation cultivators beyond the Divine Infant Realm now heading to foreign battlefields, the present state of Cangyun Realm was even more perilous.


    Considering this, Chu Zheng''s gaze narrowed slightly.


    If Bai Zhixiao planned anything, the journey back to Taixuan Holy Land would present the ideal opportunity for him to act.

 Chapter 242 Leaving the Realm, Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand

    The setting sun hung low in the west, and twilight approached, as the remnants of a splendid fiery red sky, like blood, cast its glow over the land.Song Lingqing, bathed in the light of the sunset, walked slowly along the streets, calming the ferocity stirred up by days of relentless fighting and contest.


    The act of Chu Zheng approaching her earlier to strike up a conversation had been noticed by many, and the banner of the Taixuan Holy Master had, through Chu Zheng''s intentions, been placed upon her.


    Even though she had come out on top of the Entry Dao Realm, no one dared to approach her for a chat.


    Suddenly, a soft call came from the side of the street:


    "Ling Qing."


    Song Lingqing stopped in her tracks, turned her head, and saw a middle-aged man dressed in blue.


    A moment of vagueness flashed through her mind, and with a calm expression, she began to greet him in a cool tone:


    "Elder Han, it has been a while."


    Elder Han Yuanqing of the Phantom Spirit Sect, the master she once most admired during her time at the sect. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, once she learned the truth about the Immortal Bone, that affection had ended.


    The years she spent outside were longer and vastly more thrilling than her days at the Phantom Spirit Sect.


    If it weren''t for Han Yuanqing''s sudden appearance, she would have hardly remembered that ordinary sect.


    The world was too vast, with too many dazzling sights ahead on the journey, leaving no time for looking back, let alone dwelling on the past.


    Stay updated through empire


    She had little desire to look back; after all, one simply can''t remain trapped in bygone days.


    "I have been watching your contest all along, but I was not certain it was you," said Han Yuanqing, his voice low and his expression complex.


    He stopped mid-sentence, holding back his words.


    "Yes, the Taixuan Holy Master helped me mend the Immortal Bone. Now I truly possess High Quality Immortal Bone, just like Xiao Yuanqing once did," Song Lingqing stated straightforwardly, her tone concise and forceful, her expression calm.


    Upon hearing this, Han Yuanqing''s face paused briefly, a touch of bitterness flashing in his eyes:


    "So it was indeed you who killed Xiao Yuanqing."


    "The Phantom Spirit Sect must have already clarified that," Song Lingqing said, showing no surprise as she openly admitted it, having acted impulsively at the time without considering the consequences.


    In fact, if the Phantom Spirit Sect hadn''t been embroiled in entanglements with the Night Light Pavilion at the time, and later preoccupied with various reasons, the truth might have come to light much sooner.


    "On the night before Xiao Yuanqing was killed, a disciple saw you standing on the Stepping Stone of Immortality for an entire night. After his death, you left the sect, and there was no trace of you. With so many coincidences, it would have been hard not to find out," said Han Yuanqing, shaking his head slightly with a sigh.


    In fact, shortly after Xiao Yuanqing''s death, some people had suspected Song Lingqing, but since no one knew she had restored her Immortal Bone and many elders in the sect were reluctant to believe it, the truth remained obscured.


    The truth often hurts, and sometimes people simply don''t want to accept unpleasant facts, even if it means banging their heads against a wall and refusing to see the truth for themselves.


    "Since you took the life of Xiao Yuanqing, you must know all the hidden details," Han Yuanqing said, slightly bowing and speaking solemnly, "the Phantom Spirit Sect has wronged you... As your former master, I share the blame, and I''m sorry."


    "There''s no need for that, Elder Han," Song Lingqing said gently, shaking her head, her expression still calm:


    "No matter what, although the Phantom Spirit Sect hindered my path to immortality, it did lead me onto the Immortal Path. To me, you are still someone who has taught me valuable lessons. When I took Xiao Yuanqing''s life, we were already even."


    "I won''t trouble the Phantom Spirit Sect in the future, and you don''t have to worry about me asking the Taixuan Holy Master to deal with the sect. My connection with the Phantom Spirit Sect is over."


    It had been several years since she left the Phantom Spirit Sect, and her insights had grown far beyond what they once were.


    Now, Han Yuanqing''s sudden appearance was simply because he had seen her interacting with Chu Zheng and feared that the sect might suffer as a result, so he had come to gauge her intentions.


    "Ling Qing..."


    Han Yuanqing, a trifle embarrassed, was about to speak when Song Lingqing interrupted him directly:


    "Let''s leave it at this today."


    Before her words had even faded, she resumed her walk, heading toward the distant market.


    After many years apart from her father, it was only natural that she should bring some gifts home.


    Han Yuanqing stood rooted to the spot for a long time, then left with a sigh, content with the response he had received.


    ...


    ...


    After sorting out the loose ends from the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Chu Zheng took Song Lingxue back to the headquarters of Taixuan.


    About half an hour later, Song Lingqing entered carrying many items, mostly Spirit Pills for nourishment and longevity and Spiritual Medicines for nurturing the body, all of them valuable.


    She must have spent quite a bit of the Spirit Stones earned from the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    Ten years had passed since the family had last enjoyed a peaceful meal together; originally a trio of father and daughters, now they were joined by Chu Zheng.


    How the world changes, often in unexpected ways.


    Song Lingqing did not linger after the meal, heading back out the door once again.


    In these past years, she had made some good friends, who were now in Wanlong City with her.


    She felt more at ease in the company of these friends than with her own family.


    ...


    ...


    Even though the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects had concluded, the networking and communication among various powers were only just beginning.


    Wanlong City was now a gathering point for nearly ninety percent of the sects, noble families, and top Loose Cultivators from the Cangyun Realm, which offered a rare opportunity for every Cultivator to trade.


    Based on past events, Wanlong City would remain bustling for at least three to five more years before gradually quieting down.


    During this period, there would be alliances formed through marriage and mutual aid, as well as enmities and grudges born out of tangled interests.

 Chapter 242 Leaving the Realm, Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand_2

    In these days, the interchanges between various forces will determine the pattern of the Cangyun Realm for the next hundred years, affecting the lives of countless billions of beings.Throughout this process, the envoys of the Martial Hall won''t be involved; Xie Xingzhong and Yu Ning don''t plan to wait that long. They have other tasks to attend to and time constraints, requiring them to return to the Martial Hall as soon as possible.


    The situation at the Martial Hall is not as peaceful as at the Immortal Alliance. Even before the outbreak of the imminent war, the Martial Hall has been in continuous conflict with All Heavens, desperately in need of more hands.


    In the Martial Hall, it''s common for children of fifteen or sixteen to take to the battlefield. The exceptionally talented, as young as seven or eight, are already fighting against cross-realm invaders.


    Even with their short lifespans, Martial Path practitioners still manage to suppress other paths and occupy half the starry sky, relying on their fighting power far exceeding that of beings on the same level.


    Martial Cultivators, untempered by fire and blood, can hardly be called refined steel. Those greedy for life and fearful of death have little prospects in the Martial Path¡ªthis is a consensus among its practitioners.


    Less than half a month after the end of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Xie Xingzhong, with Yu Ning in tow, visited Chu Zheng.


    "I''m sorry, Holy Master, but we must set out."


    Xie Xingzhong felt somewhat ashamed. Chu Zheng had helped him to heal his hidden injuries, allowing him to step into the realm of Martial Half-Saint¡ªan immense favor he couldn''t begin to repay. Yet now, he was obliged to take away Chu Zheng''s wife.


    Across the starry river, with this separation, who knows how long it would be before the couple could meet again.


    Yu Ning, too, felt shy to face him, knowing that although her actions weren''t outright betrayal, they were akin to ingratitude.


    While Xie Xingzhong was reluctant to part a couple, there was nothing he could do.


    This was a transaction between the Martial Hall and the Immortal Alliance, and he had no say in the matter.


    "Envoy Xie, you''re too serious. We''re all just following orders; no need for apologies,"


    Chu Zheng slightly shook his head and, reaching out, handed Xie Xingzhong a Storage Spirit Ring:


    "Take these as travel expenses. The journey is long; I wish you safe travels."


    Chu Zheng''s demeanor made Xie Xingzhong feel even more apologetic. He promptly promised,


    "Rest assured, within the Martial Hall, we will do our utmost to protect Miss Song''s safety. With Miss Song''s talent, she will undoubtedly shine there, and she may even have the opportunity to be taken in by the Vice Hall Master. Then she will truly rise to great heights."


    In the end, he accepted the Storage Spirit Ring. If he didn''t, Chu Zheng would be even more worried.


    "Then we will now be on our way."


    Discover exclusive content at empire


    As his words fell, Xie Xingzhong waved his hand, and a chariot slowly emerged from the void, pulled by two Jade Winged Heavenly Horses¡ªthough not living creatures, they were Seventh Order Martial Treasures.


    Chu Zheng looked back at Song Lingxue, his eyes warm with affection: "Once you arrive, remember to send word that you''re safe."


    "Take care, my husband."


    Song Lingxue took a deep breath, glanced hurriedly at Chu Zheng, and without saying much, stepped onto the chariot.


    Any further delay would only add to the reluctance and sorrow.


    "Farewell, brother Chu. We shall meet again."


    Xie Xingzhong stepped onto the chariot, cupped his fists in a salute, followed closely by Yu Ning. She didn''t speak but also gave a fist salute.


    "Bon voyage."


    Chu Zheng smiled gently, his eyelids slightly drooping to mask the swirling thoughts in his eyes.


    With dawn breaking, the warm glow of the morning sun filtered through the clouds, scattering golden light and chasing away the darkness before dawn.


    The Jade Winged Heavenly Horses pulled the chariot into the clouds, gradually vanishing into the divine radiance of the rising sun.


    Chu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly, reaching into the void as if to grasp the sun''s fierce heat, suppressing the relentless surge of emotions within his heart.


    After a long moment, he came back to his senses, his mind becoming as still as water.


    Looking around, he saw Song Lingqing standing at a distance, not approaching. As Chu Zheng''s gaze met hers, she nodded slightly and departed.


    Chu Zheng turned and entered the grand hall, making his way into a secret chamber.


    He took out the newly acquired Semi-Immortal Treasure ''Cloud Abyss,'' and using the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique, he drew out a strand of Qi.


    This lingering aura belonged to none other than the Taixu Saint Lord, Bai Zhixiao.


    After a brief moment of regulating his breath, Chu Zheng activated the Heaven Divination Technique, starting to trace Bai Zhixiao''s whereabouts.


    He quickly discovered his location; Bai Zhixiao was still within Wanlong City, on the fringes and nearly out of its bounds.


    Bai Zhixiao''s threat was too great. In recent days, Chu Zheng had consistently felt uneasy, sensing that something was about to happen, but he couldn''t pinpoint the source.


    After some deliberation, he decided to focus on Bai Zhixiao.


    In the current Cangyun Realm, indeed, only Bai Zhixiao posed a threat to him.


    Since their encounter at the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Bai Zhixiao had been too composed¡ªas if not bearing any grudge against Chu Zheng, which unsettled him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unable to ascertain the source of the threat, it was time to remove the greatest one.


    To sit and wait for doom was not Chu Zheng''s style. He preferred to take the initiative, striking first to nip any potential threats in the bud.


    After several days of consideration, Chu Zheng discreetly released a piece of news through his disciples.


    The Taixuan Holy Master was about to withdraw and return to Taixuan.


    If he really returned to Taixuan, with the protection of Immortal Treasure and the Holy Land''s great formations, even a True Immortal would be unable to harm him.


    This action by Chu Zheng was akin to baiting the hook, forcing Bai Zhixiao to act prematurely.


    Chu Zheng was in the dark while Bai Zhixiao was in the light, which gave him a slight edge.


    With the Falling Star Bow at his disposal, and with the element of surprise on his side, he reasoned that slaying a cultivator who had just entered the Immortal Tribulation shouldn''t be too challenging.

 Chapter 242 Leaving the Realm, Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand_3

    Looking at the Cloud Abyss in his hand, Chu Zheng pondered for a moment before he put it away and temporarily sealed it.The Cloud Abyss was, after all, Tai Xu Holy Land''s treasured artifact. If there were any hidden traps inside, he wouldn''t be able to detect them, so it was better not to use it.


    If he really could kill Bai Zhixiao, he would have plenty of time to slowly refine this Semi-Immortal Treasure in the future.


    ...


    ...


    The news that the Taixuan Holy Master was about to leave began to quietly spread within Wanlong City. It wasn''t common knowledge, just occasionally mentioned by two or three individuals in a subtle way.


    Several days later, a fiery streak of light soared from within Wanlong City, directly heading towards the Taixuan Holy Land without any concealment.


    Now that Chu Zheng had reached the Tongxuan level of cultivation, he once again operated the Star-shatter Shuttle. His speed was incomparably faster than before, shockingly astonishing, and in an instant, he had already left the Biluo Country.


    After nearly ten million miles from Wanlong City, Chu Zheng left a strand of Divine Sense to operate the Star-shatter Shuttle while his true body used the Invisibility Technique, completely merging into the Void.


    Through the Heavenly Divination Technique, he could sense that Bai Zhixiao was following right behind him, maintaining a distance, clearly looking for an opportunity to strike.


    But Chu Zheng did not plan to give him that opportunity.


    A golden bow emerged in his palm, he held his breath, gazing at the distant Void, and slowly drew the bowstring.


    The Immortal Patterns on the Falling Star Bow, unused for tens of thousands of years, began flowing again. Inside his Dantian, both the Five Elements Immortal Root and the Nine Orifices Golden Core stirred slightly, Mana mixed with Yuan Qi surged out like a burst dam, all absorbed by the Falling Star Bow.


    A luminous arrow wrapped in five-colored radiance slowly formed on the bowstring, ready to be unleashed.


    Whoosh whoosh¡ª


    Suddenly, the sound of water rushing filled the Void, growing louder and louder until it turned into the roar of furious waves, extraordinarily alarming.


    A river of Sword Qi fell from the sky, aiming precisely at Chu Zheng''s hidden location. Its blossoms of sword aura, dragon-like, carrying powerful waves of Immortal Force, instantly tore through tens of thousands of miles of the Void, with a killing intent that shocked the world.


    Tai Xu Holy Land''s Sect-Defending Secret Scripture, Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance!


    Not having time to think about why his location was exposed, Chu Zheng instantly released the bowstring, and the arrow flew, like a long rainbow piercing through the sun, a sword arced across the sky, splitting the entire river into two segments.


    Spurt!


    A burst of blood blossomed in the Void. Bai Zhixiao emerged from within the river of Sword Qi, wearing dark Battle Armor, the shoulder portion of which had been pierced through, revealing a blood hole, from which blood gushed like a fountain.


    "Chu Zheng! You truly have audacity beyond measure, daring to use yourself as bait?!" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Zhixiao covered his shoulder, his expression both shocked and angry, recognizing in an instant what Chu Zheng had planned.


    He had never anticipated that Chu Zheng, newly advanced to Tongxuan, would dare to make such a swift move against him. Explore stories at empire


    That arrow just now was extremely perilous. If not for his keen Spiritual Perception and the immediate donning of this Demi Immortal-level Battle Armor, his flesh would have been utterly torn apart by now, or he might have even died outright.


    "Just stepped into Tongxuan and you grow so presumptuous, relying on a Semi-Immortal Treasure to openly oppose me. With your level of Mana, how many more times can you activate it?!"


    The sense of crisis at death''s door dispelled Bai Zhixiao''s previous composure, and with a furious roar, the Sword Qi river lit up around him again, wrapped in the roars of dragons.


    "If nothing goes wrong, perhaps... I can only shoot one more arrow."


    Chu Zheng estimated briefly, responding indifferently, then he activated his repair panel to fully replenish the dried-up Mana within his body, pulling the bowstring once more.


    His full strength could indeed barely manage two arrows.

 Chapter 243 Soul Snatching, Demon Immortal

    Tens of thousands of feet high at the summit of the sky, the aura blast was piercingly cold.Chu Zheng slowly drew his bowstring, and the hot breath he exhaled instantly turned into frost mist. The Immortal Patterns on the Golden Great Bow began to glow again as mana and surging Yuan Qi were infused into it.


    The arrow, wrapped in five-colored mystical light, took shape in an instant.


    To enhance the power of this arrow, Chu Zheng took a deep breath. His organs trembled violently, his heart beat like a drum, and he began frantically to draw Essence Yuan and Blood Qi from his body.


    "Pu¡ª"


    A breath of Essence Blood converged from all over his body spurted from Chu Zheng''s throat, instantly staining the arrow red; a subtle ''Law-Breaking'' talisman seal on the arrowhead gradually solidified.


    "A desperate fight, merely the struggle of a cornered beast. Having only recently Entered Tong Xuan, you dare to attempt to cut down an Immortal. Today I shall teach you the distinction between Celestial and Mortal!"


    Bai Zhixiao''s eyes suddenly grew cold, the wound beside his shoulder gradually healed as his figure disappeared into the river of Sword Qi.


    The tumultuous river raised cold sword blossoms, concealing the faint shadows of a True Dragon moving agilely, crashing down directly towards Chu Zheng.


    Hum¡ª


    Chu Zheng''s gaze remained calm as he operated the Heavenly Divination Technique to precisely lock onto Bai Zhixiao''s Qi, releasing the bowstring while the repair panel also operated again, rapidly replenishing his nearly depleted body at an astonishing speed.


    Boom!


    The blood-colored divine light-twined arrow tore through the void, instantly shredding the river of Sword Qi formed by Immortal Power. The fierce Qi overflowed, tearing apart the vast void.


    Crack¡ª S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A harsh explosion sounded from within the river of Sword Qi, forcing Bai Zhixiao''s figure out again.


    Even the Semi-Immortal Treasure Armor couldn''t withstand the divine might of this arrow. The arrow passed right through his chest, leaving a hole as big as a sea bowl, with fragments of organs splattering everywhere along with Immortal Blood.


    The law-breaking rune on it constantly eroded his Immortal body, suppressing his healing speed.


    The Sword Qi escaping from the river danced around, still tightly locking onto Chu Zheng''s figure. In a hasty moment, Chu Zheng could only manage to dodge vitally, his body pierced by endless sword rain.


    The Top Quality Magical Treasure, the Taixuan Holy Master Robe, was pierced by Sword Qi in an instant, tearing large chunks of flesh, staining the long sky with blood in a moment.


    "After this arrow, you''re completely drained. You''ll undoubtedly die today! How does it matter that Zhao Tingxian protected you before? Today, you are still destined to die!"


    Bai Zhixiao laughed loudly, even if his chest was hollowed out and his organs were shattered, he still felt incredibly exhilarated at this moment.


    Today, he would finally be able to kill Chu Zheng, eliminating this significant threat.


    A mere Spirit Spring Realm Cultivator, yet reaching Tongxuan in just a decade, how astonishing?


    Far surpassing even Zhao Tingxian back then!


    Ever since the meeting of the Five Sacred Lands, Chu Zheng had entered his sight. Since then, the troubles of Tai Xu Holy Land had never ceased.


    He had specifically investigated Chu Zheng''s whereabouts, which all began in Great Zhou, the birthplace of Zhao Tingxian.


    Since then, Ling Qi, dispatched to track the movements of the Heretic Path, mysteriously died.


    Afterward, within the Holy Land, Zhou Zili, the youngest Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortal due to the Heretic Path, clashed with Geng Yiyang and was then slain.


    Following this, the leakage of the Great Void Scripture and the Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance, several Holy Lands encircling Chu Zheng on the Immortal Martial Battlefield were defeated once again. Nearly a hundred elders of Tai Xu Soul Condensing fell.


    During subsequent meetings of the Five Saints, questioning the heavens on the spot, Zhao Tingxian, the representative of the Heavenly Dao, showed a clear bias by protecting the Taixuan Holy Land, which led him to many speculations.


    Discovering Zhao Tingxian''s hidden cave inside the Tai Xu Holy Land, he then speculated that Chu Zheng and Zhao Tingxian might be on the same path.


    Chu Zheng was very likely the Heretic Path cultivator who induced changes in Heavenly Fate and must harbor a great secret.


    However, due to Zhao Tingxian''s presence, the Immortal Alliance''s impression of Tai Xu Holy Land had severely worsened, and he had to suffer silently without evidence.


    But now, all this was about to end. After Chu Zheng''s death, with Geng Yiyang far abroad, it was uncertain whether he could even survive to return. Only a bunch of babies would remain in Taixuan Holy Land, and everything would return to the normal track...


    As laughter had not yet faded in the void, Chu Zheng''s complexion had already regained its rosy hue, all his wounds healed. He had no intention to waste words with Bai Zhixiao and drew the Falling Star Bow again, his eyes filled with a tidal wave of murderous intent.


    Upon hearing the name of Zhao Tingxian, the killing intent in his heart completely boiled over.


    Regardless of whatever clues Bai Zhixiao had grasped or even linking him with Zhao Tingxian, it was imperative to eliminate him as soon as possible to erase potential threats to the greatest extent.


    Seeing Chu Zheng draw the bow again, Bai Zhixiao''s laughter abruptly stopped, a trace of panic flashing in his eyes:


    "How could you possibly still have the strength?!"


    If Chu Zheng still had strength, it was him who would surely die.


    Realizing his impending defeat, Bai Zhixiao''s heart suddenly chilled. This place was very far from Tai Xu Holy Land, even if he wanted to awaken the Tai Xu Sword, it would take a long preparation time, and there was no way he could manage it in time!


    Choosing to strike at Chu Zheng en route back to Taixuan Holy Land was initially to prevent him from summoning Immortal Treasures for protection, but now, it put his own situation into a deadlock.


    The sense of a death crisis was instantly upon him.


    Bai Zhixiao''s thoughts raced as he watched the arrow, taking shape again, began to search for a way to survive:


    "After I die, the Immortal Alliance will surely intervene in the investigation. Do you think you can escape that?!" Stay updated through empire


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained utterly undisturbed as he once again spurted out a breath of Essence Blood, the arrow wrapped in five-colored mystical light once again soaked in blood.


    Since Bai Zhixiao dared to take action to kill him today, he must have assumed the Immortal Alliance wouldn''t pursue it.


    He was the leader on the Hidden Dragon List, a True Immortal Seed valued by the Immortal Alliance. Bai Zhixiao daring to risk great danger by killing him must mean someone was backing him from behind.

 Chapter 243 Soul Snatching, Demon Immortal_2

    After Bai Zhixiao''s death, Chu Zheng intended to investigate each matter himself, but at this moment, he had no interest in wasting words. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.As long as a person was not dead, variables still existed.


    Hum¡ª


    The arrow was released again; Chu Zheng allowed Bai Zhixiao no respite, drawing the bow fully once more.


    In a matter of breaths, Chu Zheng opened the string four times, and five blood arrows streaked across the sky like meteors, trailing blood-red light.


    As the killing intent approached, a hint of madness flashed in Bai Zhixiao''s eyes; his Demi Immortal Body began to burn, transforming into bursts of Immortal Light.


    A Primordial Spirit emerged from his body, morphing into a pitch-black True Dragon, its scales clear and lifelike.


    In the face of life and death, he didn''t sit waiting for his demise but chose to burn his Life Origin in a desperate struggle, determined to drag Chu Zheng down with him.


    The five blood arrows pierced through his body, instantly shredding it into a bloody rain; his fragmented bones exploded, mixing with fragments of flesh and armor, scattering everywhere.


    In midair, the black dragon formed by the Primordial Spirit roared and instantly transformed into a vast, pitch-black Sword Qi that spanned thousands of yards, grinding through the void.


    The life-burning strike of an Immortal Tribulation Cultivator was terrifying. Chu Zheng hadn''t even had time to draw his bow when the Sword Qi had already slashed above his head.


    His crown was split open, revealing the Yin Yang Divine Infant within; an unprecedented intense shock surged from his Spirit and Soul.


    Chu Zheng''s thoughts paused, with large gaps blanking out, and only after a long while did he gradually come to his senses.


    His head was shattered in large parts, and a huge sword mark appeared on the Divine Infant, nearly splitting it apart.


    The repair panel began operating, slowly repairing the severe damage he had experienced in his Spirit and Soul; after a moment, Chu Zheng''s thoughts returned to normal, his heart momentarily chilled.


    This sword was exceedingly dangerous; if not for the strength of his Divine Infant, which had been nurtured by the constant care of Incense Fire Willpower far surpassing that of ordinary Tongxuan Cultivators, he would have undoubtedly died today.


    "You have yet to die..."


    From the void came a whisper, containing a bit of despair. Bai Zhixiao''s shattered Spirit Soul still lingered around, about to disperse.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and used the innate Divine Ability "Soul Snatching" to absorb all the fragments of the Primordial Spirit around him into his body.


    This was a Divine Secret Skill obtained from the Dongyuan Realm, capable of absorbing Spirit Souls into the body to enhance one''s own Divine Soul.


    However, it had certain side effects, as it was easy to be influenced by the residual memory fragments within the Spirit Souls.


    But Chu Zheng''s purpose in using Soul Snatching now was exactly for Bai Zhixiao''s memory fragments.


    The secrets he needed to know were surely present within these memory fragments of Bai Zhixiao.


    "How did you know that I was going to make a move on you..."


    Noticing Chu Zheng''s action, Bai Zhixiao''s voice came again, tone even, with just a hint of confusion.


    Facing imminent death, his mind had become much calmer.


    "From the beginning to the end, your demeanor was too calm, so calm that it frightened me."


    Chu Zheng''s expression was serene as he swallowed the last wisp of Bai Zhixiao''s soul light:


    "As an opponent, you were too opaque for me to gauge, I could not rest easy while you were alive."


    Even though only some residual souls of Bai Zhixiao remained, for the current Chu Zheng, they were still greatly nourishing.


    These Residual Souls boosted the power of his Spirit and Soul significantly, carrying with them a plethora of memory fragments.


    As a Deity nurtured from Incense Spirituality, Chu Zheng was adept at handling these chaotic pieces of information, selectively filtering them, and retaining some useful information.


    Soon, he obtained the answers he needed from this information.


    "Dongsheng Demon Immortal..."


    Having known the cause and consequence, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, which seemed as deep as frosty pools.


    Upon returning from the battlefield beyond his territory earlier, he knew he had created significant enmity with this Demon Immortal. However, he hadn''t expected the Demon Immortal to dare openly attack him in the Cangyun Realm.


    It seemed that what Zhao Tingxian had said was indeed true, the Cultivators of Cangyun Realm couldn''t merge with Immortal Blood. Even with extraordinary talents, in the eyes of the Immortal Alliance, they were insignificant.


    Otherwise, Dongsheng Demon Immortal wouldn''t have dared to be so audacious.


    After thoroughly digesting the information, a sudden cold light flashed in Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    It''s not right...


    According to the timeline in Bai Zhixiao''s memory, the two Immortal Tribulation Great Demons dispatched by the Dongsheng Demon Immortal should have entered the realm by now.


    Soon after he released the news, Bai Zhixiao had already contacted the Dongsheng Demon Immortal again, and at this moment, those two Demon Emperors are within the Cangyun Realm!


    Before Chu Zheng could think it through, a sense of alarm arose within him, tribulation Qi began to surge beside him, and in the void not far away, demonic Qi shot into the skies, intertwining into clouds and rapidly closing in on him.


    Seeing the sudden appearance of two auras, a flicker of spiritual light flashed in Chu Zheng''s eyes, then his expression drastically changed, he did not hesitate for a moment, stowed away the Falling Star Bow, activated all speed enhancing divine skills, and began to flee frantically.


    [Kui Yuan (Seventh Order): Celestial Wolf Clan Demon Emperor, has transcended the Sevenfold Demon Tribulation, bears the Immortal Seal, has acknowledged a master.]


    [Feng Yue (Seventh Order): Night Horse Clan Demon Emperor, has transcended the Ninefold Demon Tribulation, is about to cultivate a Demon Immortal Body.]


    The information revealed by the Spiritual Eye was truly terrifying; one Seven-Tribulation Demon Emperor, plus one existence on the verge of stepping into the Demon Immortal realm, deprived Chu Zheng even of the thought of counterattack.


    This Dongsheng Demon Immortal is indeed cautious. She never placed her hopes on Bai Zhixiao. To be safe, she sent these two Demon Emperors, either of whom could crush Bai Zhixiao effortlessly.


    Such level of existence is simply beyond what Chu Zheng can handle at the moment.


    Chu Zheng still had some recollection of the name Feng Yue. Back when the external domain channel appeared, and the Northern Region Demon Race fled, it was this demon''s incarnation that came to meet them, and he had clashed with it back then.


    However, Chu Zheng had no mind to think more at the moment, fleeing had become his only thought.


    "Chu Zheng, it has been a long time, why not stop and catch up with this lord?" Enjoy new tales from empire


    Feng Yue''s mocking laughter followed the wind:


    "Back then, you boasted that given another ten years, you would slay me without breaking a sweat. Why do you now lack even the courage to fight?!"


    A hoof, condensed from demonic Qi, stepped through the void beside Chu Zheng, shattering the vast sky, leaving behind web-like cracks.


    If stepped on, Chu Zheng, even with ten lives, would have been wiped out completely.


    Feng Yue clearly was not in a rush to kill Chu Zheng, showing an obvious intent of toying with him.


    Chu Zheng did not respond, his mind remained calm as he fled frantically towards the distance. Although the tribulation Qi beside him was still roiling, it was far from a deadly tribulation yet, and there was still much chance of survival.


    In that fleeting moment, he had calculated, survival lay deep within the Southern Region.


    In an instant, as much time as it takes to drink a cup of tea passed, and the two clouds of demonic energy stepped by the Demon Emperors had closed in to less than a thousand miles behind Chu Zheng, nearly within reach in a blink.


    As the two Demon Emperors drew nearer, a slight smile appeared on Chu Zheng''s face. The tribulation Qi at his side had entered a stable state, no longer tumultuous.


    "Offspring of evil! How dare you harm the talents of my Immortal Alliance within the Cangyun Realm, you must be executed!"


    Boom¡ª


    A thunderous roar erupted, and an orange-yellow seal spanning over a thousand miles, accompanied by brilliant golden light, appeared from the void and plummeted down.


    The void became stagnant, the two Demon Emperors were pinned mid-air, unable to move, their expressions revealing identical fear.


    "Immortal Treasure!"


    "I am Feng Yue of Dongsheng Demon Immortal, also a member of the Immortal Alliance, you cannot slay me!"


    Feng Yue''s loud shout caused the seal to pause for a moment, but before the two Demon Emperors could react, it fell again.


    Pfft¡ª


    In front of a true Immortal Treasure, even the Great Demon Emperor who had transcended the Ninefold Demon Tribulation had no power to retaliate, and was crushed into minced meat along with his divine soul.


    A figure descended from the clouds, dressed in orange-yellow vestment robes, it was none other than Shang Liangyi, whom he had seen not long ago, now the ruler of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    The seal gradually shrank, falling into his palm.


    "The Taixuan Holy Master returned alone to Taixuan, and I, fearing for your safety on the way, came back to the Primordial Spirit Holy Land to request the Immortal Treasure, hoping to protect you along the journey. Little did I know, I would encounter these two monsters causing trouble."


    Shang Liangyi clarified, his expression puzzled, "I am old and a bit hard of hearing, I did not quite catch what this demon just said, do you know, Holy Master?"


    "Thank you for your assistance, senior."


    Chu Zheng bowed and thanked him, understanding the implication: "Those two offspring of evil said nothing at all, perhaps the senior misheard."


    Shang Liangyi had helped him, but he also didn''t want to directly offend a Demon Immortal for this reason; he acted as if he knew nothing.

 Chapter 244 Harvest, Choice

    In the void, an abundance of earth-attribute essence qi pervaded, emanating a faint orange-yellow glow.When an Immortal Treasure was wielded, its might was too astonishing, and its traces simply couldn''t be concealed. The environment of heaven and earth in this place would also change as a result, requiring the baptism of lengthy ages to gradually stabilize.


    By then, the earth spirit qi of this place would far surpass that of other regions. To wield such power that it changes the environment of heaven and earth, this is the treasure of a True Immortal.


    [Vast Earth Elemental Seal (Eighth Order): A top quality Immortal Treasure, its main body made from Earth Elemental Essence Jade. It was formed and nurtured through the condensation of one hundred and thirty-seven streaks of Earth Vein Qi, greatly enhancing the might of earth-attribute techniques and Divine Skills. Consuming a massive amount of Immortal Jade, awakening the Immortal Spirit within can suppress a Nine Tribulations True Immortal.]


    Catching a glimpse of the seal in Shang Liangyi''s hand, Chu Zheng''s heart skipped a beat ¨C this unassuming seal was actually a top quality Immortal Treasure!


    It was undoubtedly the most formidable object Chu Zheng had encountered since he had begun cultivating.


    Today, not to mention Feng Yue''s mere Nine Calamities Demon Emperor, even if the Dongsheng Demon Immortal himself came, he would face only death.


    However, the Immortal Spirit within the treasure had obviously not yet awakened. Otherwise, with the terrifying might capable of suppressing a Nine Tribulations True Immortal, the entire Southern Region would be directly sunk.


    It was no wonder that having a living Immortal King within the Immortal Alliance, the Shang Family''s confidence far exceeded that of the other major Holy Lands and so-called True Immortal noble families.


    Even if all the forces in the Southern Region were bound together, they would likely be no match for the Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    "Elder Shang''s gracious act of assistance this time, Chu Zheng will keep it in mind and repay it in the future,"


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng took a deep breath and bowed respectfully.


    Had it not been for Shang Liangyi''s timely rescue today, his fate would not have been good. In the worst-case scenario, he would have to abandon his original body and rely on his foundation in the Chaos Sea to make a comeback.


    But that would unquestionably have greatly disrupted his original plan, and his foundation had been accumulated over several lifetimes and hundreds of years. It did not come easily.


    "No need for thanks, I was merely following orders. The Family Head had already given instructions; my Shang Family wishes to form good relations with Chu Zheng and will provide mutual support in the future,"


    Shang Liangyi waved his hand dismissively, raising his hand he gathered the flesh and blood essence qi of two Demon Emperors into his palm:


    "I will take away the flesh and blood essence qi of these two fiends. There has been some consumption this time, and the Immortal Treasure needs nourishment. I hope the Holy Master can forgive me."


    "Of course, Elder, as you wish,"


    Chu Zheng''s expression shifted, picking up on the hidden meaning in Shang Liangyi''s words.


    What Shang Lingyi mentioned involved the Shang Family and Chu Zheng, not the Primordial Spirit Holy Land and Taixuan.


    This was the Shang Family''s overture of goodwill to him, unrelated to the Taixuan Holy Land.


    In the midst of their conversation, the flesh and blood essence qi of the two Demon Emperors transformed into blood pills in Shang Liangyi''s palm. After storing away the blood pills, he spoke again, his expression much more solemn:


    "Having used an Immortal Treasure this time, if envoys from the Immortal Alliance come to investigate, it''s likely that we can''t keep it hidden. When the time comes, I would ask the Holy Master to testify with me that it was an act of desperation due to an emergency."


    Within the laws of the Immortal Alliance, an Immortal Treasure absolutely cannot be directed at creatures affiliated with the Immortal Alliance. It can only be used on foreign battlefields or in conflicts of Taoist Orthodoxy. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the most part, Immortal Treasures exist as a foundation for suppressing a force, more as a deterrence and are not lightly used.


    This was similar to the reason why cultivators above Divine Infant from the Cangyun Realm chose seclusion to avoid causing massive internal consumption.


    The might of an Immortal Treasure was excessively terrifying; for ordinary creatures, it was no different from a devastating natural disaster, with the remnants of Immortal Charm not easily erased.


    If not for this, Bai Zhixiao would have certainly brought along the Tai Xu Holy Land''s legacy Immortal Treasure ''Tai Xu Sword'' on this trip.


    Beneath such a treasured weapon, Chu Zheng would have had no chance of survival.


    Shang Liangyi needed Chu Zheng as a witness to help him explain to the Immortal Alliance, for even with an Immortal King behind him, he could not avoid punishment.


    "That is only natural, please rest assured, Elder," Chu Zheng nodded immediately, as this was what he was supposed to do.


    If the Immortal Alliance really did investigate this place, he had no intention of bringing up Bai Zhixiao and the Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s affairs.


    Escalating the situation would bring him no benefit; if it attracted the attention of exceptionally perceptive top-tier powerhouses or if he was directly taken to the Immortal Alliance to confront the Dongsheng Demon Immortal, his identity as a Qi Cultivator would be revealed on the spot.


    The best choice now was to calm things down, and once he left the Cangyun, there would be plenty of time for calculations.


    "Taixuan Holy Master, take care. We will meet again,"


    Shang Liangyi raised his hand in a farewell salute, then stepped into the void and disappeared from sight.


    Watching Shang Liangyi depart, Chu Zheng immediately turned and extended his Divine Sense to sweep through heaven and earth.


    The two Demon Emperors, aside from their flesh and blood essence qi, must surely have other Wonderous Treasures on them.


    Moreover, with the secret hoard of an old Holy Master, this was an indescribably immense gain for Chu Zheng.


    After searching the area for a short while, Chu Zheng found the remnants of four Semi-Immortal Treasures. Repairs required Immortal Qi, fortunately, the amount needed wasn''t much, ranging from barely ten to nearly a hundred streaks.


    However, this did not satisfy Chu Zheng, as he did not find traces of any storage-type Magic Treasures.


    The only explanation was that most of the treasures of the two Demon Emperors were kept within the Cave Heaven World they had opened within themselves.


    Seventh Order beings had the ability to create Cave Heaven Worlds, just like the Small World connected to the Condensing Space Bracelet, lacking Heavenly Dao Laws but still considered a small heaven and earth.


    Such small worlds often had special spatial coordinates that others find very difficult to detect unless there is a great difference in cultivation.

 Chapter 244 Harvest, Choice_2

    The Condensing Space Bracelet that Chu Zheng obtained was essentially a coordinate portal to a Small World.Surrounded by the vast void, Chu Zheng concentrated deeply and activated his innate Divine Skill "Sky Roaming."


    This Divine Skill, much like the "Soul Snatching" he used earlier, originated from the Divine Ability Bone of the Heavenly Spirit Race.


    "Sky Roaming" belongs to the spatial series of Divine Skills, allowing travel between space cracks and being extremely sensitive to spatial fluctuations. Its use significantly enhanced Chu Zheng''s perception. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the calm of the void, a series of minute cracks emerged within Chu Zheng''s perception.


    Suddenly, a specific space crack captured his attention. The crack, seemingly unremarkable, intrigued him with a trace of demon aura it emitted, thanks to the acute senses of a Qi Cultivator.


    Taking a deep breath, Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense stirred, projecting an avatar.


    He took out a Storage Spirit Ring, handed it to the avatar, then inhaled slightly, swallowing the avatar before softly blowing it out.


    Whoosh¡ª¡ª


    In the blink of an eye, the avatar transformed into a gentle breeze, drifting into the space crack.


    Having witnessed the demise of those trapped in a Small World, he naturally would not rashly risk himself.


    Moreover, with his real body present, the avatar entering the realm could find its way back.


    ...


    ...


    A sense of distortion akin to a spatial passage soon reached Chu Zheng''s senses; after a while, he finally steadied his form.


    Looking around, he found himself in a lush forest.


    In this Small World before him, the presence of numerous living beings thrived, filled with vibrant vitality.


    Chu Zheng sensed the aura belonging to Feng Yue; this world was clearly under Feng Yue''s domain.


    Chu Zheng immediately used the Invisibility Technique and silently began his journey, following the Earth Vein Qi toward the central region of this Small World.


    He crossed mountains and lakes, and soon, a rugged mountain range came into view.


    Before even reaching the mountains, Chu Zheng saw a Jade Palace, perched above the clouds, atop the highest peak¡ªexquisite to the extreme.


    Chu Zheng became even more cautious, suppressed all his aura, and began approaching the palace.


    There were no Arrays around the palace, which was understandable as this place was within Feng Yue''s own Small World, thus negating the need for such defenses.


    Chu Zheng carefully circled around the Jade Palace, quickly coming to a realization.


    Within the palace, there were several hundred members of the Demon Race, some transformed and others not¡ªall were female.


    This was evidently Feng Yue''s harem, and among them was even a Demon Emperor who had survived three demon calamities and belonged to the same clan as Feng Yue.


    The chamber of this Demon Emperor was located at the very center of the palace, clearly of extraordinary status.


    Chu Zheng hesitated for a moment, weighed his options, and decided not to make a move; instead, he turned to search for the treasury.


    If he were to strike, he would have to slaughter all beings in this Small World. Aside from whether it was feasible, such an act would definitely leave traces.


    Chu Zheng wasn''t familiar with Feng Yue, nor did he know if Feng Yue had shared his world''s coordinates with others. If traces were left behind, it would be troublesome if someone came to investigate afterward.


    Taking advantage of the absence of arrays to seal the area, looting the treasury here was the most energy-efficient and beneficial course of action.


    Moments later, Chu Zheng found several treasuries filled with countless Spirit Stones and Heavenly and Earthly Treasures, as well as a few Semi-Immortal Treasures.


    Unfortunately, as these Semi-Immortal Treasures were spirited and he couldn''t steal them without damaging them, Chu Zheng reluctantly left them behind.


    However, the Spirit Stones and the acquired Heavenly and Earthly Treasures alone made his trip worthwhile.


    As a Nine Calamities Demon Emperor, Feng Yue''s accumulated wealth was astoundingly abundant. Even excluding the Taixuan Holy Land, Chu Zheng''s entire possession summed together tallied to barely one-tenth of Feng Yue''s.


    Among these, the greatest gain was undoubtedly hundreds of chunks of Immortal Jade, a truly priceless treasure rarely found even in the Great Thousand World.


    These contained Immortal Qi, which could serve as a reserve for Chu Zheng to repair Immortal Treasures.


    After the looting, Chu Zheng did not linger. He left and, guided by the sensation of his original body, found the route to leave the realm.


    After reassuming his original form, Chu Zheng quickly located another Demon Emperor''s cave realm using the same old trick.


    However, compared to Feng Yue, this Demon Emperor seemed much poorer. There were hardly any living creatures in his Small World, and the Spirit Stones and Heavenly and Earthly Treasures were so sparse it was pitiful, not to mention there wasn''t a single piece of Immortal Jade, which was quite disappointing.


    Before leaving, Chu Zheng, somewhat unwilling to leave it at that, dug up many Spirit Veins and then activated the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique, extracting a good amount of energy from the cave realm and converting it into batches of Spirit Stones before he finally left satisfied.


    After ensuring nothing had been overlooked, Chu Zheng left the region and headed towards the battlefield where he first clashed with Bai Zhixiao.


    His mind held fragments of Bai Zhixiao''s memories, which he had not yet fully assimilated, but he was certain that Bai Zhixiao had many secrets and treasures worth uncovering.


    ...


    ...


    Between the vast starry river, a streak of light flashed and vanished.


    Walking through the cosmos, the passage of time often goes unnoticed.


    Song Lingxue sat cross-legged on the chariot, gazing at the passing stars beside her, her expression slightly dazed as she could no longer remember how long it had been since she left Cangyun.


    Song Lingxue turned her head towards Yu Ning and ultimately couldn''t help but ask,


    "How much longer until we reach the Martial Hall?"


    "We''re almost out of the Immortal Alliance''s territory now, it won''t be much longer."


    Yu Ning slowly opened her eyes and, sensing Song Lingxue''s somewhat disordered thoughts, spoke reassuringly,


    "Don''t worry, for you, the Martial Hall is definitely the best choice. Born in the Immortal Alliance, yet having the chance to join the Martial Hall, you''re already luckier than many others."


    As she finished speaking, Yu Ning thought of Chu Zheng and couldn''t help feeling a bit emotional,


    "You indeed have rare fortune protecting you. Within the Immortal Alliance, having someone like Chu Zheng to protect you is not easy. In a person''s life, having someone who genuinely cares about you is rare."


    Yu Ning turned back to look at the vast sea of stars, her tone somewhat melancholic,


    "For you, Chu Zheng was willing to spend his own Essence Yuan Blood Qi, not caring about the depletion, and healed us both. This certainly would shake the foundation of his own cultivation. For a cultivator, his actions toward you are quite rare."


    As she said this, she turned back to look at Song Lingxue, hesitated for a moment, but still decided to throw a dampener,


    "However, those strong in the Immortal Path tend to sever emotional connections and focus only on the great Dao. Perhaps Chu Zheng will do the same someday."


    "He''s too young, sometimes unavoidably driven by momentary passion. Over time, what he will become, nobody knows."


    "How he treats me, I understand in my heart."


    Song Lingxue slightly shook her head, touched the Jade Book in her bosom, thought for a moment, and yet suppressed the idea of writing a letter.


    Write a letter once, and it would again be a long wait for the next opportunity.


    "There has been news from the Martial Hall."


    The chariot driver Xie Xingzhong suddenly turned around, a hint of excitement in his voice,


    "I have already sent your information ahead to the Martial Hall. The Hall Master has responded, allowing you to choose your own way into the Martial Hall."


    Without beating around the bush, he went straight to explaining,


    "Typically, there are three ways into the Martial Hall. The first, without any examination, being directly taken as a disciple by an Elder. This group enjoys the smallest portion of resources but also faces the smallest risk."


    "The second, through a talent test and then three trials of the entry examination, after which one joins the Martial Hall. According to the talent, Elders are allocated for teaching. This group forms the majority within the Martial Hall."


    "The third way is through the Blood Trial. By taking this path into the Martial Hall, you receive the most resources, and if your performance is outstanding, there is also a chance to be taken as a disciple by the Hall Master."


    The Blood Trial is purely a path of slaughter, requiring an alien Life Star as a sacrifice, serving as the trial ground.


    Those who survive and come off that star naturally qualify to enter the Martial Hall, and likewise, it is the riskiest path.


    The Martial Path and the Immortal Path are fundamentally different routes. The Martial Path cultivates Blood Qi and nurtures the physical body, needing a large amount of flesh essence as nourishment, unavoidable killings included.


    Over the years, the Martial Hall has repeatedly initiated disputes with various forces in All Heavens, just to hunt for the essence of alien flesh.


    The Martial Path is inherently belligerent, relying solely on oneself.

 Chapter 245 Immortal Martial Star Compilation, Sending a Message

    ```"The opportunity to choose is not easy to come by, your father and the rest, they didn''t even have the choice."


    Xie Xingzhong''s expression was somewhat sentimental, being able to choose one''s own path is indeed a fortunate matter.


    Song Tonghai and many others in the Martial Path, with their level of cultivation, couldn''t even stay on the war chariot for long, they could only remain in the Small World that Xie Xingzhong had just opened up.


    Their talents exceeded that of ordinary people by a lot, but compared to Song Lingxue, it was far too lacking. Entering the Martial Hall was quite forced, and the best ending would be to join a certain Divine Sect under the Martial Hall, which could also be considered a way out.


    "What benefits would one get by becoming a disciple of the Hall Master?"


    Song Lingxue snapped back to reality, not beating around the bush, and asked very straightforwardly.


    "To be a disciple of the Hall Master is to be at the core of the true lineage of the Martial Hall. Across the whole Martial Hall, there are only one hundred and eight spots that rotate every ten years."


    "If you can become a true disciple, the benefits you can get far exceed your imagination. The most direct is the access to extremely high-quality beast blood and flesh, and the personal guidance from the Martial Ancestor."


    Xie Xingzhong, noticing Song Lingxue''s intention, explained in detail:


    "With your qualifications, it will not be challenging to step into the realm of Martial Saint in the future. The Hall Master doesn''t lack Holy Beast''s flesh and blood, which, needless to say, is of great importance to a Martial Artist."


    "Besides, as a true disciple, the resources you can acquire are extremely ample, more than enough for endless use. Entering the battlefield to fight, there will also be people to protect the Dao and ensure your safety."


    "Moreover, your father and others, as your dependents, will also have the privilege to follow you and enter the Martial Hall together."


    At this point, Xie Xingzhong paused, then reminded:


    "However, even if you navigate through the Blood Trial and catch the attention of the Hall Master, becoming a true disciple, the risks you will face afterward are numerous. Everyone in the Martial Hall has the right to challenge a disciple of their realm for their spot. If you lose in a battle at your level, you naturally lose your position as a true disciple."


    The Martial Path is inherently a Taoist orthodoxy with relatively powerful combat strength, and as a true disciple, one needs to have the strength to sweep through Martial Artists of the same realm, which is indeed very challenging.


    Therefore, anyone who has a position as a true disciple of the Martial Hall, could easily overpower other Taoist orthodoxies, defeating enemies across several small realms or even a large realm¡ªthis is not uncommon at all.


    Song Lingxue listened quietly and without any hesitation, nodded:


    "I choose the Blood Trial."


    "Think it over carefully and then tell me. I will relay your decision to the Hall Master at that time."


    Xie Xingzhong didn''t wish for Song Lingxue to make a hasty decision, so he gave her some leeway.


    The Blood Trial was far from as simple as Song Lingxue imagined.


    Even now, at least half of those true disciples have never experienced the Blood Trial, but had instead secured their positions through selection within the Martial Hall after a period of cultivation and honing.


    For Song Lingxue, the safest route was the second one: to enter the Martial Hall through a talent test, accumulate experience for decades, and then aim for the position of true disciple.


    "I have considered it seriously, it wasn''t rash talk."


    Song Lingxue shook her head, one misstep leads to another, and her level of cultivation was already too far away from Chu Zheng''s, almost out of sight.


    If she continued to cultivate step by step, how many years would it take her to bring Chu Zheng out of the Immortal Alliance?


    Chu Zheng was a Heretic Cultivator, and he carried a significant secret with him, of which she was well aware.


    Chu Zheng''s situation in the Immortal Alliance was perilous. If anything untoward happened, it would be a disaster beyond recovery. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So be it."


    Xie Xingzhong was not a ditherer. He immediately raised his hand and sent back a message to the Martial Hall.


    Starlight shifted, and after an indeterminate amount of time, a reply was transmitted back.


    After reading the reply, Xie Xingzhong''s face became tense as he spurred the Jade Winged Heavenly Horse, changing the direction they were heading.


    Before Song Lingxue could ask, he took the initiative to explain:


    "The Martial Hall has commanded that I take you directly to The Battlefield of All Heavens to find a suitable place for trial."


    "Thank you for your trouble, senior." Song Lingxue bowed slightly in thanks.


    "It''s just a small effort."


    Xie Xingzhong waved his hand, while hurrying on their way, he began to advise Song Lingxue about what needed to be noted for the Blood Trial.


    He had not experienced the Blood Trial himself, and much of what he knew was hearsay and not necessarily accurate, but whether useful or not, he detailed everything without omitting anything.


    Knowing is always better than not knowing.


    The Jade Winged Heavenly Horse pulled the war chariot, treading on brilliant starlight, roaring as it passed.


    After traveling for a long while again, the Jade Winged Heavenly Horse entered a mysterious starry sky.


    Gorgeous nebulae no longer scattered across the cosmos but instead piled upon each other, seemingly stratified, forming various canopies of stars.


    Life Stars in great numbers, vast expansive continents shone with successive haloes, and behemoths larger than stars frequently roamed the void, weaving a view of untrodden wilderness.


    "This place¡­ is the All Heavens."


    In Xie Xingzhong''s eyes, a grave color had taken hold.


    The All Heavens is the realm of the Demon Race.


    And the Demon Race is the term coined by the Human Race; all those who aren''t of the Human Race, including the Demon Race, are referred to as such.


    The Jade Winged Heavenly Horse subdued its fluctuations, no longer as ostentatious as before, and began moving forward quietly.


    Soon, the Jade Winged Heavenly Horse skirted past this layered nebula and entered an ordinary starry space.


    This place, though part of The Battlefield of All Heavens, was considered a peripheral region, seldom tread by powerful creatures.


    Eventually, the chariot stopped near a verdant Life Star.


    ```

 Chapter 245 Immortal Martial Star Compilation, Sending a Message_2

    Xie Xingzhong left the war chariot and entered the Stars. After an hour, he finally returned."A middle-quality Life Star, the strongest of the unearthly creatures is at the initial stage of the Sixth Order, with no traces of Human Race activity. It''s also not listed in the Immortal Martial Star Compilation, so it can be designated as a trial ground," he said.


    In such a short time, he had scoured the entire star and confirmed that there were no threats beyond his control.


    He then turned his head to Song Lingxue and explained, "The Immortal Martial Star Compilation is a star number shared amongst the paths of the Immortal Martial. Those without a star number are stars that have yet to be discovered by anyone."


    "Some Supreme Beings need many Life Stars when crafting their protective Secret Treasures. They generally select from the Immortal Martial Star Compilation to avoid unnecessary killing of our Human Race," he said.


    These top-notch powerhouses forge Secret Treasures with the starry sky as their furnace. With a single grasp, they can throw many stars into it for nourishment, without the time to check whether there''s a Human Race presence on these multitude of stars.


    The existence of the Immortal Martial Star Compilation is for the convenience of these top powerhouses.


    Since it''s not listed in the Immortal Martial Star Compilation, this star is temporarily considered safe and won''t be taken away and thrown into the furnace from afar.


    After the explanation, Xie Xingzhong began to set up a great formation around the area to hide the entire star, to prevent some wandering unearthly creatures from casually munching on the star as a snack.


    Once these preparations were complete, Xie Xingzhong returned to the war chariot, his expression solemn:


    "It has been three years since the last transmission of true inheritance. The Blood Trial gives you only the span of two cycles for your trial, and now you have only seventeen years left," he informed.


    "In seventeen years, by any means necessary, exterminate all the unearthly creatures on this star, and your assessment will be considered initially passed," he said.


    Seventeen years to wipe out all the otherworldly creatures on the entire star was an impossibly daunting task for Song Lingxue at the moment.


    The most powerful creature on this star was at the initial stage of the Sixth Order, equivalent to a practitioner at the Tongxuan of the Immortal Path or at the Martial God Realm of the Martial Path.


    Currently, Yu Ning was at the initial stage of the Martial God Realm as well.


    Song Lingxue had just recently reached the Embracing Pill stage and had barely stepped into the Third Great Realm of the Martial Path. She still had a considerable distance to cover to reach the Fourth Realm of Gathering Spirits, not to mention the Divine Orifice realm that followed.


    To kill a Sixth Order creature, she must advance through the large realms of ''Gathering Spirits'' and ''Divine Orifice'' within these seventeen years.


    With the Breath Breaking Pill to blend in the hundred orifices, she might be able to fight against the tide and defeat that creature across realms.


    But this was merely a slim possibility.


    "You should feel fortunate that you have just embraced the pill. If you had already reached Gathering Spirits or even stepped into Divine Orifice, the standard for the Blood Trial would be immediately raised to killing Seventh Order creatures," he said.


    Xie Xingzhong was silent for a moment before he took out a blood-colored Jade Talisman and tossed it to Song Lingxue.


    "If you can''t hold on, crush this talisman. Inside is one of my avatars. At that point, the avatar will kill all the unearthly creatures on this star to ensure your safety," he said.


    This act was tantamount to cheating in the trial. If it was discovered by the Martial Hall, he would surely be punished, but Xie Xingzhong still did it.


    Since he had promised Chu Zheng to protect Song Lingxue, it was his duty to do so conscientiously.


    "Senior, I fear this is not proper..."


    Song Lingxue''s expression changed subtly, as she clearly grasped the gravity of his actions.


    The reason the Blood Trial was so named was because of its extremely high mortality rate. Such an act of cheating, if caught, would likely cost Xie Xingzhong dearly, if not his life then at least a severe penalty.


    "Remember, once you use this Jade Talisman, you will completely lose the qualification to enter the Martial Hall. Rest assured, even if that happens, I will help you find a suitable grand Sect to continue your studies, which shouldn''t be too far off," he said.


    Xie Xingzhong had no desire for further discussion. He waved his hand and created a spatial passage, sending Song Lingxue into it:


    "After you complete the Blood Trial, someone will come to fetch you. Go now, until we meet again at the Martial Hall," he said.


    ...


    ...


    The stars adorned the firmament, with the waning moon suspended high in the sky.


    Goose feather-like snow floated down between heaven and earth, and the reflective silver glow of the snow illuminated the forests and mountains, casting eerie shadows as the air filled with a biting chill.


    By the moonlight trickling through the cracks in the mountain walls, it flowed deep into a cave where melting snow dripped from the cracks, pooling into puddles, its pitter-patter echoes resonating coldly within the cave.


    Song Lingxue leaned against the cave wall, curling up, while the moonlight seeping from the crevices made her complexion appear slightly pale. Her waist, tightly bound with layers of beast skin, exuded a strong smell of blood. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blood slowly seeped through the beast skin, dampening the fur, and almost instantly freezing into clumps of bloody ice crystals in the low temperature.


    Song Lingxue breathed out a few breaths of hot air. The circulation of Blood Qi in her body barely dispelled some of the cold. She took out a chunk of raw flesh, hair and all, and stuffed it into her mouth.


    The raw, cold flesh barely entered her stomach before it began to replenish the vastly depleted Blood Qi. Her frozen limbs gradually began to revive.


    Time flew by, and before she knew it, she had been on this star for more than a month. In this state of consuming raw flesh and blood, she gradually became accustomed to it.


    The number of otherworldly creatures on this star was frighteningly high, and due to the harsh living conditions, most of them had extremely vicious temperaments and were incredibly difficult to deal with.


    In the regions she had explored thus far, which were less than a hundredth of the whole area, she had encountered danger several times, and at any moment she might be devoured by the beasts.


    Such skirting along the edges of death had an obvious tempering effect on her, causing her Cultivation to grow at an unprecedented speed.


    In just a short period, supplemented by the flesh and blood of many otherworldly creatures, her Cultivation had already taken another step forward into the middle stage of the Embracing Pill Realm.

 Chapter 245 Immortal Martial Star Compilation, Sending a Message_3

    Fighting to the death and devouring the essence of blood and flesh were the quickest shortcut to climb the Martial Path.The price to pay was, of course, obvious¡ªafter several near-death experiences, she was now seriously injured, unable to venture out for hunting again.


    She stared blankly at a puddle not far away, lost in a trance for a long while, then flipped her hand and took out the Jade Book, but when she picked up the pen, she hesitated for a long time.


    After most of the night had passed, not until the last trace of moonlight lingering in the cave was completely devoured by the darkness before dawn, did she slowly put down the pen, her lips curving into a slight smile.


    ...


    ...


    Cangyun Realm, Southern Region.


    Wanlong City, the Taixuan Holy Land''s garrison.


    Within the secret chamber, Chu Zheng sat cross-legged on the ground, fiddling with a piece of Jade Wall, his expression inscrutable.


    Bai Zhixiao''s legacy had not disappointed him, after searching, he had once again obtained two remnants of Semi-Immortal Treasures, a piece of Battle Armor, a long sword, and hundreds of pieces of Immortal Jade, Spirit Stones, and countless earth treasures and celestial rarities.


    However, Bai Zhixiao had only recently entered the Immortal Tribulation, and his Cave Heaven World had just begun to expand, its scope not too vast, and it had yet to nurture a Spirit Vein, amounting to nothing more than an embryo.


    During this time, Chu Zheng had digested additional fragments of Bai Zhixiao''s memories and learned of many secrets. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Jade Wall in his hand now was the medium Bai Zhixiao had used to contact Dongsheng Demon Immortal; it was a treasure of Sixth Order Quality, comparable to a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure.


    But it had not cultivated a True Spirit within it and could only be used for communication.


    What had puzzled Chu Zheng was that several months had passed since he killed Bai Zhixiao, yet there was no disturbance from the outside world.


    Not even the Tai Xu Holy Land showed the slightest hint of disturbance, as if it was unaware of Bai Zhixiao''s demise.


    This was clearly illogical, given Bai Zhixiao''s status; it was impossible for him to not leave behind a Soul Lamp in the Holy Land.


    Only after digesting more of the memory fragments did Chu Zheng become aware of some of the reasons.


    Bai Zhixiao was extremely cautious; firstly, he feared Dongsheng Demon Immortal might renege after the fact, pinning all the blame on him, betraying him to the Immortal Alliance.


    Secondly, he was worried about accidents, afraid that his own death would expose his tracks and subsequentially implicate Tai Xu Holy Land, so he had made a backup plan.


    He had erased all traces of himself in the Tai Xu Holy Land in advance, including the Soul Lamp enshrined within the Holy Land.


    Within the Immortal Alliance, numerous powerhouses could deduce some of his thoughts and plans through the faint soul remnants in the Soul Lamp; it couldn''t be simpler.


    At that time, Tai Xu Holy Land would undoubtedly face great disaster.


    Moreover, none of the items he carried with him had anything to do with Tai Xu Holy Land, nor could they prove his identity.


    Even those two Semi-Immortal Treasures had no connection with Tai Xu Holy Land; he obtained them through other channels, his own Semi-Immortal Treasure, and most of his treasured possessions were left inside the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Before he came to kill Chu Zheng, he had already prepared for the worst¡ªif he failed to kill Chu Zheng, he would instantly destroy himself, erasing all traces of his physical body and Primordial Spirit.


    The life-burning strike before his death was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather well-prepared.


    However, for Chu Zheng, this gave him an opportunity.


    He might be able to make use of Bai Zhixiao''s identity...


    Hum¡ª


    Just as Chu Zheng was deep in thought, a sudden vibration came from within his Divine Soul; his expression became slightly focused, and he flipped his hand to take out a Jade Book.


    Above the Jade Book, lines of writing gradually appeared, crossing the starry sea to reach him.


    [My lord, as if seeing you in person, I have arrived at the Martial Hall the other day, all is well, how have you been recently?]


    [Today the moon is cold and the stars are frosty, I revert to dreams at midnight, a chilling emptiness pierces my side, and I toss and turn unable to sleep, emotions knotting in my chest; I didn''t want to disturb you, but couldn''t suppress my longing, I hesitated to write for a long time, not knowing what to say, yet I find myself thinking of you for much of the day.]


    [Since we first met, I have never felt you so distant, no longer under the same expanse of starry sky; the stars I see now, can you see them too?]


    [Ah Zheng, I miss you.]

 Chapter 246 Threat

    ```In the secret chamber, the array faintly glowed, and not far away, beneath the pill furnace, the Fire Seed gently rippled, emitting waves of warmth.


    Gazing at the characters that emerged on the Jade Book, Chu Zheng momentarily appeared stunned and unconsciously caressed the Jade Book with his fingertips.


    A moment later, an inexplicable sense of relief surged in his heart.


    He had never placed much importance on his own life, having entered an otherworldly realm and feeling like a rootless duckweed, he had always been chasing after the elusive legacy left behind, and it was rare for him to find anything that truly sparked his interest.


    Yet now, even though separated by the vastness of the stars, there was still someone thinking of him.


    After a long silence, he began to write a reply. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ...


    [My wife, receiving your letter is as good as seeing your face.]


    [I''ve been well recently, please don''t worry, the starlight you see is nothing but the tracks of an old dream from years ago. Perhaps one day, within the starlight, you will find traces of me.]


    [The world is cold, human feelings are fickle, you''re in a strange land, be extra cautious, always think twice, assess the situation and act after careful planning.]


    [People meet and part, the moon waxes and wanes, as bitter as the drink is, there will come a time for its aftertaste to turn sweet.]


    [Take good care of yourself in anticipation of our reunion.]


    The characters lighting up on the Jade Book dispelled the cold hues within the cavern.


    Looking at Chu Zheng''s reply, Song Lingxue''s eyes softened.


    When they were together, Chu Zheng never spoke to her like this, as most of his attention and energy was placed on cultivation.


    In fact, compared to her own sister, she wasn''t particularly interested in cultivation.


    While in the Song Residence, the reason she practiced martial arts daily was solely because the Song Family needed a strong successor, someone who could shoulder the heavy responsibilities.


    Now... the pressure she felt to cultivate only came from Chu Zheng.


    Perhaps Chu Zheng wouldn''t mind what level her cultivation was, but she couldn''t bring herself to accept that.


    The writing on the Jade Book gradually disappeared, beginning to slowly absorb the Essence Qi from the world, charging itself.


    Who knows how long it would be before the next opportunity to write a letter.


    Song Lingxue took a deep breath, pushed herself up using the wall, and began walking towards the exit of the cave.


    Time was short, the mission heavy, and the star beneath her feet vast; even if those different species stood before her, and she had to kill them one by one, a hundred years wouldn''t be enough to finish them.


    But she only had seventeen years.


    ...


    ...


    After replying to Song Lingxue, Chu Zheng''s emotions were unsettled for a long time before finally calming down.


    After pondering for a while, Chu Zheng took a deep breath and used the Divine Skill ''False Form'' to transform into the appearance of Bai Zhixiao.


    Once he acclimated to the form, he activated the Jade Wall.


    In the blink of an eye, the Jade Wall turned into a mirror-like surface, reflecting an image.


    "What is it?"


    Within the expansive Jade Pool filled with mist, a woman dressed in a light gossamer robe leaned lazily by the poolside, her arms hanging down, her jade-like fingertips gently stirring the water''s surface, creating ripples.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes grew colder as he suppressed the urge to kill that leapt up in his heart and bowed slightly with a hint of probing in his voice,


    "Demon Immortal, Chu Zheng is about to return to Taixuan, and I haven''t yet made contact with the two Demon Emperors you mentioned. Do you think something went wrong?"


    "You haven''t met them yet? How is that possible? They arrived more than a month ago."


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal immediately furrowed her brows, her eyelids drooping as she gathered a thread of Immortal Light between her fingertips.


    A moment later, she abruptly opened her eyes, a trace of disbelief flashing across her face:


    "Dead?!"


    "Who is dead?"


    On Chu Zheng''s face, a perfectly timed look of shock appeared.


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal did not answer his question but bit her fingertip, her gaze flowing ceaselessly.


    After a long while, she suddenly looked up, "Has there been any anomalies recently on Chu Zheng''s side? Have you detected any significant turmoil or strife?"


    "I haven''t detected anything unusual, but a while ago, a crimson light escaped from the direction of Taixuan Holy Land; I''m not sure what it was."


    "Has there been any other anomalies? Have there been any significant battles recently?" the Dongsheng Demon Immortal continued to inquire.


    Chu Zheng pretended to think for a moment and then nodded, "Some time ago, I heard that an Immortal Treasure was used in a fight, but for what reason, I do not know."


    "Immortal Treasure..."


    Upon hearing this, the Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s mind stirred, and a cold smile spilled onto her face, "This Chu Zheng must have been prepared in advance, carrying an Immortal Treasure for protection."


    She had a rough idea of what had happened, presumably, the two Demon Emperors acted on their own, met with disaster, and were slain by Chu Zheng using an Immortal Treasure.


    The reason they didn''t contact Bai Zhixiao first was straightforward.


    For one to be a Seven-Tribulation Demon Emperor and the other a Nine Calamities Demon Emperor, these two might have considered Bai Zhixiao beneath their concern, which was understandable.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered as he asked softly, "Demon Immortal, what''s your plan for dealing with Chu Zheng? The Immortal Alliance''s envoys will probably arrive soon..."


    After the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, the Immortal Alliance would send an envoy within a few years to lead away the True Immortal Seeds.


    Chu Zheng naturally didn''t want to be taken away by these envoys; as soon as the Immortal Alliance Envoy arrived, that would be the day he left Cangyun.


    All he wanted to know now was the Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s next move, to preempt any problems.


    After contemplating for a while, the Dongsheng Demon Immortal nodded, "I''ll arrange for him to be intercepted."


    "What do you mean by that?" Chu Zheng''s expression changed.


    "On the way back to the Great Immortal Realm, he will inevitably pass through the Myriad Realms, and that''s when we''ll take care of him," she said.


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s demeanor became a bit impatient. The death of two Great Demons was also a significant loss for her.


    Moreover, one of them had been a mount for a True Immortal, which would bring no small amount of trouble, requiring a considerable cost to resolve.


    ```

 Chapter 246 Threat_2

    Chu Zheng suddenly realized and then slightly pursed his lips, voicing his unease, "The Immortal Treasure you promised me before..."It was the thing Chu Zheng coveted most, a true Immortal Treasure, priceless in value, its might enough to shake the heavens.


    "Immortal Treasure? How dare you still ask?"


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s face turned slightly cold, "I''ll ask you, is Chu Zheng dead yet? Have you even harmed a single hair on Chu Zheng?"


    "Fiend!"


    With a sudden coldness in his demeanor, Chu Zheng let out a fierce shout, his voice booming like a great bell:


    "If you don''t give me the Immortal Treasure, I will report you to the Immortal Alliance for secretly harming a paragon of our human race right now! The Cangyun Immortal King is not yet dead!"


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal was stunned for a moment, her thoughts momentarily blank. After coming back to her senses, she fell into a rage:


    Discover hidden stories at empire


    "Insolent! A mere lowlife from Cangyun, you dare to insult me?!"


    "And what if I do? Fiend!


    Chu Zheng let out a cold snort, his tone rising, "Do you believe I won''t write a letter right now, report to the Immortal Alliance, and have the Cangyun Immortal King take your life! Then you and I will perish together!"


    "You!"


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s chest heaved wildly, her breath came in gasps, murder in her eyes almost turning tangible. After a long while, she spoke in a sinister tone,


    "Do you not want the foundation of Tai Xu Holy Land anymore?"


    "If you dare come to Tai Xu, I dare to ask for the Tai Xu Sword, and personally behead you!"


    Chu Zheng let out a sneer, completely unconcerned, watching the Dongsheng Demon Immortal in the mirror and said deliberately:


    "I want the Immortal Treasure!"


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s face twitched, the murderous intent in her eyes receded, and only after a long while did she speak, "I will have someone bring it to you in time."


    She dared not gamble whether Bai Zhixiao was truly willing to die with her. The life of an Immortal Tribulation Cultivator from Cangyun was insignificant compared to her own safety.


    No matter how little the cultivators from the Cangyun Realm were valued within the Immortal Alliance, there still were numerous True Immortals in existence, along with the Cangyun Immortal King, an utterly powerful being watching over them.


    Even if the Cangyun Immortal King currently does not meddle in the affairs of Cangyun, it doesn''t mean he would sit idly by while a paragon of Cangyun was harmed.


    "There''s no need for such trouble. There is a Boundary Gate within the Immortal Alliance. You simply need to seal the Immortal Treasure and send it to Wanlong City; it will arrive in half a month."


    Chu Zheng outright refused the Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s offer. After absorbing the memories of Bai Zhixiao, his understanding of the Immortal Alliance had improved by leaps and bounds. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within the Immortal Alliance, there is a supreme treasure called the ''Boundary Wheel.''


    This treasure connects the star domains within the Immortal Alliance, and Boundary Gates are established within each.


    The nearest Boundary Gate to the Cangyun Realm, by the means of a True Immortal, would take even less than half a month to reach Cangyun.


    "..."


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal breathed even more erratically, silent for a moment, she almost spat out through clenched teeth, "Fine..."


    She had never imagined that Bai Zhixiao would have the audacity to offend her like this.


    She appeared so unassuming usually, the human race really was cunning!


    Bang!


    The water mirror instantly shattered, reverting back into a Jade Wall, and fell into Chu Zheng''s palm.


    Pocketing the Jade Wall, Chu Zheng fell into contemplation.


    He was not entirely sure whether the Dongsheng Demon Immortal would truly send the Immortal Treasure, and even if she did, she would likely tamper with it.


    Chu Zheng was not concerned about this; he possessed the Spiritual Eye. If the Immortal Treasure was unusable, he could simply set it aside and extract the Immortal Qi within it for energy reserves needed for repairs.


    If something unexpected truly happened, he still had Bai Zhixiao''s identity and the foundation of the Tai Xu Holy Land to fall back on; he would likely not suffer too much.


    On the other hand, if the Dongsheng Demon Immortal actually sent the Immortal Treasure to him honestly...


    Sorry for the inconvenience, but this secret is going to cost him for a lifetime, and he will definitely try to extort more before finding a chance to escape.


    After dealing with the affairs of Dongsheng Demon Immortal, Chu Zheng took out the previously sealed Semi-Immortal Treasure ''Cloud Abyss''.


    This sharp sword, originating from Tai Xu Holy Land, had been sealed by him.


    The reason Bai Zhixiao could detect his ambush previously was because of the mark left on this Semi-Immortal Treasure.


    During this time, he had attempted to communicate with the Immortal Spirit within Cloud Abyss, but the process was far from pleasant. With no other choice, he had to resort to some measures.


    At the level of a Semi-Immortal Treasure, compared to a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure, there is significantly less autonomy, as it cannot actively engage in combat; the wear and tear is too great to bear on its own and cannot operate without a cultivator''s manipulation.


    This is also somewhat related to the environment of heaven and earth. Relying on a small amount of Spiritual Energy to refine Immortal Power is extremely difficult, often meaning substantial consumption of the essence.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged with the sword laid across his knees, silently running the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing Technique, and began to extract the Immortal Qi from Cloud Abyss.


    After several extractions, the blade of Cloud Abyss had become somewhat dull and lackluster compared to before.


    Soon, as days passed and another strand of Immortal Qi left the body, Cloud Abyss became increasingly weaker. The Immortal Spirit inside conveyed a thought, loosening up and pleading for mercy.


    If the extraction continued, it wouldn''t be long before it would turn into a chunk of ordinary iron, and the painstakingly nurtured True Spirit would be annihilated.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not continue. The influence of the Semi-Immortal Treasure on his current combat power, as evident from the Falling Star Bow, was still tremendously significant.


    With Cloud Abyss''s extreme cooperation, it quickly completed recognizing its master. Chu Zheng returned the few strands of Immortal Qi, replenishing its foundation.


    From the exchange with Bai Zhixiao, he had gained a clear understanding of his current combat power. With the sword Cloud Abyss in hand, cultivators below the Third Tribulation in the Immortal Tribulation Realm would likely be no match for him at all.


    After refining Cloud Abyss, Chu Zheng was ready to come out of seclusion and check the situation outside when suddenly, a surge of fluctuations transmitted from the depths of his Divine Soul.


    His Divine Soul''s strength had soared after swallowing a portion of Bai Zhixiao''s Soul Fragment. Now, nurtured by the Incense Fire Willpower, it had reached a bottleneck in his cultivation.


    After a month in seclusion and some adjustments, Chu Zheng''s cultivation smoothly progressed to the mid-stage of the Tongxuan Realm.


    Less than a year since he entered the Tongxuan Realm, he had broken through again.


    Fortunately, the Hidden Dragon List had already dispersed, and no one in the outside world would know, otherwise, it would be another upheaval.


    After adapting for a while, Chu Zheng stood up to leave his retreat. As soon as he stepped out of the Taixuan residence, he realized something was amiss.


    Above Wanlong City, a Red Gold Divine Blade hung brightly, stretching for thousands of miles, adorned with dazzling Immortal Patterns and trailing streaks of auspicious colors.


    [Blood Transforming Blade (Eighth Order): Lower Quality Immortal Treasure, evolved from a Semi-Immortal Treasure. It has claimed the souls of countless under its blade, wrapped in Blood Fiend, housing an Evil Spirit within. When wielded by those with insufficient heart and mind, it can easily cause turmoil and loss of sanity.]


    Chu Zheng dispersed the Spiritual Light in his eyes and the smile at the corner of his mouth grew wider. Although this blade had some issues, it was indeed a genuine Immortal Treasure, and there were no hidden traps within it.


    Since Dongsheng Demon Immortal was so honest, not taking advantage would actually be somewhat unreasonable.


    The Blood Transforming Blade was covered by a layer of a special Array that required a specific unlocking method.


    Dongsheng Demon Immortal had previously given some benefits to Bai Zhixiao through this method, ensuring that the items would be delivered accurately to his hands.


    Composing himself, Chu Zheng displayed a False Form, transforming into Bai Zhixiao''s semblance. In full view of everyone, he formed hand seals and collected the Blood Transforming Blade.


    Most of the might of the Blood Transforming Blade was already sealed, and it could not pose a threat to the outside world. Even if one wished to activate it, a good deal of Immortal Jade would need to be consumed to have some effect.


    This scene, naturally, triggered a lot of discussion among the surrounding people, but due to Bai Zhixiao''s current cultivation level, no one dared to discuss it openly.


    Chu Zheng turned into a streak of clear light and left Wanlong City. After concealing his presence, he quietly sneaked back into Wanlong City again.


    During his seclusion, Fu Quanliang from Taixuan Holy Land had sent many letters.


    During the start of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, Chu Zheng had entrusted all the visiting cards sent from various forces to Fu Quanliang.


    Now, he had given his advice on each one, and some decisions still required Chu Zheng''s approval.


    Chu Zheng scanned through them briefly and quickly gave his responses.


    He had no time to deal with the interactions with various forces and could only let Fu Quanliang handle them as he saw fit.


    As for the timing of reopening the Sect Gate for the second time, he personally decided on it.

 Chapter 247 Immortal Alliance Envoy

    After some consideration, Chu Zheng set the next Sect Gate opening time to two years later.By then, the fervor of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects would gradually fade away, and the situation would tend to stabilize.


    The envoy from the Immortal Alliance who was to come for him would likely arrive during that time.


    However, with the previous words from the Dongsheng Demon Immortal, he couldn''t wait for this person to come for him, but must find another way out and leave Cangyun. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had already obtained the coordinates of the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield from Nie Longhu; as long as he could get close to that vicinity, there should be some way.


    Having planned his next steps, Chu Zheng emerged from seclusion and made contact with many disciples of the Taixuan Holy Land.


    After casually chatting a few words, he discovered many problems.


    During this period, he had spent most of his time in seclusion, slightly neglecting the education of the Taixuan disciples under him.


    Now, as he came to his senses, he shockingly found that among the Taixuan disciples who came to participate in the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, a large part had already become embroiled in significant entanglements with many powers.


    After all, they were just a group of kids, in their youthful years, with unsettled dispositions, truly hard to resist many temptations.


    Chu Zheng didn''t care about the olive branches thrown by those various powers, but for these inexperienced disciples, it was truly hard to refuse.


    This situation was not an isolated case; a generation of disciples, not yet solidified, was already being torn apart by hands stretched out from all directions.


    At this moment, Chu Zheng somewhat understood why Geng Yiyang, when he had first opened the Sect Gate, decided to close the mountain for a hundred years, allowing only entry and no exit, and not permitting these disciples to enter the world too early.


    With their short period in cultivation and insufficient resolve, they were often easily swayed by a few words of flattery, losing sense of direction.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng could only decisively take immediate action, inviting two Great Mysterious Elders to send all the disciples back inside the Holy Land.


    Having not shown himself for a long time, his bond with these disciples was weak, but Fu Quanliang was different; these disciples were mostly brought up by him, like brothers and fathers to them.


    The words of Fu Quanliang would be somewhat heeded by these disciples, and it hadn''t yet developed to an uncontrollable degree, there was still room for manoeuvre.


    This naturally caused quite a stir in Wanlong City, with various powers feeling uneasy and continuously speculating about Chu Zheng''s intentions.


    After sending away many disciples, Chu Zheng once again used his Shape-Shifting Divine Power, transformed into Bai Zhixiao''s appearance, left Wanlong City, and headed straight for the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Tai Xu Holy Land, having inherited from ancient times, has one of the longest traditions in the Cangyun Realm today.


    Inside the Holy Land, hidden are endless treasures; the Tai Xu Treasure Repository was his true aim, as long as he could plunder enough cultivation resources, he could improve his cultivation without any hesitation.


    If he could successfully empty the Tai Xu Holy Land''s treasury, it would be the biggest haul in his history, with immeasurable value.


    ...


    ...


    Actually, Chu Zheng hadn''t dismissed the idea of just staying in Tai Xu, watching the situation unfold while disguised as Bai Zhixiao.


    But now, with no one in charge of Cangyun Realm''s Heavenly Dao, it was the best time to leave this realm.


    Staying here, even if he could barely evade a disaster by relying on Bai Zhixiao''s guise, he definitely wouldn''t escape the sharp eyes of the Immortal Alliance''s powerhouses who would later control Cangyun''s Heavenly Dao.


    The power of the Heavenly Dao could clearly sense changes in Heavenly Fate, thereby pinpointing Chu Zheng''s presence, just like Zhao Tingxian had done before.


    If it hadn''t been for Zhao Tingxian sparing him several times and even helping to conceal him, he would never have lived to this day.


    Utilizing the extreme speed of the Star-shatter Shuttle, it only took a day for Chu Zheng to arrive outside the Sect Gate of Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Most of Tai Xu Holy Land''s true inheritances and few top powerhouses were inside Wanlong City, leaving the gates weakly guarded.


    As the lord of Tai Xu Holy Land, Bai Zhixiao naturally had ways to pass through the great formation; relying on his fragmented memories, Chu Zheng quickly crossed the Sect Protection Grand Formation unscathed.


    The silvery moon hung high in the sky, revisiting the old grounds stirred something inexplicably in Chu Zheng''s heart, momentarily feeling an odd reluctance, clearly stemming from Bai Zhixiao''s residual soul memory.


    Looking at the Tai Xu River winding through the void, Chu Zheng felt a bit of vigilance. Absorbing the soul fragment''s memories could be influenced, which wasn''t a small matter, and he needed to be more cautious in the future.


    Collecting his thoughts, Chu Zheng quietly began to approach his destination.


    After a brief moment, he arrived at the treasure repository of Tai Xu Holy Land.


    The treasury was located on a mountainside, enveloped in thick auspicious qi, with a water dragon circling over the gate, its black scales moving vividly.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, looked at the True Dragon overhead, and began to perform hand seals according to Bai Zhixiao''s memory.


    Boom¡ª


    As one seal after another was formed, the gates slowly opened, and the first thing that came into view was countless wooden racks. Stay updated via empire


    The racks closest to the door held stacks of wooden boxes, each containing a miniature universe¡ªStorage Magic Treasures filled with items like Spirit Stones, mineral veins, or some peculiar immortal fruits.


    Chu Zheng stepped into the treasury, his pupils flickering with spiritual light, the overwhelming information momentarily disordered his thoughts, and the scene before him felt like a dream, somewhat unreal.


    The Tai Xu Treasure Repository was divided into three levels.


    The first level held a mixed reserve, representing the foundation of a Holy Land, unimaginable for ordinary people.


    The second level held many Magic Treasures and weapons, along with some semi-finished products like embryo implements and Spirit Pills still in nourishment, valued differently in different eyes.

 Chapter 247 Immortal Alliance Envoy_2

    This third level contains the cultivation techniques and divine skills secret manuals.The third level of the treasury could only be opened with the Order of Tai Xu, and according to Bai Zhixiao''s memory, he had secretly passed the Order to someone named ''Ji Tianzhao'' a long time ago. That person was his designated successor, who had been cultivating in secret, scarcely known by others.


    Within the Tai Xu Holy Land, very few people remembered this person who, about four hundred years ago, ranked second on the Hidden Dragon List, distinguished for his exceptional talents.


    Beyond this treasury, the true foundation of the Tai Xu Holy Land lies within the Tai Xu Secret Realm.


    It is a Cave Heaven World passed down from ancient times, not only housing the real foundation of the Tai Xu Holy Land but also inhabited by many cultivators, many of whom are antiquities who have lived over ten thousand years.


    Even though Chu Zheng now possessed the Order of Tai Xu, he did not dare venture into the Tai Xu Secret Realm.


    Read latest stories on empire


    Once his ruse was discovered, provoking the wrath of those ancient beings, he would not even have a chance to escape, for this place was ultimately Tai Xu, with the Tai Xu Sword looming in the starry sky above, ready to strike at any moment.


    Though unable to touch the true foundation, the resources stored within the treasury alone were enough for Chu Zheng to reap considerable gains.


    He showed no mercy and cleared out all the cultivation resources of the first and second levels, stuffing them into his Small World.


    In the blink of an eye, what was once a sparkling treasury in the Holy Land dimmed greatly; many Tai Xu disciples were jolted from their cultivation, unconsciously casting their gazes toward the treasury.


    Under the watchful eyes of the Tai Xu disciples, Chu Zheng slowly walked out of the treasury, his expression calm, and he even refrained from using the Invisibility Technique.


    In no time at all, elders from the Tai Xu Holy Land came to meet him, their expressions slightly changed, all bowing and stating:


    "We greet the Holy Master!"


    "Holy Master, when did you return?!"


    "Came back to take some things."


    Chu Zheng spoke indifferently, his face expressionless, casually exchanging pleasantries with these elders.


    During the conversation, there was hardly any sign of hesitation or stiffness, as if he were truly Bai Zhixiao himself.


    Such is the terrifying aspect of Soul Snatching.


    The more one talks, the easier it is to slip up.


    Chu Zheng no longer paid attention to these surrounding Tai Xu cultivators. Giving them short shrift, he made an excuse to leave and stealthily made his way back to Wanlong City.


    ...


    ...


    More than a month after his return to Wanlong City, news spread from the Tai Xu Holy Land that the Holy Land treasury might have been robbed. Failing to contact the Taixu Saint Lord, they earnestly requested many fellow Daoists to join in the search for Bai Zhixiao''s whereabouts.


    The result, as you might expect, turned up nothing.


    At this stage, they still refused to believe that the sect''s treasury had fallen into the hands of an outsider; they preferred to think that it was all intentionally orchestrated by Bai Zhixiao.


    So, the entire Tai Xu Holy Land mobilized, and numerous ancient beings emerged from the Tai Xu Secret Realm, reentering the world to search for Bai Zhixiao''s whereabouts.


    While the outside world was in turmoil, Chu Zheng had already decided not to use Bai Zhixiao''s identity anymore, as he was immersed in the process of opening the chests.


    The wooden boxes on the first level of the treasury had given him tremendous surprises, occasionally yielding some rare treasures.


    Among these, there were numerous dual-attributed Spiritual Medicines.


    With a large stockpile of Spiritual Medicine, it took just over a month for Chu Zheng''s Qi Refinement''s Cultivation to break into the late stage of the Golden Core Realm, with all nine Divine Skills nearly imprinted.


    With these resources, he had enough to cultivate until he could Return to Void and Merge with the Path, without worrying about resources anymore.


    Chu Zheng also had some ideas about how to extricate himself afterward, but it needed some time to perfect.


    ...


    ...


    Although he had planned his next step, an unexpected event occurred, once again changing Chu Zheng''s fate. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Immortal Alliance Envoy had already secretly arrived at Cangyun; this rush was far beyond Chu Zheng''s expectations.


    A summoning spirit letter from the Primordial Spirit Holy Land pulled him out of his calm cultivation.


    In fact, within less than a month of receiving the Blood Transforming Blade, the envoy from the Immortal Alliance had already arrived in Cangyun Realm, but had been secretly investigating, never rashly contacting Chu Zheng.


    However, the one who came was not a True Immortal but a strong figure from the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm who had passed the Eightfold Heavenly Tribulation, named ''Xiao Heng.''


    This envoy had come to Cangyun not to escort Chu Zheng out of the realm but to investigate the matter of the Immortal Treasure being passed on, or rather, to investigate the cause of death of the two Demon Emperors.


    Soon, the envoy followed the clues left by the immortal treasure and located the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, then directly summoned Shang Liangyi.


    Faced with the envoy''s questions, Shang Liangyi still stuck to his original story, claiming that he had encountered two ferocious beasts on the road and had slain them with the immortal treasure.


    Regarding this explanation, the envoy neither acknowledged nor denied it but instead turned to call for Chu Zheng.


    ...


    ...


    As the sun rose high and the morning light dispersed, the dew on the leaves turned into thin wisps of blue smoke under the sunlight.


    Chu Zheng entered the hall with a calm demeanor and slow steps. The moment he stepped inside, he sensed that something was off.


    The atmosphere in the hall was tense, with a figure sitting in the principal seat, dressed in a robe the color of moonlight, with a handsome appearance and an ethereal aura.


    It was none other than Xiao Heng, the Immortal Alliance Envoy who had come to investigate this matter.


    "Chu Zheng, I greet the envoy," Chu Zheng greeted with a cupped fist salute.


    "Such a young Taixuan Holy Master has already engaged with the creation of life; you will indeed be a pillar of our Immortal Alliance in the future,"


    Xiao Heng replied with a faint smile, hinting at something as he said, "I''ve asked the Holy Master here today to inquire about a matter. I heard that when Shang Liangyi activated the immortal treasure, those two Demon Emperors were chasing you?"


    "Indeed," Chu Zheng nodded affirmatively, openly saying, "I heard the two Demon Emperors mention that they were acting under the orders of the Dongsheng Demon Immortal to kill me."


    "Oh?"


    The straightforwardness of Chu Zheng momentarily stiffened Xiao Heng''s expression. He spoke again:


    "Why would the Dongsheng Demon Immortal want to kill you?"


    "The Cangyun Demon Race, their bloodline descendants have all been exterminated by me; it''s quite normal for the Dongsheng Demon Immortal to want me dead."


    Chu Zheng did not show much anger, but at this moment, his heart was pounding like a drum.


    In front of Xiao Heng, some obvious lies could not withstand scrutiny. He could only tell the truth.


    "I will write a letter to be submitted to the Immortal Alliance, requesting True Immortal to intervene and verify this matter with the Dongsheng Demon Immortal. If it is indeed so, there will certainly be an explanation for you at that time."


    Xiao Heng''s expression was freezing cold, his righteousness unwavering as he stood and walked toward the entrance of the hall:


    "For the time being, please remain in Wanlong City, Taixuan Holy Master, and await a response from the Immortal Alliance."


    Watching his retreating figure, Chu Zheng''s eyes gradually deepened. In the moment he saw Xiao Heng, the tribulation Qi beside him had already begun to surge.


    If he didn''t tell the truth and spoke evasively, Xiao Heng would likely take action right away. Despite possessing a Semi-Immortal Treasure, he might not be Xiao Heng''s match given the gap in their major realms.


    Now that he had made things completely clear, he had helped Chu Zheng make a decisive move, preparing him to escape.


    ...


    ...


    Several days later, Chu Zheng suddenly changed his expression, employed the Shape-Shifting Divine Power, and hastily transformed into Bai Zhixiao''s appearance.


    A jade wall emerged from the palm of his hand and instantly transformed into a water mirror that reflected the other side of the starry river.


    "Untrustworthy scum! I have already given you the immortal treasure, why are you still betraying me?!"


    The moment the water mirror appeared, Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s voice came through, filled with violent murderous intent.


    At this moment, her eyelids were furiously opened, her body shaking uncontrollably, and demonic patterns appeared on her pale face due to the uncontrollable surging of demonic Qi.


    Her fingertip hovered a spark of spiritual light, containing a letter.


    "What do you mean by this?" Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brow, somewhat surprised. Had Xiao Heng really delivered the letter on his behalf?


    "Unless you said it yourself, those two individuals from Feng Yue would never have mentioned my name. If it wasn''t you, how could Chu Zheng know that I was the one behind this?"


    Dongsheng Demon Immortal calmed her anger, her gaze suddenly chilling: "If you wish to die, I can make that happen right now."


    "This letter in your hands..."


    Chu Zheng came back to his senses, looking at the spiritual light on Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s fingertip, his eyes narrowing abruptly as he spoke slowly:


    "Is Xiao Heng also your person?"


    With this letter still in hand and Dongsheng Demon Immortal unharmed, it was clear there was no need for further discussion.

 Chapter 248 Perception, Lock Immortal Ring

    The atmosphere inside the secret chamber was slightly eerie, dead and silent.Chu Zheng''s thoughts gradually began to turn in his mind. From the current situation, it seemed highly probable that Xiao Heng was involved with the Dongsheng Demon Immortal. The so-called investigation was just a cover.


    The next step, it seemed, was to prepare to act against him, and it was necessary to take precautions early.


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal looked at Chu Zheng, the anger on his face gradually subsiding, a faint glimmer appearing in his eyes as he counter-asked,


    "I have heard that Tai Xu Holy Land has been searching for you everywhere these days but to no avail. Why haven''t you shown yourself?"


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained calm, but he couldn''t help feeling a bit surprised. It seemed that Xiao Heng had found out more information than he had anticipated during this time.


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal probably had begun to suspect him.


    "What does it have to do with you."


    Chu Zheng casually responded and was about to dispel the water mirror when he suddenly noticed a cold smile emerging on the delicate face of the Dongsheng Demon Immortal:


    "You are not Bai Zhixiao... If I am not mistaken, you must be Chu Zheng."


    Chu Zheng was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized that his previous question had revealed some flaws.


    Xiao Heng had never met Bai Zhixiao, had no interactions with him, and considering Bai Zhixiao had long vanished, he shouldn''t have known Xiao Heng.


    Moreover, given the robbery of the treasury at Tai Xu Holy Land and his change in attitude, it wasn''t difficult for the Dongsheng Demon Immortal to deduce his true identity.


    "Your mind is sometimes quite sharp."


    Chu Zheng looked at the Dongsheng Demon Immortal before him and snorted lightly, then without further words, he cut the connection.


    The water mirror shattered and reverted back to a Jade Wall.


    Chu Zheng casually stored the Jade Wall. He had decided not to communicate with the Dongsheng Demon Immortal anymore. Since a conflict was unavoidable, he had to make some preparations in advance.


    For instance, killing Xiao Heng and then leaving Cangyun.


    His Golden Core was about to reach Perfection, and he was going to step into Refine Spirit; his Primordial Spirit would undergo further transformation. His identity as a Qi Cultivator was becoming increasingly difficult to conceal from some of the strong figures.


    The Immortal Alliance had become increasingly dangerous for him. Going to the Myriad Heavens and Realms, or the Chaos Sea, was imperative.


    After some contemplation, Chu Zheng had some plans in mind.


    The strongest card he had now was undoubtedly the Blood Transforming Blade. Although it was of Lower Quality and had transformed from a Semi-Immortal Treasure by absorbing Blood Fiend, it was indeed a genuine Immortal Treasure.


    Using Immortal Jade to activate it and slay Immortal Tribulation Cultivators was effortless.


    The problem was, he first had to spend time to subdue this Immortal Treasure.


    For a Tongxuan Cultivator to subdue an Immortal Treasure was almost a fantasy, but Chu Zheng was undoubtedly an exception.


    The Divine Skill, Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing, posed a significant threat to Immortal Treasures. Once the Immortal Qi was drained, collapse and destruction were inevitable.


    For an Immortal Treasure with full cognitive abilities, becoming the master or turning into a piece of scrap metal hardly needed a decision.


    ...


    ...


    Amid lush peaks, ancient trees reached the skies.


    Trails of Spiritual Energy coalesced into mist, wandering through the forest where Immortal Birds and Auspicious Beasts could be seen everywhere.


    Within a valley, the Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s expression was calm, yet the murderous intent in his eyes was nearly boiling:


    "Bastard... truly deserves to die!"


    Weng¡ª


    A streak of light flashed, and a water mirror formed, reflecting a figure in a moon-white Immortal Robe with a handsome appearance:


    "Xiao Heng greets the Demon Immortal."


    "What is it?" The Dongsheng Demon Immortal calmed the anger in his chest and asked coldly.


    "I wanted to ask, what are your plans regarding Chu Zheng next?" Xiao Heng asked respectfully and softly.


    "Bai Zhixiao is dead, killed by Chu Zheng," the Dongsheng Demon Immortal said indifferently, his expression turning colder: "Tomorrow, in the name of the Immortal Alliance, release the news to Cangyun Four Regionsdeclaring Chu Zheng''s vicious nature and ruthless methods. For his own selfish reasons, he disregarded the laws of the Immortal Alliance and harmed my family members of the Immortal Alliance, which is an enormous crime. He should come to the Immortal Alliance to accept punishment."


    "Chu Zheng''s status is extraordinary, being the master of Taixuan Holy Land, and he surely has an Immortal Treasure. He doesn''t seem like someone willing to yield easily; it might be quite difficult."


    Xiao Heng pondered for a while, showing some concerns.


    The power of the Immortal Treasure was too formidable, far beyond his ability to contend. Although Chu Zheng was quite young and still below the age of maturity, he had already killed an Immortal Tribulation Cultivator and two Demon Emperors because of him.


    This record was indeed shocking.


    "The Immortal Treasure that suppresses the Holy Land won''t be easily moved. As of now, Chu Zheng indeed has an Immortal Treasure in his hands, the Blood Transforming Blade I sent to Cangyun the other day," the Dongsheng Demon Immortal subtly shook his head: "He lacks the ability to control the Blood Transforming Blade."


    A mere Tongxuan could not possibly have the power to control an Immortal Treasurer, let alone such an inherently evil treasure.


    If Chu Zheng dared to try using the Blood Transforming Blade, he would surely find himself without a place to bury his body. The eventual outcome would be that his body would be possessed by the evil god within the blade, turning him into a blade demon.


    After pondering for a moment, the Dongsheng Demon Immortal spoke again, adding a layer of precaution:


    "Chu Zheng is cunning and resourceful, and he might have many unknown cards up his sleeve. When the time comes, directly force him to wear the Lock Immortal Ring and take him out of Cangyun; I will wait for you outside the realm."


    "Are you actually coming personally?" Xiao Heng couldn''t help but be surprised.


    Even though Chu Zheng was young enough and exceptionally talented, to alarm a Seven Tribulations True Immortal seemed somewhat exaggerated.


    "We''ll discuss the rest when we meet. Do what you need to do." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal waved his hand and cut off the connection.


    The reason she decided to go to Cangyun personally was that she suspected there were significant secrets still hidden within Chu Zheng.

 Chapter 248 Awareness, Lock Immortal Ring_2

    Secondly, she needed to retrieve the Blood Transforming Blade, a piece of Immortal Treasure of great significance; even if she didn''t use it herself, it could be exchanged for numerous benefits.Aside from these two points, she was also very interested in the treasures Chu Zheng had pilfered from the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    To her, these items were greatly useful, cultivation resources that no one would ever consider too abundant.


    ...


    ...


    In a snap, several days had gone by.


    Wanlong City experienced an unprecedented thunderstorm that cast darkness over heaven and earth, creating an eerie atmosphere within the city as the situation swiftly evolved.


    In these past few days, the news of Bai Zhixiao, the Taixu Saint Lord, meeting his end at the hands of Chu Zheng had spread like wildfire throughout the Cangyun Four Regions.


    Xiao Heng publicly issued a declaration, demanding that Chu Zheng come forth and confess his crimes, causing an uproar among various forces.


    In an instant, the situation had drastically changed.


    Following an incessant stream of messages, the door to Chu Zheng''s place of seclusion was finally knocked upon.


    He walked out from his Taixuan residence with measured steps, surrounded by a mass of cultivators, as dense as a sea of humans.


    Above the long street, Xiao Heng stood tall, his face bearing a trace of sternness, his expression icy cold.


    A deadly silence hung in the air between heaven and earth, which was then abruptly shattered by a fierce shout that carried beyond the clouds:


    "Chu Zheng, do you admit your guilt?!"


    "What crime? I implore the envoy to clarify," Chu Zheng''s brows slowly knitted together as he began to sense something, his muscles gradually tensing.


    "You harmed the Immortal Alliance''s family members and, after killing the Taixu Saint Lord Bai Zhixiao, you used foul magic to disguise yourself and infiltrate the Tai Xu Holy Land, stealing from its treasure vault, disregarding the laws of the Immortal Alliance, acting so recklessly and audaciously, do you still not admit your guilt!"


    Xiao Heng''s face turned abruptly cold, his stern shouting echoing through Wanlong City like the tolling of a great bell, deafening to all.


    Having said that, he gave no chance for Chu Zheng to explain and took a step forward. His aura shone with bright Immortal Light, with his Eightfold Immortal Tribulation cultivation fully exposed, his presence terrifying in its intensity, "Follow me back to the Immortal Alliance; I shall report to the Inspector and judge your crimes."


    Straightaway, Xiao Heng fetched a set of silver chains adorned with five black rings matching the head and limbs.


    [Lower Quality Lock Immortal Ring (Seventh Order): Created by the Immortal Alliance Divine Fire Camp, designed specifically for major Immortal Path offenders, it bears thirty-six Immortal Patterns of confinement, capable of suppressing the Divine Soul of cultivators up to Nine Heavens Immortal Tribulation and forbidding the use of Divine Abilities and Techniques.]


    Watching Xiao Heng''s sequence of actions, Chu Zheng dissipated the Spiritual Light in his eyes and his face gradually calmed down, his gaze becoming a narrow slit.


    At the sight of the Lock Immortal Ring, the surrounding crowd had mixed reactions. Not many recognized it, but it was clear at a glance that it was an instrument of punishment.


    With the affair still unclear, being directly subjected to such restraints was almost tantamount to outright declaring Chu Zheng guilty.


    Being taken to the Immortal Alliance for questioning was likely only a formality.


    The area was filled with a stir of Divine Sense, all whispering among themselves.


    ''Never imagined that the Taixu Saint Lord had already died, slain by the Taixuan Holy Master!''


    ''This time, Chu Zheng''s chances don''t look good...''


    ''The envoy sent by the Immortal Alliance wouldn''t lie; if Chu Zheng is taken away, he''s sure to face severe punishment.''


    ''Such a pity; I had just sent a generous gift to Taixuan not long ago. Seems like it''s all been in vain now.''


    ''If what the envoy says is true, according to the Immortal Alliance''s penal codes, Chu Zheng''s actions are enough to sentence him to death. However, with such exceptional talent, the Immortal Alliance would likely wish to spare his life.''


    Xiao Heng''s status as an Immortal Alliance Envoy meant his actions in taking Chu Zheng for questioning were justified and beyond reproach in anyone''s eyes.


    But for Chu Zheng, once he was made to wear the Lock Immortal Ring, his only destination seemed to be a dead end.


    Among the crowd, Song Lingqing''s brow was furrowed, unsure of the right course of action to take.


    The weight of the two words ''Immortal Alliance'' was too great; no matter how monstrous one''s talent, defying the Immortal Alliance guarantees punishment, and what the Alliance least lacked was extraordinary prodigies.


    The Cangyun Realm was but a corner of the Great Universe, insignificant in the eyes of the Immortal Alliance.


    However, with her current strength, she had no right even to speak up in such a situation.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Xiao Heng raised his hand and tossed the Lock Immortal Ring in front of Chu Zheng, speaking in a deep voice, "Put it on yourself, and follow me to the Immortal Alliance to confess your crimes."


    At this moment, his eyes were calm, as if he were looking at a dead man.


    Regardless of whether Chu Zheng put on the Lock Immortal Ring or not, he would find it difficult to escape today''s calamity; the Dongsheng Demon Immortal had already traveled through the Boundary Gate and arrived near the Cangyun Realm.


    Even if Chu Zheng had some last-ditch measures to free himself, or even to escape from the Cangyun Realm, he would not be able to escape to the heavens under the watchful eyes of a Seven Tribulations Demon Immortal.


    ''It''s only a pity that you were born in Cangyun; had you been from another region, there would be a place for you among the Heavenly Judges of the Immortal Alliance.''


    Xiao Heng sighed silently to himself; he bore no ill will towards Chu Zheng. In the end, he had no personal grudges with Chu Zheng¡ªit was the Dongsheng Demon Immortal who wanted Chu Zheng dead, and he was merely following orders.


    Chu Zheng looked around, spotting many familiar figures in his field of vision.


    Many powers had previously rushed to present their visitation cards, hoping to form ties with Taixuan, including the Shenmu Pavilion that wished to establish a marriage alliance with Taixuan. Now, all of them were avoiding him like a plague, retreating some distance away.


    The mere mention of the Immortal Alliance was enough to shatter all social relations and connections.


    To this, Chu Zheng felt no ripples in his heart, having anticipated it; he had thought of countless opportunities to leave the Cangyun Realm, yet he had not expected to end up in this situation.


    The road ahead would undoubtedly be very difficult.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng''s mind raced with many thoughts. Quickly, his gaze fell on Song Lingqing and after a brief hesitation, he communicated to her telepathically, "Go to Taixuan, seek Fu Quanliang, you should be able to find a place of safety."


    He no longer had the capacity to worry about Song Lingqing. The Dongsheng Demon Immortal was after him, and as long as Taixuan sealed the Sect Gate and waited for Geng Yiyang to return from outside the domain, there shouldn''t be much trouble.


    No sooner had he spoken than he suddenly raised his hand, swept the Lock Immortal Ring into his palm, and then directly sealed it into his Small World. After all, it was a Semi-Immortal Treasure capable of drawing out several strands of Immortal Qi.


    Xiao Heng''s expression faltered, realizing that the connection between himself and the Lock Immortal Ring had been severed, and his face changed slightly, "Do you actually possess a Cave Heaven?"


    Ordinary Storage Spiritual Treasures could not block this kind of connection¡ªonly a Cave Heaven World could.


    Without the intention of wasting words with him, Chu Zheng merged into the void, his figure disappearing in the blink of an eye. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Heng''s eyes flickered as his body radiated brilliant Immortal Light, and the terrifying fluctuation of his Divine Sense swept across heaven and earth in an instant. In a flash, he detected a trace of spatial fluctuation, catching a glimpse of Chu Zheng''s trail.


    Chu Zheng was headed in the direction of the vast starry sky above.


    In just these few moments, he was about to leave the Cangyun Realm and enter the Great Universe, obviously intending to flee.


    As his eyes shifted, Xiao Heng''s face abruptly changed, yelling, "Chu Zheng! If you dare to flee from your crimes, I can slay you today!"


    Although his voice was loud, his steps did not move an inch, until after several breaths passed when he finally rose into the sky, heading straight for the Nine Heavens beyond the clouds.


    Among the crowd, Shang Liangyi, clad in an orange vestment robe, wore a slightly concentrated look and quietly withdrew into the crowd, vanishing from sight.


    ...


    ...


    At the Sky Summit, Chu Zheng stood on the Star-shatter Shuttle, his expression solemn.


    He employed a powerful Divine Ability, Shrinking Earth into Inches, folding space, while at the same time activating his Innate Divine Ability ''Sky Roaming'', pushing his speed to its limits.


    Despite this, he could still sense Xiao Heng closing in on him from behind. With a thought, his consciousness sank into his Dantian.


    In the center of the Five Elements Immortal Root, a blood-colored heavenly blade lay across it, and on one side of the blade, nearly a hundred pieces of Immortal Jade emitted an intensely rich Immortal Qi fluctuation.


    An endless stream of Immortal Qi was infused into the blade, and the rich blood-colored divine light was gradually building up.


    In the blink of an eye, the time for a cup of tea had passed.


    Chu Zheng had completely left the bounds of the Cangyun Realm, no longer under Heavenly Fate, venturing into the vast cosmos.


    At this moment, he detected something amiss; Xiao Heng behind him consistently maintained a certain distance, neither too far nor too close.


    Although he was fast, he was still too far behind compared to Xiao Heng.


    Under such circumstances, it could only mean that Xiao Heng was doing it intentionally.

 Chapter 249 Dongsheng Demon Immortal, Immortal King Projection

    The distance between the Stars is so vast it''s unattainable, reaching billions upon billions of miles.Chu Zheng had exhausted all his means, having traveled for several hours, yet the Cangyun Realm remained behind him, still within sight.


    Xiao Heng followed at a leisurely pace, maintaining the initial distance, and for several hours, he did not get any closer.


    At this point, Chu Zheng finally confirmed his earlier speculation.


    Obviously, for some reason, Xiao Heng was reluctant to confront him head-on.


    Unwilling to capture him and also reluctant to leave, merely chasing him, this indicated... he was waiting for someone else to make a move.


    Ahead on the road, there were unknown enemies blocking the path...


    Thinking of this, Chu Zheng''s heart couldn''t help but sink slightly.


    Xiao Heng was not eager to make a move, showing his wariness of the unknown trump cards Chu Zheng might have, while also revealing another piece of information: Xiao Heng was quite confident in the person blocking the path ahead.


    Much stronger than a Demi Immortal of the Eightfold Immortal Tribulation, he didn''t consider anyone other than a True Immortal.


    Chu Zheng even suspected that Dongsheng Demon Immortal might have come personally.


    If it really was a True Immortal, this journey was likely to be perilous; after all, the Blood Transforming Blade was merely a Lower Quality Immortal Treasure, and with his insufficient Cultivation, he stood no chance at all.


    ...


    ...


    Under the starry sky, time passed unknowingly.


    Chu Zheng roughly estimated that he had been fleeing for several days.


    Under the cosmic scale, the distance he had crossed was minuscule.


    Since entering the starry sky, the operation of his repair panel had been somewhat impacted. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, the essence of the sun and moon was abundant, and repairs could keep up with the wear, but as the distance from the sun and moon increased, the repair speed began to falter.


    The range from which the repair panel could draw energy clearly had some limitations, and coupled with his constant use of an immense amount of Mana and Yuan Qi, if this continued, the repair speed would eventually fall behind.


    Far behind Chu Zheng, Xiao Heng''s expression was extremely grave.


    A long time of rapid fleeing, even with a Cave Heaven World to back him up, he too was starting to struggle and needed to consume Spirit Pills and draw on Immortal Jade to recover his immortal power.


    It logically seemed that with Chu Zheng''s level of Cultivation, maintaining such high speed would inevitably result in greater consumption and would be even harder to maintain.


    Yet now, there was no sign of Chu Zheng slowing down at all, nor had he seen Chu Zheng consuming Spirit Pills or absorbing Spirit Stones to recover Mana.


    This profound reservoir of Mana couldn''t help but feel somewhat startling to him, and he became increasingly wary of the trump cards Chu Zheng might hold.


    Humm¡ª


    Invisible spatial ripples spread across the universe, and a towering ancient tree suddenly appeared among the stars, its branches spreading as if opening a Great Realm, covering billions of miles of starry sky, blocking Chu Zheng''s path.


    In his haste, Chu Zheng couldn''t even dodge, and his Star-shatter Shuttle crashed into it.


    Bang!


    The ancient tree was as hard as Immortal Gold and Divine Iron, and the massive impact caused Chu Zheng''s internal organs to shake violently, and numerous distinct cracks formed on the Star-shatter Shuttle, nearly exploding on the spot.


    Steadying the boiling Qi and blood within his body, Chu Zheng got up, noticing a strange aura nearby, and suddenly looked up.


    Sitting on a branch of the ancient tree was a slender figure, dressed in green, with delicate features, and exuding a rich essence of vegetation.


    [Dongsheng Yu (Eighth Order): A member of the Shengling Wood Clan and a Demon Immortal, possesses auspicious Qi that can enhance fortune, Cultivation at the level of Seven Tribulations Demon Immortal, bearing an Immortal Seal, acknowledged by a master.]


    Dongsheng Demon Immortal...


    Seeing the woman''s face, a chill flashed in Chu Zheng''s eyes, and he mentally connected with the Blood Transforming Blade in his Dantian, readying himself for a desperate struggle.


    No matter what, he was not about to sit and wait for death, he would rather abandon this body, as he could still find an Incense Flame Golden Body to start over.


    Seeing the ancient tree that had opened the starry sky, Xiao Heng, who had hurried to the scene, breathed a sigh of relief and bowed:


    "Greetings, Dongsheng Demon Immortal."


    "You''re welcome."


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal nodded slightly, extended her hand, and emitted a green light that transformed into a Spirit Pill, falling into Xiao Heng''s palm.


    "There''s nothing for you here anymore; you may leave first."


    Upon hearing the words of the Dongsheng Demon Immortal, Xiao Heng''s first reaction was relief. He glanced at Chu Zheng, intending to take back the Lock Immortal Ring from him.


    Yet, after a moment''s hesitation, he turned and left directly.


    The Lock Immortal Ring had been taken into the Cave Heaven World by Chu Zheng, and without coordinates, the chances of retrieving it were very slim.


    With Chu Zheng still holding cards up his sleeve, staying might pose unexpected risks.


    If Chu Zheng indeed had some powerful measure, then Dongsheng Demon Immortal would be unharmed, but he didn''t possess Divine Skills of a True Immortal and might not be able to save his own life. It was better to step back for the time being.


    Dongsheng Demon Immortal looked down at Chu Zheng, and seeing his expression, couldn''t help but be a bit surprised:


    "You don''t seem nervous at all, why is that?"


    "Hiding from the Immortal Alliance and coming to kill me, aren''t you afraid of leaving traces?"


    Chu Zheng''s expression was calm as he slowly spoke:


    "After all, I am from the Cangyun Realm, and the Cangyun Immortal King is still alive. The last dispute between Cangyun and the Myriad Realms was settled by the Cangyun Immortal King''s intervention."


    Having gone through several lifetimes, his temperament was no longer as unstable, hasty, and irritable as before; he wouldn''t give up any chance for a turnaround until the very last moment.


    The cost of abandoning the progress made with this body was simply too great."


    "What kind of person is the Cangyun Immortal King; he wouldn''t care about the life or death of a mere insect like you."


    The Dongsheng Demon Immortal let out a light laugh, her eyes full of mockery as if to scoff at Chu Zheng''s naive ignorance:

 Chapter 249 Dongsheng Demon Immortal, Immortal King Projection_2

    "Gathering the fate of an entire realm to nurture one individual, depleting the origin of a realm to provide True Immortal Seeds for the Immortal Alliance, all these were the ideas of that Cangyun Immortal King. Can you expect him to have any affection for this homeland?""Not to mention you, but even his own descendants and closest kin, many have perished in the cosmic wastelands over the years, and there''s no word of him ever lending a hand."


    At this point, the Dongsheng Demon Immortal couldn''t help shaking her head, her eyes unable to conceal her wariness. A person so cold to the bone, with no weaknesses to speak of, would not care about the life or death of others.


    Perhaps, it was precisely because of this that Shang Cangyun was able to advance so quickly on the Immortal Path, breaking through with vigor, even shattering the shackles that a Cangyun could not become an Immortal Venerable and writing a legendary chapter.


    Shang Cangyun, today, has become a giant among Immortal Kings, occupying the position of a Heavenly Judge, and in the future, he even has the potential to become an Immortal Path Emperor. Discover hidden stories at empire


    Such a character is rarely seen even in the Great Immortal Realm.


    Hearing Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s words, Chu Zheng''s thoughts stirred, and a look of surprise couldn''t be concealed in his eyes. He knew very little about Shang Cangyun.


    In his previous life, when he spoke with Zhao Tingxian in the Divine Court, Zhao Tingxian mentioned that he and Shang Cangyun were on the same path. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both of them came from Cangyun, breaking through their own bloodline constraints to become Immortal Venerables and even Immortal Kings.


    According to Zhao Tingxian, the secrets behind this were likely associated with the cosmic wastelands.


    Shang Cangyun facilitated the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects, using the fate of a realm to nurture True Immortal Seeds¡ªevidently harboring ulterior motives.


    "Chu Zheng, your talent is indeed not bad. Although a descendant of Cangyun, you might achieve something significant in the future."


    Before Chu Zheng could think deeply, Dongsheng Demon Immortal spoke with a hint of regret, "If you do not wish to die today, recognize me as your master. All your past offenses up to now, I can overlook. How about it?"


    She began to feel a sense of cherishing talent. Even if Chu Zheng couldn''t reach the realm of an Immortal Venerable and only achieved True Immortal Perfection, he would still be a power to be reckoned with in the Immortal Alliance. If she could bring him under her command, he would certainly be of great use in the future.


    Hum¡ª


    Her answer came in the form of a streak of blood-red blade light.


    The Blood Transforming Blade emerged from within Chu Zheng''s dantian, unleashing a long-accumulated slash.


    The blood-red blade aura surged upon encountering the wind, aiming straight for Dongsheng Demon Immortal. Along its path, it severed fragments of starlight.


    Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s brow furrowed slightly, and her figure vanished in an instant. The ancient branches, sturdy as Immortal Gold and Divine Iron, could not withstand the slash of the Blood Transforming Blade and were cut down in a flash.


    The remnant blade light swept across the galaxy, causing nearly a hundred meteors to explode and turn to ashes.


    A snap of the fingers to annihilate stars, such is the might of an Immortal Treasure, and even a Lower Quality one possesses incredible power.


    "A mere Tongxuan, you''ve actually refined this blade?!"


    Emerging from the void, Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s expression was tinged with shock.


    Upon seeing the Blood Transforming Blade, she couldn''t help being somewhat astonished. She never imagined that with Chu Zheng''s meager cultivation, he could actually make an Immortal Treasure bow down and even activate it.


    "What method did you use?" Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s shout echoed, her eyes filled with wariness.


    At this moment, she wasn''t so certain anymore whether there might be other Immortal Treasures on Chu Zheng.


    Some Top Quality Immortal Treasures were much stronger than her, and if only there was enough Immortal Jade to activate them, they could wield incredible power, even enough to slay her.


    If Chu Zheng had other Immortal Treasures at his side, today might pose no small trouble.


    Chu Zheng remained silent, merely looking coldly at Dongsheng Demon Immortal, the chill in his eyes growing more intense.


    The quality of the Blood Transforming Blade after all was too low; even with the element of surprise, it could not injure a Seven Tribulations Demon Immortal.


    Seeing Chu Zheng remain mute, Dongsheng Demon Immortal hesitated for a moment, a trace of murderous intent flashing in her eyes. Without further hesitation, she extended a probing hand towards Chu Zheng.


    If there were stronger Immortal Treasures, Chu Zheng would likely not have resorted to using the Blood Transforming Blade just now.


    A verdant divine light shot out from Dongsheng Demon Immortal''s hand, stretching forth a splendid path of heaven, upon which countless immortal blossoms and strange grasses thrived.


    In haste, Chu Zheng could only summon the Blood Transforming Blade again, placing it in front of him.


    Clang!


    The moment it touched the verdant divine light, the Blood Transforming Blade trembled violently, recoiling as if struck by lightning, and whirled back surrounded by a fierce gale.


    Chu Zheng''s expression changed as a suit of armor bathed in resplendent Immortal Light appeared upon his body¡ªnone other than Bai Zhixiao''s Semi-Immortal Treasure level Immortal Armor.


    Crack¡ª


    The Immortal Armor shattered bit by bit, even with a Semi-Immortal Treasure for protection, it couldn''t resist the enormous strength remaining on the Blood Transforming Blade.


    Chu Zheng was sent flying millions of miles away by the impact, blood spraying forth as the Five Elements Immortal Root within his dantian shook violently, suffering grave damage.


    The repair panel worked strenuously, taking several breaths before stabilizing his injuries, gradually recovering to their original state.


    Seeing this, Dongsheng Demon Immortal couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief, a light sneer escaping her lips:


    "Just this much."


    Just as she was about to advance, suddenly a low whisper came from above her head.


    "Cease your hand."


    Endless Immortal Light descended from the starry vault above, spanning across the sea of stars, and formed into a silhouette.


    The moment Dongsheng Demon Immortal made out the features of the figure, her fingertips trembled, and she immediately bowed deeply in a grand gesture of respect, with cold sweat seeping onto her pale complexion.


    "Greetings, Heavenly Judge!"


    In the distant starry sky, Chu Zheng looked up, and upon recognizing the projection, he couldn''t help but feel a jolt in his heart.


    The person was shrouded in Immortal Light, and with his current cultivation, he couldn''t see through it¡ªit was like staring directly at the sun. If he looked slightly longer, a sharp pain would strike his pupils and risk being scorched.


    However, he had felt this aura before, as Geng Yiyang had once brought back the Shadow Retention Wall, which contained many records of the battles in the outer realms.


    The aura of that Immortal King''s projection was particularly memorable to him, identical to the figure before him now.


    The Immortal King, Shang Cangyun, the youngest Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance!


    How could this be?!


    Dongsheng Yu bowed her head, unable to hide some unease in her heart; she couldn''t understand why Shang Cangyun would appear here at this moment.


    Just now, Shang Cangyun had commanded her to stop her hand, and it was very likely that he had come specifically for Chu Zheng.


    But how could that be possible?!


    While Chu Zheng indeed had monstrous talent, Shang Cangyun was known for his blood-cold ruthlessness. How could he possibly project himself here and even speak in defense of him?


    "The Demon Race colluding with the Myriad Realms, leading to consecutive defeats on the frontlines, and in this critical period, you still dare to act recklessly and harm an Immortal Seed. Are you so eager to ascend the Immortal Slaying Stage?"


    Shang Cangyun spoke in an even tone, void of any killing intent, yet the message conveyed made Dongsheng Yu break into a sweat, as she quickly spoke up:


    "This lowly demon harbors no such intentions! Chu Zheng committed a grave error, and I was merely enforcing the Immortal Alliance''s penal code by capturing him to face punishment as prescribed by the law, hoping the Heavenly Judge would see the truth!"


    As she spoke, she lifted her head somewhat frantically and added in a rush:


    "My actions today were indeed rash, losing all sense of propriety. I beg for your forgiveness!"


    "Without the Heavenly Judge''s order or authorization from the Punishment Authority, what gives you the right to capture an Immortal Seed for questioning? And to inflict harm on him?"


    Shang Cangyun''s tone remained steady, without a trace of disturbance:


    "Who gave you the audacity to issue false commands?"


    "I acknowledge my mistake!"


    Dongsheng Yu''s face became even more terror-stricken, bowing deeply:


    "I implore the Cangyun Immortal King for forgiveness, please show leniency, perhaps for the sake of Fan Long Immortal King''s face, grant me a sliver of grace today..."


    "What standing have you to speak of grace in my presence?"


    Shang Cangyun''s eyelids drooped slightly, his expression unruffled as he spoke indifferently:


    "But a mere plaything, does Fan Long know of your so presumptuous pride?"


    Dongsheng Yu''s complexion drained of color, speechless.


    If it were any ordinary Immortal King, today she might be able to cling to her connections for some chance of survival, but it had to be Shang Cangyun.


    He was the youngest Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance, a supreme figure anticipated to ascend to the rank of Immortal Path Emperor in the future, and she was in no position to provoke him.


    How could such a personage intervene over some trivial matter or person.


    Unless...


    Dongsheng Yu''s eyelids suddenly widened, her head still bowed, careful not to reveal even the slightest hint of anomaly.


    Unless Chu Zheng also possessed the potential to break Cangyun''s shackles and had the prospect of stepping into the domain of Immortal Venerable!

 Chapter 250 Secret Talk, Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield

    At the thought, Dongsheng Yu couldn''t help but shiver.Since ancient times in Cangyun Realm, only two individuals had ever stepped into the domain of Immortal Venerable. One was Shang Cangyun and the other was Zhao Tingxian. Explore more at empire


    Zhao Tingxian''s rise to power had been less than a thousand years, a frighteningly short time given his level of cultivation. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The same was true for Shang Cangyun. It had been only sixty to seventy thousand years since the first Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects in Cangyun, hardly a beginning compared to the lifespan of Immortal Kings, which typically spanned several millions of years.


    He was not even a common Immortal King but stood at the very pinnacle among them, being the youngest Heavenly Judge in the history of the Immortal Alliance, commanding the laws of punishment, vested with the power to judge the heavens.


    Shang Cangyun had the authority to execute first and report later over any cultivator below the rank of Immortal Venerable in the Immortal Alliance. With a single word, he could kill, his power overwhelming.


    If in such a short span of tens of thousands of years Shang Cangyun could grow to this extent, it was implausible to assume that there were no unknown secrets behind...


    For a moment, Dongsheng Yu''s thoughts surged like a tide.


    Chu Zheng was but an ant that had not yet grown into its full potential. How could he have attracted the attention of a mighty Immortal King who even made a special trip to solve his troubles and avert his disasters?


    Could there be some common link between Shang Cangyun, Zhao Tingxian, and this Chu Zheng...


    Linking it to the recent rumors within the Immortal Alliance, Dongsheng Yu''s heart tightened and she bowed her head even lower.


    If she showed any signs of oddity, she was truly worried that Shang Cangyun would personally execute her on the spot.


    "Transmitting a false order with the intent of secretly harming an Immortal Seed is a capital offense. However, considering your merits in battle and the significant contributions of the Shengling Wood Clan, I will spare your life today,"


    Shang Cangyun''s voice echoed once again under the starry sky, as unruffled as before:


    "Your cultivation of a thousand years will be severed, you will suffer sixty lashes, and you must go to the Punishment Authority to receive your punishment."


    "Thank you, Heavenly Judge, Dongsheng Yu will accept the punishment,"


    Dongsheng Yu bowed her head, her gaze slightly focused,


    The loss of a thousand years of cultivation was bearable, but sixty lashes was a rare and heavy punishment. After healing for a thousand years, she might not fully recover, and her cultivation foundation could even be shaken.


    But at this moment, she had no choice but to accept it.


    After respectfully kowtowing, Dongsheng Yu did not dare to linger and turned to leave, vanishing without a trace.


    After her departure, Shang Cangyun raised his hand and drew a curtain across the sky, isolating Chu Zheng within and away from the ten directions of the starry sky.


    After his pointing, the Immortal Light covering his side gradually faded, revealing his true appearance.


    He seemed incredibly young, looking not even twenty at a glance, his hair bound in a wooden crown, wearing a pale blue robe, his face handsome, eyebrows extending into his temples, and eyes deep black like lacquer, his demeanor gentle like the morning sun''s radiant light.


    "Thank you, Cangyun Immortal King, for your assistance."


    Chu Zheng bowed respectfully, his gratitude mixed with a hint of surprise. He had prepared for the worst, considered many possibilities, but had never expected Shang Cangyun to come.


    "I received a message from my clan; someone had lit a Blood Talisman to signal me, hence my arrival."


    Shang Cangyun waved his hand and spoke in a leisurely tone: "This is not a projection, just a strand of my soul''s consciousness. To arrive quickly, I have already expended a lot of energy, so let''s make this brief."


    His tone was very gentle and he even refrained from referring to himself as ''this king,'' showing a sense of closeness.


    Chu Zheng nodded repeatedly, focusing intensely and listening carefully.


    "You need to leave the Immortal Alliance''s territory as soon as possible; you cannot linger here any longer."


    Shang Cangyun spoke earnestly, issuing a warning:


    "Your Qi Refining cultivation is still shallow, and Tribulation Qi has not yet gathered into form. This is why you have been able to repeatedly escape from deadly threats. As your cultivation deepens, fewer things will threaten you, but no matter what tribulations you face, they will inevitably be linked to the Immortal Alliance eventually."


    Upon hearing Shang Cangyun''s words, Chu Zheng''s expression stiffened immediately. Shang Cangyun''s knowledge of him was far deeper than he had anticipated.


    Moreover, it seemed Shang Cangyun had a profound understanding of the Qi Refining Lineage''s tribulations, which greatly surprised him.


    If Tribulation Qi became difficult to digest in a short time within the Immortal Alliance, it would surely draw various troubles from the Immortal Alliance.


    To Chu Zheng''s confusion, Shang Cangyun did not rush to explain, instead he continued in a soft voice:


    "Take Dongsheng Yu, for instance. I did not have the strength to kill her, leaving behind a future problem for you. I cannot help you sever this causal thread. It has already affected Court Immortal, even posing a threat to me."


    "What do you mean, Immortal King?" Chu Zheng''s complexion changed slightly. "Why would it involve Zhao Tianzun?"


    "Because like Court Immortal and myself, you come from Cangyun Realm. Your extraordinary pace of cultivation is already enough to attract the interest of certain Immortal Kings and even Emperors."


    "The path that Court Immortal and I have taken differs from that of other immortals. He harnessed the power of myriad spirit incense, capitalizing on the time differential in the Chaos Sea, advancing his cultivation on the Incense Fire Divine Path to feed back into his immortal journey, thereby soaring high into the sky. However, his haste for success made him expose his tracks too soon."


    "I did my best to cover for him, to buy time, but it also drew suspicion, putting me in a quagmire now, making it difficult to extricate myself. If this continues, I won''t be able to stay within the Immortal Alliance much longer either."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s heart chilled. The predicament Shang Cangyun faced could be far worse than that of Zhao Tingxian and himself.


    As a Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance, Shang Cangyun''s duties bring him to battlefields across the Myriad Heavens and Realms. There would be no place for him to stay.


    If his cultivation advances further, stepping above that of an Immortal King, he would not be able to enter the Chaos Sea, and at that point, he might find no refuge in heaven or earth.


    Unless...


    Seeing the calmness on Shang Cangyun''s face, a spark flashed suddenly in Chu Zheng''s mind.


    The Vast Universe!


    If the Great Universe had no place for him, facing enemies everywhere, then the Vast Universe would undoubtedly be the last resort.

 Chapter 250 Secret Talk, Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield_2

    True Immortal Zhao Tingxian once said that he, like Shang Cangyun, had embarked upon this path amidst the wilderness at the edge of the Great Universe, within the battlefield against the Vast Universe."Court Immortal Zhao had sent word to me not long ago, telling me about your situation. You carry with you great secrets and should already know much of the hidden matters; however, these are still premature for you."


    "The path you are on, aside from the Qi Refining Lineage, is similar to Court Immortal Zhao''s, and you even outpace him. This will naturally draw more attention. The best course of action now is to leave the Immortal Alliance as soon as possible and head to the Ten Thousand Realms."


    "I cannot stay with the Immortal Alliance for long. I cannot help you much, nor can I assist you a second time as I did with Court Immortal Zhao."


    "May I ask, Immortal King, why do you want to help me? Zhao Tianzun did the same..."


    This was Chu Zheng''s most puzzling question, and he asked with full curiosity:


    "Zhao Tianzun previously acted upon another''s suggestion, protecting me repeatedly. Which senior regards me so highly? What exactly do they need me to do?"


    "Your current thoughts are just like Court Immortal''s at the beginning. He always felt that someone was paving the way for him, to the point of obsession."


    Shang Cangyun shook his head slightly with a light sigh: "The path is chosen by you. All the choices you''ve made along the way have been your own decisions. What arrangement is there to speak of?"


    "Who in this world can determine all the fates of the future unless, that so-called future, has already happened in the past."


    "The only arrangement Court Immortal Zhao received was that he made a deal with someone when he set foot on this path, or perhaps someone foresaw the future and thus made preparations."


    "If there truly exists such an entity, one who knows the past and future, threading through the river of space and time, the moment we are in would constantly change."


    "In this world, the future never has a constant, the only constant lies in the past."


    The future can be reversed, but the past cannot be changed.


    Chu Zheng was momentarily stunned. He had always felt as though he was caught in a net, with each step he took seemingly known by someone in advance.


    He had thought that someone needed him to perform a specific task, hence the effort to pave the way for him¡ªperhaps it was that Ancestral Dao or some other terrifying, unknowable existence.


    Even his traverse through space and time to this point seemed part of some arrangement. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, what Shang Cangyun shared implied that this person he had always believed to exist might have never existed at all.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s stupefied expression, Shang Cangyun shook his head slightly, the corner of his mouth curving into a smile:


    "Today, I help you with no one arranging it, no one directing me; I simply wish to help. When I was younger, someone guided me once. It was because of that opportunity at the edge of the universe that I was able to emerge from my cocoon and walk the path I am on now."


    "You are in a difficult situation now, just like I was back then. We are both from Cangyun, and I just want to give you a hand, nothing more."


    At this point, Shang Cangyun shook his head with a smile, the light and shadow beside him becoming increasingly blurred, his features gradually growing obscure.


    "In fact, since I started out, I have helped every True Immortal who has emerged from Cangyun, and you are but one of them."


    Chu Zheng was slightly shocked, feeling somewhat dazed. He had already learned about the plight of the True Immortals from Cangyun Realm through Zhao Tingxian.


    Even Zhao Tingxian, with his natural talent, still faced ostracism. After he became a True Immortal, he was sent to the edge of the universe, where he battled demons in blood-soaked skirmishes, teetering on the brink of the netherworld every day.


    How many of the True Immortals who had emerged from Cangyun Realm throughout the ages were able to return peacefully?


    In such circumstances, how had Shang Cangyun been able to assist them?


    Looking at Shang Cangyun before him, Chu Zheng''s confusion only deepened. Shang Cangyun had resolved some of his doubts, but at the same time left him with even more questions.


    With his current level of cultivation, the words Shang Cangyun spoke to him were difficult to understand at the moment; the changes in space and time were indeed beyond his comprehension.


    "Many things, with your current perspective, are indeed hard to understand. Your road ahead will most likely be even more difficult."


    Shang Cangyun gave Chu Zheng some time to digest, then spoke slowly:


    "The Immortal Path relies too heavily on heaven and earth. To become an Immortal through tribulation, one must depend on the Heavenly Dao or even the Great Universe to send down the Heavenly Tribulation. Qi Cultivators, however, are not bound by this. Perhaps compared to myself and Court Immortal Zhao, you will have the chance to go further in the future."


    Immortal Path Cultivators depend heavily on heaven and earth. Changes in the environment can have a severe impact on the Immortal Path.


    Though there are some powerful beings of the Immortal Path who can control the Heavenly Dao and rise above it, they ultimately cannot escape their shackles.


    Even an Emperor is still constrained under the Great Universe.


    Among the myriad paths of the universe, only the Qi Refining Path, or rather, only the Ancestral Dao, can attain liberation.


    At the thought, Shang Cangyun couldn''t help but shake his head. He wanted to become the second Ancestral Dao, but up to now, he dared not Breakthrough Realm, missing by far more than just a little.


    Without a Breakthrough, the Chaos Sea remained his way out, but once he took that step, he would become the enemy of the entire world.


    Regaining his senses, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but ask,


    "Zhao Tianzun once said that only Immortal Descendants could become an Immortal Venerable, and True Immortals of the Cangyun Realm are incapable of fusing with Immortal Blood, is this true?"


    "Indeed."


    Shang Cangyun nodded and said, "The only way to circumvent this shackle is through the cosmic wilderness, to the Vast Universe."


    Crack¡ª


    "Time''s up."


    The dome of the sky surrounding them began to show a hint of a crack. Shang Cangyun looked up, and with a grave voice, reminded,


    "Remember, come directly to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. While I am still part of the Immortal Alliance, I can help you one last time and leave you a way out. You have five years. If you take the Boundary Gate, you should just make it."


    "Junior will bear it in mind."


    Chu Zheng bowed in gratitude, and when he looked up again, the space around him had returned to normal, without leaving the slightest trace.


    ...


    ...


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng promptly turned around and headed towards the direction of the Cangyun Realm.


    The coordinates of the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield were quite distant from here, and traveling night and day, hurrying along the way, several years of time were still far from enough.


    He must go through the Boundary Gate of the Immortal Alliance to reach the vicinity first.


    Before that, he had to make some arrangements for after and prepare for other matters.


    This time, his departure from the realm was too hurried, and many affairs had not been settled. He couldn''t just toss them aside and leave directly.


    Shang Cangyun''s ability to arrive so quickly was thanks to the Shang Family''s message; Shang Liangyi was also present that day, and if nothing went wrong, it should have been him.


    With an uncertain return date, he wanted to prepare a generous gift to thank the Shang Family for their aid this time.


    To avoid leaving any trace, Chu Zheng changed his appearance and used the Invisibility Technique, traveling through the starry sky. It took nearly twice as long to finally return to the Cangyun Realm.


    Since his departure, a little over half a month had passed in the Cangyun Realm, and the situation had already changed drastically.


    The once highly sought-after Taixuan Holy Land had plummeted overnight, and many forces were quietly moving away from Taixuan City to avoid implication.


    Chu Zheng''s direct confrontation with the Immortal Alliance Envoy and his subsequent escape entailed a crime almost equivalent to betraying the Alliance, implicating many people.


    Since then, whether or not the Taixuan Holy Land could continue to exist was now a question. Discover stories with empire


    ...


    ...


    PS: A small portion of the content needs to be revised


    Chu Zheng concealed his appearance, making his way to Wanlong City, heading straight for the Shang Family''s residence.


    With an uncertain return date, he wanted to prepare a generous gift to thank the Shang Family for their aid this time.


    To avoid leaving any trace, Chu Zheng changed his appearance and used the Invisibility Technique, traveling through the starry sky. It took nearly twice as long to finally return to the Cangyun Realm.


    Since his departure, a little over half a month had passed in the Cangyun Realm, and the situation had already changed drastically.


    The once highly sought-after Taixuan Holy Land had plummeted overnight, and many forces were quietly moving away from Taixuan City to avoid implication.


    Chu Zheng''s direct confrontation with the Immortal Alliance Envoy and his subsequent escape entailed a crime almost equivalent to betraying the Alliance, implicating many people.


    Since then, whether or not the Taixuan Holy Land could continue to exist was now a question.

 Chapter 251 Farewell

    Within the Green Stone Grand Hall.Shang Liangyi dismissed his attendants and looked at Chu Zheng with a puzzled expression:


    "If the Holy Master has already escaped unscathed, why return?"


    "How did elder recognize me?"


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but be surprised and revealed his true appearance, dissolving his False Form disguise.


    "It took a Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure just to see me, aside from the Holy Master, I can''t think of anyone else capable of such a gesture."


    Shang Liangyi shook his head, seemingly relieved: "The other day, Xiao Heng returned, yet the Holy Master was nowhere to be found. I feared you had been assassinated. It is good to see you unharmed."


    "Elder Shang''s perception is extraordinary."


    Chu Zheng clasped his fist in greeting and spoke slowly: "I have come to express my thanks. Without the Shang Family reporting to the Immortal King, I would have surely not escaped this calamity."


    "No need, I was merely following orders, creating good karma for the Shang Family. In the future, should there be any need, I hope the Holy Master will not hesitate to help."


    Shang Liangyi waved his hand: "Furthermore, I merely passed on a message. The ancestor was willing to help you because you yourself have remarkable qualities. There''s no need for thanks."


    Upon finishing, his expression turned somewhat solemn:


    "In my humble opinion, it would be best for the Holy Master to leave the Cangyun Realm as soon as possible. Xiao Heng is still in the realm, and he might seek trouble with you. The ancestor is entangled with many matters and may not have the spare energy to assist you again."


    "Thanks for the advice, elder. I returned to the realm only to make some arrangements and will leave shortly."


    Shang Liangyi''s words came from the heart, and Chu Zheng could tell. He took out a Storage Spirit Ring and presented it before Shang Liangyi:


    "Please accept the appropriate gratitude, and I ask you not to decline."


    Shang Liangyi hesitated, but eventually accepted: "Then I shall accept it without shame. Take care, Holy Master."


    "Chu bids farewell, Elder, please stay."


    Chu Zheng didn''t say anything more and turned to leave directly.


    Shang Liangyi glanced at the Storage Spirit Ring, his breath catching in surprise, his eyes involuntarily showing a hint of shock.


    Thousands of storage wooden boxes were neatly arranged inside the Spiritual Ring.


    On many boxes, the Spiritual Seal of the Tai Xu Holy Land was carved, clearly indicating that they were treasures from the arms of the Tai Xu Holy Land.


    Shang Liangyi casually opened a few and was almost blinded by the Spiritual Light shining from within.


    With this single gesture, Chu Zheng had given the Shang Family nearly half a Holy Land. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Coming back to his senses, Shang Liangyi inhaled sharply. The magnitude of this gift was alarming; had he known how significant the gratitude would be, he would not have accepted it at any cost.


    Looking at the empty grand hall, Shang Liangyi let out a sigh. Even for the sake of this gift, the Primordial Spirit Holy Land must take care of Taixuan in the future.


    However... The Shang Family might not remain in the Cangyun Realm for much longer.


    In time, the situation of the Primordial Spirit Holy Land might not be much better than Taixuan''s current situation.


    ...


    ...


    In recent times, the Taixuan Holy Land has been in a tough situation, and similarly, the Tai Xu Holy Land, having just lost its Holy Master, was also in quite an awkward predicament.


    The pillaging of the Holy Land treasure vault had a massive impact, almost affecting the entire Holy Land''s operations.


    Even the monthly distribution of cultivation resources for many disciples was incomplete, necessitating the urgent use of profits from various industries under the Holy Land to cover the shortfall.


    As a result, throughout the Cangyun Realm, the figures of those from Tai Xu Holy Land had become more prevalent, and disciples nourished by the generosity of countless sects now had to spend a significant amount of time searching for various cultivation resources.


    Chu Zheng, hearing scattered news from various places, made his way out of Wanlong City.


    As he was about to leave the city, he saw Xiao Heng, clad in a silvery-white Immortal Robe, sitting cross-legged on the city''s pinnacle, lecturing as if he were the bright moon and the cool breeze, detached from the world.


    A large number of cultivators gathered around, all listening intently with serious expressions.


    High-grade cultivators lecturing was a rare opportunity, and someone of Xiao Heng''s level hadn''t appeared in the Cangyun Realm for many years, especially since he hailed from the Immortal Alliance and had exceptional insights.


    Listening to his lecture was greatly beneficial for cultivation.


    Chu Zheng glanced up but remained undisturbed and continued on his way out of the city.


    Xiao Heng was undoubtedly allied with the Dongsheng Demon Immortal, but whether his status as an Immortal Alliance Envoy was genuine or not, Chu Zheng was not in a position to stir up trouble. If he truly killed this man and alerted the Immortal Alliance, it would be akin to playing with fire, an unwise move.


    Even if not for his own sake, he had to consider Shang Cangyun. Despite difficult circumstances, Shang Cangyun still helped him. At such a critical juncture, he couldn''t afford to cause more troubles.


    The Taixuan Holy Land was located in the far south of the Southern Region.


    Transformed into a breeze, Chu Zheng moved through the cracks in space. In less than a day, he had crossed tens of millions of miles and arrived outside the gates of the Taixuan Mountain Sect.


    By noon, the fierce sun hung overhead, and the already unbearable heat of the continuous volcanoes intensified. Each breath felt scorching hot, nearly enough to desiccate a person.


    The once bustling Taixuan City now seemed somewhat desolate, with several streaks of light occasionally emerging from within the city, heading north.


    Upon receiving news about Chu Zheng, some smaller forces had already withdrawn from Taixuan City in advance. Even the slightly stronger forces had retreated nearly all of their elite members, leaving only a few people behind to watch the situation before making further plans.


    Using his Identity Jade Token as the Holy Master, Chu Zheng entered the Taixuan Holy Land without any hindrance.


    Following the sense from the Life-link Seal, he went deep and soon reached a grand hall.


    The space in front of the hall was empty, with no disciples on guard. Only one Elder remained, situated in a side hall, immersed in cultivation.


    The Taixuan Holy Land now had less than ten Elders left; all of their cultivation had surpassed the Divine Transformation stage, yet none were in the Tongxuan Realm. Their time was running out as the mortal world was about to claim them.

 Chapter 251 Farewell_2

    The disciples had yet to grow up, and the sect truly faced a life-or-death moment due to lack of succession.Chu Zheng sent a message to explain the situation to the Elder in the side hall before he slowly stepped into the main hall. Fu Quanliang was sitting by the Jade Table on one side of the hall, his brow furrowed as he sorted through the accounts for the month.


    Though the foundation of Taixuan had greatly declined, the accounts still represented a significant sum.


    The monthly distribution of cultivation resources for the disciples, the materials needed by the Elders, the consumption of spiritual materials for alchemy and crafting artifact spirits, the inventory of the Holy Land''s treasury, Taixuan City''s tax revenues, the cultivation resources tributed by various powers, and the loans Taixuan had given to other forces¡ª


    Each transaction involving Spirit Stones had to be carefully verified. A discrepancy in the accounts could easily lead to mistakes, amounting to unnecessary losses for the Holy Land, and this undoubtedly required a great deal of energy.


    In the administrations of the various sects, such mundane affairs were typically handled by the Deputy Sect Master. In the larger sects, there might sometimes be more than ten such deputies.


    Although Fu Quanliang''s official position was merely that of a senior Inner Sect disciple, within Taixuan, his authority had already reached a level second only to the Holy Master. The responsibilities he shouldered were immense, involving various regions.


    Among these, the exchanges with various powers were the most crucial. The Elders of Taixuan had long been reclusive and were mostly hot-tempered by nature, hardly skilled at social interactions. Often, Fu Quanliang had to make appearances on their behalf.


    As the Taixuan Holy Master, Chu Zheng was undoubtedly lacking in his duties, even more so for the time to come.


    "Quanliang."


    Chu Zheng composed himself and called out to get his attention.


    Startled, Fu Quanliang abruptly lifted his head. After seeing Chu Zheng, he first rejoiced then grew alarmed, quickly rose from his seat, circled around the Jade Table and began to speak rapidly:


    "What exactly has happened? I heard you killed the Taixu Saint Lord, and the Immortal Alliance has sent envoys to capture you?! Rumors are rife outside, saying that you have been apprehended and taken back to the Immortal Alliance to be punished..."


    "Since I am standing here now, it means no harm has befallen me."


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly and reassured him calmly, "Indeed, I killed Bai Zhixiao. He intended to kill me, and in self-defense, I had to strike first."


    Fu Quanliang was taken aback, "Then you now..."


    "I am going to leave the Cangyun Realm. There are some matters I must entrust to you. After I leave, I will find a way to inform the former Holy Master to return to Cangyun. You''ll only have to hold on for a little while longer."


    Chu Zheng had fully contemplated the arrangements for after his departure.


    The location of Geng Yiyang was in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, and once he reached there, he would be able to find a way to contact Geng Yiyang and request his return to Cangyun to take charge.


    Despite the grave mistake committed by Zhao Tingxian, becoming the Zhutian Lord, rebelling, and fleeing into the Chaos Sea, Tai Xu Holy Land had not been implicated.


    Since he had not harmed the Immortal Alliance Envoy, and with Geng Yiyang as well as many Elders having military achievements from campaigns beyond their borders, it seemed likely they would not face serious repercussions.


    "Very well."


    Fu Quanliang calmed his breathing and listened carefully.


    After a moment of contemplation, Chu Zheng asked, "Has Ling Qing visited Taixuan recently?"


    "She just arrived the day before yesterday, and is currently in the chamber that used to belong to your wife." Fu Quanliang nodded right away.


    "After I leave, don''t rush to seal the mountain. The Song Clan line is still within Taixuan City. Try to make contact and use them if possible. If they turn out to be of little use, take back the Family Heritage Blood Jade and temporarily store it. Wait until Ling Qing''s cultivation deepens before making a decision."


    Having said this, Chu Zheng took out a Storage Spirit Ring and handed it to Fu Quanliang:


    "Keep these cultivation resources safe. After I leave, no one else will be able to help you. You will have to think things through thoroughly to preserve this foundation for me."


    Chu Zheng had divided the resources from the Tai Xu Holy Land''s treasury into three parts, keeping one for himself, giving one to the Shang Family, and leaving the remaining one in Taixuan as a reserve for emergencies.


    No matter what, these resources should be sufficient to support Taixuan until Geng Yiyang''s return.


    "Rest assured, Holy Master, I will do my utmost."


    Taking a deep breath, Fu Quanliang accepted the spirit ring. With a glance at the Spiritual Seal of Tai Xu Holy Land, he understood the origin of these items.


    "There is one matter that requires the Saint Lord''s decision,"


    Fu Quanliang looked somewhat anxious, and spoke in a grave tone, "Recently, inside the Holy Land, some wicked and evil trends have begun to emerge..."


    Listening to Fu Quanliang for a moment, Chu Zheng came to understand.


    After passing through Wanlong City, the Taixuan Disciples had vaguely begun to form factions due to various reasons, and small groups with different levels of closeness had sprung up.


    This was harmful and not beneficial for the Taixuan Holy Land.


    Chu Zheng also felt somewhat helpless about this. He had not considered everything thoroughly; previously, he had only thought about taking these disciples out to meet the prominent figures of their generation, but he had never anticipated that it would lead to this situation.


    However, even without the incident at Wanlong City, rifts between disciples were bound to happen sooner or later on the path of cultivation, which fundamentally could not be as even-keeled as a bowl of water, for the strong are respected.


    "You handle picking two outstanding disciples to be recognized as true inheritors. Try to use these two as the core to divide the disciples into two factions. As for the rest, let''s wait for the return of the old Saint Lord. As for the two Superior Immortal Bones we exchanged before, hide them for now and assign an Elder to guard them."


    In a rush, Chu Zheng could only come up with this method, attempting to reduce the internal disputes within Taixuan as much as possible. A struggle between two sides could still be somewhat balanced and would not turn into a complete mess, thereby preventing the accumulation of unnecessary animosity due to friction.


    "I have noted it," Fu Quanliang nodded in agreement.


    "There''s one more thing,"


    Chu Zheng abruptly raised his hand and pointed to Fu Quanliang''s forehead:


    "I do not know when I will return from this journey, or if I might die in some forgotten corner. Therefore, today I will dissolve the Life-link Seal and grant you your freedom."


    Upon hearing the words "Life-link Seal", Fu Quanliang was stunned for a moment. If Chu Zheng had not brought it up today, he would have almost forgotten about it.


    After the Life-link Seal dissipated, deep within his Divine Soul, it felt as if a shackle had been broken, bringing a sense of relief.


    However, Fu Quanliang didn''t feel much joy at this moment. It was as though he had lost something, leaving a sense of emptiness.


    Although the Life-link Seal existed, Chu Zheng seemed to have never used it to threaten him.


    While by Chu Zheng''s side, he had received too many benefits, going from an abandoned Outer Sect Disciple to overseeing a Holy Land, and even the strong cultivators of the Divine Transformation Realm had to follow his commands.


    The change in his status was nothing less than a leap from the heavens to the abyss.


    Being in Taixuan, even though he was entangled in numerous affairs, he never felt tired of it, at least his existence was valuable to these disciples of Taixuan.


    It was only after he had started following Chu Zheng that he felt like he was living like a real person, no longer timorous and walking on thin ice.


    It was not so much that Chu Zheng needed him, but rather that he needed Chu Zheng.


    The Life-link Seal, rather than being a shackle, was more like a bond. Now, this bond had been severed by Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng smiled faintly, raised his hand to pat Fu Quanliang''s shoulder, and said earnestly:


    "I have not made many friends in this realm; you count as one. It is difficult to get to this point in cultivation, so live well." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before the sound of his voice had faded, he had already turned around and left the great hall.


    Fu Quanliang came to his senses, bent down deeply in a grand salute, and knocked his head in farewell:


    "I respectfully see off the Saint Lord. May the Saint Lord encounter no harm on your path and journey smoothly and safely."


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be modified.

 Chapter 252 Boundary Gate, Heretic Path

    Compared to Chu Zheng, the one who understands Song Lingqing the best would no doubt be Song Lingxue.However, from the few interactions over the years, he had also vaguely perceived certain traits in Song Lingqing.


    Song Lingqing took her cultivation very seriously and was willing to pay any price for it.


    Back when she was in the Phantom Spirit Sect and her Immortal Bone was shattered, she didn''t show the slightest sign of defeat, maintaining a terrifyingly stable mentality, with her heart towards the Immortal Path not deviating in the slightest.


    This wasn''t a state that ordinary people could maintain; Song Lingqing had a persistence that was unlike that of normal people.


    Such people were rare in Chu Zheng''s experience, but without a doubt, as a cultivator of the Immortal Path, Song Lingqing was entirely qualified.


    "Staying in Taixuan would be of no use; it might be better to travel and, perhaps, encounter some fortuitous opportunities."


    Song Lingqing obviously wasn''t too willing to go along with Chu Zheng''s arrangement; she didn''t want to be confined to a corner of the world.


    Moreover, after Chu Zheng left, what would become of Taixuan was completely unknown; staying here might soon bring even more troubles her way.


    Staying in Taixuan would be like being trapped in a cage, but outside the Holy Land, as long as one is cautious, one can play a much greater role.


    With her cultivation deepening, her mentality was also undergoing a transformation. After securing the position of the top individual in the Entry Dao Realm during this grand competition, her thoughts had become quite different from before.


    "I''d like you to stay in Taixuan because I need a favor from you."


    Seeing the clearly resistant aura on Song Lingqing, Chu Zheng did not insist and chose to phrase it differently:


    "Help me stabilize the Song Clan. Without you acting as a bridge, the connection between Taixuan and the Song Clan will likely crumble quickly."


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing fell into silence.


    She knew that these cultivating families valued bloodline far beyond what outsiders could imagine. After all, she and the Song Clan shared the same roots; compared to the cultivators of Taixuan, at least she had a say. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s just a small effort on my part, not really a favor. I will stay in Taixuan City and do my best."


    After considering for a moment, Song Lingqing nodded her agreement. She had owed Chu Zheng too many favors before, so now she would consider this as paying back a part.


    "That would be good."


    In truth, the Song Clan didn''t hold much significance to Taixuan, but there was no need to make that clear. What Chu Zheng needed was just an excuse to keep Song Lingqing in Taixuan Holy Land.


    Both Tai Xu and Taixuan''s Holy Lands had suffered heavy losses and were at a moment of instability. The other powers in the Southern Region might well harbor intentions of replacing them.


    According to what Shang Cangyun said before, he would likely soon be in trouble, which would inevitably involve the Shang Family and the entire Primordial Spirit Holy Land.


    Should the three Holy Lands weaken, and without the Holy Lands'' suppression, the forces below would surely become restless.


    The whole dynamic of the Southern Region and even the Cangyun Realm would be thoroughly unbalanced, and many startling changes could occur.


    Even though Holy Lands possess Immortal Treasures that secure their destiny, these are not easily utilized. Under the administration of the Immortal Alliance, the best outcome would be that the three Holy Lands, like Taixuan had done before, would be forced to close their Sect Gates and cease to concern themselves with world affairs.


    Song Lingqing''s temperament was not that of a turtle that could endure the quiet; she was more like a snake that would bite back at the first opportunity. In a world where things were about to turn chaotic, wandering outside might end her life early.


    Staying in Taixuan, at least, would ensure her safety and allow her to safely weather this storm.


    Looking at Chu Zheng sitting cross-legged under the silver moon, Song Lingqing hesitated slightly before asking in a low voice:


    "After you leave the realm, where will you go?"


    "It could be anywhere; I do not even know myself."


    Chu Zheng looked up at the starry sky, his words carrying an ambiguity: "Perhaps I will just get lost in the vast expanse of the Great Universe, which wouldn''t be impossible."


    There was no need to explain too much about the Myriad Heavens and Realms to Song Lingqing.


    "Will you ever return?"


    Song Lingqing seemed to be asking but also appeared to be speaking to herself, her voice very low.


    "Perhaps."


    Chu Zheng did not provide a definite answer, his gaze measuring the heavens and earth, the mountains and rivers before him, as he said in a deep voice:


    "If one day I am powerful enough to take back the Cangyun Realm, I will come back."


    This place was, after all, his home in this life. If one day he could hold it in his grasp, he wouldn''t mind taking charge of it casually.


    "Take care."


    After speaking, Song Lingqing didn''t say more. Turning away, her figure cloaked in moonlight was gradually swallowed by the darkness within the hall, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared without a trace.


    Chu Zheng slightly lifted his head, swallowing the last bit of moonlight, and stood up, walking towards the Taixuan Main Peak.


    In the blink of an eye, he reached the summit of the main peak and entered the red-hued Heavenly Pattern Immortal Fire Hall.


    The hall was empty, with spirit tablets and divine positions of the ancestors of the Taixuan Holy Land placed on the altar.


    In a corner, there were many Soul Lamps, representing those Taixuan cultivators still battling in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Some were burning brightly, while others were about to go out, clearly not in a good situation. There were even many extinguished Soul Lamps, their owners having already died.


    Chu Zheng glanced around and found the Soul Lamp belonging to Geng Yiyang; his Soul Lamp was still burning, having grown stronger than before, suggesting that he was still in a passable situation.


    After offering Pure Incense to the ancestral tablets of Taixuan, Chu Zheng produced the Taixuan Holy Master Robe, which had been repaired to its original state, along with the Blood Jade, symbolizing the status of the Taixuan Holy Master, and placed them before the altar.


    Then, Chu Zheng bowed respectfully before rising and turning to leave.


    He did not pray for the blessings of these ancestors. Those ancestors of Taixuan probably weren''t keen on blessing a heretic path cultivator.


    Moreover, rather than seeking the protection of those who have gone before, it would be better to think about how to deal with the living.


    When Chu Zheng stepped out of the hall, the remaining elders of the Taixuan Holy Land were already present, standing scattered and silent.


    "Please forgive Chu Zheng''s incompetence. From now on, I will have to rely on the elders to take pains," said Chu Zheng with a fist and palm salute, his expression earnest.


    "Holy Master, please journey safely."


    "That is what we should do. Holy Master only needs to take good care of yourself without any concerns for the rear," replied the elders.


    "Please hurry on your journey."


    The elders did not say much, nor did their emotions show much turbulence. They had seen bigger storms before, and the scene where Taixuan faced the world as its enemy was still vivid in their minds.


    For them, what remained was to burn the last glimmer of their twilight, to lighten Taixuan''s path in the dark night a while longer, quietly waiting for dawn.


    At the break of dawn, Chu Zheng greeted the morning glow of the great sun and left the Cangyun Realm, heading straight into the depths of the starry sky.


    This voyage he was not alone, for Bai Nian remained within the Small World, accompanying him on this path.


    ......


    ......


    The brilliance of the Stars pierced through the pitch-black curtain, pulling up an odd landscape of starry illusions.


    Travelling amongst the stars often made it easy to neglect time.


    After several months of travel, Chu Zheng finally discovered a Life Star. The star was not large, with a diameter of only over twenty thousand li, but it was overcrowded with people.


    Spatial gateways would frequently open, disgorging large numbers of figures whose backgrounds were a mix of dragons and fish. There were many Cultivators from the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, though no trace of a True Immortal was seen.


    Chu Zheng blended into the crowd and entered the realm inconspicuously. Soon after, he managed to gather some information.


    This star, named Tengyun, served as a transit area, with over a hundred Teleportation Arrays set up above it, connecting over a hundred territories - Life Stars, transit fortresses, or worlds.


    In the Great Universe, merchant fleets sailed, and without stars like Tengyun for resupply stations, they could easily lose their way midway through their journey.


    In such situations, there was no doubt that the final outcome would be terrifying; being gradually consumed to death was the most common ending.


    Separated from heaven and earth, Immortal Path Cultivators could only sustain themselves on Spirit Stones and Immortal Jade. If these resources were cut off, they would ultimately die from Mana exhaustion.


    Only by stepping into the True Immortal Realm, with internal worlds formed into cycles and possessing complete Heavenly Dao Laws, could one sustain endlessly without relying on external things and survive in the universe.


    Getting lost in the sea of stars could mean that even if one was lucky enough to preserve their life, it often resulted in centuries of drifting in the desolate cosmos¡ªan unbearable length of time for most Cultivators.


    After inquiring around, Chu Zheng did not stay long on Tengyun Star. He spent a sum of Spirit Stones to purchase some route maps, then boarded a Teleportation Array, and continued rapidly towards the direction of the Boundary Gate.


    In recent days, Song Lingxue had written him another letter.


    The letter stated that everything was stable in the Martial Hall, that she had met many peers on the same path, and that her Cultivation had made great progress, nearing the late stages of the Embracing Pill Realm.


    Chu Zheng was somewhat skeptical about this. He always felt that Song Lingxue wasn''t telling the whole truth.


    Given that the Martial Hall was as renowned as the Immortal Alliance, it was destined not to be a comfortable place. Moreover, the Martial Path itself was a path of slaughter. To accelerate the increase in Cultivation required fighting to the death.


    Even if he had his doubts, Chu Zheng was powerless to act at the moment, so he discarded unnecessary thoughts and quickened his pace towards the Boundary Gate.


    ......


    ......


    After traveling through a series of Teleportation Arrays, Chu Zheng finally approached the region where the Boundary Gate was located.


    A gate of light stretching for millions of li hung beneath the vault of the starry sky, its interior producing a hazy vision, showing layers upon layers of starry curtains with no clear end in sight.


    This place was the Boundary Gate.


    The Boundary Wheel, connected to the countless Star Domains under the Immortal Alliance''s jurisdiction, reaches everywhere, enabling Immortal Alliance Envoys to arrive quickly after anomalies occur in various realms.


    Around the Boundary Gate, there were also Teleportation Arrays leading to various stars, like a spider''s web, blanketing the entire Immortal Alliance.


    The starry space near the Boundary Gate, due to the interference from the powerful space force of the gate, was unable to set up any spatial teleportation arrays, leaving one to rely only on their own pace.


    Chu Zheng did not stop for a moment. After a long journey, to save even more time, he burned Immortal Jade and activated the Blood Transforming Blade to slice through space and hasten his travel. It took him another half a year to finally arrive at this place.


    At this moment, the Boundary Gate was shrouded in a heavy seal. Chu Zheng concentrated and sensed it for a moment, his expression becoming slightly tense.


    The Boundary Gate was not always available for use, requiring a significant amount of resources and the right timing to activate.


    The last activation was when Dongsheng Demon Immortal personally visited this star domain. When it would next be opened was uncertain.


    Next to the Boundary Gate, there was a vast expanse of metallic plain, a treasure refined in one piece, designed specifically to provide resting space for beings from various places.


    In front of Chu Zheng, many were already queuing up and waiting.


    Though he was pressed for time, Chu Zheng could only spend some time waiting. He paid a hundred pieces of Immortal Jade and began queueing up honestly, not uttering a word.


    Mainly because the Boundary Gate was presided over by a True Immortal whom he simply couldn''t afford to provoke at the moment.


    ......


    ......


    PS: Some content requires revision

 Chapter 253 Immortal Deer, Cross-Boundary Methods

    The star domain where the Cangyun Realm is located is named ''Sword Lion,'' commanding over a hundred Great Thousand Worlds, with countless Life Stars.The cultivators waiting in front of the Boundary Gate, originating from various Great Realms, numbered in the thousands. Naturally, their destinations varied significantly, necessitating staggered entry.


    The area Chu Zheng was heading to was closest to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. Among these thousands of cultivators, most had the same destination as him; thus, he was arranged to be in the first group.


    Currently, the situation at the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was far from optimistic, showing signs of escalating far beyond minor skirmishes of the past.


    Under such circumstances, the Immortal Alliance had already issued a summoning order in all realms, calling cultivators above the Tongxuan level to the main battlefield.


    For many cultivators from minor realms, this was undoubtedly an opportunity. If they could earn enough battle honors, they would be able to enter the Immortal Alliance and might even have the chance to merge with Immortal Blood and become an Immortal Descendant.


    Once one became an Immortal Descendant, it was like ascending to the heavens in a single step. Even a Mixed-blooded Immortal Descendant becoming a True Immortal was a matter of course.


    Moreover, apart from this, there were also unseen rewards of Heavenly Fate that could accelerate one''s cultivation speed.


    Faced with such temptations, despite the significant dangers involved, many cultivators flocked to the frontline battlefield incessantly.


    Chu Zheng, following among the crowd of cultivators, stepped into the Boundary Gate.


    The feeling of the Boundary Gate was completely different from that of a Teleportation Array.


    The instant he crossed the Boundary Gate, Chu Zheng''s vision darkened momentarily. Above his head and beneath his feet, to the sides all around, were invisible barriers, as if he had entered into a narrow box.


    His Divine Sense was trapped within his physical body, unable to detect any spatial fluctuations, or even feel any vibrations.


    The darkness that made it impossible to see anything inevitably induced anxiety.


    Chu Zheng steadied his mind and silently counted, starting to calculate the invisible time that was passing.


    About an hour later, light finally restored in front of Chu Zheng''s eyes.


    Before him was a vast and boundless plain, with nine suns hanging above the sky, with the Boundary Gate stretching from the earth to the heavens behind him.


    The Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth was so abundant it was terrifying, far exceeding that of the Cangyun Realm by dozens of times.


    At that instant, Chu Zheng''s breathing became somewhat labored; his throat and tongue were filled with the thick Spiritual Energy.


    Within his Dantian, the Five Elements Immortal Root stirred lightly, gently stretching and beginning to absorb Spiritual Energy at an explosive rate. After adapting for half an hour, the discomfort slowly faded.


    Many of the cultivators who had just stepped out of the Boundary Gate were like Chu Zheng, looking unwell and struggling to adapt to the environmental changes.


    Chu Zheng glanced at his repair panel. The daily repair count had changed from one to six.


    If there was enough Immortal Qi in hand, a common Semi-Immortal Treasure could be repaired in a day.


    The current realm, with its complete Heavenly Dao Laws, was a Great Realm and not a temporary stronghold concocted in the starry sky.


    As Chu Zheng was pondering, a blurry intent swept past him, causing a sudden chill in his heart. Continue reading on empire


    This realm, just like the previous Cangyun Realm, had its Heavenly Dao governed by living creatures.


    Had he not already sealed his Middle Dantian earlier, blocking the influence of the Golden Core on the outside world and concealing his Qi Cultivator identity, he would have immediately been detected by the realm, attracting great calamity.


    Chu Zheng involuntarily held his breath, adding another layer of seal in his Middle Dantian, completely isolating the Nine Orifices Golden Core, while feeling somewhat relieved inside.


    It was fortunate he had not rushed to breakthrough Refine Spirit; otherwise, once the Primordial Spirit underwent transformation, concealing his identity as a Qi Cultivator would have been impossible, a case of certain death upon exposure.


    As this place was close to the Boundary Wall, the Immortal Alliance''s surveillance of cultivators would inevitably be stricter, necessitating even more caution.


    Initially, Chu Zheng had wanted to perform the Heavenly Divination Technique, attempting to sense Geng Yiyang''s location, but now he had to temporarily suppress the thought.


    Near the Boundary Gate, many colossal cities were scattered around, bustling with people of various levels of cultivation. Chu Zheng casually glanced around and even spotted some mortals devoid of any mana.


    The Boundary Gate lit up again behind him, clearly indicating more cultivators were about to arrive at this location.


    "Don''t linger near the Boundary Gate, quickly move away."


    A low whisper came from above the clouds, from a True Immortal clad in pitch-black Battle Armor, urging the crowd to leave.


    Concerning the Great Realm before him, Chu Zheng was completely in the dark, having zero knowledge, so he could only follow the flow, blending in with the mass of cultivators, and moved away from the area near the Boundary Gate. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The area near the Boundary Gate was covered by a large Array, inside which were numerous campsites. Occasionally, one could see cultivators clad in Immortal Alliance Armor, all of whom had cultivation at least in the Divine Transformation Realm. Tongxuan Pseudo-Immortals, rare in the Cangyun Realm, were common here.


    Blending into the crowd and catching snippets of conversations, Chu Zheng gained some rough understanding of this world.


    This realm was called ''Immortal Deer,'' serving as an outpost between the Immortal Alliance and the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. Originally, there was no Great Realm here until an Immortal Monarch from the Demon Race perished here, his own Cave Heaven World transformed into this Great Realm.


    Over the years, reinforced by multiple Immortal Path Emperors, this realm had become far superior to its past self, amongst the top in the Great Thousand Worlds.


    The nine great suns in the sky were not celestial bodies from the universe but transformed from the Nine Venerable Three-legged Golden Crows.


    Their cultivations had all entered the Nine Tribulations Demon Immortal realm. Sharing the same origin of blood, if any one of the Golden Crows broke through to Immortal Venerable, the remaining eight would simultaneously achieve a breakthrough, sharing in each other''s glory.


    Chu Zheng, without uttering a word, followed the flow of people and soon arrived at the entrance of the camp.


    Beside the doorway stood a side hall; in front of the hall were placed more than ten broad Jade Tables, each with a war commander seated behind, draped in silvery-white Immortal Armor.

 Chapter 253 Immortal Deer, Cross-Boundary Methods_2

    To prevent himself from being noticed, Chu Zheng dared not casually use his Spiritual Eye at this moment and could only roughly estimate based on his senses.The Immortal Generals before him were all in the late stages of the Immortal Tribulation Realm, having at least passed through the Seventh Layer of Immortal Tribulation.


    Each cultivator who passed through the Boundary Gate to this place had to register before leaving the camp, after which they were issued an Identity Jade Token by the Immortal Alliance for easy summoning.


    Many cultivators lined up in front of Chu Zheng opted not to leave the camp but directly joined the Immortal Alliance, preparing to enter the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield through the Immortal Alliance to obtain military achievements.


    There were also many options upon joining the Immortal Alliance.


    The war machine under the Immortal Alliance was generally divided into three forces. The first was the ''Punishment Authority,'' an absolutely elite combat power led by many Heavenly Judges and Inspectors.


    The second was the ''Breaking Kill Army,'' the main force responsible for the majority of the frontline battlefield slaughter. The Breaking Kill Army was divided into Heaven, Earth, and Man camps, as well as many other side forces, with the largest number of personnel. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    The third was the logistical branch led by the Divine Fire Camp and the Heavenly Craft Camp, which included Elixir and Magical Treasure making, talisman making and array setting, and healing and saving people.


    Aside from cultivators who came for military achievements, there were quite a few cultivators whose purpose for coming here was not for military achievements but for trade.


    Among the Myriad Realms, there were many special Spiritual Materials of great use to Immortal Path Cultivators. Resources extremely scarce within the Immortal Alliance''s boundaries could be found in ample reserves in the Myriad Realms.


    Therefore, trade was also one of the highly developed industries in the Immortal Deer Realm.


    A small portion of cultivators simply came for a better cultivation environment, exhausting their efforts to gather the Boundary Gate''s fee to enter this realm, also to bet on their future prospects.


    Chu Zheng followed the crowd and soon it was his turn.


    "Where are you from? Do you have a sect? Is this your first time to Immortal Deer?"


    The Immortal General glanced at Chu Zheng and asked indifferently, his tone quite casual.


    "Sword Lion Star Domain, no sect, first time here," Chu Zheng replied one by one.


    The Immortal General jotted down Chu Zheng''s information and asked offhandedly, "Would you like to join the Immortal Alliance?"


    "I am not skilled in combat magic, nor proficient in alchemy or crafting. Joining the Immortal Alliance, I fear I would only hinder the esteemed seniors."


    Chu Zheng''s expression hesitated, appearing slightly embarrassed.


    For him, joining the Immortal Alliance was an impossible route.


    The Immortal Alliance''s checks on its own cultivators would undoubtedly be more rigorous. With his current means, it would be difficult for him to slip through.


    "Extend your hand." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The silver-armored Immortal General said no more, gesturing for Chu Zheng to extend his hand. He then cut open the tip of his finger, taking two drops of blood to drop into two Jade Talismans.


    "You may stay in Immortal Deer for a hundred years; after a hundred years, you must pay one Immortal Jade every ten years. If by that time you have entered the Immortal Tribulation, then it''s one per year. Do not forget."


    With that, he casually tossed a Jade Talisman to Chu Zheng. His eyes didn''t linger on Chu Zheng for a moment longer as he turned his head and said, "Next one."


    From beginning to end, he never asked for Chu Zheng''s name.


    There were too many cultivators coming in and out of Immortal Deer; countless others shared the same name, not to mention the plethora of nicknames, which were even more difficult to remember. Unless someone was a close acquaintance, no one would care what your name was.


    A name was the least important thing here unless you could make a name for yourself and have others bestow an honorific title upon you. Then, naturally, people would take the initiative to get to know you.


    ...


    ...


    After leaving the Boundary Gate, Chu Zheng headed south and quickly entered a city to start gathering information.


    He could not stay in the Immortal Deer Realm for too long and needed to hurry to the vicinity of the Boundary Wall.


    Shang Cangyun had claimed that he had a way to help him; thus, once Chu Zheng approached the vicinity of the Boundary Wall, leveraging the Immortal King''s Divine Skills, he should be able to locate Chu Zheng''s position.


    On the other hand, his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation was nearly impossible to suppress any longer. His cultivation had been rising every day, and even without actively circulating the Circuit of Qi, it was difficult to contain.


    Once he breached into Refine Spirit, it would be highly improbable to keep deceiving the patrol of Heavenly Dao in the Immortal Deer Realm. Once he attracted Tribulation Qi, a chain reaction could easily be triggered, potentially culminating in a deadly Immortal Tribulation.


    The plan for now was to first attempt to get close to the Boundary Wall and see if Shang Cangyun would appear to help him. If that failed, Chu Zheng would have no choice but to take a dangerous risk.


    Back in the Dongyuan Realm, Nie Longhu had given him a Dao Seal. If Chu Zheng reached the vicinity of the Boundary Wall and released this Dao Seal, Nie Longhu would request a Golden Immortal to intervene and bring Chu Zheng into the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Chu Zheng was quite reluctant to try this.


    Previously, Nie Longhu had mentioned that around the Boundary Wall, an Immortal Path Emperor might patrol, and occasionally, figures from the Ancestral Realm of Martial Dao might appear, making it exceedingly perilous.


    In the presence of such entities, they could see through everything with a single glance; even causality lines could not be hidden, and his relatives and friends would be exposed in an instant.


    In other words, if discovered by such entities, all traces of his presence would be erased instantaneously.


    After wandering around the city for a while, Chu Zheng gathered quite a bit of information, and what surprised him was this:


    The Immortal Deer Realm was just a stone''s throw away from the Boundary Wall. It was only because the canopy of the sky blocked the view of the stars that one couldn''t see the situation outside.


    As long as he left the Immortal Deer, he would be only a step away from the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Having realized this, Chu Zheng immediately began his preparations.


    Due to the proximity of the Immortal Deer Realm to the battlefield, many marketplaces had Semi-Immortal Treasures and fragments of Immortal Treasures, as well as fragments of treasures originating from the Ten Thousand Realms.


    These items, whose True Spirit had perished but whose material was still the rare Immortal Gold and Divine Iron, could have impurities after re-smelting and the quality would be discounted, yet they retained significant value.


    Chu Zheng traded most of his resources for a portion of Immortal Jade and then along the way collected some fragments.


    After completing these tasks, Chu Zheng took out the Star-shatter Shuttle and began adjusting his breath.


    Leaving the realm during the day risked injury from the nine rounds of the sun in the sky, so it was not until the sky was fully dark that Chu Zheng suppressed his breath and stealthily headed beyond the heavens.


    His journey was unobstructed, and soon Chu Zheng entered the vast cosmos.


    As soon as he left the sky of the Immortal Deer Realm, the starry space in front of Chu Zheng transformed.


    A light wall spanning billions of galaxies lay across the peak of the Milky Way, its boundaries imperceptible up, down, left, and right.


    Beyond that light wall was a shattered starry sky, its emitted starlight blocked by the wall, unable to pierce through even the slightest bit.


    Behind the broken starry space were points of light twinkling like permanent stars, with mountains, rivers, suns, and moons faintly materializing ¨C intertwining panoramas of worlds forming an expansive and limitless screen.


    "This place¡­ is the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield¡­"


    Gazing at the scene before him, Chu Zheng was momentarily dazed, staring at the world beyond the Boundary Wall, unable to regain his composure for a long time.


    Inside the Immortal Deer Realm, there was extremely detailed information on the development of the Ten Thousand Realms.


    Although the Ten Thousand Realms only occupied one and a half percent of Heavenly Fate today, their history far exceeded that of the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall.


    In the Primordial Era, when Heavenly Fate was in Chaos and a myriad of paths vied for dominance, Heavenly Fate was not as centralized as it is now, and the Second-fold Immortal Martial Path was merely one among the myriad, not standing out.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be revised

 Chapter 254 Immortal Monarch Blocks the Way, Breakthrough Realm

    The Second-fold Immortal Martial arms was too powerful, forcing the Myriad Heavens and Realms to join forces to barely defend against the collapse that was about to ensue.In the Late Primordial Era, the Ancestral Dao intervened, creating the Chaos Sea, halting the last half of the Heavenly Fate. The Second-fold Immortal Martial involved again in a dispute, igniting a great war, and both sides were severely injured and forced to negotiate peace, creating a Starry Sky Barrier for governance.


    Since then, the Great Universe gradually stopped its internal strife and formed the current power structure resembling three balanced forces.


    Today, the Myriad Realms only occupied about fifteen percent of the Heavenly Fate, much weaker compared to the Immortal Alliance, yet all parties from Taoist Orthodoxy retained many strategies left by their predecessors, allowing them to protect themselves.


    Looking at the Boundary Wall before him, Chu Zheng''s expression grew more solemn. The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was within reach, and once he entered, he would likely be immediately sucked into the whirlpool of war.


    Your journey continues with empire


    As for how to cross the Boundary Wall, he now had two options, the first of which was to call for Shang Cangyun.


    Having reached the level of Shang Cangyun, his connection with the Immortal Path and Heavenly Fate was already incredibly close; anyone within the Immortal Alliance''s realm, calling his true name, would certainly get a response.


    The second path was through the Dao Seal given by Nie Longhu, to request aid from the Taoist School.


    In such an extreme battlefield, even Immortal King Level powerhouses risked falling, let alone a mere Tongxuan Cultivator.


    Chu Zheng needed to consider all possible scenarios thoroughly, the most crucial being whether to make contact with the Taoist School or not.


    Qi Cultivators of the Taoist School were now within the Myriad Realms, but their situation was similarly precarious.


    After several encounters with Nie Longhu, he had learned a lot about the Taoist School.


    Qi Cultivators had too many tribulations; although they didn''t invite natural disasters, man-made calamities were continual, and the portion of Heavenly Fate they owned could only protect within themselves, unable to safeguard the entire path.


    The Ancestral Dao was the prime example, monopolizing twenty-five percent of Heavenly Fate, yet unable to bless the Qi Refining Lineage with it. Having Heavenly Fate by his side also meant he faced extremely terrifying tribulations.


    As strong as the Ancestral Dao, he now had to hide from the world due to the coercion of a great calamity, disappearing without a trace.


    The rise of the Second-fold Immortal Martial was precisely because the existence of the Ancestral Dao prompted the Great Universe to develop self-protective thoughts.


    If the Ancestral Dao were to further protect the Taoist Lineage, it could cause unpredictable consequences and bring disaster to them.


    The Qi Refining Lineage had always been sparse, sometimes even those with the qualifications for Qi cultivation were unwilling to enter this path because of this reason.


    In the grand scheme of the universe, Chu Zheng''s level of cultivation was akin to that of an ant, unable to stir any waves, and any carelessness could lead to him being crushed by the aftermath of the conflicts between the two forces; he needed to choose carefully.


    After considering for a moment, Chu Zheng still attempted to call Shang Cangyun.


    This area was still within the Immortal Alliance territory, and Shang Cangyun''s actions should be more convenient.


    Buzz¡ª


    The moment Chu Zheng spoke, a faint light suddenly surfaced on the distant Boundary Wall, and the entire starry sky trembled. A terrifying aura rapidly approached; though the figure had yet to arrive, the surrounding stars had already begun to shatter.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng''s expression changed. This aura did not belong to Shang Cangyun. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A figure flashed through the Boundary Wall in the blink of an eye, stepping across the starry sky and thundering toward him. With one step, he had crossed the boundless star sea and arrived in front of Chu Zheng.


    This was a massive figure clad in golden Immortal Armor, nearly a thousand feet tall, resembling a blazing sun, his entire body emitting a surging Immortal Light. His facial features were dignified, his eyes shone bright as star fires, radiant and splendid.


    Chu Zheng couldn''t help but flash a look of terror in his eyes; the person before him was terrifyingly powerful.


    At least¡­ much stronger than Zhao Tingxian, a true Immortal King!


    For a moment, Chu Zheng held his breath, not daring to make any slight movement, bowed his head, and the Tribulation Qi by his side showed no activity, which slightly eased his mind, suggesting no immediate danger.


    The Immortal King did not speak a word, reaching out directly to grab Chu Zheng and placed him in his palm, then turned and stepped toward the Boundary Wall.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng felt certain and let out a sigh of relief.


    Indeed¡­ this must be Shang Cangyun''s doing. His originally anxious mind gradually settled down a bit.


    A few breaths later, the Boundary Wall was already in sight.


    Just as they were about to cross the Boundary Wall, a flash of Immortal Light suddenly streaked across the starry sky, accompanied by a low whisper:


    "Stop."


    The moment the voice sounded, the Tribulation Qi beside Chu Zheng began to surge, growing increasingly violent.


    The Immortal King carrying Chu Zheng stiffened in form and halted his steps before the Boundary Wall.


    The starry sky fell into a deadly silence; no abnormality occurred, but Chu Zheng''s back involuntarily began to sweat, his face turning somewhat pale.


    Invisibly, an overwhelmingly suffocating aura of assassination spread, almost freezing his limbs and causing his blood to flow backward.


    A streak of light surged from above the Boundary Wall, stopping not far in front of Chu Zheng in the starry space, manifesting a phantom.


    The newcomer appeared to be in his forties, wearing a blue cloud-patterned Immortal robe, his hair bound with a purple golden crown, his appearance as handsome as a celestial deity, every move as if walking on clouds, untainted by a speck of dust, with a Divine Ring manifesting behind him, and within it, a gold and a silver dragon fish swimming.


    He took a glance at Chu Zheng and spoke indifferently:


    "Who is this person? Why is he not using the Heaven Pass but entering the battlefield from here?"


    The Immortal King holding Chu Zheng remained silent and did not respond.


    "If you won''t speak, then never mind; I''ll see for myself."


    The man''s gaze fell on Chu Zheng, and in an instant, Chu Zheng felt as if pierced by an arrow through the heart, every inch of his muscles and flesh stripped open, leaving no secrets hidden anywhere on his body.


    Chu Zheng''s face suddenly tensed; his heart sank. This man''s level of cultivation, perhaps already beyond that of an Immortal King, was an Immortal Path Emperor¡­


    Nie Longhu had not lied to him; near the Boundary Wall was indeed extremely dangerous. Before even crossing it, he had collided head-on with an Immortal Path Emperor who blocked the way.


    The man''s eyebrows slightly raised, his gaze sweeping over the three Dantians in Chu Zheng''s upper, middle, and lower parts, showing a bit of interest:


    "Unexpectedly, within the Immortal Alliance territory, there is still a Qi Cultivator who also cultivates the Incense Fire Divine Path. You''re young, but your ambitions aren''t small."


    "Observing your Cultivation talent is not bad; I will spare your life today if you remove your Golden Core, extinguish your Incense Fire, and kill a hundred thousand enemies on the battlefield. I''ll forgive your past, and you''ll be admitted into the Immortal Alliance¡­"


    Before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed, becoming a bit peculiar:


    "I can''t see your line of fate. Do you bear the fate of the solitary star, with all relatives and friends dead, or is there someone protecting you in the shadows? Who is it?"


    As he spoke, his gaze fell on the Immortal King supporting Chu Zheng, and his expression once again revealed a hint of confusion:


    "Who are you? Why have I never seen you before¡­"


    "After many years, Yu Yang Immortal Monarch, your eyesight has only grown worse."


    The Immortal King chuckled lightly as his figure gradually shrank and the brilliant Immortal Light burning on his body slowly dissipated, revealing his true face.


    Dressed in a light cyan robe with a wooden crown and possessing a handsome countenance.


    "You are... Shang Cangyun?!"


    Yu Yang Immortal Monarch appeared slightly shocked as he glanced at Chu Zheng and chuckled softly:


    "It seems you''re still too young, unable to stay calm, and taking risks to bring this person into the Ten Thousand Realms. What were you thinking?"


    Shang Cangyun did not answer his question. His eyes were like icy abysses, unfathomably deep. "Please, Immortal Monarch, step aside."


    "Step aside? With your current cultivation, do you also think you can overshadow the Immortal Alliance and manipulate destiny? Preposterous."


    Yu Yang Immortal Monarch scoffed coldly, his expression chilling, "It''s a pity, considering you as a sharp knife in the alliance, I thought to keep you for a longer period; since you seek death, I will accompany you along the way."


    Ending his speech, his gaze landed on Chu Zheng once again with a dismissive tone. "This one seems like a wicked spawn from the Burial Realm; thus, unnecessary to keep."


    Cangyun Immortal King¡­


    Chu Zheng''s expression changed slightly; he could not have anticipated that in just a few breaths, the situation would have escalated to this extent where Shang Cangyun was at the brink of a fallout with the Immortal Alliance.


    In his eyes, for Shang Cangyun, his life was not worth such a massive price.


    "It was bound to happen one day, just somewhat ahead of time."


    Shang Cangyun shook his head slightly and signaled Chu Zheng to be silent; he stretched his muscles and sinews as Immortal Light burst from his pupils, and his aura began to swell wildly, stepping toward the highest domain:


    "For tens of thousands of years, serving as a knife for the Immortal Alliance, constantly wary, I nearly forgot how to be human."


    Sensing the change in Shang Cangyun''s aura, Yu Yang Immortal Monarch''s expression turned icy, his tone chilling:


    "I know not by what means you became a pure-blooded Immortal Descendant overnight, but such a riffraff from the Burial Realm dares to overturn the heavens? Absurd!"


    Before his words fell, he had already stepped forward, with a terrifying Immortal Light blossoming around him, pressing down towards Shang Cangyun.


    Behind him, two koi, exploding from their Divine Ring, leapt like carp transforming into dragons against the wind, immediately turning into two dragons¡ªone gold and one silver¡ªwhose bodies stretched billions of miles, crushing a swath of the starry sky.


    Shang Cangyun remained immovable, standing firmly with his fingers formed into a sword, unleashing two dazzling sword lights.


    The sword lights, like thunderous bolts, tore through the expanse of the starry sky; in an instant, the glow of the Boundary Wall was obscured, endless Chaos Qi poured out between the stars as if the universe was reborn, filled with a deadly aura of slaughter.


    Puff puff!


    The two True Dragons were repelled, shattering countless stars along their path and slamming heavily into the Boundary Wall; their frontal bones shattered, their skulls nearly pierced, leaving behind two ghastly sword marks as blood spurted out, cascading down the Boundary Wall and staining vast stretches of the star river red.


    Shang Cangyun did not cease his attack, slashing once again with his sword light, tearing open the Boundary Wall, then casually turning his head toward Chu Zheng with a faint smile:


    "Go."


    Throughout, his aura remained as calm as the morning sun, dispelling the chill amidst the stars.


    "Cangyun Immortal King, how can I ever repay your kindness today?"


    Chu Zheng was profoundly shaken, struggling to comprehend the reason behind Shang Cangyun''s help, as they had only met once and could not even be considered acquaintances.


    "Who decreed that this favor must be repaid? If fate wills it, we shall meet again some day."


    Before the words finished, Shang Cangyun lightly pushed with his hand, shifting the starry expanse, sending Chu Zheng into the boundless light-years away, falling into the layers of the Great Realm, leaving no trace.


    "So brazenly defying the Immortal Alliance just to aid an insignificant ant, what exactly is the reason?"


    Yu Yang Immortal Monarch''s brow slightly furrowed as he summoned back the two dragons, his face filled with incomprehension:


    "Now that you''ve ascended to Immortal Monarch, the Chaos Sea holds no place for you, the Myriad Heavens and Realms despise you deeply, even if you''re lucky enough not to perish today, where can you possibly find footing in the future?"


    "To do as one wishes, to help as one desires, why need so many reasons ¨C where in the world are such meticulous calculations of cause and effect?"


    Shang Cangyun shook his head with a smile: "Furthermore, beneath my feet lies a place for rest, and above my head is the boundless celestial sky; throughout ancient and modern times, where can''t I establish myself?"


    "For the sake of a lowly life on the Heretic Path, ruining your future, truly as foolish as a pig."


    Yu Yang True Monarch sneered, his body radiating brilliant Immortal Light, instantly manifesting his Lifebound Dharma Form, towering billions of miles high, his pupils shining like celestial bodies, without moving, his aura alone was enough to shatter the cosmos in all eight directions.


    Ripples appeared in the starry sky, a portal opened behind him, releasing various colors of Immortal Treasures, terrifying waves of Immortal Qi stirred up violent waves in the starry sea, shaking the star oceans.


    With each move he made, the semblance of space-time flowed, carrying fragments of time changing.


    As an Immortal Monarch, stepping into the highest domain of the Immortal Path, touching the Space-time Law, his combat power far exceeded the imagination of Immortal Kings.


    "We are all cultivators, merely walking different paths; how can there be high and low, noble and base?"


    Shang Cangyun maintained his usual calm expression, drawing a four-foot-long sword from the void with a light remark:


    "Moreover, his cultivation journey has just begun, while your journey ends today."


    "Arrogance!"


    Yu Yang True Monarch let out a fierce cry, his Dharma Phase supporting the heavens and earth as if opening the starry river, Immortal Treasures wrapped in endless Immortal Light falling in succession.


    Lights of obliteration and samsara exploded across the universe, scattering billions of brilliant strands of Immortal Light, subsuming all traces.


    PS: Some content needs to be revised

 Chapter 255 All Rivers Run into the Sea

    As the sun began to rise, the air was filled with the moisture of the morning dew, and the Yang Qi between heaven and earth gradually stirred.In the secluded valley, a deep pool lay horizontally, surrounded by all manner of exotic and strange grasses. Aside from the blue ox, no other living creature was present¡ªan utterly serene and quiet place removed from the world.


    The laws of this vast realm before him were completely different from those of the Immortal Alliance territories, and also had some differences from those within the Chaos Sea.


    Heavenly Fate, intangible, was quite scattered and showed no particular bias. Chu Zheng could vaguely sense that amidst these fates, there was some that belonged to Qi Cultivators, but for himself, they offered little assistance.


    The Heavenly Fate of Qi Cultivators had to be fought for by oneself, and the Heavenly Fate obtained belonged only to the seeker.


    Many Qi Cultivators are often at the end of their tether, at the brink of death, before they open their sect gates to accept disciples and pass on their mantle.


    Such a path is doomed from the start to be arduous¡ªdespite even having figures like Ancestral Dao emerge, today the Qi Refining lineage still cannot become a force like the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall.


    Looking back now, Chu Zheng''s initial idea to preach to the world seemed even more whimsically ambitious.


    After pondering for a moment, Chu Zheng cast the Heavenly Divination Technique, starting to search for any trace of Geng Yiyang. The situation had changed too quickly before, and he had not had time to send word to Geng Yiyang.


    Taixuan Holy Land was now in imminent danger and needed someone to return and take charge of the situation, yet Geng Yiyang was still completely unaware.


    After some calculations, Chu Zheng gave up, helpless¡ªthe realm was perhaps too far from the battlefield, and he couldn''t even deduce Geng Yiyang''s whereabouts. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, his Cultivation was still too shallow to unleash the true might of his Divine Skills.


    Shaking his head slightly, he cut off the distractions in his mind, took a deep breath, and went to sit cross-legged by the pool, unraveling the layers of seals from his Middle Dantian.


    The moment the seals were released, the Nine Orifices Golden Core began to tremble, like parched earth welcoming sweet rain, starting to voraciously absorb the surrounding Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi.


    His Qi Refining Cultivation had been suppressed for too long; as soon as the restraints were released, his Cultivation exploded in growth.


    In the blink of an eye, his Cultivation had advanced further, stepping into the Refine Spirit Realm as his Divine Soul in the depths trembled and began to transform.


    When he crossed the Refining God Barrier, Chu Zheng instantly sensed something amiss¡ªhis Qi Refinement Cultivation was still skyrocketing at an alarming rate, without the slightest intention of stopping.


    After perceiving for a while, he instantly understood.


    Qi Refining into Spirit was always about tempering the strength of the Divine Soul, to hold the prime and keep the One, preparing to forge the Pure Yang Primordial Spirit.


    And he, due to the Immortal Path, had long since forged the Yin Yang Divine Infant and his Divine Soul was already far beyond the limits of the Refine Spirit Realm.


    Though these were two separate paths, his Divine Soul was one and the same. On his person, the Immortal Path and Qi-refining Technique were subtly merging. This fusion¡ªwhether it was good or bad¡ªremained unknown.


    Chu Zheng refocused his mind, drawing upon Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi, enhancing his Mana Cultivation, and all the while continuously refining the Incense Fire Willpower transmitted from beyond the stars to nourish his Primordial Spirit.


    Day and night passed, Yin Yang Dual Qi flowed throughout Heaven and Earth, continuously nurturing the Qi within him.


    Before he knew it, Chu Zheng had been sitting in that secluded valley for half a year.


    In this short period, his Qi-refining Technique underwent a qualitative change, unforcedly crossing an entire great realm, stepping from Golden Core Realm Perfection into the Refine Spirit Realm Great Perfection¡ªjust one step away from the Returning to Void Realm.


    Throughout this process, he did not consume any spiritual elixirs; his cultivation naturally grew, and still, he made astonishing progress.


    The most tangible sign of his Cultivation''s increase was the change in the aura around Chu Zheng¡ªit became more lucid and lively, the connection with the Heaven and Earth Laws grew closer, and his Divine Skills became vastly more powerful.


    What a Qi Cultivator seeks is to Return to the Origin, pursuing the most fundamental force between Heaven and Earth. Naturally close to all life under Heaven, if not troubled by calamities, the path of the Qi Cultivator truly ought to be the most carefree and satisfying.


    Calming the energy within his body, Chu Zheng slowly ended his cultivation session and looked around.


    The blue ox that had been there before had disappeared without a trace, leaving him with a twinge of regret¡ªthey had gone many years without eating, and the taste in their mouth was undeniably bland; he had hoped for a little feast.


    Chu Zheng again attempted to sense Geng Yiyang''s Qi to no avail.


    After considering for some time, he didn''t persevere further, rose to his feet, and left the secluded valley, heading eastward.


    Now with his Primordial Spirit undergoing another transformation and even stronger than an Immortal Path Cultivator first entering the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, he spread out his Divine Sense, and everything within tens of thousands of miles came into view, whether there were marks of human habitation or city walls, all clearly discernible.


    Two thousand miles into his eastern journey later, Chu Zheng arrived at a city that spanned just over twenty miles¡ªa small city by any measure. Within the city, many auras drifted about, the strongest among them was only at Third Order, equivalent to a Cultivator at the Soul Condensing Realm of the Immortal Path.


    Such Cultivation, in the eyes of the now Chu Zheng, was hardly different from that of ordinary mortals.


    Now, while the Immortal Alliance was engaged in battle with the Myriad Realms, Chu Zheng used his Shape-Shifting Divine Power to conceal the Immortal Path Qi in order to avoid trouble.


    However, such methods, when he employed them now, at most could deceive living creatures of the Seventh Order, but the existence of those above the Eighth Order could still detect the subtleties.


    Nevertheless, in this small wilderness town before his eyes, the chances of encountering a strong being of the Eighth Order were as unlikely as a rain of Spirit Stones from the sky, so as long as he was cautious and careful, he reckoned no problems would arise.


    As soon as he entered the town, Chu Zheng felt a wave of Red Dust Qi rush towards him.


    If it were in the Cangyun Realm, a city where Soul Condensing Monks were active, it would be an Immortal Marketplace on its own with an otherworldly Qi that suggested detachment from the mundane world, transcendent and sublime.


    Yet, this small town before his eyes resembled more a mortal domain, with hawkers yelling on both sides of the streets, and the cultivators coming and going were no different from the peddlers and porters in the midst of Red Dust.


    Different from the territories of the Immortal Alliance, here, not even a single ordinary person could be seen; everyone possessed cultivation, and no matter who they were, within the Myriad Realms, they could find a suitable method of cultivation.


    The sea that embraces all rivers¡ªthat was the true secret to the enduring existence of the Myriad Realms.


    The various auras of these cultivators were quite chaotic; standing on the street and sweeping a glance over, Chu Zheng saw no fewer than dozens of unusual auras.


    The coexistence of so many diverse Taoist Orthodoxies, yet without any sense of conflict, felt as if it were natural, harmonious without flaws.


    Within this small city, everything was complete: Daoist temples, Buddhist halls, ancestral shrines, academies, a variety of everything.


    Chu Zheng opened his Spiritual Eye and scanned over the many cultivators, receiving quite a few surprises and felt as if he had finally seen the world.


    Finding a secluded corner, Chu Zheng quietly released Bai Nian, who he had kept constrained within the Small World.


    Here, Bai Nian no longer needed to hide; he could live openly under the sky. Find your next adventure on empire


    As Bai Nian followed at Chu Zheng''s side, looking at the city before him, he felt somewhat dazed; it had been so long since he last saw so many people. Isolated from the world for many years, he had almost forgotten what it felt like to live among a crowd.


    Among the coming and going cultivators, he saw quite a few donned in Confucian Robes and topped with Guan Jins, dressed as students, with each movement exuding Vast Righteous Qi, each possessing an aura of integrity.


    After a while, Chu Zheng stopped in front of an inconspicuous wonton stall.


    The small wonton stall''s owner had reached Second Order in cultivation, a rarity in this city, and the wontons made were full of Spiritual Energy.


    Chu Zheng sat down directly with Bai Nian and ordered ten bowls of wontons, drinking leisurely.


    Towards wontons, he always had an inexplicable attachment; if he had spare time and stumbled upon them, he would always stop and have a few bowls.


    Bai Nian was still somewhat absent-minded, his gaze lingering on the long street, reluctant to move his eyes away, as if he feared he was dreaming.


    "Is this what the Myriad Realms are like?"


    It took a long time before he finally squeezed out such a sentence, his expression astonished.


    Before Chu Zheng could reply, the sound of reading suddenly came from a distance, the sayings of sages echoing in the void, carrying the might of thousands of troops, majestic and grand.


    Bai Nian''s eyes lit up as the Vast Righteous Qi within him was stirred, involuntarily radiating a faint light.


    "How about it? Want to go take a look?" Chu Zheng asked casually upon seeing this.


    After a moment of hesitation, Bai


    "I do."


    "Then I shall take you there,"


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    PS: Most of the content needs revising


    "This realm is called ''Qingyun'',"

 Chapter 256 Division of Realms

    "I will have someone clean up two side rooms for now, please stay at the academy," he said.Mr. Xi did not linger long. After exchanging pleasantries, he quickly departed.


    Upon reaching a secluded corner, he opened the long box given by Chu Zheng and paused as he saw the object inside.


    It was an aged ginseng, radiating spiritual light and pulsating as if breathing, nearly achieving spiritual awakening.


    A tremor passed through Xi Ji''an''s hand; he had never seen spiritual ginseng of such quality in his life, not even in the renowned Yujing Divine Palace.


    This aged ginseng was close to transforming into a spirit. If only the roots were harvested for medicine, it could slowly regenerate, truly an inexhaustible resource.


    This single item was enough for him to maneuver relationships and gain a position in the imperial court; no need to remain a countryside teacher toiling for reputation.


    However, the gift was excessively generous.


    For a moment, Xi Ji''an''s expression grew solemn as he closed and stored the long box.


    To casually offer such a spiritual object, this Chu Zheng, was far more fearsome than imagined.


    Qi Cultivators were always elusive, rarely mingling with common folk and shrouded in mystery.


    The sudden appearance of such a person, bringing along a newly initiated disciple of the Confucian School, seemed suspicious.


    Recalling various rumors about Qi Cultivators, Xi Ji''an''s expression turned even graver.


    At best, Qi Cultivators avoided the secular world, but once involved, they stirred great turmoil, reportedly linked to baffling calamities, often planning for centuries to the surprise of all.


    To his knowledge, it had been a thousand years since a Qi Cultivator had openly walked the earth.


    Was this Qi Cultivator positioning a disciple of the Confucian School now in preparation for future deployment?


    Certainly, the stakes were high.


    Given that Bai Nian had caught the eye of a Qi Cultivator, he must be far from ordinary, and mere introductory texts wouldn''t baffle him.


    Xi Ji''an found himself in a dilemma.


    Entangled with the whirlwind of a Qi Cultivator, his modest cultivation was hardly even enough to be collateral damage.


    Yet returning the aged ginseng and outright refusing could provoke Chu Zheng, potentially leading to significant troubles.


    Moreover, such a rare spiritual object was hard to part with. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xi Ji''an paced under the porch for a long time before conjuring an imperfect solution.


    If Bai Nian were indeed a gifted candidate, he could use his connections to recommend him directly to an old acquaintance in the imperial court.


    Should Bai Nian enter the imperial service, it should detach him enough from the matter, and if worst came to worst, he might even shut down the academy and start afresh elsewhere.


    ...


    ...


    The side rooms were quickly tidied, and Chu Zheng settled down in Huanhua Academy temporarily with Bai Nian.


    To Chu Zheng as he was now, a fifth-order spirit ginseng was merely trivial; even lesser valued items on him were rare.


    Some low-grade spiritual materials he didn''t need were all left behind in the Taixuan Holy Land, carrying them would be a waste.


    Bai Nian entered the side room and closed his door, delving into the study of the Confucian texts, while Chu Zheng began examining books about this realm.


    He knew but fragments about the Myriad Realms from Nie Longhu, far from an understanding. Now, ignorant of his location, he could only see how things would unfold.


    Basic information was clearly recorded in these books; compared to the territories of the Immortal Alliance, this place''s information barriers were relatively open.


    The diversity brought about by numerous Taoist orthodoxy meant casually mentioning several predecessors could connect one with outside realms, something the Immortal Alliance couldn''t match.


    Within the Myriad Realms, realms were also divided. Though many Taoist orthodoxy persisted, there was a clear strength hierarchy.


    Few weak Taoist orthodoxy survived, some with barely two or three disciples remaining; many had become extinct, with their cultivation methods remembered but no longer pursued.


    Should a more potent Taoist orthodoxy be available, ordinary ones would naturally see diminished interest, unless there was no other recourse.


    Among the myriad, the strongest orthodoxy included Daoism and Buddhism at the very top, followed by the Confucian School and Incense Fire Divine Path, with prominent figures from the various schools contesting their supremacy.


    Below them were Qi Collection, Demon Control, Ghost Refining, Rashamon Sect, Heavenly Mechanism, and Yin Yang Union Dao among the ancient star-like major factions.


    Regarding these orthodoxy, the recorded information was quite vague; the few classics Chu Zheng obtained just briefly touched upon them, without much insight.


    The Thirty-Three Heavens of Daoism and the Pure Land of Buddhism were the most deeply rooted in the Myriad Realms, existing since the Ancient Times; even after great wars, their foundations remained notably deeper than many other orthodoxy, comparable to the Great Immortal Realm of the Immortal Alliance.


    Only now did Chu Zheng realize that Daoism was not solely comprised of Qi Cultivators; they were relatively few within Daoism, with many others achieving immortality in different ways.


    He was now in a Great Realm called ''Qingyun,'' defined by the sun and moon, marking the Eight Desolates and Four Seas.


    Within the Qingyun Realm, Daoism was scarcely renowned, with some sects in the southeast long withdrawn from the world.


    On the northwest lay a vast Buddha Country, home to countless Buddhists venerating the Ancestral Buddha Golden Body, their incense offerings flourishing.


    Confucian School revered an Imperial Dynasty as supreme, called "Da Li," widely spreading moral teachings and dominating the southwest.


    Chu Zheng''s current location fell under the rule of the Da Li Dynasty.


    Within the Da Li Dynasty, the Confucian Path was exclusively honored, but there were also many military cultivators; the god of warriors resided within the Da Li Dynasty. It was rumored that his cultivation was mediocre, but if he led a myriad of armored troops, defeating gods and subduing immortals was like slashing grass beside the road, effortlessly reaching into a bag for objects.


    Northeast of this land lay a collection of feudal states, where the foundations of various Taoist orthodoxies remained, coexisting rather harmoniously while often producing spiritual and fantastical stories that circulated widely and endured through time.


    However, this division of regions was merely superficial as many Taoist paths had already developed intricate connections. In every family, one could always find a few who worshipped Buddha though they did not follow the Taoist path, but countless more worshiped the Ancestral Dao Golden Body.


    Among the various Taoist paths, it seemed like each followed its course, but in reality, they were already entangled with each other, inseparable. It was very common to see people cultivating multiple Taoist paths.


    Humans are not plants; they are not divided by species or categories, nor divided clearly by the different paths they follow.


    ...


    ...


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Xi Ji''an found Chu Zheng and brought a questionnaire for Bai Nian.


    Bai Nian glanced at the questions and without the slightest hesitation, he picked up his pen and began writing vigorously, completing over ten thousand words in less than an hour.


    As the final stroke was placed, a momentary pause of the pen tip caused a layer of lustrous white light to emanate from the questionnaire, followed by an outburst of vast righteous Qi.


    Seeing this, Xi Ji''an''s eyes lit up. He stepped forward, picked up the questionnaire, and carefully scanned it over.


    "Good, good!"


    After a moment, he repeatedly praised it and looked up at Bai Nian, shaking his head slightly and sighing,


    Stay tuned for updates on empire


    "What a pity."


    Seeing this, Bai Nian became a bit anxious,


    "May I ask, Mr. Xi, what is lacking?"


    "The answers are very good, forming vast righteous Qi on their own, worthy of being model answers."


    Xi Ji''an put the questionnaire away and shook his head, "If we had met twenty years earlier, you would have already excelled and soared to great heights by now."


    Hearing this, Bai Nian breathed a sigh of relief and responded with a smile, "A sage once said, ''There is no limit to learning, and it is never too late to study.'' It is merely twenty years."


    Hearing this, Xi Ji''an turned his head toward Chu Zheng and said gravely,


    "Daoist Chu, I shall temporarily take this student under my wing. However, with my limited knowledge, I am afraid I can''t teach him for long. Once he shows some progress, I will recommend a better teacher for him. What do you think?"


    Chu Zheng didn''t reply directly and looked at Bai Nian, "Decide for yourself."


    Without hesitation, Bai Nian bowed deeply,


    "Student, greets Mr. Xi."


    ...


    ...


    After completing the initiation ceremony, Bai Nian formally entered Huanhua Academy, becoming an indoor disciple of Xi Ji''an.


    Chu Zheng, having nowhere else to go for the time being, stayed in the academy to quietly cultivate, and began extracting Immortal Qi from within Immortal Jade, then with the technique of Returning to the Origin, converted it into Primordial Qi.


    He was now in the Myriad Realms, where using Immortal Treasures was inconvenient as it was easy to be tracked and posed high risks. He needed to repair another Eighth Order Supreme Treasure for protection.


    In the past, on the battlefield outside the realm, he had collected many fragments, which could now be put to good use.


    After leaving the Immortal Alliance''s domain, the Incense Fire Willpower grew stronger day by day. A layer of Spiritual Light even wrapped around his Divine Soul, and his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.


    In just one year, his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation had advanced further, entering the Returning to Void Realm.


    Above Returning to Void was Dao Integration. After undergoing a hundred tribulations, one reaches the Heavenly Immortal.


    Compared to his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation, his progress in Immortal Path was even greater, reaching the peak of Tongxuan. The realm of Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm was within reach.


    Now residing in the Qingyun Realm, with no one overseeing the Heavenly Dao, undergoing Tribulation might cause a significant disturbance, so Chu Zheng dared not act rashly and planned to make some preparations.


    Most crucially, once he entered the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, his cultivation would have caught up with the Order of Repairers.


    Given his current Seventh Order Repairer level, he could no longer repair his body as unrestrictedly as before, effectively losing his strongest trump card.


    He had had this concern long ago. As his level as a Repairer increased, there wouldn''t be as many treasures available for repair, and advancing in level would not be as easy as before.


    This was quite the same as the journey of cultivation, which starts easy but becomes increasingly difficult. The farther one went, the greater the obstacles.


    During this year, Bai Nian''s progress had been even more remarkable. He had already made some achievements in the Confucian Path, and after a year immersed in studies, his vast righteous Qi had become even purer, now reaching Perfection.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs modification

 Chapter 257 Writing Letters, The Disappeared Heavenly Tribulation

    The moonlight outside the window was thick.Standing in the hall, Bai Nian hesitated for a moment and then said softly, "I don''t want to join the government, but I still wish to visit Yujing Divine Palace."


    That place was the pinnacle of the Da Li Dynasty, gathering scholars from all over, possessing true Sub-Saint literature and the legacy of sages.


    He was currently somewhat confused and unclear about the path before him and desired to see how his predecessors had walked it.


    "If you wish to go, then go," said Chu Zheng, indifferently waving his hand, "but wait for some more days. I have some matters to deal with recently."


    His cultivation was about to enter the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm. Currently, this was not territory of the Immortal Alliance, the Heavenly Dao lacked a representative, and he did not know if an Immortal Tribulation would descend.


    When the time came, he needed to find a secluded place to first undergo the Tribulation. After the Tribulation, he did not know what might happen; there would be many uncertain risks.


    "This trip will not trouble the Holy Master then," Bai Nian said earnestly. "I want to go by myself this time and think about my future path."


    Since his birth, he had stayed in Illusory Spirit City and later followed Chu Zheng, either in Taixuan Holy Land or within a Small World, never having truly measured the world on his own.


    Although this was not Cangyun, he still wished to go out on his own and personally travel through the vast Red Dust.


    The path must always be walked by oneself. He could not always depend on Chu Zheng, nor did Chu Zheng have reasons to always help him.


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s gaze slightly condensed and, after a moment of silence, he nodded, "Do what you wish."


    "Thank you for the care along the way," Bai Nian said as he sighed in relief and bowed in gratitude.


    "Since I promised to show you a way out, I naturally will fulfill it. Now that the path is under your feet, how you wish to walk it is your own affair."


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly and reminded, "No matter what happens, try as much as possible not to involve me, and never mention the Immortal Alliance. It will save you a lot of trouble."


    He never forced his own opinions to change someone''s decision.


    Because his opinions were not necessarily correct and the paths others need to take might not necessarily be wrong.


    Before an unpredictable future arrives, no one can truly grasp what is right or wrong.


    He himself had also walked many detours, though his cultivation had grown, he was not in a position to casually give directions to others.


    "Thank you for your reminder, Bai Nian will remember it."


    "In ten years, I will wait for you here."


    Chu Zheng nodded, "Then tell me the path you truly wish to take."


    "Understood."


    Bai Nian bowed, turned, and left with steps as light as the wind.


    He was already looking forward to the days ahead.


    Watching Bai Nian''s departing figure, Chu Zheng slowly closed his eyes, his mind already making plans.


    He would not stay in one place for too long. Over these ten years, he intended to travel around the Qingyun Realm, gather some resources, and then prepare to leave.


    There was so much he needed to do.


    At the very least, he needed to find a way to pass Taixuan''s news to Geng Yiyang, and then he wanted to meet Nie Longhu, paying a visit to fellow Qi Cultivators, Xi¨¢nxian and even Golden Immortals, to aid in his future path''s advancement.


    Having cultivated for not yet twenty years, he was already about to step into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, a speed beyond the imagination of typical cultivators.


    Yet, for all this, Chu Zheng was far from satisfied.


    Even if he surpassed the nine levels of Immortal Tribulation and became a True Immortal, in the face of powerhouses like Zhao Tingxian or even Shang Cangyun, he was still like an ant.


    If he wanted to visit Song Lingxue in the Martial Hall in an open and proper way, even reaching a cultivation like Shang Cangyun''s was far from enough. Chu Zheng could not wait for that step; he had to find another path through the Battlefield of All Heavens.


    That place bordered the Martial Hall, offering a chance to make contact.


    ¡­ sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­


    The next day.


    The morning light penetrated the window lattice, casting patches of mottled gold across the room.


    Footsteps sounded outside the door; Chu Zheng slowly ended his cultivation and exhaled a breath of fresh air.


    After entering the Returning to Void stage, his Primordial Spirit underwent a subtle transformation, the Yin Yang Divine Infant gradually transforming towards the Primordial Spirit. The Immortal Path and Qi-refining Technique began the real fusion inside his body.


    With each passing day, his sensations varied; cold at times and hot at others as the Yin Yang Dual Qi continuously circulated, intertwining strands of Chaotic Primordial Qi, ceaselessly strengthening his Primordial Spirit.


    Knock, knock¡ª


    The knocking sound came, followed by Xi Ji''an''s soft inquiry:


    "Daoist Chu, may I visit at this moment?"


    Chu Zheng raised his hand to beckon, opened the door, and rose from his bed to greet him: "Mr. Xi, what brings you?"


    "Bai Nian left this morning, do you know?"


    Bai Nian had left in a hurry, packing all night and then directly heading out with his book box.


    "I know."


    Chu Zheng definitely knew, even without actively releasing his Divine Sense to probe; every shift in the wind and grass of this small town reached his ears.


    "Daoist Chu, I have a favor to ask," Xi Ji''an seemed hesitant, pausing for a moment before taking out a long box from his sleeve and handing it to Chu Zheng: Explore more at empire


    "This item, I wish to return it to its original owner."


    Inside the box, naturally, was the Spirit Ginseng.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng did not reach out to take it, puzzled, "Mr. Xi, what do you mean? Has Bai Nian done something wrong?"


    "No, no," Xi Ji''an waved his hands repeatedly and then clenched his teeth, "I would like to ask you, Daoist Chu, to spare Bai Nian."


    "Spare him? Where does this come from?"


    Chu Zheng grew more puzzled. What had he done to Bai Nian? He had no recollection of any wrongdoing.


    "Bai Nian is a good kid," Xi Ji''an sighed softly and got straight to the point: "This child, with a heart pure and uninvolved in the court, unwilling to join the government, will probably not be able to help you much. I ask you, do not spend too much thought on him."

 Chapter 257 Writing Letters, The Disappeared Heavenly Tribulation_2

    ```After all, he had a heart that cherished talent and thus came to plea for leniency today.


    In his eyes, since Chu Zheng had gifted such a Spirit Ginseng and spent a year accompanying Bai Nian in this desolate small city, investing so much time and effort, he presumably held considerable expectations for Bai Nian.


    Had he known of Bai Nian''s lack of ambition, this Qi Cultivator would have likely been infuriated, possibly even turning hostile on the spot.


    Hearing of the Qi Cultivators'' unpredictability and unhesitating wrath, he was concerned that he might not be able to manage the situation, prompting his special plea.


    "I thought it would be some significant matter, Mr. Xi has misunderstood."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng shook his head:


    "Bai Nian already spoke to me about this last night, if he doesn''t wish to be an official, then he won''t be. After all, there are more paths in life than just officialdom, and besides, what he wishes to do has nothing to do with me, does it?"


    "That''s Bai Nian''s forfeit pay, please take it with peace of mind, Mr. Xi."


    After speaking, he pushed the long box back and casually took out a brocade box, tossing it over:


    "This covers our lodging for the past year. Thank you for your care during this time, Mr. Xi."


    Xi Ji''an caught the brocade box in a daze, Chu Zheng''s response left him somewhat flabbergasted. Coming to his senses and his complexion changing immediately, he said:


    "This mustn''t be! I''m by no means a famous teacher; I merely helped Bai Nian with his beginnings. The Spirit Ginseng is already a rare treasure, too much for me to accept, how can I take anything more from you?"


    As he spoke, Xi Ji''an attempted to return the brocade box; however, his body suddenly stiffened, unable to move the slightest bit.


    "Mr. Xi, don''t panic, the Binding Technique will release itself after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."


    Chu Zheng mentioned casually, glancing at the morning sun outside, made a quick calculation with his fingers, and shortly after, smiled faintly: S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The wind is clear, and the sky is bright; it''s an auspicious day for travel. With this, I take my leave."


    With the sound of those words, Chu Zheng''s figure was no longer in the room.


    Quickly, Xi Ji''an felt his body relax, the binding spell lifted, and he hastily opened the brocade box in his hands.


    Inside the box lay a Jade Pendant, luminous and transparent, with gentle water-light seemingly flowing within it. Capable of autonomously absorbing spirit to nourish the body, it would certainly bolster the health of scholars. Worn over a long period, it would undoubtedly bring great benefits.


    "This..."


    Looking at the Jade Pendant, Xi Ji''an was at a loss for words. He''d intended to return the Spirit Ginseng, yet he hadn''t expected to receive such a generous gift in return.


    Could it be that all Qi Cultivators were so lavishly generous?


    "Ah, what to do..."


    Xi Ji''an felt uneasy, unable to settle down. After contemplating for a while, he turned back to his room, walking to his desk and began to draw.


    A moment later, Bai Nian''s portrait appeared vividly on the paper, and then, he proceeded to write a letter.


    Rolling the letter and portrait together, he inserted them into a message tube, Xi Ji''an approached the window and beckoned to a strange bird, no longer than a foot, with three-colored spiritual feathers and bright, intelligent eyes.


    After Xi Ji''an secured the message tube, the bird took off, heading towards the Da Li Royal Capital, the Yujing Divine Palace.


    Having received two wondrous treasures from Chu Zheng, Xi Ji''an wouldn''t feel at ease without doing something in return. If Bai Nian truly went to Yujing, this letter should be able to help him with some minor troubles.


    After completing these tasks, Xi Ji''an finally felt a sense of relief. However, not long after, his expression changed.


    Bai Nian left in such a hurry, had he taken any provisions with him?


    Traveling to Yujing, through high mountains and long rivers, how would he manage if his purse was as empty as a whistle?


    Upon reflecting on this, Xi Ji''an reconsidered, uncertainly telling himself:


    Perhaps... Chu Zheng had already provided?


    Certainly, given Chu Zheng''s generous manner, it was unlikely he would not prepare these things for Bai Nian.


    ...


    ...


    Leaving Huanhua Academy, Chu Zheng searched the deep mountains and old forests, heading straight for the wilderness seldom trod by humans.


    ```


    He had already reached the pinnacle of the Tongxuan Realm, his cultivation was gradually becoming uncontrollable, and he was about to step into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm.


    Remaining within the academy any longer would inevitably lead to complications and endanger innocent people.


    Soon, Chu Zheng found a desolate area with mountains surrounding water, stretching tens of thousands of miles, all rugged and majestic peaks.


    He found a lofty peak and sat down cross-legged amidst the continuous snow and ice. He took a deep breath, swallowed a handful of Spirit Pills, his Five Elements Immortal Root within his Dantian stirred lightly, digesting the medicinal power, and began moving towards a brand-new domain.


    In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed.


    Within ten feet of where Chu Zheng sat, the snow had melted, grass grew, and flowers bloomed, as if spring had arrived.


    Ten days ago, he had already half-stepped into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, but he had not yet crossed over, and had been preparing all this time.


    Once he stepped into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, it meant that his cultivation had reached the Seventh Order. Currently, as a Repair Master, his own level was also only at the Seventh Order, and he could not infinitely repair his body. Therefore, for the sake of crossing the tribulation, he must make thorough preparations.


    Chu Zheng calmed his mind and spirit, adjusting himself to the ideal state before suddenly opening his eyes and looking up at the sky, his eyes filled with a cold hue.


    Crack¡ª


    With a light sound, the last barrier within him shattered.


    A stream of pure white Immortal Qi was born from the Five Elements Immortal Root, climbing up along his spine, passing through the Yin Yang Immortal Bone, before returning to the Dantian, transforming into pure Immortal Power.


    The birth of Immortal Power meant that Chu Zheng had completely stepped into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm.


    He took a deep breath and looked up at the clear sky, preparing for the arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation.


    Time passed, and more than half a day went by. The night grew darker, yet there was still no sign of any response in the sky.


    During this half-day, Chu Zheng''s Immortal Power within his Dantian had accumulated quite a bit, enough to unleash Immortal Techniques and Divine Skills, but the heavens above remained still.


    In an instant, the bright moon hung in the sky, and the stars adorned the night, utterly magnificent.


    Staring at the unchanging sky, Chu Zheng became lost in thought.


    Where was the Heavenly Tribulation?


    On second thought, he gradually noticed something amiss.


    His body indeed possessed Immortal Power, and there was no doubt that he had stepped into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, but he had not experienced the purification of the Heavenly Tribulation, and yet Immortal Power had emerged, seemingly defying normal conventions.


    Something was not right...


    In an instant, Chu Zheng''s expression changed, and with careful sensing, he suddenly realized that the aura of tribulation surrounding him had surged enormously, almost bursting forth, evolving into a tribulation.


    A flicker of enlightenment crossed his mind, and a sense of shock emerged.


    The Immortal Path and the Qi Refining Lineage had begun to intermingle within his body, something Chu Zheng had already noticed. However, he had never imagined that the two paths had already fused to such an extent.


    Previously, the Qi Refining Lineage, influenced by the Immortal Path, saw a rapid increase in cultivation. Now, the Immortal Path was similarly affected by the Qi-refining Technique, with the Heavenly Tribulation being erased, and instead, the Tribulation Qi had been accumulating.


    Heavenly Tribulation was essentially a test given by the Heavenly Dao to living creatures. In essence, it was no different from the tribulations faced by Qi Cultivators¡ªmerely a difference between natural disasters and man-made calamities.


    Now that the Heavenly Tribulation had disappeared, but the Tribulation Qi hadn''t, it had accumulated, transforming into his own tribulation.


    Chu Zheng''s complexion turned solemn. Rather than facing this tribulation, he would have preferred to cross the Heavenly Tribulation, as at least that was controllable. As for his own tribulation, other than embodying it, he didn''t know what other unexpected events it might trigger.


    With the amount of Tribulation Qi that had accumulated on him now, even if he embodied it, it would likely be too late, and it wouldn''t be long before troubles came knocking.


    After a while, Chu Zheng steadied his spirit and began searching through his accumulated possessions, looking for a new Protective Treasure.


    After a lengthy selection, Chu Zheng chose a fragment of a Supreme Treasure he had obtained from a battlefield beyond his realm.


    [Emperor Jade Wall (Eighth Order): Forged from Innate Spirit Jade from the Chaos, it includes major medical scriptures such as "Four Qi Regulation Scripture," "Yin Yang Wan Xiang Lun," etc. It was shattered during a great battle and can be repaired (/500)]


    Medicine''s study of the human body had reached the peak. The theory of Yin Yang harmony within it should also significantly benefit Chu Zheng''s cultivation.


    Explore more stories with empire


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be revised

 Chapter 258 The Astonishing Effects of Immortal Qi, Tribulations

    Staring at the myriad stars overhead, Chu Zheng momentarily lost himself in thought.The five hundred streams of Primordial Qi alone, not to mention the sheer energy required for extraction and transformation, demanded a great deal of precious resources.


    Luckily, Chu Zheng still had a considerable cache of Immortal Jade and various fragments, making these five hundred streams of Primordial Qi not overly difficult to manage, though they would take some time.


    The Emperor Jade Wall was an exceptionally rare Supreme Treasure, aiding not only in cultivation but also serving as a protective treasure.


    The Repair Master panel could no longer provide the support to Chu Zheng as it had before; he now needed a powerful Spiritual Object for protection.


    Moreover, the most crucial issue was that he had to deal with the Tribulation Qi within him.


    Enveloped by Tribulation Qi, Chu Zheng felt an impending sense of tribulation, bound to occur within several days, with natural or man-made disasters being unpredictable.


    With just a few days'' time, transforming and passing through the tribulation was already too late; he had no choice but to self-transcend.


    Considering everything, except for the first time, this tribulation represented his body''s first conscious preparation to face it.


    After some contemplation, Chu Zheng pulled up his status panel and scanned it.


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Early-stage Returning to Void, Immortal Path: Early-stage of Immortal Tribulation (Firstfold)]


    [Root Bone: Yin Yang Immortal Bone (Superior), Five Elements Spiritual Body]


    [Cultivation Technique: Eternal Calamity Treasure Record (Tenth Order), Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture (Eighth Order)...]


    [Divine Skills: Return to the Origin (Tenth Order), Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing (Ninth Order), Law of Heaven and Earth (Ninth Order), Shrinking Earth into Inches (Ninth Order), Heaven Returning Technique (Ninth Order), Samadhi True Fire (Ninth Order), Swallowing Stars (Ninth Order), Move Stars Change Constellations (Ninth Order), Heavenly Escaping Five Elements Technique (Eighth Order)...]


    [Talent: Spiritual Eye (Seventh Order), Soul Capturing (Seventh Order), Sky Roaming (Seventh Order), Soul Snatching (Seventh Order)]


    [Repair Master: Seventh Order (132/16000)] sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Remaining Repair Attempts for the Day: 5]


    [Currently Repairable: Emperor Jade Wall (0/500)]


    With his advancement in cultivation, his innate divine abilities had also strengthened.


    Looking at the panel, Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brow¡ªthe number of repair attempts had increased, a stabilizing factor of about three attempts since his arrival in this realm.


    Upon entering the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, the number of repair attempts had changed, increasing by two.


    After a pause, Chu Zheng took out the fragmented Jade Wall, extracted a strand of Primordial Qi, and used up one repair attempt.


    The next instant, his body trembled slightly; the Primordial Qi remained in his palm, but a substantial part of the immortal power transformed within his body was consumed.


    Watching this scene, Chu Zheng''s gaze instantly became sharp, just as he had long hypothesized¡ªthe existence of the Repair Master panel resembled a divine skill, which he could activate with his own power though it was limited.


    The relationship between him and the Repair Master panel had reversed; previously, the panel drew Spiritual Energy to aid him, but now, it required his own immortal power to activate the panel.


    The daily refreshed repair attempts were never a limitation, and should his cultivation become strong enough, he might discover even more profound uses.


    Calming his thoughts, Chu Zheng took out the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll, looking at the perennially empty jade pages, his brow slightly furrowed.


    Song Lingxue used to contact him once every two months without fail, but for the past half-year, Song Lingxue had not sent any messages, and the few messages he had sent were like stones sinking into the ocean, without any response.


    This situation inevitably worried him; the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll was made from his Golden Body material, and he would immediately know if it were damaged. Currently feeling nothing indicated the jade scroll was intact.


    If the jade scroll had simply been misplaced, that would be manageable, but he feared that something might have happened to Song Lingxue.


    According to previous communications, Song Lingxue should be cultivating in the Martial Hall, unlikely to encounter any trouble.


    Enjoy new tales from empire


    Perhaps she was just in closed-door cultivation and had not had the chance to reply yet...


    With a soft sigh, Chu Zheng put away the Jade Scroll, and with a thought, retrieved a strand of Immortal Qi extracted from the ruins.


    [Immortal Qi (Eighth Order): Medium for the transformation of living beings on the Immortal Path, extracted from the corpse bones of a True Immortal, can mildly accelerate the cultivation speed of cultivators in the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm and True Immortals, compensating for damage to objects of the Immortal Path.]


    Now that he had entered the Immortal Tribulation, he should be able to absorb this Immortal Qi.


    Chu Zheng drew a breath; the Immortal Qi flowed through his nostrils, circled around his mouth and tongue, and entered directly into his viscera and Dantian.


    A surge of immense immortal power erupted within his Dantian, instantly replenishing the previously depleted immortal power, then skyrocketing several times over.


    After a moment, Chu Zheng finally opened his eyes, feeling the surging immortal power within him, his gaze becoming increasingly intense.


    The effect of the Immortal Qi was indeed astonishing; one strand of Immortal Qi, setting aside external aids like Incense Fire Willpower and Spirit Pills, saved him at least twenty years of harsh cultivation, significantly boosting his level.


    It''s worth noting that his innate configuration was of Superior Immortal Bone and Five Elements Immortal Root, making his talents already far above ordinary people.


    Under normal circumstances, even without external influences and relying solely on self-cultivation, Chu Zheng could enter the realm of True Immortals in at most a thousand years.


    Now, with at most three more strands of Immortal Qi, he could enter the Secondfold of Immortal Tribulation without any signs of shaky foundation.


    Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing, true to its status as a Ninth Order Divine Skill, supplemented weaknesses and was gradually revealing its power.


    Yet, given the current situation, without resolving the tribulation, Chu Zheng did not dare to step beyond the bounds of the ritual.


    Moreover, whether extracting Immortal Qi or Primordial Qi, both were exceedingly time-consuming for him.

 Chapter 258 The Astonishing Effects of Immortal Qi, Calamity Number 2

    Chu Zheng had sat atop the mountain summit for the entire night, only using one session of restoration for his bodily protection; all the remaining sessions were dedicated to the repair of the Emperor Jade Wall.As dawn approached, he rose and descended the mountain, meandering towards the northeast direction of the Da Li Dynasty.


    Before the tribulation began, Qi Cultivators could do nothing but wait. Chu Zheng was also somewhat curious; currently in the Qingyun Realm with not a trace of karma, he wondered how the world would bring down this tribulation upon him.


    ...


    ...


    Among the rugged mountain paths, a figure staggered along the narrow trail.


    "Gurgle..."


    Bai Nian''s face contorted with discomfort as he tightened his belt another notch and wiped the thin sweat from his brow.


    Different from other paths, the Confucian Path could not achieve fasting until one''s cultivation reached a certain realm; food intake was still necessary.


    The bookcase he carried on his back had been traded for dry rations days ago.


    At this moment, he was regretting his hasty departure; he was unprepared for anything.


    Now in this desolate wilderness, with no villages in sight, no shops behind, where could he possibly find something to eat? There was nowhere even to beg.


    "Heaven, when about to place great responsibility on a man, must first frustrate his spirit and will, exhaust his muscles and bones..."


    The hunger in his stomach made Bai Nian dizzy, forcing him to recite the sage''s teachings to distract himself.


    Alas, the sage''s words could not fill an empty stomach.


    After a moment, he stopped chanting the sage''s sayings and sighed helplessly,


    "I did not wish to shoulder great responsibilities; spare me the torment of hardship..."


    Before he had finished speaking, several figures appeared on the narrow mountain path.


    Bai Nian''s eyes lit up, "Has the Saint shown his grace?!"


    As he saw people, his mouth began to water, and his heavy pace suddenly quickened; he ran towards them.


    As he drew closer and saw the faces of the men, Bai Nian''s smile vanished, and his face paled slightly.


    Five or six burly cultivators loitered by the roadside, some standing, some squatting, each brandishing weapons with a menacing aura, obviously not the benevolent sort.


    The group quickly noticed Bai Nian and called out impatiently as they caught sight of him,


    "We''ve waited so long, only for a penniless scholar to show up¡ªtruly bad luck."


    "He looks decent enough; tie him up, strip off his clothes and we can sell them in the city to get some drink money."


    "What if he''s a student from some academy and we provoke the Confucian School''s masters by doing this? Won''t we be inviting trouble?"


    "Screw it, tie him up first. With a mask and after we mute him, he''ll just be an unrecognizable hairless pig."


    For a moment, Bai Nian''s face stiffened, and he turned and bolted, lamenting his misfortune internally.


    It truly was like a leaky roof that found the company of continuous nighttime rain; my ancestors had indeed not lied to me!


    Just as he started to run, Bai Nian saw another figure coming into view, a conspicuous bald head reflecting light in the sunshine. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The approaching monk looked to be in his thirties, with a noble and virile face, standing over nine feet tall. His grey monk''s robes, with broad rust-colored borders, were unable to conceal his tightly coiled muscles.


    Just one look at him gave one a strong sense of security.


    Without any hesitation, Bai Nian immediately cried out,


    "Master, save me!"


    The pursuing cultivators simultaneously stopped in their tracks, exchanged glances, and turned to leave.


    This suddenly emerging monk had a terrifyingly strong presence they couldn''t possibly confront.


    "Om Amitabha."


    The monk intoned the Buddha''s name, and in a flash, appeared in the path of the group, hands clasped inside his sleeves, a bright Buddha''s light circling his palms, and pressed the men firmly against the earth. With a resounding voice as though he were Acala himself, he pronounced judgment,


    "The excessive greed in the donors'' hearts has given rise to anger; they must calm their minds through cultivation. Follow this poor monk on his journey, perform good deeds along the way, and perhaps some portion of your sins can be alleviated."


    Bai Nian watched, dumbfounded. After regaining his composure, he repeatedly bowed deeply in thanks, "Many thanks, Master, for your intervention. May I be so bold as to ask for your honored name?"


    "I am Fa Tan, unworthy of the title Master. Monks take compassion to heart, and when injustice is seen, we must help. Donor, you need not be so courteous."


    Having keen eyes, Fa Tan could see Bai Nian''s difficulties. Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out a flatbread and tossed it over,


    "This poor monk is on his way to Da Li to engage in philosophical debate and is preparing to visit the Yujing Divine Palace. If it is convenient, the young donor is welcome to accompany me on my journey."


    "Thank you, master, this happens to be on my way."


    Bai Nian would, of course, not refuse. He took a few bites of the large pancake and hee-heed with a smile.


    Having such a Buddha by his side, he should be able to save a lot of energy on the road ahead.


    ...


    Leaving the mountain range where he had been in seclusion, Chu Zheng headed northeast.


    To the northeast of Qingyun Realm lay a region of principalities, inheriting various Taoist Orthodoxies, creating an exceedingly complex situation.


    Chu Zheng was very interested in the cultivation methods and legacies of each Taoist Orthodoxy.


    At the same time, this place was also a microcosm of the Myriad Realms. By observing from the smaller scale, he should be able to discern the specific movements of each Taoist Orthodoxy within the Myriad Realms.


    The forces of the Myriad Realms were interwoven, with large and small worlds numbering far beyond ten thousand. It was always right to gain a general understanding first.


    If the Incense Fire Divine Path was not prevalent in this world, Chu Zheng wouldn''t even mind leaving behind some faith seeds of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.


    Stay connected with empire


    Incense Fire Willpower certainly had its drawbacks, but for the moment, it was an arm aiding his rapid elevation of Cultivation Realm.


    Now that he was able to refine Immortal Qi, once his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation advanced further, he should be able to refine the Primordial Qi for his use.


    By then, Chu Zheng might try to set aside some of the focus on the Spirit Path and seek a more secure path.


    He had grown accustomed to trial and error; taking detours was not terrible, as long as one could turn back in time and correct them.


    To avoid triggering a calamity, Chu Zheng bypassed all the cities and villages he could pass along the way. Crossing through endless wilderness, he soon left the Da Li Territory.


    The Tribulation Qi stored beside him was like the brimful ambrosia in the bowl¡ªjust a slight force, some shaking, and it would stir up completely.


    As he stepped through the spatial fissure once more, Chu Zheng saw a small village nestled deep in the mountains, isolated from the world with hundreds of households and no trace of humanity for a thousand miles.


    The setting sun poured golden light, casting a warm hue over heaven and earth. Wisps of cooking smoke rose from the village, and the faint sound of children''s laughter could be heard.


    Looking at the small village before him, Chu Zheng slightly furrowed his brows; he had specifically chosen a desolate wilderness, yet he still encountered people.


    However, given the distance, it was already within the territories of the principalities, and it was normal for there to be villages.


    Chu Zheng shook his head slightly, not dwelling on it any longer, then turned to leave.


    Before he could open a spatial gateway, a pungent stench suddenly blew in the wind, so foul that it made him somewhat uncomfortable.


    In a snap of a finger, Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense spread, covering a radius of a hundred thousand miles, quickly tracing the source.


    A black beast resembling a mastiff, more than twenty zhang in length, its body emanating black mist and covered in dark scales, fixated its gaze on the nearby village, with blood-red eyes.


    It looked more like a ferocious beast possessed by a demon than a magical beast.


    Nearby the beast stood a middle-aged cultivator in a black robe, his facial features gaunt and his body exuding an aura of malevolence.


    The situation couldn''t be clearer¡ªa vile and deviant practice of feeding human flesh and blood to little demons.


    The pair, both beast and man, were merely a hundred miles from Chu Zheng and seemed to have stayed for a while, their presence now carried by the wind.


    This middle-aged cultivator was at the Third Order Middle Stage, and the mastiff-like beast was just a Third Order little demon; to Chu Zheng, they were like roadside weeds, easily uprooted.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng''s eyebrows slightly furrowed¡ªwhat a coincidence?


    Magical beasts were causing trouble just as he happened to pass by.


    Why did it happen to be at that moment?


    As he pondered, the mastiff-like beast slowly approached the village.


    Chu Zheng glanced at the distant village¡ªthere was a choice of either saving it or not.


    Without much need to deliberate, he already had his decision.


    Abnormal occurrences signaled trouble; he had every reason to suspect that this man and beast were the catalysts for igniting his Tribulation Qi.


    Since there was no avoiding it...


    A fierce glint flashed in Chu Zheng''s eyes for a moment, and, turning into the wind, he was before the duo in the blink of an eye.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A gust of wind burst from the void as Chu Zheng casually delivered a palm strike, turning the mastiff into a mist of blood.


    In the next instant, he reached out and grabbed the middle-aged cultivator''s throat, hoisting him up, his eyes boiling with murderous intent:


    "I''ll ask you, where is your sect, and how many elders and disciples do you have?"

 Chapter 259 The Killing Calamity Begins

    The forest was shrouded in deathly silence, not a single bird or beast stirred.A dark glint flashed in Chu Zheng''s eyes as a vast wave of the Power of the Spirit and Soul surged forth, instantly shattering the middle-aged cultivator''s mental defenses.


    The disparity between their spirit strengths was as vast as the heavens, and the middle-aged cultivator had almost no power to resist; his expression became lost as he truthfully answered,


    "My Sect is more than a million miles from here, with over a thousand disciples, and thirty-nine Elders..."


    After carefully questioning him for a long while, Chu Zheng gleaned the basic information.


    This man was named He De, and his Sect, known as the Three Prisons Sect, possessed strength¡ªits strongest member was merely a Fifth Order, equivalent to the Immortal Divine Transformation Realm.


    The Three Prisons Sect, both high and low, practiced a branch of the Demon Control Dao, raising Mythical Beasts through Evil Techniques. It was indeed a side door left road that strayed from the mainstream, known for using the flesh and blood of mortals and Low Grade cultivators as fodder for the beasts¡ªit had plenty of adherents.


    After probing the background of the Sect behind this man, Chu Zheng once again fell into confusion.


    A Sect of this level couldn''t possibly pose any threat to him¡ªhe could obliterate it with a single slap; it clearly lacked the qualifications to be his calamity.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng began to doubt his earlier suspicions.


    Could it really be a coincidence?


    But that was almost too coincidental.


    After a brief pondering, Chu Zheng withdrew his Divine Sense and released his grasp.


    He De came back to his senses, gasping for air, and looked at Chu Zheng in front of him with terror-filled eyes. Without any hesitation, he knelt down and kowtowed:


    "I do not know wherein I have offended the esteemed senior; I hope you will show mercy and spare my insignificant life today!"


    Chu Zheng did not pay him any attention and spoke sternly, "Tell me, what reliance do you have that could give me a reason to spare you."


    If it truly were only the Three Prisons Sect, then it would be destroyed today¡ªafter all, it was just a matter of convenience.


    He De looked down, his eyes darting everywhere, thoughts racing through his mind. After a few breaths, he suddenly looked up and repeatedly said,


    "Senior, although I am of mediocre strength, my elder brother, He Yi, is under the Star Moon Sect, which is the Divine Mansion of the Yin Yang Family, a lineage of the Myriad Realms. With relatives and old friends throughout the Myriad Realms, sparing me today could be beneficial for you, senior."


    Hearing this, a realization flickered in Chu Zheng''s expression, and he nodded,


    "I did not expect you to have such a background. If that''s indeed the case, then it makes sense."


    To his knowledge, the Yin Yang Family was one of the hundreds of philosophies. It was said to carry the Taoist Orthodoxy passed down by the Ancient Heavenly Emperor, deeply studying the Five Elements and emphasizing the Unity of Heaven and Man. It had significant ties to the Taoist School, with many Cultivators in the School practicing the Yin Yang techniques.


    Throughout the Myriad Realms, the Yin Yang Family was extremely prominent, second only to Taoist and Buddhist practitioners and not weaker than the Confucianists.


    If He De possessed such connections, then indeed, he might have some capacity to be his calamity.


    Seeing a slight softening in Chu Zheng''s demeanor, He De''s eyes lit up, "If you can spare me this once for the sake of my brother''s thin connection, I will repay you generously in the future!"


    "There''s no need for the future; let''s settle our grievances today."


    Chu Zheng came back to his senses and spoke indifferently,


    "Send a message to your brother now. I will wait for him here. Besides your brother, if you can call others, you may invite them as well."


    He De suddenly looked bewildered, struggling to understand Chu Zheng''s intentions, and stammered, "What do you mean by that, senior?"


    "I want to see if your background is strong enough to save your life."


    Chu Zheng cracked a smile that did not reach his eyes, "You have one quarter of an hour."


    Trembling slightly, He De dared not delay; he took out a bunch of Communication Tokens, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably as he sent out messages one after another.


    At this moment, he racked his brains, recalling all the friends and relatives he could contact, including Sect Elders and even distant acquaintances, to send out pleas for help.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze shifted subtly the moment He De sent the messages, and the Tribulation Qi by his side finally showed a ripple, on the verge of bursting forth.


    A quarter of an hour passed in the blink of an eye; He De had sent out hundreds of Communication Tokens, nearly breaking under the tremendous pressure.


    He was simply going about his business, seeking food for his beasts, and could never have imagined encountering such an absurd situation.


    After the quarter hour had elapsed, Chu Zheng did not rush to kill He De. He glanced at a nearby village, channeled Divine Skills, and transformed the ground into a prison, setting up an Array.


    Clouds and mists rose in the mountains, concealing that section of the village; there might be a great battle soon, and this ordinary village could easily be affected.


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    "Are you killing me for these mortals?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watching Chu Zheng''s actions, a chill went down He De''s spine as he sensed great trouble ahead.


    He was not afraid of enmity born from profit disputes because so long as the price was high enough, he had a chance to save his life.


    What he truly feared were those self-righteous upholders of justice for whom he had no chance to beg mercy.


    "That''s not entirely the case." Chu Zheng shook his head slightly.


    He De felt a small relief, but before he could speak, Chu Zheng''s next words caused his heart to sink to the depths.


    "It''s just a coincidence, after all. If I encountered you somewhere else, I would slay you just the same."


    That stench of blood was simply too pungent, making one nauseated; he didn''t particularly care for it.


    "Senior..."


    He De forced a smile, his tight-lipped expression struggling to show a flicker of joy, hoping to struggle further, but Chu Zheng had already closed his eyes.


    Chu Zheng sat down cross-legged, silently adjusting his state. A Semi-Immortal Treasure would not leave an Immortal Charm, and he was also guarded by the Falling Star Bow, which should be sufficient to handle some trouble.


    The only thing to note was that the healing interface could no longer continuously replenish his mana, and in the face of a war of attrition, he no longer stood on invincible ground.

 Chapter 259 Slaughter Begins_2

    But destiny has its own course; unavoidable and inescapable, it''s better to provoke the tribulation actively rather than letting the Tribulation Qi intensify.In the blink of an eye, half a day had passed.


    Boom¡ª


    The air was pierced by several shrill shrieks, sound waves exploding in layers as several cultivators, controlling their Magic Artifacts, arrived and stopped right above the heads of Chu Zheng and another.


    "Mr. He!"


    Upon discerning the situation below, the group hesitated to act rashly, instinctively increasing the distance between themselves and Chu Zheng. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense swept over them, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes¡ªthe strongest among them was merely at the early stage of Fourth Order, too weak.


    His gaze settled on one of them, enshrouded in Blood Fiend, and according to the information from the Spiritual Eye, this person also originated from the Three Prisons Sect. The others had varied origins, likely having some connections with He De.


    After a brief contemplation, Chu Zheng remotely unleashed a Sword Aura, which flew through a thousand miles of void and instantaneously beheaded the person from the Three Prisons Sect, sending a surge of blood into the sky.


    The remaining individuals scattered like frightened birds at once.


    "Have you also come to save him?"


    Chu Zheng looked up into the sky at the few cultivators left in the distance, asking indifferently. His Returning to Void Realm aura was unmistakable and entirely unmasked.


    "Not at all, we were just passing by!"


    "I have merely crossed paths with He De; Elder, please don''t misunderstand!"


    One by one, they spoke, retreating even further without any hesitation, clearly dissociating themselves from He De.


    "If that''s not the case, then leave. Those who remain here after three breaths will die."


    He spoke nonchalantly and then closed his eyes again, refraining from further actions as he waited for He De''s brother.


    The remaining figures disappeared quickly, leaving no trace behind.


    While the blood still floating in the air had yet to cool, ups and downs resurfaced above the void.


    Several dark figures squeezed out of a spatial channel, a pungent scent of blood assaulting the senses.


    Chu Zheng glanced upward, slightly intrigued¡ªa Fifth Order Mythical Beast had arrived, already transformed into a demon, with a green face and ferocious fangs resembling a massive ape, with a broad back and body covered in pitch-black mane, and strong, muscular limbs.


    Beside the beast stood several cultivators in black robes, all from the Three Prisons Sect, with the leading figure appearing to be nearly sixty years old and at Fifth Order Cultivation, holding a significant position within the Three Prisons Sect.


    "Elder Gu, save me!"


    Seeing the elder, He De''s expression turned to one of excitement, as if seeing a lifeline, and he repeatedly cried out for help.


    Elder Gu, sensing Chu Zheng''s powerful aura, became solemn and did not dare to act rashly. After contemplating for a few moments, he slowly said:


    "Fellow Daoist, if my disciple has offended in any way, please speak frankly. If there has been any offense, we are willing to apologize on their behalf and offer compensation."


    While he spoke, he already had a plan in mind¡ªif this man demanded too much, they would have to abandon He De...


    Before he could further ponder the situation, Chu Zheng, who was seated on the ground, suddenly opened his mouth to inhale sharply, concentrating his Vitality, Qi, and Spirit into a single line within a moment. From his Primordial Spirit, a fierce Qi surged, filling his lungs and heart.


    The next instant, he opened his mouth and violently exhaled a tri-colored mystical light that surged from his throat. Upon contact with the air, the mystical light instantly transformed into Spirit Flame, igniting the void and directly targeting the group of cultivators from the Three Prisons Sect.


    Elder Gu''s complexion drastically changed, and he repeatedly emitted sharp cries, activating some Command Spell.


    The pitch-black Ape Demon suddenly became frenzied, grew in size, and its mane stood erect, emitting a dark metallic glow that shielded the Three Prisons Sect cultivators behind it.


    Concurrently, Elder Gu attempted to open a spatial channel to escape, but his expression changed in an instant.


    The surrounding void had been completely severed; the space was thoroughly sealed, leaving no way to traverse through space.


    Roar¡ª


    The Ape Demon managed only to resist for a moment before letting out an agonizing howl, its body enwrapped by the Three-colored Spiritual Flames and turned instantly into smoke.


    Soul and body were incinerated thoroughly, leaving no trace behind.


    After devouring the Ape Demon, the Three-colored Spiritual Flames blazed even fiercer.


    "Fellow Daoist, please show mercy!"


    Elder Gu cried out repeatedly, but received no response.


    The Three-colored Spiritual Flames spread across the sky, casting a glaze-like light, and in an instant, incinerated all the cultivators present.


    After a few moments, the space was filled with floating vestment robes and Storage Magic Treasures, which Chu Zheng collected with a wave of his hand.


    Simultaneously, he reached out and called back the Samadhi True Fire from the air, swallowing it into his stomach, bringing back a pure stream of Qi.


    The Samadhi True Fire, a strange flame forged from the fusion of Vitality, Qi, and Spirit, incinerates the Primordial Spirit and body without harming inanimate objects.


    If a Magic Artifact contained a True Spirit, the True Spirit would also be refined, reverted to a mere mortal weapon.


    This was a Great Divine Power, effortlessly wielded only after achieving Perfect Refinement and stepping into the Returning to Void Realm.


    Watching this spectacle, He De was momentarily stunned, his heart feeling as if it had turned to ashes.


    Chu Zheng did not consider his thoughts and continued to wait for his prey.


    Sunset arrived in the blink of an eye.


    After Elder Gu, only one group of people came, just glanced from afar, then directly avoided, not even speaking to Chu Zheng.


    More than a hundred messages were sent, and altogether three groups of people came, totaling merely more than ten individuals.


    The extent of He De''s usual popularity was evident.


    "Where is your brother?"


    As night fell, Chu Zheng grew impatient. This area was only so big; no matter how much one hurried, they should have arrived.


    The Tribulation Qi seemed to be both present and absent, which truly made him uncomfortable.


    "My brother and I have severed our ties long ago and no longer contact each other. He will not come."


    Knowing that there was little chance of survival today, He De snorted softly, no longer pleading, his expression indifferent:


    "If you want to kill, then kill."


    Before his words fell, a figure stealthily approached under the moonlight.


    "Why did you come here?"


    Seeing the face of the visitor, He De''s eyes showed a trace of panic, bloodshot: "Go back!"


    Chu Zheng glanced over, and it was a youth about thirteen or fourteen years old, bearing a slight resemblance to He De.


    However, the path this youth walked was completely different from He De''s. The aura of mana in him was very clean, harmoniously aligning with the principles of the Five Elements, filled with the essence of Yin and Yang.


    But his cultivation was weak, only Second Order.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered, as if weighing options.


    If this youth was spared, he would be nurturing a tiger that could become troublesome in the future, possibly achieving something significant.


    But suddenly, he remembered what Nie Longhu had once told him, that at the appropriate time, one should leave some threads of karma, which might be useful in the future.


    Chu Zheng glanced at He De not far away, covered his eyes with his hand, then knocked the youth unconscious and directly took him into the Small World.


    When He De''s eyes opened again, the youth''s figure was gone. For a moment, his heart agonized intensely, he cursed harshly:


    "You shall live a lonely and old life, all your relatives and friends will die before your eyes, even with the power to overturn the heavens, it would be of no use..."


    Pfft!


    Chu Zheng did not wait for He De to finish cursing, and casually pressed him to death.


    The instant He De died, the Tribulation Qi beside Chu Zheng explosively reacted, intensely stirring, beginning to evolve into a killing tribulation.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng could not help but be surprised.


    After a full circle, it seemed he returned to the starting point. Had he known it would be like this, he wouldn''t have bothered.


    ...


    ... Continue reading stories on empire


    The Battlefield of All Heavens.


    The verdant Stars, quietly suspended in the Array, faintly diffusing a hint of blood.


    Between the rugged, continuous volcanoes, at the edge of the boiling Magma Lake Sea.


    Half-cooled lava suddenly bulged a large bubble, then burst fiercely, from which a figure emerged.


    Wearing reddish-brown scaled armor, with long hair over the shoulders, covered in blood, at a glance, appearing somewhat pitiful.


    Ignoring the burns on her body, Song Lingxue carefully wiped the Jade Book cradled in her arms, seeing it faintly glow, rows of words were moving on it, and she couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    Long ago, she passed by this place and engaged in a battle with a group of Otherkind living in the Magma Lake Sea.


    During the skirmish, she was swallowed by an Otherkind. Although she barely survived, the Jade Book she carried was lost.


    During this period, she stayed here, spending nearly a year, slicing open Otherkind after Otherkind, today she finally found the Jade Book back.


    Fortunately, it was not damaged...


    Song Lingxue felt somewhat relieved; fortunately, her cultivation was sufficient, otherwise, had she delayed further, more accidents might have occurred.


    During this period, her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, already reaching Perfect Core Formation, which was inseparably linked to the heritage she received before.


    She obtained the entire heritage of the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier, including the complete "Xuan Tian Scripture", "Xuan Tian Seal" Nine Divine Abilities, and other numerous divine skills such as Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, Xuan Yue Slash, Seven Steps Aura, Xuanwu True Body, and Spirit Gathering Spell.


    The Martial God who engraved the Xuan Tian Martial Barrier had extremely high talent in the Martial Path, reaching the realm of Perfect Martial God. Being trapped in this realm, it was likely more to do with the environmental conditions of the Cangyun Realm; otherwise, his achievements wouldn''t have stopped here.


    The Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique alone provided immense aid to Song Lingxue, allowing her to consume Otherkind for nourishment.


    On her, Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique had exerted its true power. Over the years, she continuously absorbed the essence of flesh and blood, cultivating a terrifying body, her divine strength capable of capturing dragons, and protected by a Blood Fiend.

 Chapter 260 Annihilation, Yin Yang Family

    The Martial Path inherently requires the absorption of flesh and blood for nourishment, yet the Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique undoubtedly utilizes the vital essence of flesh and blood to its utmost limit.Song Lingxue''s physical strength had already far surpassed that of an ordinary Martial Cultivator.


    She could faintly sense that this Divine Skill was far from reaching its limit; with the nourishment of a great amount of vital essence from flesh and blood, her Root Bone seemed to be subtly transforming, making her Martial Path cultivation increasingly smooth.


    In this process, the accumulated Blood Fiend became her strongest means of protection and survival, transforming unpredictably and offering both offense and defense, far superior to Divine Weapons.


    With Song Lingxue''s current Martial Dao Third Realm Perfection Cultivation, ordinary Fourth Order Otherkind would not last three rounds against her.


    Once she stepped into the Martial Dao Fourth Realm Gathering Spirit, stimulating the Divine Orifice within her body, she could even go further and attempt to contend with a Fifth Order Otherkind.


    Upon this star, the strongest Otherkind was merely at the initial stage of the Sixth Order. Now, with close to ten years left, completing this Blood Trial and joining the Martial Hall was no longer an illusory dream.


    Having read through the letters Chu Zheng had sent during this time, Song Lingxue hesitated slightly before replying with one, simply assuring her safety. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The letter only mentioned that she had been in retreat recently, without referring to anything else.


    The ceaseless life-and-death battles had placed an exceedingly heavy burden on her body, especially the immense strain on the heart caused by the surging Blood Qi in life-threatening moments, often making her feel as though she couldn''t catch her breath.


    But these, she did not wish to tell Chu Zheng.


    She only knew that Chu Zheng was in the Myriad Realms, not aware of the exact situation, just as Chu Zheng did not understand her current circumstances.


    Separated by the starry sea, even if there were troubles, they were beyond reach. Complaining, aside from unsettling the other person, was pointless.


    "Myriad Realms..."


    Song Lingxue caressed the Jade Book, muttering under her breath.


    The Myriad Realms were even more distant than the Immortal Alliance, yet very close to All Heavens.


    Given the current identities and standings of the two, her desire to meet Chu Zheng seemed the most feasible through the battlefield that connected All Heavens and Myriad Realms. Continue your adventure at empire


    After a long moment, Song Lingxue shook her head, no longer dwelling on it, and after securely storing the Jade Book, she promptly left the stretch of continuous volcanoes.


    She still needed to seek more powerful Otherkind flesh and blood to aid her in advancing to the next level.


    Initially, Xie Xingzhong had informed her that there were seventeen years available, but she did not wish to wait that long.


    The sooner she completed the Blood Trial, the better her evaluation in the eyes of the Martial Hall''s higher-ups would be, impacting the resources she would receive in the future.


    This was something she could fight for herself.


    The premise for receiving cultivation was to show one''s potential to bear fruits.


    ...


    ...


    Qingyun Realm.


    Northeast Territory.


    The brilliant sun hung high in the sky, its divine radiance dazzlingly brilliant, overshadowing the stars.


    Between the chain of mountains, Chu Zheng sat cross-legged at the summit, not far in front of him, stood a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy.


    Chu Zheng had already ascertained the identity of this boy¡ªhe was the son of He De, named He Yunjin.


    Though father and son, they were not from the Three Prisons Sect but instead belonged to the Star Moon Sect, practicing the legitimate Yin Yang Sutra and Five Elements Technique.


    It was contrary to common sense that father and son shared blood relations, yet their cultivation paths were so markedly divergent.


    He Yunjin hung his head low, his hands clenched into fists at his side, clearly in a state of inner turmoil.


    "You have committed no wrong, so today I will not kill you and spare your life," Chu Zheng weighed his options and decided to leave this thread of karma intact.


    "You will not kill me?"


    He Yunjin abruptly looked up, his eyes bloodshot with incomprehension.


    "''Spare the son after killing the father, cutting the grass without removing the roots, what is the meaning?"


    The boy''s reaction left Chu Zheng somewhat puzzled, wondering whether it was out of a desire to prolong his own life that he had stayed to ask such a question.


    "I am called Chu Zheng. If you wish to seek revenge, you are welcome to find me at any time."


    At this point, Chu Zheng paused and continued, "However, you only have one chance. If you come seeking revenge and your Cultivation is insufficient and your skills are not refined, I will send you to join your father."


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng nonchalantly waved his hand: "Go."


    Previously, he would not have let He Yunjin go to prevent future troubles, but now, it was no longer necessary.


    Or rather, he was somewhat looking forward to He Yunjin actually growing strong enough to become a challenge to him.


    The disappearance of the Heavenly Tribulation was not a good thing for him.


    As a dual path cultivator, his burden of Tribulation Qi was heavier than that of ordinary Qi Cultivators, and he needed some trials to lighten his own Tribulation Qi.


    Burying some threads of karma could be useful in the future.


    The only thing he was mildly concerned about was whether He Yunjin''s cultivation speed could keep up with him.


    It was possible that this thread of karma might break before it could be used, unknowingly severed at some unexpected moment.


    He Yunjin didn''t say anything further; he took a deep look at Chu Zheng, seemingly engraving his image deep into his Divine Soul, and after a long while, he turned and left.


    Chu Zheng closed his eyes, sensing the surging Tribulation Qi around him. The killing Tribulation had begun, and within at most a day, trouble would come knocking.


    It must be on account of He De''s death. The identity of the approaching person was not yet clear.


    After a moment of contemplation, Chu Zheng abruptly stood up and tore a space tunnel open.


    In just over a dozen breaths, he was already standing before an Ancient Peak millions of miles away.


    Engraved on the cliff were the words "Three Prisons," below which were three totemic images, symbolizing the human prison, earth prison, and heaven prison¡ªthe three cages.


    The cultivation ethos of the Three Prisons Sect was to break free from the three prisons and achieve transcendence, allegedly the true meaning handed down from some ancient Taoist Orthodoxy.

 Chapter 260 Annihilation, Yin Yang Family_2

    However, since most of the scrolls had been lost, what remained was only a shadow of their former selves, devoid of any true essence.At the peak, pavilions and towers stood erect, not far from a square with two pitch-black Coiled Dragon Pillars supporting a horizontal beam, which held up a large bronze bell.


    Behind the Ancient Peak, there was a plain artificially carved out, stretching for hundreds of miles, surrounded by Arrays, serving as a Sect residence.


    This place was the Three Prisons Sect.


    As soon as he arrived, Chu Zheng noticed the stench of blood on the wind. On one side of the plain, there was a ranch, half-hidden among the mountains, which bred a large number of Otherkind of low grade; obviously, these were used as feed for the Beast Demons.


    Although the Myriad Heavens and Realms stood on the same front, Otherkind were ultimately Otherkind; feeding on humans, breeding Otherkind was a taboo in the Qingyun Realm and not something that could be discussed openly.


    The air was thick with the stench of blood, making Chu Zheng somewhat uncomfortable.


    He did not hide his presence, and it wasn''t long before some Cultivators spotted him.


    Two black-clad disciples approached on controlled tools and inquired,


    "What brings you here, sir?"


    Their tone was still somewhat polite.


    "My name is Chu Zheng."


    Chu Zheng relaxed his slightly furrowed brow and flashed a smile,


    "I''m here today to annihilate your sect."


    He did not wish to investigate whether the misfortune of the Three Prisons Sect was connected to his fate. To prevent further complications, he decided to take matters into his own hands and eradicate them first.


    Such a Taoist orthodoxy was a bane upon the world if left to exist. It was better to go with the flow and do a good deed.


    The faces of the two black-clad Cultivators changed instantly, and instead of attacking Chu Zheng, they turned tail and fled frantically toward the depths of the Sect.


    Coming here alone and still daring to make such outrageous statements, whether or not this man had the ability to ''annihilate the sect,'' he was certainly not someone two minor Sect guardians could handle.


    Chu Zheng did not rush to take action, watching the two return to the summit of the Ancient Peak, where they struck the large bronze bell.


    Dong... Dong... Dong...


    The bell rang out nine times; its echo lingered on.


    From what he learned about the Three Prisons Sect and its Cultivators from Elder Gu and other remnants, Chu Zheng gained some understanding of the sect.


    Nine bell tolls meant the Sect faced tremendous trouble, with foreign enemies at its door.


    Twelve bell tolls signified the disaster of annihilation.


    Obviously, those two disciples still harbored doubts about Chu Zheng''s strength.


    The moment the bell sounded, the Arrays enveloping the area soared into the sky, coalescing into a light curtain, blocking Chu Zheng''s path.


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained calm; his Nine Orifices Golden Core within rotated slightly as Yuan Qi surged wildly, and with a single step, his form began to expand rapidly.


    Great Divine Power, Law of Heaven and Earth.


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng''s form towered over the Ancient Peak in front of the Three Prisons Sect. In just a few moments, the thousand-zhang Ancient Peak barely reached his waist, appearing somewhat delicate in comparison.


    As his body expanded, Chu Zheng''s face changed slightly, becoming blurred as if shrouded in mist, revealing a ghostly visage with green fangs and fierce features.


    Law of Heaven and Earth was the mimicry of the mysteries of heaven and earth, transforming oneself into heaven. The faces it revealed inherently carried divine authority.


    This was the external manifestation of Divine Skills, not just a simple change in form. With each moment, Chu Zheng''s Yuan Qi was violently consumed, but in return, the Qi Strength he could wield within his body skyrocketed by more than a hundredfold.


    Chu Zheng moved slightly, raising his hand and slamming it down. In the sky above, the space cracked open like a spider web.


    The enormous palm swept through the void, carrying a momentum that, though it seemed slow, came with the urgency of rolling thunder. It crashed heavily upon the Formation Light Curtain.


    Crack¡ª


    The rising Formation Light Curtain could not even last for a moment before it was shattered by a single palm strike. The torn Formation Patterns scattered everywhere, emitting trails of brilliant colors.


    As his palm neared the Ancient Peak, Chu Zheng halted his hand, pointing a fingertip toward the Ancient Bronze Bell and flicking it lightly.


    Dong¡­


    Dong¡­


    Dong!


    Three consecutive bell tolls, added to the previous nine, totaled twelve.


    Only then did the members of the Three Prisons Sect seem to truly react. Countless figures rose up into the sky, led by more than a dozen Otherkind, charging towards Chu Zheng.


    Among them, Chu Zheng spotted a Godhorse that had just entered the Sixth Order, with four wings growing behind its back, pitch black as if forged from dark iron, leaving black hoof prints in the void, commanding great awe.


    Looking at the multitude of Cultivators rushing in like a swarm of ants, Chu Zheng remained untroubled, lifting his hand for a sweeping strike.


    The sounds of wind and thunder rose again, large swathes of the void suddenly collapsed, compressed into fragments.


    The charging pitch-black Divine Horse, caught in the forefront, burst with blood. In the sky, it exploded into a mist of blood, instantly flattened into a patty.


    The more than ten cultivators beside him were struck by the force of the palm print, bursting into pieces and dying one after another.


    After a single palm strike, Chu Zheng was somewhat out of breath. Law of Heaven and Earth, after all, is a great divine power, and pushing it to its limit had greatly drained him.


    In just those dozen or so breaths, the Yuan Qi within his Golden Core had nearly run dry, with no repair panel to continue.


    Chu Zheng''s thoughts stirred slightly, and the immortal power from his lower Dantian flowed throughout his body, replacing the Yuan Qi and sustaining his Dharma Phase.


    Now, the immortal power could also activate Qi-Refining Divine Abilities. These two Taoist orthodoxies were fusing more and deeper inside Chu Zheng''s body.


    This was even more so after he had stepped into the Immortal Tribulation!


    With the support of immortal power, Chu Zheng''s breathing returned to normal, and he suddenly lifted his leg and kicked the Ancient Peak inscribed with the Three Prisons Totem.


    Boom¡ª


    The whole Ancient Peak rose from the ground and collided with the many approaching cultivators.


    Pupu pupu¡ª


    A series of muffled sounds followed, and the Ancient Peak became bloodied, with limbs and flesh flying everywhere.


    The Ancient Peak flew less than ten thousand zhang before it thunderously collapsed, bringing down most of the Three Prisons Sect''s residence like a mountain collapsing.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, and a divine light shone from his mouth. In the next instant, the Samadhi True Fire poured out of his throat, covering the sky.


    The blaze obscured the heavens, the light of the great sun was hidden, and the world was filled with three-colored spiritual light.


    In a flash, the Samadhi True Fire engulfed the Three Prisons Sect''s residence, including the pasture, leaving no survivors.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng took a deep breath, withdrew the Samadhi True Fire, and then, after a while, exhaled a clear breath.


    The breeze swept through the world, and in an instant, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged by a hundredfold. The Ancient Peak, cleansed by the Samadhi True Fire, sprouted many spiritual grasses and immortal blossoms.


    Chu Zheng did not absorb the essence Qi transformed from the flesh and blood; he returned it to the heavens and earth. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This essence Qi was impure, too tainted with malevolence, which would sully his Golden Core and contaminate the single breath of purity discussed among Qi Cultivators.


    His Divine Sense swept through heaven and earth and, having confirmed there were no survivors, Chu Zheng finally withdrew his Dharma Phase, took a Spirit Pill, and began to recuperate. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    Even though he still had repair attempts left, he decided to save them for emergencies.


    In an instant, the sky turned to dusk, and the Yuan Qi and immortal power within Chu Zheng''s body had recovered nearly ninety percent.


    After slowly ending his practice, Chu Zheng prepared to leave.


    "Stop right there."


    Just as he was about to move, a whisper came from the void, and a figure emerged.


    [He Yi (Sixth Order): Inner Sect Elder of the Star Moon Sect, five hundred and forty-two years of bone age, specializes in Yin Yang Heaven-Extending Scripture, with a secondary focus on Nurturing Artifacts.]


    Chu Zheng withdrew the spiritual light from his eyes, contemplating.


    The Nurturing Artifacts path was another branch of the cultivation path, using all of one''s mana and Essence Blood to feed an artifact. Compared to the Lifebound Immortal Treasure of the Immortal Path, it was more extreme, placing everything into a single weapon.


    Chu Zheng did not answer his question but responded with a faint smile and a counter-question,


    "If it were you, would you not remove the roots when cutting the grass?"


    "Was it you who killed He De? Have you seen He Yunjin?"


    He Yi questioned with a cold voice, clad in a black and white Taoist robe, his pupils swirling with Yin Yang Dual Qi, mysteriously revealing themselves.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze flickered slightly, a touch of amusement surfacing in his heart.


    He Yi''s first question upon meeting was not concern for He De, but for his nephew; this significance made him think of many things.


    Chu Zheng did not answer his question, instead responded with a faint smile and a counter-question,


    "If it were you, would you not remove the roots when cutting the grass?"


    "Was it you who killed He De? Have you seen He Yunjin?"


    He Yi questioned with a cold voice, clad in a black and white Taoist robe, and his pupils swirled mysteriously with Yin Yang Dual Qi.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze flickered slightly, amusement brimming in his heart.


    He Yi''s first question upon meeting was not concern for He De, but for his nephew; this significance inevitably led him to think of many things.


    "He did not cultivate the evil path; his nature was pure and good. Why did you kill him?!"


    "Return my son''s life!"


    Buzz¡ª


    A five-colored profound light shone in the sky.


    "Let me ask you, where is He Yunjin?"

 Chapter 261 Nurturing Artifacts, Five Elements Sword Formation

    He Yi''s pupils were filled with rage, nearly deranged, as he attacked without any reservation.The five-colored profound light covered the sky, and in its cycles, Yin Yang Dual Qi emerged, forming countless magic treasures and weapons, aggressively pressing towards Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng had no interest in exploring the blood relationship between He Yi and the others at this moment. The Tribulation Qi surging beside him was enough to prove that He Yi''s fate was intertwined with his.


    The only thing that puzzled him was how, with He Yi''s cultivation, he could manage to harm him.


    He had entered the Immortal Tribulation. Apart from the Falling Star Bow and a set of Semi-Immortal Treasure Armor for protection, he had no other handy magical treasures, yet he was an entire major realm higher than He Yi.


    With such a vast gap in cultivation, suppressing He Yi would be as effortless as blowing off dust.


    With a bit of caution, Chu Zheng did not act rashly. The Five Elements Qi circulated within his body, and Yin Yang Dual Qi emanated from his Primordial Spirit, rubbing together to produce a strand of lightning.


    Bang¡ª


    The dazzling thunder slashed across the sky, tearing through the five-colored profound light with a loud rumble that echoed throughout the land.


    The magic treasures and weapons formed by the Yin Yang Dual Qi crumbled instantly under the fierce thunder, clearing the heavens and earth in a flash.


    "Thunder Method? Are you a Qi Culturator?!"


    He Yi''s palm went numb as he staggered back several steps, his heart violently shaking, halting his actions, somewhat hesitant for a moment.


    Qi Cultivators from the Taoist School, within the Qingyun Realm, were considered a somewhat mysterious existence. Many Daoist Sects had avoided the world, not seen in public for a long time. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    Though there were few Qi Culturators, behind each one, there might be an old master close to the end of their lifespan.


    Those Qi Culturators old enough to have founded sects generally had cultivation profound enough to manipulate the natural world, if not Mysterious Immortal, then at least at the level of a Celestial Immortal.


    Qi Culturators were always protective; when they acted, they eradicated completely. If he attacked this person and provoked revenge, it could even bring great disaster to his sect behind him.


    Seeing He Yi standing still for a long time without moving, Chu Zheng frowned slightly, "Why have you stopped?"


    He Yi came to his senses, staring at Chu Zheng, recalling He Yunjin, his pupils once again covered with blood.


    A father''s duty is to avenge his son. Even if it risked his own Dao, he must slay this man today!


    Hum¡ª


    In the void, a sword cry sounded, and five spiritual lights flew out from He Yi''s Dantian, turning into five spirit swords.


    In an instant, sword Qi flooded like clouds and rain, interweaving into an extensive sword array that slowly formed a spatial cage.


    Chu Zheng''s pupils flickered with a hint of spiritual light, seeing through the reality and illusion of the sword array, somewhat surprised for a moment. The Five Elements Sword Formation used by He Yi shared a clever resemblance to the sword array he had used before.


    But... speaking of that, wanting to harm him still fell short by a lot.


    He possessed a Five Elements Spiritual Body, and within his Dantian lay the Five Elements Immortal Root; his understanding of the Five Elements far surpassed He Yi¡ªthis kind of sword array was full of loopholes in his eyes.


    Even if Chu Zheng lacked these advantages, simply using the common techniques of a Qi Cultivator would not take much effort to break this sword array.


    The techniques of the Yin Yang Family had too many similarities with the Daoist Sect, originating from the same source, inseparable from the logic of mutual generation and overcoming among the Five Elements.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes grew slightly cold. If He Yi had no other techniques to use, it was time to end this farce.


    At this moment, he felt somewhat disappointed, originally hoping for a decisive battle. Now, it looked as if even if he killed He Yi, it would hardly alleviate the destined tribulation.


    Within a few breaths, the Five Elements Sword Array was fully formed. Chu Zheng stood beneath it, completely unmoved, surrounded by a five-colored profound light, raising his hand to point.


    A dazzling immortal essence shot out, splitting into five, instantly piercing through the descending Five Elements Sword Array. The internal cycle of the Five Elements generating and overcoming was directly severed.


    The interwoven sword Qi suddenly collapsed, and the five spirit swords buzzed tremulously, recoiling back.


    He Yi''s expression turned slightly frantic, as if at a loss, subconsciously retreating.


    Chu Zheng''s brow slightly furrowed as he pressed forward, his spiritual perception pausing slightly, subtly sensing something was not right.


    A moment later, he had closed to within less than ten yards of He Yi, within arm''s reach.


    The panic on He Yi''s face disappeared, his eyes flashed with resolution, and his body suddenly ignited with blood flames. His filled body nearly instantly desiccated, the Niwan Palace in his brow flashed brilliantly, revealing a blood-colored flying dagger.


    Sizz¡ª


    A barely perceptible soft sound whistled through the air. The moment the flying dagger emerged, it vanished into the void, and almost simultaneously appeared in front of Chu Zheng''s brow, far faster than thousands of bolts of lightning!


    Thud!


    Even though Chu Zheng had anticipated it, at such a close distance, he still couldn''t react in time. His head only moved an inch, still getting pierced by the flying dagger.


    The frontal bone was penetrated, and the skull was split open on one side, the flying dagger pressing straight towards the Sea of Consciousness, emitting a blood-colored blade light, instantly slashing Chu Zheng''s Primordial Spirit.


    The material of the flying dagger was extremely special, not ordinary iron, wrapped with intense Yang Qi, possessing tremendous lethality against the divine soul.


    With the Primordial Spirit injured, severe pain swept over him. Even for someone like Chu Zheng, who was used to enduring torture, his thoughts scattered in disarray, almost beyond his control.


    After the strike, He Yi fell from the sky, his essence blood completely depleted, barely breathing, yet his eyes were startlingly bright, staring intently at Chu Zheng floating in the air, filled with satisfaction.


    The Nurturing Artifacts technique, using all his essence blood as a sacrifice to nurture a supreme spirit weapon, was indeed his last resort! sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although after the strike, he was almost burnt out, he could ensure that the wound inflicted by his dagger, even if this person had many more techniques, would not escape this disaster.


    Even if by some fluke he survived, he would still fall into a state of confusion for life.


    Suspended in midair, Chu Zheng struggled to gather his wits, pulling up the panel, and using up all of today''s repair chances.


    Compared to ordinary cultivators, his Primordial Spirit was inherently divided into the Two Sides of Yin and Yang. Although the Yang Qi on this flying dagger caused him significant injury, it was still not enough to make him fall into idiocy.


    For an ordinary cultivator in the early stages of the Immortal Tribulation, being hit by this dagger without a Supreme Treasure to protect the Primordial Spirit would undoubtedly mean death.


    The intense pain deep within the Primordial Spirit was soon soothed, but due to the heavy injury, merely six repairs were not enough to return Chu Zheng to his peak condition, residual pain still lingering.


    Chu Zheng glanced at He Yi on the ground, his eyes flickering with light. He Yi, knowing he was a Qi Cultivator, still chose to confront him with the Five Elements Sword Array, which was really just a distraction to make him let his guard down, before pulling out this last-ditch trump card.


    Indeed, it had an effect.


    In the urgency of the moment, if it wasn''t for his keen spiritual perception sensing something amiss, the injury would have been much more serious, even to the extent of losing his normal consciousness.


    Having suffered this strike, the tribulation aura surrounding him had significantly calmed. This tribulation had finally passed.


    Quickly, Chu Zheng steadied himself and raised his hand to capture the flying dagger that had pierced his primordial spirit.


    The flying dagger did not possess a true spirit; it was merely an inanimate object.


    This was also the uniqueness of the Artifact Nurturing path; the spirit of the weapon was the divine soul of the Artifact Nurturer, requiring no other spirit soul to reside within.


    [Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger (Sixth Order): A spirit weapon nurtured within the body as a furnace, possessing great potential for growth, deeply fused with the divine soul, and difficult to separate.]


    This Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger had almost completely merged with He Yi''s divine soul, where the dagger was the divine soul, and the divine soul was the dagger, inseparable, making it difficult to be used by others.


    A cultivator sacrifices his essence blood to nurture such a spirit weapon, which naturally differs from ordinary magic treasures and had already become part of the cultivator''s body.


    "You... you''re unharmed¡­"


    Witnessing Chu Zheng landing smoothly, He Yi, his breath faint, despair flashed in his eyes, the previous satisfaction completely gone.


    Chu Zheng played with the flying dagger on his fingertip, deep in thought.


    After weighing it for a moment, he raised his hand and pressed the flying dagger into He Yi''s brow, the repair mechanism activated, pulling He Yi back from the brink of death.


    Although still drained of all essence blood, he now had a spark of life, and with over ten years of recuperation, he could barely be unharmed.


    "What... what do you mean by this?"


    For a moment, He Yi was stunned, unable to comprehend Chu Zheng''s action.


    "You and your son are rather lucky, these past few days, I''ve just considered leaving the roots after cutting the grass."


    Chu Zheng spoke flatly, and after searching He Yi''s body for a moment, he found the previously mentioned five flying swords and a storage spirit ring.


    [Five Elements Spiritual Sword (Sixth Order): A set of spirit weapons forged from the essence of the Five Elements, containing a true spirit with certain potential for advancement.]


    This set of Five Elements Spiritual Swords, made of rare materials, was also useful for Chu Zheng at this point; if he could obtain Five Elements Immortal Gold in the future, he could further enhance its grade.


    Chu Zheng directly suppressed the true spirit within and began to refine it in his dantian. The storage spirit ring contained numerous spirit stones, elixirs, a few magic treasures, and a few scrolls of profound insights about the Yin Yang Family.


    Chu Zheng quickly glanced through them, which to some extent corroborated his own understanding, but were not of much use.


    His understanding of the Five Elements and Yin Yang paths was profound, unmarred by any obscurities during his cultivation; any occasional confusions would clear up after a bit of contemplation.


    After emptying the storage spirit ring, Chu Zheng casually tossed it back and got up to leave.


    "You''re not killing me?"


    He Yi''s voice came from behind, filled with strong puzzlement.


    Chu Zheng turned around, surprised.


    Indeed, father and son.


    Looking at the stunned He Yi, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but smile:


    "He Yunjin once asked the same question. You may ask him about the reason, although, he probably doesn''t know yet that you''re his father."


    He Yunjin was still too young, hoping for him to become a calamity was less plausible than placing hope on He Yi.


    But having reached the Sixth Order at just over five hundred years, comparable to Tongxuan on the Immortal Path, His talent was not inferior to that of a Superior Immortal Bone, even capable of using techniques to counteract while drained of essence blood and gravely injure him, which was commendable.


    If left alive, he might bring some surprises in the future.


    "Yun Jin is still alive?"


    He Yi was instantly dazed, shaking his head slowly: "Impossible¡­ I have deduced his whereabouts, to no avail."


    Chu Zheng did not explain further and turned to leave.


    While He Yi was deducing the whereabouts, He Yunjin was probably in his small world, which explained why the deduction found nothing.


    ...


    ...


    The destruction of the Three Prisons Sect caused considerable ripples.


    Among many small nations in the northeast, rumors of Qi Cultivators entering the world and experiencing tribulations started to circulate, inevitably leading to some alarm.


    The higher the cultivation of a Qi Cultivator undergoing tribulations, the more people die. Many cultivators end up involved in these tribulations and die without even knowing why.


    After the battle with He Yi, the tribulation aura around him had significantly calmed; he wouldn''t be affected much in the short term.


    If it were any ordinary Qi Cultivator, this tribulation could lead to several years, even decades, of peace.


    But for Chu Zheng, this was merely a temporary solution, treating the symptoms but not the cause.


    His cultivation was in a state of rapid advancement; within a year at most, his cultivation would progress further, entering the Secondfold of the Immortal Tribulation.


    If he were to consume Immortal Qi, this pace would quicken even more.


    At that time, another wave of tribulation aura will emerge.


    Additionally, his own Qi Refinement''s Cultivation will also increase, making undergoing the tribulation imminently necessary.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs modification.

 Chapter 262 Turmoil, Clue

    Hearing the news about Shang Cangyun, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel worried.Just as he had previously speculated, once he had stepped into the realm of Immortal Monarch, Shang Cangyun had no place to reside in the Great Universe; he became an enemy of the entire world.


    Shang Cangyun''s predicament was inextricably linked to him.


    If it weren''t for sending him to the Myriad Realms, Shang Cangyun wouldn''t have broken with the Immortal Alliance so precipitously, at least he would have had more time to prepare, rather than being so rushed.


    The personal involvement of an Immortal Emperor had proven the severity of the matter; on Shang Cangyun''s person, there were likely many huge secrets unknown to ordinary people.


    The crux of the issue was inseparable from the uniqueness of the Cangyun Realm.


    As a Great Realm under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Alliance, the fact that Cangyun Cultivators could not merge with Immortal Blood to become Immortal Descendants was already highly unusual.


    Shang Cangyun, Zhao Tingxian, and Chu Zheng himself were all born from the Cangyun Realm, coupled with his discovery of the Ancestral Dao Golden Body and the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record in the Cangyun Secret Realm, it wasn''t necessary to think too deeply to guess that great secrets were hidden within the Cangyun Realm.


    In Ancient Times or the Ancient Era, the Cangyun Realm must have experienced some earth-shattering cataclysm, which even up to today, continues to affect all the living creatures of the entire realm.


    This was perhaps not unrelated to the Outer Realm Demons in the Vast Universe.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a long while, sighing; his Cultivation was improving at an alarmingly rapid pace, but it was still far too inferior to the realm of a being like Shang Cangyun.


    Moreover, Shang Cangyun had not yet reached the pinnacle of the Great Universe and had been forced to find neither path in heaven nor gate on earth, only to enter the Vast Universe.


    The Vast Universe was definitely not a good place to go, otherwise, Shang Cangyun would not have hesitated for so long, delaying in taking that step.


    Now, Chu Zheng could fully predict that as his Cultivation advanced, the road ahead would become increasingly difficult, with the Tribulation Qi alone consuming untold amounts of his mental energy.


    ...


    ...


    After hearing of Shang Cangyun''s predicament, Chu Zheng continued his travels through various nations, visiting many Taoist Orthodoxies, primarily to gather information about the Vast Universe.


    Meanwhile, he extracted Primordial Qi methodically, slowly repairing the Emperor Jade Wall.


    During this period, the information from various Taoist Orthodoxies indeed led to some discoveries: the Myriad Realms had also suffered from the incursions of Outer Realm Demons, with many Cultivators'' bodies being tainted with evil Qi after death, falling to become Evil Demons.


    Every time the Outer Realm Demons descended, they brought with them a rain of blood and violence. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    About the Outer Realm Demons, there was a vague rumor in the Myriad Realms that if one''s body was tainted with evil Qi, their soul would not rest in peace after death and would have difficulty in Reincarnation.


    As for the notion of Reincarnation, although rumors existed in the Great Universe, not a single person who had actually been to the Yellow Springs could be found to verify it with specific examples.


    The theory of the cycle of life and death originated, according to legend, from an extremely powerful Cultivator who, after the demise of his flesh, his Primordial Spirit remained in the world, not dispersing for a long time, transforming into a Yin God.


    After people learned of it, they began to speculate further, believing that even mortals, after death, their souls would not simply dissipate but would enter the Yellow Springs below, to be reincarnated.


    Especially for some mortals, who often dream of their deceased relatives sending messages in dreams after they passed away, this further validated the existence of the soul. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After many Cultivators diligently investigated, it was finally confirmed that Divine Souls were not cultivated but innate, varying only in strength.


    Some long-lived powerful Cultivators have personally witnessed people identical to their deceased acquaintances, not just in appearance, but even in temperament and preferences, further corroborating the theory of Reincarnation.


    Occasionally, there were rumors of Cultivators awakening memories of past lives and obtaining supreme marvelous methods, subsequently soaring to great heights.


    But regardless, Reincarnation, across all worlds, remained only speculation, with no one having seen the Yellow Springs with their own eyes.


    Many Cultivators, even regarded the Vast Universe as the Underworld, and those Outer Realm Demons in their eyes were like ghosts and gods, indistinguishable from one another.


    As for Reincarnation, Chu Zheng naturally never doubted it, for how else could he awaken his innate wisdom and still retain memories from his past life.


    The Yellow Springs must surely exist, but their exact location remains unknown.


    In the process of gathering information, news about Qi Cultivators entering the world and experiencing tribulations gradually spread.


    Many Taoist Orthodoxies were no longer in contact with the living, becoming much more cautious, which caused Chu Zheng no small trouble.


    Originally, between the many Taoist Orthodoxies of the nations, there had been many disputes and frictions on ordinary days, with occasional conflicts, but these days, they had eerily fallen into a calm.


    All Cultivators'' eyes were scouting in secret, wanting to know from where this unknown Qi Cultivator would emerge.


    For a Qi Cultivator, when undergoing tribulations, they were nearly no different from a disaster star, bringing calamity to others and themselves; becoming involved with them was unlikely to end well.


    Against natural and man-made disasters, few Cultivators possessed sufficient strength to withstand the invisible risks that could arise at any time.


    In the end, Chu Zheng stopped in front of a stretch of Divine Palaces.


    As gathering information was becoming increasingly difficult and the Tribulation Qi was once again gathering to a significant degree, transforming into tribulations was imminent and he could not afford to waste more time on trivial matters.


    The Divine Palace in front of him stretched over a hundred pavilions, spanning tens of miles, bustling with streams of people; within it, Incense Fire Willpower coalesced into clouds, a Divine Palace belonging to an Incense Fire Deity.

 Chapter 262 Turbulence, Clue_2

    Chu Zheng''s divine sense lightly swept over, and he became aware of the honorific title of the deity before him."Jade Pot Spirit Lord."


    A recently ascended Fifth Order Incense Fire God.


    Before Chu Zheng approached the Divine Palace, a figure appeared before him, slightly ethereal, clad in a wide divine robe, exuding the majesty of someone accustomed to higher status. It was the incarnation of the Jade Pot Spirit Lord.


    The lesser god bows before the supreme deity,


    The Incense Spirituality prostrated with a humble tone and a very low posture, opening a pathway and guiding Chu Zheng deep into the Divine Palace.


    As a fellow Incense Fire God, he could sense the almost endless willingness on Chu Zheng, far stronger than himself, exceeding him by tens or hundreds of times.


    This was a formidable deity with hundreds of millions of followers. In the entire Qingyun Realm, hardly a few could be found. At first glance, it was clear he was a visitor from outside the realm, and for a moment, the Jade Pot Spirit Lord was somewhat trembling with trepidation.


    "I will borrow your Divine Palace to stay for some time. Once my business is concluded, I will depart."


    Chu Zheng was straightforward. The Secondfold of Immortal Tribulation was imminent, and he needed to prepare once more for the ordeal through incarnation and required a place for secluded meditation. This location saw many cultivators coming and going and had a wide information network, enabling him to timely learn about the goings-on within the Cangyun Realm.


    "The supreme deity may make himself comfortable as he pleases."


    The Jade Pot Spirit Lord dared not refuse and immediately arranged a secret chamber for Chu Zheng to settle in.


    As night descended, the moon shone silver, hanging low over the earth.


    Colorful starlight crisscrossed the firmament, and through the secret chamber, Chu Zheng''s gaze penetrated scrupulously as he began to search for information about the world.


    However, among the myriad realms, the starlight he saw had undergone a change, and the feelings he had within the territories of the Immortal Alliance were completely different.


    The starry sky above had changed, so naturally, there wouldn''t be the same floating starlight. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The starlight Chu Zheng saw now was mostly enveloped in a chill fog, making it impossible to see what lay beyond the stars clearly.


    Moreover, many starlights intertwined at one point, obscured by the high-density aggregation of the Great Realm, making it difficult to find suitable targets.


    After a slight hesitation, Chu Zheng did not ponder further and randomly chose a starlight to follow up.


    ...


    ...


    When he opened his eyes again, Chu Zheng saw dark grey iron walls close at hand, covered with various talisman papers above.


    The air was pregnant with an exceedingly complex odor, a mix of blood, an indescribable stench, and the unique scent of metal, oppressive and murky.


    This incarnation to go through the tribulation was different from before. The moment he stepped into the starlight, he was drawn by an unknown force and then lost consciousness.


    He could not even remember how he had chosen this body.


    The body was only a young adolescent, no more than a dozen years in bone age, yet the Yin Qi within was terribly heavy, the limbs were half stiffened, and in a short period of time, it would become a full Corpse Demon, also known as a zombie.


    The space around was extremely small, all made of metallic iron walls, akin to an Iron Coffin, completely sealed without any cracks, and both the walls were carved with Talismatic Pattern and covered with talisman papers as though to suppress some evil creature.


    After concentrating for a moment, Chu Zheng felt something was off. The air was thick with Yin Qi entwined with yin evil, which was enough to prove that even if the outside world wasn''t an extremely Yin place, it was likely a mass grave.


    Chu Zheng pulled up the panel and glanced at some information about his current body.


    [Xia Guangzong (Zeroth Order): Bone age twelve, born at a time rich in Yin during a year of Yin, natural Yin Qi passing through his viscera, beaten to death with heavy resentment and died, fed on human blood and has transformed into a Half-corpse Demon.]


    [Name: Xia Guangzong (Chu Zheng)]


    [Cultivation: Second Order]


    [Cultivation Technique: None]


    [Repair Master: Seventh Order (468/16000)]


    [Remaining Repairs for the Day: 4]


    [Current Repairable: None]


    Judging by the number of repairs, the density of Yuan Qi in the outside world wasn''t much less compared to the Qingyun Realm.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed when Chu Zheng felt a slight shake beneath him, and the iron coffin began to move.


    The talismanic papers around him blocked the divine sense, preventing Chu Zheng from seeing the outside world, but he could faintly sense several blood qi emanating from living people.


    Most of the body he now occupied had been refined. The injuries on the flesh were completely repaired, and it had essentially transformed into a corpse demon. Even a Repair Master''s panel couldn''t revive him.


    The heart within his chest no longer beat; the blood in his limbs and bones had come to a halt, congealed in his veins.


    Chu Zheng was experiencing this near-zombie state for the first time, and he couldn''t help but find it somewhat novel.


    In a half-sleep, half-awake daze, the swaying iron coffin came to a stop again, and the surrounding yin qi gradually faded. He must have left the corpse nourishment site from before.


    Thump¡ª


    A dull thud sounded, and soon after, the iron walls glowed a faint red, and streams of fresh blood seeped in, gradually submerging Chu Zheng. The warm blood qi further accelerated the transformation of the corpse.


    Chu Zheng could vaguely detect his withered body filling out, and as yang qi was infused, the hair all over his body began to grow vigorously.


    After a brief moment of hesitation, Chu Zheng began operating his qi-refining technique, balancing the yin yang dual qi within his body and attempted to compress the yin qi into a pill first.


    Corpse demons are innately incomplete, strong in yin and weak in yang, requiring a constant intake of fresh blood to maintain the balance of yin yang within themselves. Otherwise, an excess of yin qi would backlash, leading to mental disarray¡ªan undesirable path to follow.


    Chu Zheng didn''t want to leave himself with such a drawback, but for now, trapped inside the coffin, he could only make a tentative effort.


    He had tried to leave his body with his divine soul and choose another fleshly vessel, but this corpse had become like a prison. With his own power, he was utterly unable to break free.


    In the blink of an eye, over a hundred days had passed.


    Trying qi refining for the first time in the body of a corpse demon, Chu Zheng made a significant discovery: The yin qi in his body far exceeded the yang qi, yet it maintained a delicate balance.


    During the operation of the qi-refining technique, an aura emerged that Chu Zheng found very familiar.


    This aura was identical to the one that had permeated from the spatial portal to the Vast Universe when he was in the Cangyun Realm.


    It belonged to the outer realm demons.


    The only difference was the aura that had been so repellent to him before now felt extremely close.


    Through a twist of fate, he seemed to have become a type of living creature very similar to the outer realm demons.


    This discovery was undoubtedly a surprise to Chu Zheng.


    Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    After all, corpse demons shared many similarities with the evil demons of the Vast Universe.


    Both were transformed from dead bodies and regained consciousness with evil qi shrouding them.


    As Chu Zheng concentrated on his cultivation, several whispers suddenly came from outside the coffin:


    "This zombie has great potential. I''ve used a soul summoning technique to call forth a wandering soul to dwell within it, which can help it quickly awaken its consciousness."


    "Can this truly ensure my Gu Family''s safety?"


    "A male child with a yin body is certainly rare, coupled with a death filled with grievance. If raised properly, he might very well become a corpse king in the future."


    "By then, not only can you ensure the Gu Family''s safety, but if you wish to be a dominant ruler, it is not an impossible opportunity."


    Chu Zheng suddenly came back to his senses, his thoughts a brief pause. It seemed the problem with his journey was tied to this soul summoning technique.


    His divine soul, which had weathered tribulations, was mistaken for a wandering soul and forcibly bound within this body.


    After the period of cultivation, his divine soul had already merged with this body.


    The yin qi was compressed into a yin pill, and the weak yang qi began to flow within his body. His stiff limbs gradually softened, shedding some of the corpse demon''s characteristics.


    Boom¡ª


    While he pondered for a moment, the iron coffin above him was suddenly opened, lighting up his view.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be modified

 Chapter 263 Corpse Control Technique, Traces of Evil Demons

    In the small secret chamber, less than ten feet across, a thick, intense smell of blood lingered, the wall-embedded pearls dyed red by the crimson light reflected from the Blood Pool, casting a somewhat eerie and sinister ambiance.Chu Zheng retracted the Spiritual Light from his eyes, stood up from the coffin, his movements somewhat stiff.


    The Blood Pool mirrored a somewhat gaunt figure, entirely covered with black fur inches long.


    With a slight movement of his tongue, Chu Zheng could lick the nearly inch-long canine teeth inside his mouth.


    The two nearby Cultivators had mediocre Cultivation. The middle-aged Daoist who had just spoken, named Song Zhao, had just entered the Third Order.


    The Cultivator standing beside him, named Gu Zhenxun, had a Cultivation level of only Second Order Perfection.


    After a Hundred Days Qi Cultivation, Chu Zheng had compressed the Yin Qi inside his body into a Yin Pill, entering the Third Order.


    In addition, this body, having absorbed the Golden Iron Qi from the Iron Coffin, had become even more formidable. His true combat strength was now among the upper tiers of the Third Order.


    Chu Zheng stepped out of the Iron Coffin and gradually adapted to his own body, walking slowly towards the edge of the pool, trudging through the blood water.


    These two men posed little threat to him now.


    Seeing that the corpse in the coffin finally reacted, Song Zhao''s expression remained serious as he could feel that he couldn''t control this zombie as easily as before, like moving his own limb.


    This situation was akin to the zombie gaining its own consciousness, which made him feel uneasy. He promptly used the Corpse Control Technique again and issued a command:


    "Stop!"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng continued his steps unhurriedly, completely unmoved.


    Seeing Chu Zheng continually draw closer, Song Zhao instinctively took a few steps back, a hint of panic in his eyes.


    "Daoist Song, what''s this?"


    Seeing his strange reaction, Gu Zhenxun also realized something was wrong. His expression changed as he watched Chu Zheng approach, his face turning slightly pale.


    The creature, shrouded in black fur and eyes emitting crimson blood light, was undeniably spine-chilling.


    A few moments later, Chu Zheng finally dragged his stiff body out of the Blood Pool. He did not engage with the two men; instead, he just stood quietly, not uttering a word.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to speak, but that his Cultivation was insufficient to make sounds with this body.


    He was no longer a living person but another type of special living creature. The fact that his Divine Sense could inhabit this body was purely accidental.


    Now, he knew nothing about the outside world and could only rely on these two men for information. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Chu Zheng still motionless, Song Zhao secretly clenched various Fu Lu and Magic Artifacts and slowly approached Chu Zheng.


    Soon, he came up to Chu Zheng and tentatively extended the Spirit Sword in his hand, pressing it against Chu Zheng''s throat.


    Cold sweat had already broken out on his forehead, his heart pounding. Judging by the aura emanating from this zombie, it was clearly stronger than him, leaving him no choice but to feel anxious.


    With the sword pressing against his throat, Chu Zheng remained entirely still.


    For a moment, Song Zhao''s expression became complex. With just a bit more force, he could sever the head of this zombie and eliminate any future trouble.


    Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    However, it was precisely because of this that he hesitated a moment ago. In his heart, he still held a slight hope that this zombie might not be out of control.


    "Daoist Song, what are you doing?"


    Gu Zhenxun''s face changed slightly, and he said urgently: "To nourish this zombie, my Gu Family painstakingly searched for ten years, finally finding such a Yin Sha Land. After nourishing the corpse for twelve years, we''ve cultivated this manner of aura. Are you going to destroy it now?"


    His words were filled with confusion; this was the hope of the Gu Family.


    Hearing this, Song Zhao took a deep breath and gripped the spirit sword tightly, his expression grew solemn.


    "Mr. Gu, this zombie can no longer be controlled by the Corpse Control Technique. You must be aware of the dangers it embodies. If we do not eliminate it now, it will certainly become a major threat in the future!"


    Uncontrollable...


    Gu Zhenxun was slightly startled, looking at the black-haired creature before him, a hint of hesitation arose in his mind.


    An uncontrollable zombie would inevitably cause great casualties, but to destroy a divine weapon, which had taken more than twenty years to obtain and had not yet been put to use, was equivalent to asking for the Gu Family''s life.


    All the preparations made before were in vain, and the loss of manpower and resources involved was somewhat unbearable.


    "Brother Song, can we think of another way?" Gu Zhenxun''s expression showed difficulty. His feet seemed rooted to the ground, unable to move an inch.


    This was the hope for the Gu Family''s rise. If they gave up now, he couldn''t bear to go through with it.


    Song Zhao retracted the spirit sword, fell silent for a long time, and transmitted his voice:


    "The failure of the Corpse Control Technique has a certain probability because this zombie has developed a consciousness and is about to become a real living creature. If the Gu Family takes good care of it during this period, there might also be a chance to reform it and enlist it under your command, but..."


    At this point, Song Zhao did not continue, but the implications were already clear to Gu Zhenxun.


    The Corpse Control Technique, to some extent, was similar to controlling a magic artifact. Once a corpse developed its own consciousness, it would be very difficult to handle.


    Ultimately, it was a living creature and could not be completely refined like an ordinary magic treasure.


    Subduing an unrestrained living creature was indeed too difficult. Moreover, dealing with a deeply resentful zombie made it even more challenging.


    "I am willing to try," Gu Zhenxun nodded firmly.


    "Then please, take care in your actions," responded Daoist Song.


    After a while, Song Zhao reluctantly put away his spirit sword, letting out a light sigh, for he really couldn''t bear to see his efforts go to waste.


    The inherent talent of this zombie was extraordinarily strong, much stronger than many so-called Prides of the Heavens or Cultivation prodigies. If it indeed had the chance to become the Corpse King in the future, the benefits would be immeasurable.


    The only concern was the considerable risk of losing control.


    ...


    ...


    After leaving the secret chamber, Chu Zheng quickly found his bearings and learned the partial truths about this world.


    The world before him was named the Tianwu Realm, where heavens were round and the earth was square.


    In the center of the world stood a colossal tree that reached into the skies, known as ''Heavenly Wutong'', home to various divine phoenixes, blood birds, Golden Crow divine birds, and countless powerful Otherkind.


    This world was not originally known by this name during ancient times, but was officially renamed Tianwu Realm after this ''Heavenly Wutong'' traversed from another realm.


    In this world, the distribution of power was extremely chaotic with more than a hundred races. The Human Race, located somewhere in the middle rank, generally maintained normal relationships with races both above and below, with some friendly and others tense.


    What surprised Chu Zheng the most was that in this world, the existence of the Vast Universe was not really a secret, as many living creatures were aware of it.


    As for the evil demons from the Vast Universe, many groups within this realm did not refer to them as ''evil demons''; some even revered them as Yin Gods and worshipped them with the same respect afforded to deities.


    Moreover, near the ''Heavenly Wutong'', there were rumors of living evil demons lurking.

 Chapter 264 Blood Slave, Corpse Shedding

    Chu Zheng was quite interested in the Heavenly Wutong that had crossed over from another realm, but given his current state, he was unable to move about freely.In the Tianwu Realm, many cultivation practices of the Taoist orthodoxy were associated with yin god ghosts, which perhaps had some connections with the vast universe.


    Practices like corpse nourishment employed by the Gu Family weren''t considered disgraceful here; many powerful and influential families possessed such secret techniques.


    Currently, his body was that of a walking corpse, which rendered many techniques extremely restrictive to him, causing inconvenience when moving about.


    This time, in order to transform and undergo tribulations, he had to dispel a significant amount of tribulation qi, else his main body would inevitably encounter even greater troubles.


    Therefore, before his cultivation approached that of his main body, Chu Zheng needed to be even more cautious in his actions. He was prepared to spend hundreds of years if necessary.


    The Gu Family had spent nearly thirty years planning and executing their corpse nourishment scheme. Whether the cause of death of this body was related to the Gu Family or not, Chu Zheng no longer had any way of knowing.


    The body he now possessed gave him an extremely mysterious feeling.


    As a yin corpse that wandered on the edge of yin and yang, it could no longer be considered a living creature, as its body was filled with the utmost yin evil.


    Cultivating qi-refining techniques with such a body gave Chu Zheng many new references.


    Whenever he absorbed yang qi into his body, it didn''t conflict with the yin evil qi but instead fused together, giving birth to an exceptionally mysterious aura.


    After carefully sensing for a moment, Chu Zheng discovered an unfathomable vitality that could nourish his flesh, seemingly extending his lifespan.


    It took a while before he confirmed his speculation: this vitality indeed could slow down the decay of his physical body.


    This was a rather astonishing discovery, and he even wondered if, should his cultivation be powerful enough, this current body of his could possibly remain in the world forever, capable of resisting the erosion of time.


    This undoubtedly overturned some of his previous thoughts.


    Should his physical body deteriorate one day and his lifespan near its end, perhaps he could also use this method to extend his life.


    The Gu Family valued Chu Zheng greatly and had specifically built a palace for him as a dwelling.


    Gu Zhenxun would come to check on Chu Zheng every morning, attempting to communicate with him. Despite the lack of success, he never gave up.


    Gu Zhenxun had put in considerable effort in the way of corpse nourishment, many of which were novel to Chu Zheng.


    The Gu Family also had a set of very systematic procedures for corpse nourishment.


    Corpse nourishment required the fresh blood of living creatures, rich in yang qi, which could balance the yin evil within the zombie and also expedite the enhancement of cultivation. It was indispensable.


    For this purpose, the Gu Family had found a villa outside the city and raised a thousand blood slaves.


    Most of these thousand people were ordinary humans, both men and women, healthy in body, with only a small portion being cultivators.


    Blood slaves were a type of people raised by many noble families and sect powers.


    These people, with little talent for cultivation and leading mediocre lives, struggled even for basic sustenance. Lacking any special skills and unwilling to struggle further, they chose to sell themselves to become blood slaves.


    Blood slaves didn''t need to work; they only had to eat, sleep, build up their energy, consume medicinal diets, and then have their blood drawn at fixed intervals each month.


    For many ordinary people on the brink of starvation, this was almost a miraculous windfall.


    There was no shortage of people who became blood slaves by selling themselves. Although they had to have their blood drawn every month, at least they didn''t have to toil and could eat their fill each day without risk of starving to death.


    Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    Many forces within the Tianwu Realm would rear corpses and control ghosts, and for many of these methods, a large amount of blood qi was required as nourishment.


    Killing people for blood qi was absolutely not allowed among the humans of the Tianwu Realm.


    Firstly, it would undermine the foundation of the human race, digging one''s own grave; secondly, this method was indeed extremely inefficient, depleting the source without longevity.


    In contrast, raising a group of ordinary people and periodically drawing their blood was undoubtedly much more convenient. It would not only avoid slaughter but could also be recycled over and over.


    ```


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, two years had passed.


    The morning sun sliced through the heavy clouds, casting down layers of golden sunlight.


    The great hall, built of green stones, was shrouded under a curtain of pitch-black cloth, blocking the gentle morning light that fell.


    Gu Zhenxun hurried across courtyards and through gardens, pushing open the door to the great hall. He went straight to the edge of the jade pool, taking out many jade buckets from his storage spirit ring.


    The buckets glowed a resplendent red, diffusing a warm and lustrous blood light.


    Made from the red jade of volcanoes, the buckets were warm to the touch, capable of maintaining the freshness of the blood to the greatest extent.


    He had personally collected this fresh blood and delivered it himself, all within the span of an hour.


    Soon, the blood was successively poured into the jade pool. Chu Zheng''s movements became noticeably more fluid; his fur was much thicker than it had been two years prior.


    With the aid of Qi-refining techniques and a constant supply of fresh blood, his cultivation had skyrocketed. He was now at the peak of Third Order, on the cusp of stepping into Fourth Order, about to undergo ''Corpse Shedding.''


    Corpse Shedding was a crucial process that the walking corpses must endure¡ªshedding their decaying flesh to gain a more robust newborn body.


    Chu Zheng slowly stepped into the pool, beginning his usual absorption of blood Qi to nurture his sinews and bones. After the Corpse Shedding, he would be able to speak human words and further exhibit many divine skills.


    Gu Zhenxun did not leave in silence as he usually did, but instead stood on the edge of the jade pool, hesitant. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a long while, as if finally making up his mind, he tentatively asked,


    "Could you help me with something?"


    After two years of cohabitation, Gu Zhenxun could confirm that this zombie before him indeed possessed a consciousness as sophisticated as any ordinary person''s.


    The reason for his lack of response to his words was likely just an unwillingness to communicate, an indifference to engage.


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng, who was in the jade pool, turned his head to look over, his gaze as calm as still water.


    Gu Zhenxun''s expression brightened, and he immediately began to explain,


    "Recently, due to some mining veins, we have come into conflict with another family. I need you to take action, help me kill someone. Once we succeed, I will triple the essence blood I give you every month."


    Chu Zheng had few thoughts regarding Gu Zhenxun''s request.


    In a world where power dictates, the actions of the Gu family were nothing out of the ordinary.


    But the honor and status acquired through force could one day be shattered by an even more formidable and terrifying power, reducing them to ruins.


    Should the Gu family fail to withstand the numerous consequences this act might bring, their fate would be self-evident.


    Gurgle¡ª


    Small bubbles started to emerge in the jade pool as the blood gradually began to boil.


    The pitch-black fur on Chu Zheng''s body started to fall off, and cracks appeared on his skin.


    Seeing this, a flash of excitement crossed Gu Zhenxun''s eyes, as this was undoubtedly a sign that Corpse Shedding was about to begin.


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng''s skin split inch by inch, with new, green, and crystal-clear hairs growing underneath.


    Moments later, inside the great hall, a hoarse whisper echoed,


    "Alright."


    ```

 Chapter 265 The Zombie that Knows Thunder Method

    A hoarse whisper reverberated within the palace, carrying with it a hint of chill.Gu Zhenxun''s eyes flashed with a tinge of ecstasy, and he rubbed his hands subconsciously, repeatedly saying,


    "Thank you, thank you! I will do my best to improve the quality of the Blood Slaves!"


    Having said that, he couldn''t quite contain his excitement and turned to leave.


    Chu Zheng didn''t speak again, closing his eyes, quietly experiencing the changes in his body.


    Following the Corpse Shedding, Chu Zheng''s physical strength had further increased, and an unusual change had taken place in the bones of his shoulder blades, hinting at the emergence of wings.


    When a Walking Corpse grows wings, it becomes a Flying Corpse.


    Upon reaching the realm of a Flying Corpse within the Zombie Dao, one truly enters the path and is considered to have mastered the basics¡ªthis is the way of the Flying Corpse Dao.


    The vast majority of Walking Corpses only begin to slowly develop spiritual intelligence upon reaching this realm, but naturally, Chu Zheng was an exception.


    Not only that, after practicing the Qi-refining Technique, Chu Zheng''s body had undergone many changes, among which the most notable was his compatibility with Yang Qi.


    Walking Corpses belong to Yin; those with low Cultivation fear sunlight and are constrained by Yang-type Magic Treasures and weapons, but Chu Zheng didn''t have this problem.


    After a Hundred Days Qi Cultivation, his body had undergone subtle changes, and although he still inhabited the body of a Walking Corpse, he no longer had much rejection to Yang Qi.


    The fusion of Yin and Yang, regardless of the Taoist Orthodoxy, is an absolutely superior method.


    The journey of Cultivation within the Great Universe cannot escape the principles of the Five Elements and Yin Yang; when Immortal Path steps into the True Immortal Realm, there is also the Five Elements Yin Yang Tribulation.


    Martial Path walks the extreme Yang path, mostly with explosive temperaments, therefore aging early. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Qi-refining Technique had undergone some variations in the body of a Walking Corpse, and for the short term, Chu Zheng still found it difficult to discern its advantages or disadvantages clearly.


    However, he was used to it; ever since he started Cultivation, it was like groping his way across a river by feeling the stones¡ªwithout a sect or elder to guide him, he was bound to take many detours.


    After this round of Corpse Shedding, the black hair on Chu Zheng''s body turned into green hair, like Spirit Grass growing from dark soil, each strand crystal clear and smooth, considerably more pleasant to the eye than before.


    After absorbing the Blood Qi completely, Chu Zheng got up and left the Jade Pool, sat down with his legs crossed, and began to circulate his Circuit of Qi, at the same time considering his plans for the future.


    As his Cultivation improved, the assistance from the Gu Family would become less and less significant; he needed a new stepping stone.


    The Gu Family couldn''t keep up with the pace of Chu Zheng''s growth, and he couldn''t afford to waste energy specifically supporting such a clan, as that would be a loss.


    Moreover, undergoing transformation and diminishing the Tribulation Qi was not Chu Zheng''s sole purpose.


    In this realm, where Yuan Qi is abundant, as long as he can find enough Fragments of objects, he can completely raise his level as a Repair Master to Eighth Order.


    An Eighth Order Repair Master is extremely important for his true self; at the very least, it would allow him to once again grasp the card of almost being an undying entity.


    Furthermore, if he could raise the level of a Repair Master to Eighth Order, repairing Immortal Treasures would presumably become much easier, at least Semi-Immortal Treasures would not be lacking again.


    ...


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.


    The night was deep, just past midnight, the peak time when Yin Qi was most potent in heaven and earth.


    Before the great hall was a spacious courtyard.


    Chu Zheng sat cross-legged in the courtyard, looking up slightly, swallowing the Moonlight that fell from the sky, which for him was no less beneficial than the finest Jade Dew for his Cultivation.


    Footsteps came from outside the courtyard; Gu Zhenxun arrived in haste, his expression somewhat solemn.


    Chu Zheng slowly ended his practice, rising without a word, looking towards Gu Zhenxun.


    "The time has come, please come with me."


    Gu Zhenxun said, turning to walk away in a rush.


    Outside the courtyard were nearly a hundred figures scattered around, all of them Cultivators.


    There were more than four hundred members of the Gu Family in total, but the combat forces that could be brought out numbered only seventy to eighty persons.


    These in front of him were the majority of their strength, and among them many were temporary helpers.


    Among these people, most were shrouded in Yin Qi and their practiced methods did not stray far from the ghostly and divine.


    Only two of the Cultivators had reached Third Order; one appeared to be an elder of Gu Zhenxun, with white hair and beard, his Blood Qi already waning.


    The other was Song Zhao.


    Watching Chu Zheng''s hairs glowing faintly in the moonlight, Song Zhao couldn''t help but feel a jump in his brow, subconsciously stepping back half a step, a chill rising in his heart.


    Just two short years to complete a Corpse Shedding and climb a level, even with a body of utmost Yin, this speed of growth was still a bit too astonishing.


    Such a being was beyond the Gu Family''s control, let alone his own.


    For a moment, he felt anxious, worried about the consequences of having such a high-level Corpse Demon if it truly lashed out¡ªshould it go on a killing spree, there was no telling how many would die.


    "Taoist Gu, are you really sure that you can keep this creature in check?"


    Song Zhao couldn''t help but secretly communicate his concerns, "If this zombie sees blood and goes berserk, the consequences could be unimaginable."


    The level of spiritual intelligence in such a high-level zombie was uncertain, and its self-control was probably not very strong.


    Entering a battlefield, bloodshed is inevitable; once stimulated by fresh blood, if it loses control, it would be hard for the Gu Family to suppress it¡ªwith the risk of playing with fire and burning themselves.


    "His spiritual intelligence is exceptionally high, so it should be all right. Besides, the knife is already at our necks; if we don''t take action now, the Gu Family''s thousand years of foundation is gone. We have no choice but to give this dead horse the treatment for a live one."


    Gu Zhenxun communicated back, before quickly changing the subject: Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Daoist Song, you have been assisting our Gu Family for a long time. If the situation tonight becomes unstable, feel free to leave on your own¡ªI will not blame you."


    After conveying this message, Gu Zhenxun looked around with a solemn expression and spoke firmly:


    "The Bai Family is pressing us too hard, refusing to leave a way out for our Gu Family. Success or failure hinges on this one action. For coming forth to resolve the crisis of the Gu Family and sharing the trials with us, I promise you will be amply rewarded in the future!"

 Chapter 265 Zombie Who Knows the Thunder Method_2

    ```As his voice faded, he directly summoned a banner that stirred up a ghastly wind, surging towards the sky.


    Dozens of streaks of light closely followed him, heading straight for the outskirts of the city.


    Chu Zheng paused for a moment, gazing at the lights in the sky and falling into silence.


    Gu Zhenxun seemed to have forgotten about him. As a Walking Corpse born from the earth, before growing wings, it was simply impossible for it to fly, and now he lacked a Magic Artifact.


    After a long while, Chu Zheng took a stride forward. With a thunderous roar, he shattered the hundred-zhang long street and leapt out of the city, trailing a streak of pale green light in the night.


    For now, the Gu Family was still of use to him; he couldn''t just give up on them.


    ...


    ...


    Tracking Gu Zhenxun''s presence, Chu Zheng arrived at a secluded canyon after a short while.


    The canyon stretched over eighty li, with sheer cliffs that climbed fifteen hundred zhang, and wild winds churned at its entrance.


    Upon Chu Zheng''s arrival, two groups of people were already in a standoff.


    The cold wind was sharp as a knife, causing clothes to flap loudly.


    Gu Zhenxun''s gaze was sweeping around; upon seeing Chu Zheng appear, his eyes brightened, a sigh of relief leaving him, his confidence boosted substantially.


    Chu Zheng glanced at the numerous Cultivators opposite him, his eyes flashing with Spiritual Light as he quickly discerned their identities.


    The city where the Gu Family was located, Fire Rock City, was renowned for producing a type of ore called Red Fire Rock, a material used in the crafting of Magic Artifacts, which, being full of Yang energy, had a weak effect in suppressing the Yin God and demonic creatures.


    There were only two prominent clans in Fire Rock City, one being the Gu Family, the other the Bai Family.


    The strength of both clans was originally not much different, but the Gu Family had encountered a disaster over two hundred years ago.


    In the pursuit of exploring a Great Tomb left by an Immortal of Ancient Times, the Gu Family assembled a team of elites to seek fortune. However, they subsequently disappeared without a trace.


    This massive blow nearly caused the Gu Family to collapse as talents within the clan withered.


    The Bai Family had over seven hundred members, with six Third Order Cultivators and even twice as many Second Order Cultivators compared to the Gu Family.


    Over the past two hundred years, the Bai Family pressed aggressively, usurping much of the Gu Family''s properties, almost driving them to a dead end.


    Left with no choice, Gu Zhenxun began to look for solutions, forging a new path by seeking Song Zhao''s assistance to raise this Zombie.


    In order to hasten the Zombie''s Spiritual Awakening, Song Zhao even used a Secret Technique to Summon a Soul, hoping to attract a Wandering Soul; instead, due to a twist of fate, they summoned a strand of Divine Sense from Chu Zheng undergoing tribulation.


    Now, in front of the canyon, the Bai Family had a total of over two hundred seventy members. In terms of both quality and quantity, they were far superior to the Gu Family.


    The difference in apparent combat power between the two was quite drastic.


    "Bai Shizheng, if you lead your men back today, returning the ore vein, I am willing to let bygones be bygones. What do you say?"


    Gu Zhenxun took a deep breath and began to negotiate, seemingly willing to discuss terms, yet his eyes were filled with sternness.


    "Look for a chance to help me kill Bai Shizheng. For every additional member of the Bai Family that you kill for me, I''ll add five hundred Blood Slaves for you."


    Chu Zheng''s ears picked up Gu Zhenxun''s transmitted message, and his gaze immediately fell upon Bai Shizheng.


    He had an average build, in the prime of his life, not yet forty, with a Cultivation at Third Order Perfect. Clad in white, he dazzled a bit under the moonlight.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze only lingered for a moment before shifting to the crowd behind Bai Shizheng. Among them, he sensed a very strong presence, already in the Fourth Order.


    Gu Zhenxun was clearly desperate, the terms he offered were very generous. In fact, for the Gu Family''s current strength, maintaining a thousand Blood Slaves was already a significant burden.


    The nourishing food and herbs that replenished qi and blood, the costs adding up monthly, amounted to a considerable expenditure.


    Besides, providing Blood Slaves to Chu Zheng, there would be hardly any return on the investment in the short term, it was like a one-way outflow of resources.


    Chu Zheng was indifferent, walking slowly into the space between the two groups, his gaze upon Bai Shizheng deep and enigmatic, like the depths of a cold pond.


    "The hair like flickering flames, the body covered in green light, this Walking Corpse has entered the Fourth Realm!"


    "Spinal bumps slightly protruding, about to grow wings, I think it''s not far from reaching the status of a Flying Corpse!"


    Seeing Chu Zheng, many Cultivators from the Bai Family couldn''t help but become somewhat restless. A green-haired Zombie so close to becoming a Flying Corpse could only be subdued by a Great Divine Power.


    Catching sight of Chu Zheng, Bai Shizheng''s eyes flickered with surprise, but he soon sneered:


    ```


    "You Gu Family go to such great lengths, raising Blood Slaves in the countryside villa outside the city; everyone knows your clan has nurtured a rare Zombie. How could I not make preparations?"


    As the words fell, he turned back to look at the crowd behind him, "Daoist Chong Yun, please make your move and slay this evil spawn!"


    The crowd parted, and a middle-aged Taoist priest, holding a whisk, stepped slowly forward. He was dressed in a green Taoist Robe, with thick-soled cloth shoes under his feet, his long beard stretching over his chest, presenting the appearance of a Godly Daoist Master.


    Seeing this person, Song Zhao''s face radically changed as he transmitted his voice in a whisper:


    "Taoist Gu, we''re in big trouble! This man is from the Red Flame Sect of the Divine Phoenix Dao, named Ying Chongyun. He has built his reputation on slaying demons and banishing evil. He entered the Fourth Realm years ago. Although this Zombie has an extraordinary foundation, it was refined too recently and I fear it''s not yet its match!"


    Being of the same Fourth Realm, under the Dao Laws, Zombies are greatly suppressed, not to mention Ying Chongyun is a cultivator from Divine Phoenix Dao, and is inherently skilled in fire¡ªour chances of victory are even slimmer. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ying Chongyun''s reputation in this area is quite widespread, quickly steadying the hearts of the people, and soon, the Bai Family cultivators showed signs of joy on their faces.


    In contrast, the faces of many cultivators from the Gu Family turned pale with a hint of despair.


    "You think you can defy the heavens and change fate with merely this beast? You''re thinking too beautifully."


    Bai Shizheng''s mouth curled into a smirk, full of mockery:


    "Daoist Chong Yun is favored by the Taoist Master, his name is illustrious throughout the entire Divine Phoenix Dao. This mere Corpse Demon is no effort at all for him.


    "After tonight, the Gu Family will cease to exist!"


    Gu Zhenxun''s heart trembled slightly, his voice dry as he looked towards Ying Chongyun:


    "Daoist Chong Yun, why would you help the Bai Family?"


    "I''m here, not for the Bai Family."


    Ying Chongyun replied with an indifferent expression, looking at Chu Zheng with a slight shake of the head:


    "As an ascetic, I do not partake in the disputes of clans. I''m only here to slay demons and banish evil. This fiend has grown in power and may become a major scourge in the future; it cannot be left alive."


    "This..." Gu Zhenxun never imagined it would be for this reason.


    While he was still stunned, Chu Zheng had already stepped forward slowly, stopping ten zhang away from Ying Chongyun.


    "You''re here to subdue demons and vanquish evil... Are you powerful enough?"


    Chu Zheng slowly spoke, his voice cold and dry, like the grating of iron, highly irksome:


    "Back off now, and I''ll spare your life today."


    He wasn''t truly motivated by kindness but was wary of the background this Taoist Priest might have. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the brief exchanges earlier, it was apparent that this man''s status was not the highest; it was possible that behind him stood Sixth Order, Seventh Order, or even Eighth Order Supreme Beings.


    "What a rampant abomination, you truly cannot be left alive today!"


    Ying Chongyun''s expression chilled, and a murderous gleam flashed in his eyes. Before his voice fell, he had already made a fierce move.


    Whirrr¡ª


    A red treasured mirror appeared in his palm, soaring into the sky, with a series of roars echoing in the void.


    The Luminous Treasure Mirror suspended mid-air, its light suddenly intensifying like a blazing sun, dispelling the night, draping down strands of Spiritual Light.


    Chu Zheng''s hair slightly moved as he bathed in the sun''s divine radiance. His muscles trembled faintly, emitting bursts of popping sounds, yet he remained unmoved.


    Ying Chongyun''s face instantly shifted. An ordinary Walking Corpse, upon encountering the divine radiance from his treasured mirror, would almost instantly turn to ash.


    Even those with profound abilities would suffer extreme suppression, showing signs of agony and stimulating their wild nature.


    Yet the one before him showed not the slightest hint of discomfort, as if completely unaware.


    Seeing this, a sharp light flickered in his eyes. He raised his hand to the sky, chanting a Magic Spell, calling down a bolt of thunder.


    "Your Thunder Method still lacks refinement."


    Watching the lightning begin to form in the sky, Chu Zheng spoke indifferently, a wisp of fierce electricity flowing from his fingertip, transforming into thunder.


    In that instant, Ying Chongyun felt as if he had seen a ghost:


    "How could you possibly know Thunder Method?!"

 Chapter 266 Undying Body

    Thunderclouds brooded in the sky, and the occasional flash of blazing white lightning made Ying Chongyun''s complexion grow even paler.At this moment, his mind was a complete mess, and he simply could not comprehend how the zombie before him could wield the supremely rigid and yang Thunder Method.


    Boom¡ª


    The thunderous blast brought his wits back, and his expression suddenly grew fierce. He formed hand seals and directly summoned down Heavenly Thunder.


    The fierce lightning tore through the long night, overshadowing the starlight in the sky and crashing down violently, aimed straight at Chu Zheng''s crown, intending to reduce him to ashes.


    Chu Zheng didn''t step back an inch; he suddenly opened his mouth and took a light breath, and the thunder pouring down from the sky was completely swallowed into his belly without missing a single strike.


    In an instant, his limbs and bones emitted light, revealing glistening, jade-like muscles and bones, and his green hair sparkled, with the power of thunder overflowing from the tips.


    "I said before that your Thunder Method is still lacking in maturity."


    The next instant, Chu Zheng sharply lifted his hand, and layers of electrical arcs leaped within his palm. Lightning burst forth, sweeping across the void like a heavy hammer, crashing into the Luminous Treasure Mirror in the sky.


    Crack¡ª


    The mirror shook violently, its surface fissured with dense cracks. Its spiritual light greatly diminished, and the leaking thunder swept toward Ying Chongyun.


    Ying Chongyun''s face was grave; he did not dare to take the blow head-on. He retreated while forming hand seals and once again summoned a crimson Flying Sword. Heat waves churned, instantly dragging the surroundings into scorching heat, and fire clouds spread across the sky.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes were indifferent. Once again, he opened his mouth and took a light breath, operating the Method of Qi Absorption and drew out the Essence Qi from the flames all around.


    Snap¡ª


    The fire clouds engulfing the sky, as if their backbone had been removed, shattered into pieces and fell like meteoric fire rain.


    The flames and Essence Qi swallowed by Chu Zheng were instantly refined into Yang Qi. When mixed with the yin evil within his body, his Cultivation gained some increase.


    Buzz¡ª


    Amidst the rain of fire, a piercing shriek suddenly rang out like a sword cutting through gold; the sharp-edged Flying Sword was hidden within the fire rain, striking with the swiftness of thunder, and pierced through Chu Zheng''s chest.


    The crimson Sword Qi danced wildly, tearing open a human-head-sized hole in Chu Zheng''s chest; the edges of the wound were pitch-black, with remnants of fire poison. The majority of his internal organs were pulverized into dust.


    Ying Chongyun stood in the air, his face stern. Seeing that his strike had succeeded, his expression relaxed slightly.


    This Corpse Demon was not invincible. After capturing it later on, he could naturally force it to reveal how it had learned the Thunder Method.


    Thunder represents the authority of the heavens; it''s supremely rigid and yang, the purest of Techniques and Divine Skills.


    Such profound methods are not even guaranteed to be mastered by ordinary Cultivators, and yet this abomination was able to wield them¡ªthere must be a great secret behind it.


    Chu Zheng was indifferent to the wound on his chest. A zombie''s body was not affected by such superficial injuries; even decapitation was just a minor injury to him, let alone a slash across his chest. Moreover, he possessed a recovery mechanism.


    The next instant, the grotesque hole in his chest healed instantaneously. This time, Chu Zheng did not wait for Ying Chongyun to make a move and took the initiative by stomping fiercely. The ground within a thousand cubits heaved up layers of earth waves, and dust surged into the high skies.


    Amidst the enveloping dust, a faint green beam of light streaked across the sky, heading straight for Ying Chongyun. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s injury instantly recover, a hint of shock flashed in Ying Chongyun''s eyes. Such rapid healing was something he had only heard of in legends about the Undying Body.


    But the Undying Body was a true Great Divine Power, which many Cultivators of the Seventh or even Eighth Realm were unable to achieve. How could this mere Fourth Realm Corpse Demon be capable of such a feat?!


    Recalling the earlier Thunder Method, a trace of hesitation rose in Ying Chongyun''s heart. This Corpse Demon had already displayed too many strange occurrences; it could no longer be judged by common sense.


    In that brief moment of distraction, Chu Zheng had already closed the distance alongside him to less than a hundred feet, his hands shaping the Fist Seal with a murder intent flickering in his eyes.


    Since this battle had begun, Chu Zheng had never intended to let Ying Chongyun go. The Taoist Orthodoxy behind this man posed too great a threat to his current situation; he must cut him down here.


    Including those Cultivators from the Bai Family, not a single one could be left alive; as for now, the news must not leak out.


    Chu Zheng''s yin evil within softly stirred as his muscles and bones stretched out, setting off a thunderous roar, and he launched the Fist Seal through the air.


    Crack¡ª


    The air condensed under the pressure, forming invisible Fist Gangs that rolled across the Void and bore down directly on Ying Chongyun.


    Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Caught off guard, Ying Chongyun was too late to dodge and could only rely on the recently recalled Flying Sword for protection.


    In an instant, the first Fist Gang had already pressed down.


    Clang¡ª


    The Fist Gang clashed with the sword''s edge; the crimson Flying Sword trembled violently, buzzing as it was knocked thousands of feet away.


    The remaining Fist Gangs followed in close succession. High above, amidst a buzzing sound, the face of Ying Chongyun was twisted even before the fists arrived, by the fierce Aura wind.


    Under the crushing force of the Aura wind, the Void became as viscous as mud, impossible to break free from. He could only forcibly circulate his Mana, barely pulling away a few feet.


    But this trivial distance was not enough to evade the Fist Gangs. Ying Chongyun''s half body was grazed, and a colossal strength nearly tore his flesh asunder.


    Despite being just a graze, most of the bones in his upper body were shattered and blood flowed freely, staining his Taoist Robe red as he tumbled awkwardly thousands of feet away in the Void.


    Such godly power was terrifying to the extreme.


    Chu Zheng had not grown wings and could not sustain himself in the Void, uncontrollably falling back to the ground.


    Ying Chongyun steadied himself and saw Chu Zheng return to the earth, his heart slightly relaxing as his fright lessened substantially.


    Without entering the realm of the Flying Corpse, this Corpse Demon could only move upon the land. At best, a leap could span thousands or tens of thousands of feet; with a bit of caution, not even the corner of his robe could be touched.


    From the beginning, he had already secured an unbeatable position.


    Now it seemed, to subdue this demon by himself was too difficult; he must return to the Sect Gate first for help.


    Watching Ying Chongyun''s rapidly fleeing figure, Chu Zheng''s gaze turned cold. He reached out and from the hands of the nearby Cultivators forcefully drew over several Magic Artifacts and Magic Treasures, then with Tool Control, he soared into the sky to pursue.


    Seeing this scene, Song Zhao, standing among the Cultivators of the Gu Family, had a numb look on his face.


    Not only did he know the Thunder Method, he was not afraid of the might of thunder and fire, and now he had even self-taught the skill of controlling Magic Artifacts with ease.


    These kinds of abnormalities made him unable to consider this corpse demon, which he created, as just a zombie that had awakened its spiritual intelligence.


    No matter how smart it was, it was impossible to make such rapid progress in such a short period, so these skills must have been innate to the zombie itself.


    Thinking of this, Song Zhao''s expression turned somewhat ugly. He had some guesses in his heart as to why this zombie was so special.


    If there were no problems with all the steps, then the problem could only lie in the residual soul he had summoned!


    Initially, to hasten the awakening of the zombie''s spiritual intelligence, the residual soul he had summoned must have been significant, perhaps the Spirit Soul of some great individual, which he had summoned and locked inside this zombie.


    At the thought of this possibility, a shiver ran down Song Zhao''s spine.


    If this were true, it meant he had interfered with the reincarnation of some great individual, and what''s more, had trapped it inside the body of a Corpse Demon, a grave offense.

 Chapter 267 Great Tomb

    The silver moon hung high, and the stars filled the sky.Two streaks of light flashed across, pulling along majestic airwaves in the night sky, their piercing cries spreading over a hundred miles as they roared.


    Ying Chongyun''s cultivation wasn''t deeply versed in the Space Law, and his speed while flying with the magic artifact was merely average.


    However, within mere moments, Chu Zheng had already caught up to Ying Chongyun. His muscles tensed, with Yin Yang Dual Qi circulating throughout his body, unleashing the light of thunderbolts as he fiercely threw a punch.


    The void collapsed layer by layer, the wild wind cutting like a knife, an invisible Fist Gang reappeared, filled with the scent of blood, intertwined with the might of thunderbolts, and in a flicker, it hit right behind Ying Chongyun.


    Boom!


    Ying Chongyun''s figure shook violently, the protective aura around him shattered by the Fist Gang, plunging from the sky and crashing heavily into a mountain range, startling countless birds.


    With that punch, Ying Chongyun''s bones were shattered, and his internal organs were pulverized, barely clutching onto life by a thread of mana, yet already one foot into the Ghost Gate Pass.


    Watching Chu Zheng falling from the sky, Ying Chongyun spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, shook his dizzy head, and spoke hoarsely,


    "Today I admit my inferior skills and hope for your mercy."


    Chu Zheng had no intention of wasting words. He stepped forward and raised his hand.


    "You beast, how dare you!" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the murderous intent emanating from Chu Zheng, Ying Chongyun''s eyes almost burst,


    "If you harm my life, you will be crushed to dust!"


    Puff!


    The palm struck, mountains quaked, Ying Chongyun turned into a pool of blood, his Divine Soul annihilated. Chu Zheng briefly inspected the scene, took nothing from the body, casually buried him, and then swiftly returned.


    More than ten breaths later, Chu Zheng was back at the gorge.


    The two clans had already commenced their battle, and at that moment, the ground was covered in blood, with war cries shaking the heavens.


    Gu Family''s combat power was drastically inferior to Bai Family''s, not on the same level at all, almost a one-sided massacre, with Bai Family clearly aiming for a quick and decisive victory to eradicate Gu Family''s forces entirely.


    Chu Zheng glanced over the battlefield, flicked his finger lightly, and several fierce blood-colored auras crossed the battleground, killing top experts in Bai Family''s cultivators including Bai Shizheng.


    With Chu Zheng stepping in, the tide of the battle quickly tilted. He didn''t enter the fray but stood high at the mouth of the valley, overseeing the entire gorge to ensure no one escaped.


    The news of today must all be buried here.


    Within a mere half an hour, the battle ended, every cultivator of the Gu Family was injured, with over thirty casualties, but compared to the complete annihilation of the Bai Family, it was already a significant victory.


    As the dust settled, Gu Zhenxun and Song Zhao, too anxious to clean up the battlefield, hurried over to Chu Zheng.


    "For this timely help, my Gu Family will surely repay you handsomely in the future!"


    Gratitude filled Gu Zhenxun''s demeanor.


    "I have slain Ying Chongyun, Gu Family must consider how to face the revenge from the forces behind him,"


    Chu Zheng spoke indifferently, his gaze at Gu Zhenxun was unmistakable.


    All who came from the Bai Family today are dead. If the news leaks, it could only be a problem within the Gu Family itself.


    If so, Chu Zheng wouldn''t cover for Gu Family any longer.


    "I understand what needs to be done."


    Gu Zhenxun clenched his teeth and nodded heavily.


    Without Chu Zheng, the Gu Family would have perished tonight; he naturally had to ensure the news was tightly sealed.


    "Please forgive me, senior!"


    Beside him, Song Zhao suddenly bowed deeply.


    "I previously employed the Soul Summoning Secret Technique and inadvertently detained the Divine Soul of the senior, causing the senior to be trapped within the Corpse Demon. Should the senior be unwilling, I can try my best to find a way to help the senior escape."


    Hearing this, Gu Zhenxun''s complexion subtly changed. He did not speak but silently stepped back a few steps, realizing that the Gu Family could not influence Chu Zheng''s decision.


    Chu Zheng scrutinized Song Zhao thoughtfully. This Taoist in front of him was more intelligent than he thought, already noticing some anomalies about him.


    "No need, go ahead."


    Chu Zheng waved his hands, signaling for the two to leave.


    Had it been earlier, he might have thought of changing to a different body, but now there was no need.


    This body was growing very quickly, at least much faster than mere Qi Refining.


    Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Within the Tianwu Realm, there were secrets related to the Vast Universe. With the particular characteristics of this body, perhaps he could touch upon some secrets of the Vast Universe, even entering it to explore.


    It was a region as vast as the Great Universe, where the energy of heaven and earth could also help repair his vessel. For Chu Zheng, its value was immeasurable.


    Not long ago, Shang Cangyun had ventured into the Vast Universe, which was enough to prove that it hid many unknown secrets.


    The true body of Chu Zheng originated from Cangyun Realm too, and if nothing went wrong, reaching the peak of True Immortal was his limit. He needed to learn the method to fuse Immortal Blood.


    Both Shang Cangyun and Zhao Tingxian had broken their shackles because of the Vast Universe. If he could learn some information, even if it was just bits and pieces, it would likely be of great help to his future path.


    Gu Zhenxun moved extremely quickly, returning to Fire Rock City and conducting a purge of the Bai Family overnight.


    By dawn, the dust had settled, and the sky above the city had changed.


    His methods were very clean and decisive, sealing all news. Apart from a few core members within the family, no one else knew what had happened the previous night.


    After taking control of the entire city, Gu Zhenxun immediately began to recruit new Blood Slaves.


    This time, he directly increased the number of Blood Slaves to eight thousand, and a significant portion of them possessed Cultivation. Both the quality and the quantity far exceeded what it had been before.


    With a large amount of Blood Qi nourishing him and the presence of a Qi-refining Technique, Chu Zheng''s Cultivation began to advance by leaps and bounds.


    In less than two years, his Cultivation had broken through again. Bone Wings had grown on his back, entering the realm of Flying Corpse, enabling him to fly and travel through the ground. His Divine Skills greatly increased, and the green color of his body gradually deepened, starting to turn purple.


    Meanwhile, Chu Zheng began instructing Gu Zhenxun to help him collect various ancient items and fragments of Magic Treasures.


    However, Fire Rock City was ultimately just a rural area and had never produced any notable figures. The ancient fragments nearby were mostly of low quality.


    After expending a lot of energy, the gains were minimal, consisting only of some ordinary Magic Treasures, with few reaching the Fifth Order.


    Although nothing was achieved from the outside world, the internal efforts of the Gu Family brought Chu Zheng an unexpected joy.


    From the Mansion''s Treasury of the Gu Family, Gu Zhenxun found a half-broken Jade Ruler.


    [Cold Spirit Ruler (Seventh Order/Incomplete): A battle-type Warrior, affected by a great battle which caused it to shatter, with its Dao patterns broken and Spiritual Energy lost. Can be repaired (0/4)]


    A fragment of a Warrior comparable to a Semi-Immortal Treasure, although repairable, Chu Zheng currently lacked the Primordial Qi.


    This fragment originated from an Ancient Tomb left from Ancient Times, burying an unknown living creature.


    In exploring this ancient tomb, the Gu Family lost most of their elites, with only one person returning heavily injured.


    This fragment was the only find.

 Chapter 268 The Remnant Aura of Ancient Times

    The Gu Family expended the entire clan''s strength to explore that Great Tomb, which did not house a strong member of the Human Race, and its origins were unknown.At that time, Cultivators from all clans were present, the situation was utterly chaotic, and the meager forces of the Gu Family were hardly noticeable among them.


    More than two hundred years had passed since that exploration, and to this very day, no one has been able to fully excavate the Great Tomb; only its outer regions have been explored.


    Given that fragments of that level were present, the existence of higher Quality pieces of Supreme Treasures was a certainty, and even if they could not be restored, they would provide Chu Zheng with a substantial amount of Primordial Qi.


    Chu Zheng took an interest in that Great Tomb, but he did not rush into action rashly.


    His current strength was merely Fifth Order, and within the Tianwu Realm, it was nothing remarkable. He would find it difficult to control the situation in a chaotic battle involving many great races.


    At the very least, only when he approached the strength of his original form could he enter the world and stir up a tempest.


    ...


    ...


    Time flew by swiftly like an arrow, and more than a decade passed in the blink of an eye.


    After the Gu Family took control of the entire Fire Rock City, the clan''s power grew rapidly. In just over a decade, their strength more than doubled, making them one of the prominent forces within thousands of miles.


    In comparison, the benefits that Chu Zheng received became increasingly apparent.


    To prevent an incident like the one with the Bai Family from happening again, Gu Zhenxun learned from his mistake, reducing the number of Blood Slaves, transferring them underground, doing his utmost to improve Quality, and then gradually concealing the news.


    To ensure that Chu Zheng had an ample supply of fresh blood, he would even occasionally enter the fray to draw blood himself.


    Over the years, to prevent anyone from investigating the matter of Ying Chongyun, the Gu Family had constantly arranged for people to monitor the reactions of the Divine Phoenix Dao and the Red Flame Sect.


    Members of the Divine Phoenix Dao had once come to Fire Rock City, but fortunately, there were no mishaps. They merely asked some questions and did not delve deeply or conduct a thorough investigation.


    After successfully hiding the Blood Slaves, the Gu Family did not give themselves away, and in the eyes of the Red Flame Sect, the Gu Family had not touched Ying Chongyun''s strength, and they quickly ruled out any suspicion of the Gu Family.


    Chu Zheng was naturally pleased with this, for he would not be foolish enough to seek out these people and confess his deeds.


    However, the reaction following Ying Chongyun''s disappearance indicated that his previously stated identity likely contained a lot of bluster.


    Ying Chongyun was once mentioned as favored by the Divine Phoenix Daoist, but now it seemed utterly baseless.


    Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Within the Tianwu Human Race, numerous sects and hundreds of Dao gathered, with the Divine Phoenix Dao ranking among the top ten.


    The Divine Phoenix Daoist had long since refined his talent to the point of aligning with creation. His Cultivation reached the heavens and he had stepped into the ninth great realm of Cultivation, stronger than an Immortal King and comparable to an Immortal Monarch.


    Such a person, if truly fond of Ying Chongyun, would have left Chu Zheng with no chance for survival, even if he had ten lives.


    The thread of karma, in the eyes of beings at such realms, could not be hidden, and with a little deducing, the true culprit could be found.


    ... S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Another year passed, and it was deep autumn. Soon after nightfall, the air already carried a trace of chill.


    The Green Stone Grand Hall bathed in Moonlight emitted a hazy glow, with Yin Qi swirling around it, making the surroundings seem cold and desolate.


    For the past decade and more, only the dozens of people who survived that great battle knew of Chu Zheng''s existence. Those in the know kept their mouths tightly sealed, not daring to speak more lest they invite disaster.


    Inside the Grand Hall.


    Chu Zheng submerged in the Blood Pool, absorbing Blood Qi and slowly increasing his Cultivation. The green hair on his body was turning purple, emanating the essence of Dao Laws.


    Over the years, the fresh blood sent by Gu Zhenxun was of increasingly high Quality, with virtually no commoners and all Cultivators.


    With the daily supplement of a large amount of fresh blood, coupled with Qi-refining Techniques, his Cultivation soared rapidly.


    However, a Yin Corpse practicing Dao Laws had already caused his body to undergo strange transformations.


    As the Yin Yang Dual Qi mingled, his body was gradually transforming into a special kind of living creature, akin to the dead returning to life, with a hint of vitality.


    The Blood Qi congealed in his veins showed signs of melting, and his heart would occasionally tremble lightly, as if it were about to start beating again.


    This feeling of transitioning from death to life allowed Chu Zheng to make significant gains in his hazy understanding, touching upon some Heaven and Earth Laws. However, due to his shallow Cultivation, he was unable to fully comprehend them in the short term.


    With the Gu Family''s diligent search, Chu Zheng had received many high-Quality Fragments over the years. Using the Primordial Qi extracted from them, he repaired two Warrior weapons.


    The first was the Cold Spirit Ruler, a piece taken from the Great Tomb by someone from the Gu Family, that did not disappoint Chu Zheng; it was indeed an incredibly potent Warrior weapon.


    However, Chu Zheng''s current strength lay in his physical body, and the Mana required to activate Magic Treasures and Warrior weapons was insufficient, making it difficult to unleash their true power.


    The second piece was an Ancient Treasure called the Soul Stabilizing Bell, also of Seventh Order, a Supreme Treasure specifically for protecting the Primordial Spirit.


    His weakness now lay in his Primordial Spirit.


    This body, through practicing Qi-refining Techniques, had not followed the usual Daoic paths of Refining Essence into Qi, Qi Refining into Spirit. Although his Cultivation was ascending and his physical body strengthening, his Primordial Spirit had scarcely changed.


    Though his Cultivation was now approaching Sixth Order, his weak Primordial Spirit was even inferior to that of an Immortal Path Soul Condensing Monk, necessitating a Supreme Treasure for protection.


    Aside from his weak Primordial Spirit, Chu Zheng always harbored an unease in his heart. Up to this point in his Cultivation, he had not perceived the presence of Tribulation Qi.


    The Qi Techniques were making him stronger, but the absence of Tribulation Qi perplexed Chu Zheng. He did not know whether it was an issue with his perception or for some other reason, but indeed, there was not the slightest trace of Tribulation Qi bound to him.

 Chapter 268 The Qi Remnants from Ancient Times_2

    Without Tribulation Qi, Chu Zheng didn''t even know whether his incarnated journey through tribulations was of any help to his original body.¡ªThunk thunk¡ª


    The temple doors were knocked.


    Chu Zheng rose from the pool, his hair smooth and no blood clinging to him, his height had abruptly surged to nearly ten feet tall, his muscles knotted like they were cast from gold and iron.


    The growth in physical strength was inevitable for Chu Zheng, naturally revealing a few anomalies.


    He casually pulled out a piece of battle armor, and Chu Zheng remotely opened the room door:


    "Come in."


    Gu Zhenxun stepped in, followed by ten women, all adorned with pearl and jade, dressed in silk, with jade belts around their waists, sketching out their graceful figures.


    Chu Zheng glanced over and, seeing the Yin Qi entwined around these women, he immediately understood Gu Zhenxun''s intention.


    Their Yuan Yin was still intact, rich in blood Qi, which for zombies, their fresh blood was a great tonic.


    "These are all from the Gu Family bloodline, absolutely reliable, all possess cultivation, and are still virgins, which should benefit your cultivation."


    Gu Zhenxun bowed, his tone somewhat flattering: "From today, they will stay here to attend to your daily needs."


    Having discussed with Song Zhao, Gu Zhenxun had already formed an opinion about Chu Zheng''s real identity. This must be some fallen powerhouse whose residual soul had taken over a Yin Corpse, thus possessing so many abilities.


    Knowing this, Gu Zhenxun had been continuously trying to appease Chu Zheng, reasoning that if they served Chu Zheng well, even a few martial arts and secret techniques leaking through inadvertently would suffice for the Gu Family''s endless use, establishing an unshakeable foundation for his generation.


    The ten women stood behind Gu Zhenxun, shaking with fear, their complexions pale, their eyes filled with forcibly suppressed terror.


    The distant figure clad in battle armor, with blood-red eyes, wings on his back, a green face, and sharp fangs, looked like a demonic fiend. Just one glance was enough to send shivers down one''s spine, making it difficult to sleep through the night.


    If they had to serve him for a long time, they were likely to be scared to death.


    From several yards away, Chu Zheng could sense these women''s chaotic heartbeat, and he shook his head:


    "No need, I will leave tomorrow."


    Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Although these women''s blood had some benefits for him, the amount was small and, with their low cultivation, not very valuable.


    If accumulated over time, it might be of some use, but he was not planning to spend more time with the Gu Family.


    His cultivation was about to enter the Sixth Order, and with two Seventh Order Supreme Treasures protecting him, he already had the qualifications to explore that Great Tomb.


    Most importantly, staying with the Gu Family made the growth of the Repair Master''s experience too slow.


    He wanted to maximize the Repair Master experience, which would give him more confidence in his original self''s future actions.


    "You... are leaving just like that?"


    Gu Zhenxun''s expression froze, his explanation tinged with panic:


    "I didn''t intend to obstruct you, but the great favor you bestowed upon the Gu Family line back then has not yet been repaid. Your sudden departure makes it difficult for me to rest easy..."


    He spoke earnestly, but how much was true and how much was false in his words, only he knew.


    Seeing a way out, the ten women behind Gu Zhenxun discreetly sighed with relief, serving a Yin Corpse up close was unpredictable¡ªthey could be killed at any moment.


    "No need."


    Chu Zheng handed over a red spherical bead, speaking gently, "This is called a Melting Bead, suitable for gathering and storing Blood Qi. You keep collecting fresh blood for me as usual, and I will come to retrieve it when I have the time."


    The Melting Bead was a method Chu Zheng had obtained from the Dongyuan Realm for refining, perfect for storing Blood Qi, and very useful for his current situation.


    "...Yes."


    After a moment of silence, Gu Zhenxun dared not defy Chu Zheng and bowed to receive the Melting Bead.


    Holding the blood-colored bead in his palm, he sighed inwardly. At least the connection hadn''t been completely severed; there might still be chances to ingratiate in the future.


    Before he could react, Chu Zheng threw over a Storage Spirit Ring: "These items can be considered compensation for the years of effort and resources the Gu Family has spent."


    For over a decade, the Gu Family had spared him many troubles, allowing him to focus wholeheartedly on cultivation and to elevate his Cultivation Realm, thanks to the Gu Family.


    After seeing the items inside the Spiritual Ring, even Gu Zhenxun, who had experienced countless storms, couldn''t help but hold his breath, unable to recover for a long time.


    Heaps of Magic Artifacts and Magic Treasures, along with some Classical Books.


    These all originated from the fragments collected by the Gu Family, some Fourth Order and Fifth Order trash and a few Sixth Order items, which were of no use to Chu Zheng.


    He had never counted exactly how many items there were, but he presumed that, for the Gu Family, it was a substantial amount.


    "This...This junior dares not accept."


    Gu Zhenxun stood with his head bowed, his hands trembling slightly as he held the Spiritual Ring. Not to mention the Magic Treasures and Divine Weapons, those Classical Books were what he had always desired the most.


    However, the gift Chu Zheng casually bestowed was too heavy for the Gu Family.


    So heavy that Gu Zhenxun felt it was somewhat unreal, vaguely fearful.


    Suddenly, a light sound¡ª


    A demonic wind entered the hall, and Gu Zhenxun abruptly looked up, only to find that Chu Zheng had disappeared.


    Clearly, Chu Zheng didn''t want to waste any more words and chose to leave early.


    After a while, Gu Zhenxun took a deep breath, waved his hand to dismiss the group of women behind him.


    Then, he sat down right there and began studying a few of the spells, his eyes filled with extreme excitement.


    Through the Cultivation Technique in his hands, he could almost see the brilliant future where the Gu Family would rise mightily.


    ...


    ...


    Having left Fire Rock City, Chu Zheng''s destination was clear¡ªhe headed straight for the Great Tomb.


    Now his appearance was very noticeable, making it easy for others to see through him, so he disguised himself.


    Using the False Form Divine Skill, for the current Chu Zheng, only a bit could be performed. He concealed his purple fur and revealed his robust physique, but the piercing Yin Qi was still hard to hide.


    Still, he managed to appear somewhat human-like, not too terrifying.


    He traveled by night, and adding the time spent gathering information, it took Chu Zheng half a month to finally reach the Great Tomb.


    This place was far from Fire Rock City, hardly a place the Gu Family clan members could have found.


    Inside the Great Tomb, not a member of the Human Race was buried. The identity and strength of the tomb''s owner was unknown, and it had existed for nearly ten thousand years.


    Throughout the ages, countless strong beings had come, yet the Great Tomb had never been opened, shrouded in mystery.


    The more elusive it was, the more it piqued the curiosity of various living creatures. Even if they couldn''t delve deep, they still wished to explore nearby.


    A Nameless City emerged as a result.


    The city spanned over two hundred leagues, mixing various forces within, constantly causing friction on normal days.


    Fortunately, there was a sufficiently powerful being inside the city who could just manage to keep the situation under control; otherwise, deaths would occur daily.


    Chu Zheng concealed his aura as he entered the city. Though he had disguised himself, the moment he entered, many people secretly glanced his way, sensing the startling Yin Qi on him and recognizing that he clearly was not from the Human Race.


    Regarding this, Chu Zheng could only pretend to be unaware and quietly began collecting secrets about the Great Tomb.


    Soon enough, he exchanged a Fifth Order Magical Treasure for some information on the Great Tomb, simple and direct.


    From the outside, the Great Tomb seemed to stretch only about thirty leagues, but in reality, it contained a vast space covering millions of leagues.


    As Chu Zheng generously offered such a large bounty, naturally, he attracted the attention of many. During this process of gathering information, many living creatures, with varied intentions, unknowingly trailed behind him. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having gained the information, Chu Zheng didn''t stay long; he left the city and headed directly towards the nearby Great Tomb, followed by many living creatures like a shadow.


    It was midday, and the sun was intensely bright.


    Chu Zheng walked under the grand sunlight, drawing in the essence of Yang Qi, warming the blood in his body that felt almost frozen.


    This scene was witnessed by many living creatures, and for a time, some knew it was tough and retreated, no longer following him.

 Chapter 269 Ancient Corpse

    The entrance to the Great Tomb was not atop the earth, but suspended in mid-air.An array had kept a spatial rift open, stretching over two thousand feet wide, resembling a "Heavenly Eye" lying across the sky, reflecting a glimmer of mountains and rivers within, a Small World.


    Around the spatial rift, several floating islands were present, each festooned with various banners and flags.


    Opening up a Small World required a certain understanding of the Yin Yang Five Elements Law. With Chu Zheng''s Yin Yang Immortal Bone and the Five Elements Spiritual Body, he wasn''t shackled in this regard. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As an Immortal Path Cultivator, stepping into the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm could open up a Cave Heaven World. Chu Zheng''s own cultivation was certainly sufficient, though he had not yet begun the attempt.


    Opening a Small World consumed numerous resources, and the rise in one''s cultivation could also be limited by the Small World itself.


    Once a Small World was established, Chu Zheng needed to expend considerable effort in enhancing the foundation of the world; for him, it was like having another distracting task to tend to, given his limited energy.


    With a Small World as support, an Immortal Path Cultivator could enter the true inner cycles, greatly reducing dependence on the heaven and earth and allowing them to continue battling in the cosmic starry sky, inducing a qualitative change in their capability.


    Additionally, a Small World was a means to enhance combat power, briefly igniting the world''s origin in a short time to unleash astonishing might.


    This was essentially a measure of last resort, sacrificing the foundation of one''s cultivation for temporary splendor, not something a cultivator would use unless at a life-and-death juncture.


    Around the entrance of the Great Tomb, malevolent energy and Yin Qi loomed, and despite the bright sun, it was chilling to the bone.


    For Chu Zheng, however, the environment was somewhat comfortable.


    He looked back, noticing that the many living creatures that initially followed him had dwindled to a mere few presences; the rest, knowing the difficulties, had abandoned their pursuit.


    Nevertheless, the few spirits that remained were troublesome; all had at least reached the Fifth Order, clearly confident in their own strengths.


    Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye, carefully observing the nearby spatial rift as his brow gradually knit together.


    Dense Yin Qi churned at the tomb''s entrance, continuously overflowing.


    It was not just a Great Tomb; within this Small World, there certainly wasn''t just one unknown powerful being buried, but a mass grave with who knew how many dead creatures contributing to the rich Yin Qi.


    After a moment of thought, Chu Zheng rose into the air and headed towards the entrance of the Great Tomb.


    Before he could get close, more than ten figures shot up from the floating islands in the sky and directly headed towards him.


    These figures, varying in aura, were only a quarter from the Human Race; the rest were from Foreign Races. Their cultivation was mediocre at best, the strongest merely Third Order, posing no threat to the current Chu Zheng.


    Even so, Chu Zheng remained seven parts cautious and stopped in his tracks.


    "Esteemed senior, is this your first visit? May you need a guide?"


    "I have the latest map of the tomb here, which could save you a hundred years of hard work; would you like to buy one?"


    "My map is the most detailed. Fellow Daoist, why not take a look at mine first?"


    "This is the latest map drawn yesterday; it only costs two Third Order Spiritual Medicines!"


    "The tomb is rife with Yin Qi, and many malevolent beings have emerged; would you like to buy some Spirit Talisman for protection?"


    The ten-plus figures closed in and spoke up, making clear their intentions.


    In a moment, Chu Zheng realized this Great Tomb had existed for too long, its fame spreading far and wide, often attracting cultivators from various races to try their luck.


    Many creatures had spotted a business opportunity and were making a living off it.


    After some thought, Chu Zheng refused the services of a guide and then took out some low-grade Magic Treasures and Warriors, purchasing all the maps.


    Having multiple maps to cross-reference was naturally better for him.


    As for external items like Fu Lu and magic treasures, given their low quality, Chu Zheng excluded them too.


    The malevolent beings nurtured by this Yin Qi were quite similar to his current state; who knew, they might even be considered half his kin.


    Moments later, after completing the trade, Chu Zheng finally stepped into the spatial rift.


    At the same time, the number of creatures entering and exiting the Great Tomb numbered over a hundred, never ceasing.


    The fame of this Great Tomb was vast, with scarcely anyone within millions of miles unaware of it.


    It was said that at one time, a power tried to forcibly control this entrance, demanding a toll from every creature that wished to explore the tomb.


    To Chu Zheng, this seemed like a wonderful idea, but the prerequisite was having enough strength to enforce it.


    As expected, the result was a collective attack, followed by abandonment.


    Since the day it was discovered until now, countless creatures had perished within this Great Tomb.


    In reality, a considerable portion of the cultivators still exploring the tomb were not there for the tomb itself, but to search for the numerous inheritances of those who had died before.


    This, too, represented a significant wealth.


    Crossing the spatial rift, the dense Yin Qi rushed forward.


    Chu Zheng''s aura flowed smoothly, his Shape-Shifting Divine Power was directly torn open, his richly purple-glowing hair unfurled, and his Bone Wings fully spread, spanning more than ten feet. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    In such an environment, he felt as comfortable as a dragon in water.


    The few cultivators who followed Chu Zheng into the rift changed their expressions in shock and disbelief, unconsciously halting their steps.


    They had noticed the Yin Qi around Chu Zheng early on but had never expected him to be a Flying Corpse.

 Chapter 269 Ancient Corpse_2

    Yin Corpses possess extremely low levels of spiritual intelligence; even Flying Corpses, at best, have the intelligence of a five or six-year-old child.Moreover, even Flying Corpses find sunlight distasteful, and while they are not harmed by it, they prefer not to be active during the day.


    This particular Yin Corpse, on its journey thus far, had displayed a level of intelligence no different from ordinary humans and showed no fear of the blazing sun whatsoever¡ªsuch behaviors were far from normal.


    The most plausible explanation was that this Yin Corpse''s cultivation far exceeded its apparent form.


    When something is out of the ordinary, it usually spells trouble; the cultivators had unanimously abandoned their previous plans, choosing not to follow behind Chu Zheng anymore.


    Yin Corpses often travel alone and lack the backing of Sects and powers. Presumably, they wouldn''t possess much wealth, making it unworthy to take such a risk.


    Chu Zheng turned his head for a glance, then withdrew his gaze. These few cultivators, at least, had some sense in them; otherwise, bloodshed would have been unavoidable today.


    He had come to explore the tomb in search of opportunities, to collect fragments of high-grade spiritual objects, and he didn''t wish to start disputes. The current situation was quite to his liking.


    The sky above the Small World differed from the outside world, with the sun and moon coexisting; the sunlight was dim and seemed to be suppressed by the moonlight.


    In the Great Universe, such an event was absolutely impossible, indicating that in this realm, the balance of Yin Yang Dual Qi had long been disturbed.


    If this situation continued, eventually all Yang Qi would be completely devoured, the great sun extinguished, and this realm would become a paradise for the Yin God Ghosts.


    Chu Zheng took out all the maps he had purchased and, after comparing them, confirmed his location.


    The Great Tomb was mountain-shaped as a whole, with four distinct mountain passes inside and out; the outermost Firstfold with the largest area, where the closer one got to the center, the heavier the Yin Qi became.


    During nearly ten thousand years of exploration, the various racial cultivators had only managed to open the first two mountain passes. The Thirdfold and the core Fourthfold mountain passes remained unexplored by anyone.


    A strong Eighth Order once ventured into the Thirdfold mountain pass but encountered a Corpse King less than two thousand li in, resulting in a fierce battle that left them gravely injured and forced to retreat.


    According to that person, beyond the Second Mountain Pass, there were far more than just one Corpse King. Even the master of the Great Tomb, after years of nourishment by Yin Qi, might have turned into a Yin Corpse. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Under these circumstances, naturally very few people dared to take a step over the boundary.


    Those who had stepped into the Ninth Order or even higher realms seemed uninterested in this place; there were no records of such beings arriving here.


    Chu Zheng''s target was at least the Thirdfold mountain pass.


    If there were ancient corpses of Eighth Order existence, then that region undoubtedly harbored fragments comparable to True Immortal treasures, which were, without question, highly valuable for him.


    In this Small World, there were many Spirit Mines, and those that had been discovered were basically occupied by various forces.


    However, in this world, there were no rules, and bloody conflicts occurred frequently; the ownership of Spirit Mines changed hands many times, which was the norm in this place.


    Chu Zheng began circling the outermost area, following the directions marked on the map.


    Within this area, there should be numerous fragments of ancient objects. He had plenty of time and didn''t need to hurry.


    To avoid trouble, he didn''t travel ostentatiously through the air but used the Earth Escape Skill to move through the earth, while emitting a faint Divine Sense to detect some of the buried ancient object fragments.


    The Yin Qi underground was even more concentrated, mixed with the unique Spiritual Energy of the earth, making Chu Zheng feel increasingly comfortable.


    Yin Corpses originated from the earth and naturally had an affinity for Earth attribute essence.


    In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.


    Traveling beneath the earth, Chu Zheng unearthed quite a number of ancient fragments, mostly Magic Treasures and Warrior relics, along with some Fu Lu fragments and peculiar remnants of ornaments.


    The Quality varied greatly, but none were ordinary items, all being above Second Order, and among them, those of Sixth or Seventh Order were not in short supply.


    Chu Zheng was not picky; he collected everything, considering they might be useful in the future.


    Crack¡ª


    As he traveled below the earth, Chu Zheng suddenly heard an unusual cracking sound.


    The next instant, he entered a slightly damp and muddy corridor; within the corridor, there hung an aura intensely familiar to Chu Zheng.


    Scattered haphazardly in front of and behind him were several withered corpses, all of which had died with their Essence Blood dried up, wearing varied clothing, and a few were clearly Otherkind.


    Thud¡ª


    A dull, massive sound reverberated as a shadow swiftly lunged at him, pinning Chu Zheng firmly against the side of the corridor.


    The corridor caved in instantly, and the residual Colossal Strength sent Chu Zheng a thousand zhang outward, forcibly carving out another corridor.


    The thick arm covered with purple hair, clamped down on Chu Zheng''s neck, a pair of bloodshot, crimson eyes filled with a deadly murderous intent.


    Without a doubt, this was an ancient corpse, its Cultivation closely matched Chu Zheng''s, if not surpassed it.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened, without the slightest hesitation, he reached back and directly pulled out the Cold Spirit Ruler, heavily smashing it onto the ancient corpse''s skull.


    "Thud!"


    The head, sturdier than ordinary Magic Treasures, burst instantly, black blood splattered out, and the weak Primordial Spirit that emerged was eradicated in a flash.


    In one encounter, a Flying Corpse was slain.


    The power of a Seventh Order Supreme Treasure exploded underground in an instant, rupturing the surface, blasting up massive waves of earth, and dust and smoke billowed ten thousand feet high, causing tremors within thousands of miles as if the dragon of the earth had turned over, an incredibly shocking disturbance.


    After dealing with this ancient corpse, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but frown.


    Without the Tribulation Qi by his side, his Spiritual Perception seemed to have faded significantly and was unable to employ Precognition to foresee his own fortune and misfortune. Facing his enemy, he realized he felt quite uneasy.


    At the moment when the ancient corpse lunged out, he had barely reacted in time. If not for the ancient corpse''s power being only on par with his own, he would have faced significant danger.


    Coming back to his senses, Chu Zheng picked up the remains of the ancient corpse, stepped onto the surface, and quickly left the vicinity.


    Such a huge commotion would undoubtedly attract the attention of many living creatures.


    After leaving for about ten thousand miles, Chu Zheng stopped on a plain and then once again descended underground, rapidly carving out a temporary cave dwelling.


    He vaguely sensed that there was something on this ancient corpse that could be beneficial to him.


    After some study, Chu Zheng realized, raised his hand in a slicing motion, broke open the Dantian of the ancient corpse, and extracted a Yin Pill.


    This was the essence of the ancient corpse''s Cultivation, comparable to the Golden Core of a Qi Cultivator.


    At the same time, the remnants of Yin Qi on the corpse were also a great tonic for Chu Zheng.


    If ordinary Yin Corpses had seen it, even if they could see it, they wouldn''t be able to absorb it, but Chu Zheng was different¡ªwith the Method of Qi Absorption, extracting the Yin Qi contained within this ancient corpse was not a difficult task.


    Chu Zheng quickly extracted the Yin Qi, then together with the Yin Pill, ingested them, and promptly felt his Cultivation beginning to surge, rapidly approaching the Sixth Order.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be revised.


    After searching with his Divine Sense for a short while, his expression suddenly changed, and he glanced towards a corner.


    On the well-restored plaque were five gilded large characters.


    "Zheng Chu Taoist Temple."


    Looking at the dilapidated temple before him, Chu Zheng''s scalp suddenly tingled.


    How is this possible?!


    He forcefully pushed the door and stepped into the temple, where the Divine Statue remained intact, unharmed, dressed in a Yin Yang Taoist Robe. The facial features were identical to Chu Zheng''s own, down to the last detail.


    Was this the statue of the Ancestral Dao? S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed, a glint of Spiritual Light flickered. He called up


    [Mud Figure (Zeroth Order): The Golden Body of an ancient deity, the incense burned for it is no more. As time passed, it turned to dust, devoid of any trace of the divine.]


    "Zheng Chu Taoist Temple."


    Looking at the dilapidated temple before him, Chu Zheng''s scalp suddenly tingled.


    How is this possible?!


    He forcefully pushed the door and stepped into the temple, where the Divine Statue remained intact, unharmed, dressed in a Yin Yang Taoist Robe. The facial features were identical to Chu Zheng''s own, down to the last detail.


    Was this the statue of the Ancestral Dao?


    Chu Zheng''s eyes narrowed, a glint of Spiritual Light flickered. He called up


    [Mud Figure (Zeroth Order): The Golden Body of an ancient deity, the incense burned for it is no more. As time passed, it turned to dust, devoid of any trace of the divine.]

 Chapter 270 A Stir in the Incense

    "Could this be the divine statue of the Ancestral Dao?"[Mud Figure (Zeroth Order): An ancient gold body of a deity, whose incense fire has died out. Over time, it has turned to dust, without any trace of divinity. (Detailed information)] Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Looking at the mud figure on the altar, Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with spiritual light, raising some suspicions as he pulled up the detailed information on this golden body.


    [Detailed Information: Sculpted eons ago, the specific era is untraceable, with no information left behind.]


    Looking at the information about the mud figure, Chu Zheng couldn''t help frowning¡ªhis Spiritual Eye included¡ªunable to find any information.


    From the current information, this golden body seems unrelated to the Ancestral Dao; the golden body of the Ancestral Dao would show some traces.


    Although he was unaware of the exact date when this Great Tomb came into existence, he could assure it did not possibly trace back to eons ago.


    From some information he had previously gathered, this Small World should not have experienced such a lengthy passage of time.


    The cultivators who initially entered this Great Tomb harvested Spiritual Medicine on the outskirts, which were aged at most between one hundred thousand and one million years.


    Judging the existence period of a Secret Realm solely on Spiritual Medicine isn''t too accurate.


    Many Spiritual Medicines have their age limits; after a thousand or even ten thousand years, they do not continue to grow.


    The age limit of some Spiritual Medicines is a thousand years; after reaching maturity, even ten thousand years later, their age remains only a thousand years.


    However, they can at least serve as a reference.


    Among the harvested Spiritual Medicines, some Holy Medicines were not mature, dating less than a million years old.


    This was already enough to suggest certain issues.


    Even if he guessed the age as far back as possible, the history of this Great Tomb would only be a few million years old.


    This does not match the years endured by this divine statue at all.


    The only explanation is that this temple existed in this location before the birth of this Small World.


    This sounded as if it might disrupt the cause and effect, but it was not entirely impossible.


    A Small World doesn''t necessarily have to be formed by oneself; if one''s cultivation is sufficient, directly annexing a world isn''t difficult.


    The origin of this Great Tomb is anything but ordinary; perhaps this Small World was specifically prepared as a burial ground.


    This temple, merely because of a fortuitous coincidence, entered this place and has been preserved until today.


    Inside the temple, aside from the divine statue, it was empty; on the altar''s incense burner, remnants of ash left from Ancient Times linger.


    Chu Zheng slowly walked in front of the divine statue, sat down cross-legged, and gazed at the dust-covered mud figure, falling into contemplation.


    Having not decayed over eons indicates that, in some era long past, this golden body was nourished by the Incense Fire Willpower.


    This place is named Zheng Chu Taoist Temple; the facial features of the divine statue mimic his very own; all these facts, if said to be coincidental, would seem too far-fetched.


    After a moment of silence, Chu Zheng stood up, stepped out of the temple, expanded his Divine Sense, and found a lone cultivator, directly capturing him and bringing him to the temple.


    The cultivator, appearing quite ordinary, was named Mu Xin, with a cultivation just entering the Third Realm, bone age under thirty, placed in the former Cangyun Realm, he was also among the top hundred of the Hidden Dragon List.


    In the Tianwu Realm, such talent was seen as quite common; it could only be considered as having a modest talent.


    That Wutong Tree that crossed the starry sea significantly raised the foundation of the entire Tianwu Realm by at least two levels.


    A Great Realm with the presence of a Supreme Being was far stronger than the Cangyun Realm by who knows how many times.


    Looking at Chu Zheng''s crimson eyes, Mu Xin''s face paled; he tightly closed his eyes, muttering continuously, constantly praying for his forefathers'' protection.


    Being captured by a Flying Corpse within this Great Tomb, his fate was self-evident.


    The best outcome was to be drained dry of Essence Blood and die, being able to leave an intact corpse; if this Flying Corpse had any peculiar tastes, even having an entire corpse would be difficult.


    "Copy the facial features of this divine statue."


    The hoarse whisper echoed inside the temple; Mu Xin''s expression startled as he cautiously opened his eyes.


    Plunk¡ª


    A set of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone was thrown beside him, the purple-haired Flying Corpse stood not far away, like a towering tower emitting a cold light.


    Mu Xin dared not hesitate for a moment; trembling, he spread out the drawing paper and began to copy on the spot.


    Although his body was trembling, his hands were exceptionally steady; he dared not make any sudden movements, copying the divine statue in front of him might be his only chance of survival.


    After a while, a vivid sketch of the mud figure appeared on the paper.


    Only after seeing his own likeness appear on this canvas did Chu Zheng finally shatter the last bit of luck within his heart.


    This was indeed not an Ancestral Dao Golden Body, but merely a divine statue identical to him.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng fell into a profound confusion. In terms of the time flow in the Chaos Sea, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu was only a deity with a history of over a thousand years.


    Although he had numerous followers, the Incense Fire Willpower was chaotic, and truly fervent followers were not many.


    This did not match the years this divine statue had experienced at all.


    Moreover, as the true body of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, it was impossible to feel no connection to his own golden body.


    For a time, the temple fell into a strange silence.


    Mu Xin stood tremblingly aside, his heart filled with torment, uncertain of what fate awaited him.


    Had he known that the periphery of this Great Tomb was so perilous, he would never have ventured here.


    Moments later, Chu Zheng snapped out of his contemplation, flipped his hand to retrieve three sticks of Pure Incense, and handed them to Mu Xin, pointing at the Divine Statue, he said softly,


    "For the next year, worship him as a God, bow morning and evening, offer incense at dawn and dusk. After one year, I will let you go and will provide you with another opportunity."


    He intended to use the Incense Fire Willpower to try and awaken this Golden Body. If this Golden Body could be reactivated by the Incense Fire Willpower, then he would inevitably discover some new clues.


    Regardless, he had to uncover the secrets hidden within this Divine Statue.


    Throughout his journey, his path had been predetermined, from Cangyun Realm to Chaos Sea, to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. Despite the perilous dangers, it all ended safely without incident.


    Chu Zheng didn''t think this was due to any particular merit of his; many intricacies were hard to discern clearly.


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Mu Xin was stunned for a moment and, regaining his composure, he dared not ask further, accepting the Pure Incense handed over by Chu Zheng and approaching the Divine Statue.


    After lighting the incense, he knelt with a devout expression and bowed respectfully three times, silently praying:


    "May the Ancient Celestial Venerate, the Supreme Taoist Ancestor, all Taoist sages, and the Universal Buddha, the great God of Fortune protect me from this calamity..."


    In that instant, never having believed in the Deities, he recited the names of all the Ancient Gods he knew, hoping to receive protection from one of them.


    After a while, he stood up and inserted the incense into the incense burner.


    Buzz¡ª


    A dull thud arose from beyond the heavens, a faint ripple emerged, and the three sticks of incense inside the burner snapped.


    Mu Xin''s expression momentarily faltered, bewildered.


    Chu Zheng also furrowed his brows; the broken incense signified that the Deity had rejected this worship and did not accept the follower''s willingness.


    Why would this be?


    Such an abnormal sight momentarily plunged Chu Zheng into confusion; it wasn''t supposed to be like this. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This Divine Statue had been dead for countless years; why would it reject a person''s worship?


    "What were you thinking when you were praying to the god just now?"


    Regaining his composure, Chu Zheng''s gaze swept to Mu Xin beside him as he spoke in a hoarse voice.


    "I wasn''t thinking of anything."


    Mu Xin panicked, waving his hands repeatedly, as a torrent of fearful thoughts surged in his mind. The words he had just silently spoken, could they actually have been heard by some unknown existence?


    The names he had silently recited were all of Deities from Ancient Times; if indeed any Deity had heard his prayers, they shouldn''t have rejected his plea.


    Without waiting for Mu Xin to think further, Chu Zheng took out another handful of incense sticks, placed them aside, and gestured for Mu Xin to continue.


    Mu Xin calmed his increasingly nervous heartbeat, stepped forward, and cautiously asked,


    "May I ask the honorable title of this Deity?"


    "Zheng Chu Taoist Venerate."


    Chu Zheng replied offhandedly, his crimson eyes intently observing Mu Xin''s every move, trying to discern some clues.


    Daring not to think further, Mu Xin respectfully bowed and silently recited the name of Zheng Chu Taoist Venerate, then he lit the incense and placed it into the incense burner.


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with a trace of Spiritual Light as he saw a wisp of invisible Incense Fire Willpower slowly rising and being absorbed by the Golden Body.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Suddenly, a breeze swept through the Temple, brushing the thick dust off the Divine Statue and making it look as good as new.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng''s form trembled slightly, and a vast, boundless expanse of stars flashed through his mind, gone in a flash.


    At the same moment, far away in the Myriad Realms, his original body sensed something and quickly became aware of this Golden Body''s existence.


    This Golden Body had been successfully activated by Mu Xin and had established a connection with Chu Zheng''s original body.


    In a flash, a torrent of shock surged through Chu Zheng''s heart. Could this Golden Body truly be his?!


    Billions of years ago, was there already a person named Zheng Chu Taoist Venerate?


    At this thought, Chu Zheng''s heart sank slightly, overshadowed by gloom; the name ''Zheng Chu'' was just a casually chosen Taoist name.


    But looking back now, it seemed not so simple.


    If the Zheng Chu Taoist Venerate had existed billions of years ago and bore his exact face,


    Then was he really Chu Zheng, or was he Zheng Chu Taoist Venerate?


    For a moment, Chu Zheng began to doubt the authenticity of his own existence.


    He was certain that, aside from the memories of his time as a Cultural Relic Restorer, there were no residual memories of past lives in his mind.


    Now, with the various anomalies before him, he could not help but wonder whether there was some issue with his reincarnation memories.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be modified

 Chapter 271 Heavenly Tribulation, Great Opportunity

    Two layers of mountain passes encircle the Great Tomb, not overly perilous, inhabited by numerous species of living creatures.Over the millions of miles of territory, after so many years of development, domains were long ago clearly demarcated.


    There were even numerous cities that had already been established.


    Inside the Great Tomb, the yin evil was extremely dense; for common living creatures, it was not a place to linger. If one stayed too long, their body would be eroded by the yin evil, harming their lifespan.


    However, in the Tianwu Realm, there were no small number of cultivators who practiced the cultivation of Yin God and villainous spirits. For them, such an environment was instead a treasure trove.


    After stepping into the Sixth Order, Chu Zheng''s combat prowess had grown substantially, and his physical body was hardly damaged by ordinary magic treasures.


    Leaving that temple behind, Chu Zheng once again submerged himself underground, beginning to search for traces of Ancient Corpses.


    Not having left the Great Tomb by even ten thousand miles, an almost imperceptible screech suddenly echoed in his ears.


    A wisp of black fog rushed at him head-on, pouring into his limbs and bones, circling through his internal organs, then made a beeline for his brow''s Sea of Consciousness.


    Moments later, a hazy figure emanating a dense Yin Qi appeared within Chu Zheng''s Sea of Consciousness, pressing directly towards his Primordial Spirit.


    Clang¡ª


    A rich tolling of a bell resounded, whipping up a frenzy within the Sea of Consciousness. It was like a heavy hammer that instantly dispersed the dark shadow, and an overflowing Soul Power spread around.


    It was not until this moment that Chu Zheng sharply reacted, inhaling deeply, he activated his Soul Snatching Divine Ability, beginning to absorb the Soul Power spilling over in his Sea of Consciousness.


    With the nourishment of pure Soul Power, the strength of Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul rose significantly.


    Along with the Soul Power were many complex memories and resentments, like swallowing a heap of trash, causing great discomfort.


    After some time, Chu Zheng finally calmed down, sorting through his thoughts.


    Within the Great Tomb, apart from Ancient Corpses, there was another type of ghost similar to Yin God¡ªthese were beings that perished in this place. Their resentments congealed and did not disperse, giving birth to Evil Spirits.


    The black shadow from earlier was probably such an entity.


    These Evil Spirits were exceedingly similar to those found in the Vast Universe.


    The Evil Spirits in the Vast Universe, devoid of a physical body and very much alike to a cultivator''s Primordial Spirit state, specialized in invading and occupying the bodies of living creatures, using them as a disguise.


    Among them, the higher-class Evil Spirits were extremely intelligent, even capable of accessing the residual memories within the flesh, using them as cover to mask their maliciousness.


    All this information was what Chu Zheng originally learned from Geng Yiyang, but Geng Yiyang''s understanding of the Vast Universe was limited to what was rumored in Ancient Books and was not necessarily accurate.


    The Yin Gods within this Great Tomb could also possess bodies; however, their movements were difficult to conceal, easily detected.


    At present, Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul was weak, but his body remained extremely strong. For those Yin Gods, without a doubt, it was a most suitable vessel.


    Within that Evil Spirit''s Soul Power were many fragments of memories, including the pathways for operating Cultivation Techniques and numerous recollections about cultivation practice.


    Besides these, there was also a vast amount of chaotic information, filled with indistinguishable truths and illusions. With the current strength of Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul, dealing with this proved quite challenging.


    ...


    ...


    Fog enveloped heaven and earth, with dark currents of Yin Qi surging, seemingly causing the sunlight to dim further.


    The rise of Yin Qi chilled the entire temperature of the Great Tomb, yet no snowflakes fell, water did not freeze, thick like starch.


    Intentionally hunting, within a few short months, Chu Zheng successively killed five Ancient Corpses, varying in strength of cultivation.


    The Yin Pills and Corpse Qi he obtained significantly advanced his cultivation, with his body strengthening even further.


    During this time, he also encountered many Evil Spirits similar to Yin Gods that attempted to take over his flesh. The outcome was naturally that they were all shattered by the Soul Stabilizing Bell, their souls dispersed and turned into nourishment.


    Although some Soul Power was absorbed earlier, relative to his current level of cultivation, Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul was still extremely fragile.


    If it weren''t for the Soul Stabilizing Bell protecting his Primordial Spirit, his body would have long been snatched away.


    A year passed in the blink of an eye.


    As the distance increased, Chu Zheng no longer planned to waste time returning to the temple, and he went straight towards the deeper parts of the Great Tomb.


    His destination was the Third Mountain Pass, where the Corpse King was said to roam.


    As for the young Cultivator in the temple, if he was still there by the time Chu Zheng returned, he would conveniently gift him a few treasures.


    ...


    ...


    The closer he got to the center of the Great Tomb, the heavier the Yin Qi between heaven and earth became.


    At the First Mountain Pass, it was rare to encounter Flying Corpses; mostly, it was Yin Corpses draped in green hair.


    Upon entering the Second Mountain Pass, the strength of the Evil Spirits and Ancient Corpses had clearly risen more than just a notch.


    Winged Flying Corpses were frequently encountered, and the strength of the Cultivators from various races had also significantly increased, with Chu Zheng often seeing Sixth Order or even Seventh Order living creatures clashing.


    These Ancient Corpses and Yin Gods and Evil Spirits were also seen as resources in the eyes of the Cultivators.


    The Yin Pills of Ancient Corpses were highly valuable Alchemy ingredients, and if the Yin Gods were subdued using spirit-controlling techniques, they would become a significant aid.


    After entering the Second Mountain Pass, Chu Zheng became much more cautious, using two Seventh Order Supreme Treasures for protection, and he encountered no danger along the way.


    Chu Zheng stayed at the Second Mountain Pass for over four years, collecting many fragments of ancient relics, and accumulated a considerable amount of Primordial Qi.


    After hunting down several Flying Corpses, he ingested Yin Pills and refined the remaining corpse qi, stepping into the state of Perfect Sixth Order and standing at the precipice of a breakthrough.


    ...


    ...


    Among the craggy mountains, Chu Zheng emerged from underground, appeared at the peak, his hair gleaming with a luminous purple light, and faintly emitting strands of golden brilliance. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After reaching Perfect Sixth Order, he felt an intangible sense of impending danger emanating from the sky above.


    He had never felt this before and couldn''t help but be extra cautious.


    After some time of exploration, he came to understand the source of this sense of crisis.


    It was the Heavenly Tribulation.


    A Yin Corpse, a dead body clinging to the mortal realm, is an affront to the laws of nature. Upon stepping into the Seventh Order, the Heavenly Dao will surely bring down tribulation to annihilate it.


    This Heavenly Tribulation was much more difficult and far more dangerous than the tribulations ordinary Cultivators must pass.


    The chances of an ordinary Flying Corpse crossing this threshold were less than one in a hundred.


    Only now did Chu Zheng realize why, even though he cultivated the Qi-refining Technique in the body of a Yin Corpse, he could never sense the presence of Tribulation Qi.


    In the eyes of the cosmos, he was already a dead man; naturally, there would be no additional tribulations aimed at him. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Boom¡ª


    With a mere thought from Chu Zheng, the sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds, bright lightning, and rolling thunder.


    Almost giving him no time to react, a thick, purple lightning bolt, carrying exceedingly dominant Yang Qi, ferociously struck down.


    Crack¡ª


    As the first bolt of Heavenly Thunder struck him, black blood spurted from Chu Zheng''s body, and his limbs and bones were all shattered, but his blood-red eyes suddenly burst out with a terrifying sharpness.


    The moment this bolt of Heavenly Thunder struck him, the tribulation Qi within his body was astonishingly dispersed in an instant!

 Chapter 272 Making Rapid Progress,

    "The erosion of Tribulation Qi is exceedingly difficult, with natural disasters and human calamities striking unpredictably.Chu Zheng, having transformed many times to face tribulations over hundreds and thousands of years, had only managed to reduce a small part of the Tribulation Qi; his true form had also encountered danger on multiple occasions.


    By comparison, the Heavenly Tribulations faced by Immortal Path Cultivators, though equally risky, were relatively predictable, allowing one to prepare in advance and avoid sudden disasters.


    Upon entering the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, Chu Zheng initially thought he would face the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation. However, his body had been overly influenced by the Qi-refining Technique, making it impossible to draw down the Heavenly Thunder. Instead, he had accumulated a significant amount of formless Tribulation Qi.


    At that moment, he felt somewhat disappointed.


    However, the Heavenly Tribulation he was facing now had brought him an unexpected surprise.


    After regaining his composure, Chu Zheng immediately healed his injuries and began to suppress his cultivation, controlling it around the Perfect Sixth Order.


    In doing so, the restoration interface could operate, and he would not be instantly gravely injured or even killed by the Heavenly Thunder, and he could continue to erode the Tribulation Qi, which was truly killing three birds with one stone.


    The instant Chu Zheng''s injuries were fully healed, the thunderclouds in the sky surged with electric light, thundering loudly. An even more terrifying bolt of lightning struck down, aiming straight for his crown.


    In an instant, as the Heavenly Thunder filled his head, Chu Zheng''s thoughts nearly came to a complete halt, his skull split open, revealing the Primordial Spirit within.


    The Soul Stabilizing Bell hummed vibrantly, ultimately blocking the bolt of lightning and protecting Chu Zheng''s Primordial Spirit. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng was still slightly shaken; in that moment, he had almost sensed the breath of annihilation. A mere touch of the lightning''s power on his Primordial Spirit would have meant death.


    He found it hard to believe that such a terrifying trial could be crossed by a Flying Corpse through its power alone.


    After that bolt of Heavenly Thunder, most of the Tribulation Qi on the side of his body was eroded, testament to its formidable power.


    Such a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, Chu Zheng naturally would not miss. Regaining his senses, he spared no expense to madly consume and refine the Immortal Qi, beginning to forcibly elevate his Cultivation Realm.


    The timing of the next Heavenly Tribulation was uncertain; now, he had to take advantage of the ongoing Heavenly Tribulation overhead to reduce the Tribulation Qi as much as possible.


    As for the rapid rise in cultivation possibly leading to an unstable foundation, those were matters for later.


    First, he needed to ascend his realm; there would be plenty of time to solidify his foundation afterward. The importance of this was self-evident.


    Chu Zheng dedicated most of his attention to his true form; during this period, he had accumulated a considerable amount of Immortal Qi, which now came in handy.


    He was already at a critical juncture in his breakthrough; after consuming a strand of Immortal Qi, his cultivation immediately entered the Secondfold of Immortal Tribulation.


    After the breakthrough, Chu Zheng did not pause at all, consuming two more strands of Immortal Qi to continue advancing his cultivation.


    ...


    ...


    Thick thunderclouds enveloped thousands of miles, attracting the attention of many living creatures, who quickly discovered Chu Zheng beneath the clouds.


    After surviving two bolts of Heavenly Thunder, Chu Zheng''s originally slightly purple hair now emanated a faint golden sheen, undergoing a near total transformation.


    If it weren''t for the need to transform for tribulations, Chu Zheng would not have chosen to expose himself and attract so much attention.


    Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    But now, he could only take things one step at a time since his understanding of the power of the Heavenly Thunder was incredibly limited.


    Suppressing cultivation was not easy. Being just one step away from a breakthrough, Chu Zheng could not easily move past this barrier. Crossing it would mean entering the Seventh Order, and operating the restoration interface would become exceedingly difficult, no longer ensuring that this incarnation could withstand the remaining Heavenly Thunders.


    Moments later, Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul gradually began to recover, looking up at the thunderclouds above him with a slightly solemn expression.


    Boom¡ª


    Two more consecutive lightning bolts fell, giving Chu Zheng no chance to catch his breath."


    The Soul Stabilizing Bell hummed, resonating with the lightning from beyond the heavens, as if it might explode at any moment.


    After a long while, the thunderclouds between heaven and earth slowly dissipated, revealing the scene of the Great Tomb shrouded in Yin Qi.


    There had been a total of four bolts of Heavenly Thunder; fortunately, this round of Heavenly Tribulation was passed with more shock than danger.


    However, Chu Zheng felt some regret that due to the massive difference in the flow of time, his true body on the other side had very limited time, without a chance to continue refining Immortal Qi.


    In the end, his true body had only stepped into the Thirdfold of Immortal Tribulation.


    For Chu Zheng, this was enough. Having reached this point was an unexpected pleasure; there was no need to demand more.


    At least, in the aspect of dissipating Tribulation Qi, he had found a new path. This Yin Corpse body had many more opportunities to undergo Tribulation in the future. There was no need to rush.


    Chu Zheng regained his composure, his golden fur dancing in the wind, flowing with an indescribable auspicious light, his presence nearly godlike. The Yin Qi around him no longer felt as oppressive as before.


    The living creatures gathered around, looking at Chu Zheng standing on the mountain peak, were hesitant. After a long thought, they still chose to give up and left one after another.


    A Seventh Order Flying Corpse, second only to the Corpse King, with a body strength unmatched by ordinary cultivators.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be modified


    At least, this Flying Corpse was not of the common sort, although a demonic creature, it was.


    The heavy thunderclouds covered a thousand miles, attracting the attention of many living creatures, who quickly noticed Chu Zheng beneath the clouds.


    After withstanding two bolts of Heavenly Thunder, Chu Zheng''s originally slightly purplish fur glowed with a faint golden hue, as if he had undergone a complete transformation.


    If it weren''t for his true body needing to transform Tribulation, Chu Zheng would not have taken such a risk, attracting so much attention.


    But now, he could only take it one step at a time, as his understanding of the power of Heavenly Tribulation was quite limited.


    Suppressing his Cultivation forcibly was not easy; break through was but a step away, and Chu Zheng could not easily cross this threshold. To cross it would be to reach Seventh Order, and it would be extremely difficult to continue ensuring that this incarnation could withstand the remaining Heavenly Thunder.


    A moment later, Chu Zheng''s Divine Soul gradually came to, gazing at the thunderclouds above, his expression slightly condensed.


    With a rumble¡ª


    Two more bolts of lightning descended in quick succession, giving Chu Zheng no chance to catch his breath.


    The Soul Stabilizing Bell hummed, resonating with the lightning from beyond the heavens as if it might explode at any moment.


    After a long while, the thunderclouds between heaven and earth slowly dissipated, revealing the scene of the Great Tomb shrouded in Yin Qi.


    There had been a total of four bolts of Heavenly Thunder; fortunately, this round of Heavenly Tribulation was passed with more shock than danger.


    However, Chu Zheng felt some regret that due to the massive difference in the flow of time, his true body on the other side had very limited time, without a chance to continue refining Immortal Qi.


    In the end, he had only stepped into the Thirdfold of Immortal Tribulation.


    For Chu Zheng, this was enough. Having reached this point was an unexpected pleasure; there was no need to demand more.


    At least, in the aspect of dissipating Tribulation Qi, he had found a new path. This Yin Corpse body had many opportunities for future Tribulation.


    Chu Zheng regained his composure, his golden fur dancing in the wind, flowing with an indescribable auspicious light. His presence was nearly godlike.


    The living creatures gathered around, looking at Chu Zheng standing on the mountain peak, were hesitant. After a long thought, they still chose to give up and left one after another.


    A Seventh Order Flying Corpse, second only to the Corpse King, with a body strength unmatched by ordinary cultivators.

 Chapter 273 Corpse King, Corpse Nourishment Ground

    The Flying Corpse, once it stepped into the Seventh Order, could no longer be called a Flying Corpse; within the Tianwu Realm, it was generally known as "Undecayed Bone."Its flesh was so formidable that it remained unrotted and unchanged even after tens of thousands of years. Such a level of Yin Corpse was, except for Heavenly Thunder, virtually impossible to kill by ordinary means.


    This realm was the ultimate peak for ordinary Yin Corpses. One step further, and it would transcend the Yin Corpse category to be called a Corpse King.


    This was no different from Immortal Path Cultivators, who, upon stepping into the realm of True Immortal, undergo a qualitative transformation.


    Every tribulation a True Immortal overcame meant a qualitative transformation, and their combat power would swell by more than dozens of times.


    The Eighth Order was an incredibly terrifying realm. The disparity in fighting prowess between individuals at this level was vast, like the difference between heaven and earth.


    Just like the time Chu Zheng witnessed the prowess of the Martial Saint from the Martial Hall, Pei Hengxing, in the battlefield beyond the realms.


    As an Eighth Order, he, with a single punch each, dispatched three powerful living creatures, on par with high-grade True Immortals, proving the extent of the disparity in just three moves.


    This was a realm capable of creating miracles, able to transcend the shackles of a world and connect with the origin of the Great Universe.


    In the Great Universe, all Taoist Orthodoxies underwent an extreme transformation upon reaching the Eighth Order. Many Orthodoxies gradually faded and declined because the methods to ascend beyond the Eighth Order were lost.


    After stepping into the Seventh Order, Chu Zheng''s confidence increased significantly. He no longer needed to hide and even deliberately approached areas dense with Yin Qi, which were ferocious places.


    The heavier the Yin Qi, the more likely it was to be the dwelling place of Evil Spirits, and the higher the probability of encountering a Corpse King.


    After entering the Second Mountain Pass, the Yin Qi between heaven and earth obviously increased by more than double, and the strength of the encountered Evil Spirits also rose.


    However, relatively speaking, they posed no significant threat to Chu Zheng as he currently was.


    After devouring plenty of Soul Power, his Divine Sense was now strong enough to activate a Seventh Order Supreme Treasure. With the Soul Stabilizing Bell at his disposal, ordinary Evil Spirits couldn''t harm him.


    As for the Yin Corpses, Chu Zheng had yet to encounter any that could rival him. The strongest was merely Sixth Order, covered in purple hair, without a trace of golden light.


    The result was naturally self-evident; they all became nourishment for Chu Zheng.


    As the Yin Qi between heaven and earth rose, sunlight grew more dim, as if sinking into a nightscape. Upon the pitch-dark canopy, the moonlight shone resplendent, with no stars in sight.


    Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    After entering the Second Mountain Pass, Chu Zheng distinctly felt the speed of his cultivation progress quicken by more than a notch. Moreover, he no longer saw any living creatures.


    Upon the earth grew patches of dark, low grass, known as "Profound Yin Grass," a type of cold-aspected Spirit Grass, essential for Alchemy, forming prairies within the Second Mountain Pass.


    Such vast expanses of Profound Yin Grass were an incalculable fortune, yet no one dared to come here to pick them.


    In addition to Profound Yin Grass, this place also grew numerous Yin-attributed precious Spiritual Medicines of immense value, all perfectly preserved to the present day.


    Chu Zheng, all along his journey fraught with shock but no danger, casually picked plenty of Spiritual Medicines, reaping a bountiful harvest.


    Although he didn''t need these Spiritual Medicines at present, he could follow the practice he had employed in the Dongyuan Realm, stockpiling a batch of cultivation resources to send to his main body.


    It was an extremely lengthy process, but consumables such as cultivation resources were never too many. In the long run, there would always be a place where they could be used.


    Delving more than a hundred thousand li into the Second Mountain Pass, Chu Zheng discovered numerous gigantic bones, flesh thoroughly withered, yet still moving about.


    These were the spiritually awakened remains of Ancient Otherkind after death, shaping into special living creatures, somewhat similar to Yin Corpses, retaining some of their original Divine Skills, and not weak in strength.


    Herds of skeletons scattered across the Xuanyin Prairie, bowing to chew the Profound Yin Grass.


    The Profound Yin Grass was crushed by their teeth, then slipped through the crevices of their bones, returning to the earth, turning into nutrients.


    They did not need to eat to replenish energy, and this behavior was a remnant of past habits.


    Chu Zheng even tried approaching these skeletons, and to his surprise, found that they all treated him as if he did not exist, showing no reaction, even if he provoked them intentionally, as though devoid of any aggression. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Contained within these skeletons was an intense Yin Qi. Chu Zheng originally wanted to attempt to absorb it and use it for himself, but after weighing the options, he eventually decided to postpone this idea.


    Regarding the Second Mountain Pass, he lacked information, and if these Otherkind skeletons were specially nurtured by some powerful presence, rashly meddling could possibly lead to trouble.


    As he progressed deeper, the sky turned increasingly dark, the great sun in the sky completely obscured by Yin Qi.


    Chu Zheng continued on his way and stopped before a range of mountains.


    The Dark Mountain Range resembled a crouching fierce tiger with contained murderous intent, and a tens of thousands of li long crevasse cut across it, severing it in the middle.


    With a glance, Chu Zheng discerned some clues; this was sliced open by a casual sword strike from someone. God knows how long ago it occurred, remnants of Sword Qi still lingered, and the breeze felt like a blade against his face.


    Chu Zheng circled the mountain range to confirm there was no lingering danger; only then did he step into the crevasse.


    Powerful creatures that had once clashed here would inevitably leave some traces behind, such as fragments of warriors.


    Having reached the bottom of the valley, Chu Zheng unfolded his Divine Sense and searched; less than half an hour later, he found an Incomplete humanoid skeleton.


    The skeleton was intact except for its head, which likely was severed by someone.


    Wrapped in a piece of incomplete pale blue silk cloth, after an unknown amount of time, the bones still pulsated with residual energy, reminiscent of the first Incomplete Bone Chu Zheng encountered on the ancient battlefield.

 Chapter 273 Corpse King, Corpse Nourishment Ground_2

    Chu Zheng activated his Spiritual Eye and meticulously examined the scene for a moment, discovering quite a bit of information.The skeleton was not of the Human Race but belonged to the Frost Moon Clan, a group naturally close to the Taiyin Star, and the environment within this Great Tomb offered many advantages to the Frost Moon Clan.


    Death had not claimed this skeletal corpse for too long, just over four hundred thousand years ago, with a Cultivation of the Eighth Order at the Seventh Layer, the same realm as the Dongsheng Demon Immortal who had attempted to intercept him outside the Cangyun Realm.


    Such beings usually outclassed the fierce sun in the sky, yet here one lay, silently slain and beheaded in this place.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze slowly swept over the entire skeleton, finally settling on the layer of light blue silk fabric that enveloped it.


    [Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade (Eighth Order/Incomplete): Top-grade Holy Artifact, supreme treasure of the Frost Moon Clan, tainted with Yin Qi and undergoing mutations, significantly enhancing the combat power of Yin Attribute Life; Repairable (0/2000)]


    This was a rather rare supreme treasure, with two thousand repair opportunities, even among the Eighth Order, this was among the elite.


    A hint of satisfaction flashed in Chu Zheng''s eyes; the skeleton should provide a considerable amount of Primordial Qi ¨C indeed, a bountiful harvest.


    With this Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade as protection, once his Cultivation rose further, facing beings of the Eighth Order would not spell certain doom.


    Chu Zheng crouched down, first securing the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade, and just as he was about to collect the skeleton, a sudden spark flared in his mind.


    The death of this skeleton was just over four hundred thousand years ago; perhaps the perpetrator was the Evil Spirit within this second mountain pass. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    If that unnamed Evil Spirit was nearby...


    At this thought, a sudden chill gripped Chu Zheng''s heart; he instinctively looked around, searching aimlessly.


    As expected, he found nothing. After a moment, Chu Zheng expanded his Divine Sense, ever cautious of any movements around him as he collected the skeleton.


    The instant the skeleton disappeared, a gust of Yin wind suddenly blew through the valley; Chu Zheng felt a slight chill down his spine as if a dark shadow loomed behind him ¨C he paused momentarily, his nerves taut.


    The next moment, he swiftly turned around, a flash of red light in his eyes, his body tensed and ready to spring into action.


    Yet, there was nothing behind him, just empty space, with Divine Sense detecting no anomalies.


    This place was out of the ordinary, somewhat sinister.


    Despite the false alarm, Chu Zheng did not dare to relax in the slightest, turning back, ready to leave.


    As he turned his head, Chu Zheng''s figure suddenly stiffened, with bloodlust blazing in his pupils, his teeth clenched instinctively.


    A figure stood just three feet away at his side, dressed in black, carrying a long sword.


    At the sight of this shadow, Chu Zheng''s heart, which had just ceased to beat, nearly jumped back to life, his thoughts sinking significantly.


    This person stood there, yet Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense still could not detect his presence, as if they were not in the same space at all.


    A flash of spiritual light passed through Chu Zheng''s pupils as he activated his Spiritual Eye, and then an involuntary shock crossed his face.


    Even after using the Spiritual Eye, he came up empty; this was a first.


    Even in the presence of a Ninth Order peak Immortal King, he could still discern some information; but now, the Spiritual Eye was ineffective.


    Before Chu Zheng could ponder further, ripples began to spread in the void. The man in black took a step forward, as if tearing through a layer of spatial barrier and stood in front of Chu Zheng.


    Only at this moment did Chu Zheng''s Divine Sense finally detect the man''s presence, and his Spiritual Eye quickly responded:


    [Jian Shier (Eighth Order): Perfect Eighth Order in Cultivation, flesh spiritually awakened to sanctity, on the verge of becoming a Great Saint Spirit. At the time of death, the body was embedded with twelve Divine Swords, tainted by Sword Qi, undergoing mutations during the corpse''s transformation, Sword Intent reaching the pinnacle of absolute perfection.]


    Looking at the information transmitted through the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng steadied his spirit, slightly relieved.


    The reason for his earlier lack of detection was purely because this person existed in another space ¨C fortunately, the Spiritual Eye was not at fault.


    Undecayed Bone, advancing further, stepping into the Eighth Order is to become a saintly being, known as a Holy Spirit, entirely different from creatures like Yin Corpses.


    Perfect Eighth Order, comparable to an Immortal Path Lord, a True Immortal who has surpassed nine Heavenly Tribulations, effortlessly sweeping through a Star Domain.


    With Chu Zheng''s current strength, in the face of such an existence, even a slightly sharper glance would be unbearable.


    In fact, if not for the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng could hardly believe that the person before him evolved from a Yin Corpse.


    Aside from a somewhat greenish complexion, this Jian Shier was almost indistinguishable from a normal person.


    "Senior."


    Regaining his composure, Chu Zheng didn''t hesitate and immediately bowed respectfully.


    Jian Shier sized up Chu Zheng and gave a slight nod, his gaze carrying a trace of recognition:


    "In nearly two hundred thousand years, you are the first to have withstood the Heavenly Tribulation. You carry an aura from beyond this realm. You are not a Yin Corpse born of this world; where do you come from?"


    Jian Shier''s sharp eyesight was somewhat beyond Chu Zheng''s expectations.


    After a moment''s thought, he half-truthfully shared his origin.


    He concealed the speed of his cultivation and attributed the events that occurred with the Gu Family to thousands of years ago. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason for coming to the Great Tomb was to enhance his cultivation, and he had recently, by chance, survived the Heavenly Tribulation.


    "It''s not easy to cultivate to this level alone."


    Jian Shier murmured in a low voice, "My name is Jian Shier, my past life is severed, a name I chose myself. Seeing me today is also a stroke of destiny for you."


    Before his words fell, he lifted his hand, and within his palm, a phantom appeared, a miniature of the entire Great Tomb, like a range of overlapping peaks under the sun and moon.


    In the next instant, his palm flipped over, and the mountains turned upside down, with the sun and moon following suit.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze shifted, understanding Jian Shier''s meaning. The structure of the entire Great Tomb appeared mountain-like, but in reality, it was hanging upside down, shaped like a funnel.


    The core region at the bottom was the lowest layer of the entire world, with all the Blood Qi and Yin Qi of the Great Tomb converging there.


    "This place entombs a Taoist Master who planned for millions of years and awaits the time for revival."


    Jian Shier said gravely, "Having crossed the Heavenly Tribulation proves that you possess extraordinary talents. From now on, cultivate by my side. When the Taoist Master revives and steps into the Realm of Ancient Myths, you, too, will have a chance at a tremendous opportunity."


    Ancient Myths, spanning through the ages, exist in legends of every era, stronger than Golden Immortals and second only to the various Ancestral Daos.


    "Thank you for your guidance, Senior. If I indeed receive the opportunity bestowed by the Taoist Master, I will lay down my life in gratitude for your great kindness."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng repeatedly bowed, as if moved by his words, his gaze as steadfast as iron.


    He needed resources, and having finally encountered a suitable patron like this, it wasn''t wrong to comply.


    Jian Shier had lived for so long; he surely had considerable insight into the path of cultivation, and comparative to that, Chu Zheng could learn a few things.


    As for the owner of the tomb, whatever grand designs or hidden traps they had left had absolutely nothing to do with Chu Zheng.


    He only wished to enhance his cultivation as quickly as possible, accumulate experience as a Repair Master, and then make a trip to the center of the Tianwu Realm to see that Heavenly Wutong tree that crossed realms with his own eyes.


    Legend had it that there was a passage to the Vast Universe there, and this was a hope he cherished in his heart.


    The secrets within the Vast Universe had always interested him. The Yin Yang Divine Infant of his original body was modeled after the relationship between the Great Universe and the Vast Universe, ultimately taking shape.


    By the way, Chu Zheng also intended to inquire about the Taoist Temple from Jian Shier.


    The Taoist Master mentioned by Jian Shier was out of the ordinary, his plans laid for millions of years, beyond the reach of ordinary living creatures.


    Only at this moment did Chu Zheng fully understand why such a Great Tomb was renowned throughout the world, yet those who had stepped beyond the Ninth Order showed no interest in it.


    They probably had already calculated that this place was a land for Corpse Nourishment and therefore was unwilling to set foot here.


    Awakening the Taoist Master prematurely and destroying his millions of years of accumulation would be akin to creating a great enmity, a life-and-death grudge, and no one would willingly provoke such a formidable enemy.


    Most importantly, within this Great Tomb, aside from the Taoist Master, there were no treasures that could catch the eye of a Supreme Being.

 Chapter 274 Underground Palace, Yin Corpse Technique

    Doing something that''s all harm and no good, no one would be willing to undertake it.The master of this Great Tomb had already reached an extremely high realm while alive, and then he spent his heart blood to construct this Great Tomb, attempting to return to life after his lifespan had ended, to progress even further.


    The realm of Ancient Myths, second only to the ancestors of the various paths, as far as Chu Zheng knew, was even stronger than the Qi Refining Golden Immortals, on par with the Immortal Emperor, and could be called the pinnacle within the Universe.


    Such a figure, Chu Zheng had not yet encountered.


    "Come with me."


    Jian Shier didn''t pay any attention to the skeleton that Chu Zheng had collected. He lifted his finger to open a spatial passageway and slowly stepped into it.


    Chu Zheng followed closely behind, and after crossing the spatial passageway, they arrived in front of a Green Stone gate.


    Above the palace was a dome transformed from rock walls, evidently an Underground Palace.


    The surrounding Yin Qi was more than ten times denser than the valley before, surely closer to the depths of the Great Tomb. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The construction of the Underground Palace dated back many years, and everywhere the eye could see were traces left by the passage of time.


    As his own lifespan extended, these historical traces left by the years were gradually fading in the eyes of Chu Zheng.


    The entire Great Universe had endless ancient histories to explore, and he no longer had the energy to investigate each one.


    Moreover, as his Cultivation rose, the history of these things might not even be longer than the span of time he himself had lived.


    Such information was gradually losing value in his eyes.


    Chu Zheng certainly noticed this gradual change in mentality, which was only natural as humans are highly adaptive creatures, influenced by their environment and many experiences.


    To him, this was a good thing; at the very least, it meant he''d grown somewhat.


    The entire Great Universe was constantly changing, Heavenly Fate continually shifting, creating generation after generation of heroes and sages.


    That which does not change struggles to endure; the same is true for people. Those who live on the past and do not strive for progress, do not live long.


    Jian Shier glanced at Chu Zheng and, seeing that he was silent, thought him shocked by the dense Yin Qi of this place.


    "This place is at the edge of the First Mountain Pass. Going further down is the resting tomb of the Taoist Master, the ultimate land of Yin."


    Having casually spoken these words, Jian Shier pushed open the gate, revealing a dark palace corridor adorned with relief sculptures of all kinds of Otherkind.


    Boom¡ª


    A gentle breeze of Yin wind brushed his face, making Chu Zheng feel refreshed all over; his golden hair unconsciously stretched out, and his body relaxed.


    Jian Shier strode forward, slowly walking toward the depths of the Underground Palace.


    Chu Zheng stepped through the palace gate, observing the reliefs on the walls of the corridor, and ventured to ask,


    "Senior, do you still remember your memories from when you were alive?"


    Since he wasn''t a true Yin Corpse, he couldn''t help but be curious about these beings who had died and come back to life.


    "There are some fragmented memories, but they are like flowers in water, the moon in a mirror. I look upon them with a tranquil heart, without any ripples of emotion; you must feel the same."


    At this point, Jian Shier''s tone carried a hint of advice:


    "The past is cut off. Now that you have been reborn, do not dwell on the cause and effect of the former life to waste your spirit. It''s not worth it."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng pulled back his gaze, speaking with pointed meaning: "If the past is severed, after the Taoist Master is resurrected, will he still remember you, senior?"


    After Chu Zheng''s words fell, there was a moment of silence from Jian Shier, before he finally spoke:


    "The Taoist Master is different."


    Chu Zheng did not press further on this point and shifted the topic: "Senior, how long has this Great Tomb existed?"


    "Forty-three million nine hundred and ninety-seven thousand years and more."


    This time, Jian Shier answered very quickly.


    "Senior has been in this place for so long?!"


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng was startled, somewhat in disbelief that Jian Shier was essentially a living fossil that had survived for tens of millions of years.


    The existence of this Great Tomb had also far exceeded his expectations.


    Therefore, looking at it this way, the Taoist Temple he had seen might have been around for much longer than he had thought.


    "Not exactly, I have revived for only over three million years."


    Jian Shier shook his head, "Many of the things I have told you were also heard from the predecessor before me, and I have never seen the Taoist Master with my own eyes."


    Having said this, without waiting for Chu Zheng to ask, he went on to explain:


    "When the Great Tomb lacks the Blood Qi of living creatures, it will open its entrance for a period, attracting living beings to enter in search of treasure. It usually lasts for about ten thousand years before it reseals itself. I must have entered during one such opening before my demise."


    "I see."


    Chu Zheng murmured softly, a hint of realization flashing in his eyes. In this way, it made sense that the more ancient Spiritual Medicines would have been picked by those who came before.


    Recalling the information about the Great Tomb, Chu Zheng suddenly felt a chill in his heart and hastily asked, "Senior, is the Great Tomb about to reseal itself again?"


    The information he had obtained before was that the entrance to the Great Tomb had been open for around ten thousand years, so by that timeline, the resealing of the entrance was imminent.


    Jian Shier calculated for a moment and nodded, "About right, another two or three hundred years and the entrance will close."


    Upon hearing there were still two or three hundred years left, Chu Zheng''s gaze sharpened. "Then at that time, those living creatures of various races remaining inside..."


    "Naturally, they will all die, turning into nourishment for the Great Tomb and the Taoist Master. By then, I can also share a portion with you."


    He spoke lightly, then stopped before a side hall, pushing the doors open:


    "From now on, you''ll Cultivate here. Inside the coffin, you''ll find the Cultivation Method of the Yin Corpse lineage. If there''s anything you don''t understand, you can come to me."


    Inside the grand hall, it was empty and vast, with Arrays set up to gather Yin Qi. Wisps of ghostly flames flickered in the air, and the ground was coated with a thick layer of pitch-black malevolent ice.


    In the center lay a Blood Coffin, a deep purple red, with a thick scent of blood assaulting the senses.


    "Senior, please wait." Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing that Jian Shier seemed to be leaving, Chu Zheng quickly spoke up:


    "Previously, within the Second Mountain Pass around the perimeter of the Great Tomb, I saw a Taoist Temple enshrining a Deity referred to as ''Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.'' Senior, do you have any recollection of this?"


    Jian Shier pondered for a while, then shook his head: "I have never heard of him, so it seems he is not a significant figure."


    He had some understanding of Incense Spirituality. Deities at his own level could manifest divine anomalies through their Golden Bodies, and since no such Golden Bodies existed within this Great Tomb, it seemed this Dao Lord was nothing special.


    "Thank you, Senior, for resolving my doubt."


    Chu Zheng didn''t press any further, bowed, and stepped into the hall.


    As the hall doors slowly closed, Chu Zheng approached and opened the Blood Coffin and slowly lay down inside.


    The Blood Coffin sealed once more, with blood-colored faint glimmers emerging from the walls of the coffin, lines of small characters appeared, and Chu Zheng glanced at them, instantly captivated.


    This was the Cultivation Method of the Yin Corpse lineage.


    After Crossing Tribulations and entering the realm of the Undecayed Bone, the Yin Corpse still had Five Great Tribulations, subtly in tune with the number of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.


    With these Five Great Tribulations, Chu Zheng had every hope of raising his own Cultivation to an exceedingly high level.


    Crossing Heavenly Tribulation was much more efficient than Entering the World and Experiencing Tribulations, by far.

 Chapter 275 Ultimate Metamorphosis

    After lying in the Blood Coffin, the number of refreshes for repairs each day had grown to seven times.Chu Zheng made no small discovery after studying the cultivation method of the Yin Corpse.


    Although a Yin Corpse stepping into the Undecayed Bone realm would face Heavenly Thunder, most would only face a single strike; occasionally those with exceptional talent, envied by the heavens, might face two.


    But he had endured four Heavenly Thunders. Without the repair panel and the protection of a Seventh Order Supreme Treasure, he would have undoubtedly perished under the Heavenly Tribulation.


    Such a special circumstance inevitably led him to think about his identity as a Qi Cultivator.


    Since discovering that the Heavenly Tribulation could erode Tribulation Qi, Chu Zheng could not help but be perplexed. With the many Divine Skills of a Qi Cultivator, facing the Heavenly Tribulation shouldn''t be a life-or-death situation.


    He had initially thought that Qi Cultivators, by transforming to face tribulations, were taking an alternative path to avoid the Heavenly Tribulation. Now it seemed more like a last resort.


    The existence of Tribulation Qi meant natural disasters and calamities, unpredictable and difficult to defend against, certainly not as easy to prepare for as Heavenly Tribulations.


    Judging by the Heavenly Tribulation he had to face, relying on his main body to endure the thunder from the Tribulation Qi, it would seem very difficult for any Qi Cultivator to survive and step into the Heavenly Immortal realm.


    There might be some hidden reason, as if the Heavenly Dao were deliberately targeting Qi Cultivators.


    These were currently only speculations; the exact situation would have to wait until his next tribulation to be partially confirmed.


    Chu Zheng gathered his spirit and sank completely into cultivation, lying in the Blood Coffin, constantly drawing in Blood Qi and Yin Qi to strengthen his cultivation.


    This could be said to be his most peaceful time. There was no need to worry about Tribulation Qi interference, and he could concentrate on cultivation without distractions, like a true corpse, his thoughts completely emptied.


    While raising his cultivation, Chu Zheng began to continuously refine Primordial Qi, accruing the experience of a Repair Master.


    That beheaded skeleton, although devoid of flesh, still provided Chu Zheng with more than six hundred strands of Primordial Qi.


    Besides, Chu Zheng extracted all the Primordial Qi from the ancient relic fragments he had previously collected.


    He retained a small portion of this Primordial Qi for enhancing his cultivation; the rest was all used to repair the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade.


    This was the highest Quality Holy Artifact he had encountered thus far. With a complete Heavenly Brocade for protection, it would be difficult for ordinary Eighth Order living creatures to harm him.


    At the same time, Chu Zheng''s main body began to refine and extract Immortal Qi as a reserve at all costs.


    With his current level at the third layer of the Immortal Tribulation Realm, running the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing, his efficiency in extracting Immortal Qi had increased dramatically compared to before, managing to extract three to five strands of Immortal Qi each day.


    He saved all this Immortal Qi, waiting for the next opportunity to face his tribulation. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An opportunity to erode Tribulation Qi like this was once in a millennium. When the next one would come, nobody knew. He seized this chance to raise his cultivation to its peak as much as possible.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Chu Zheng had lain in the Blood Coffin for over thirty years.


    Jian Shier would come every six years, each time bringing a bowl of Essence Blood to pour over the Blood Coffin, replenishing Chu Zheng''s vitality.


    Within these thirty-plus years, the ancient relic fragments he had collected had all had their Primordial Qi extracted, turning to ash.


    However, fragments of items above the Seventh Order were not commonly found, and after exhausting all he had previously gathered, only about one thousand and four hundred strands remained after accounting for the consumption from cultivation.


    Therefore, the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade was largely repaired and had regained some of its divine might, becoming Chu Zheng''s strongest card on hand, and his Repair Master experience had significantly increased.


    Boom¡ª


    The Blood Coffin slowly opened, and Chu Zheng rose from within, loosening his stiff muscles and bones, and stepped out of the great hall.


    Sensing the imminent arrival of the second Heavenly Tribulation and the depletion of the ancient relic fragments in his hand, he needed to find new ones.


    Leaving the great hall, Chu Zheng headed straight into the depths of the Underground Palace. Whether it was the Heavenly Tribulation or ancient relic fragments, Jian Shier would have the answers.


    Soon, he arrived at the end of the Underground Palace, a dark hall covered by a dome.


    In the center of the hall lay a Jade Couch, which, having been soaked in Blood Qi for many years, had its originally clear green hue tainted with bloodstreaks, exuding a strong scent of blood.


    Jian Shier sat cross-legged atop the Jade Couch, his eyelids lowered, his expression utterly still.


    "Senior."


    It wasn''t until Chu Zheng approached and bowed in greeting that Jian Shier slowly opened his eyes, a flash of red briefly visible in his pupils.


    With just one glance, he had seen through the truth and illusion of Chu Zheng.


    "Your growth rate is very fast."


    Seeing how quickly Chu Zheng was about to face his second great ordeal, Jian Shier seemed to be somewhat astonished, and on his unperturbed gray face, there emerged a somewhat stiff smile:


    "Indeed, your talent is exceptional."


    "It''s all thanks to Senior''s intensive cultivation that this junior has made such progress."


    After a brief exchange of courteous remarks, Chu Zheng got straight to the point:


    "Please, Senior, take me to face the Tribulation."


    This place was too far from the surface, and if he went alone, he would likely encounter unknown dangers. It would be better to just mention it to Jian Shier.


    Before Chu Zheng finished speaking, his vision blurred and a strong force pulled him into a spatial passage.


    Before long, Chu Zheng stepped onto solid ground, surrounded by the familiar valley from his memories.


    "This is the essence of my heart blood. Should you face a life-and-death ordeal, I can save you once."


    Jian Shier produced a bowl of heart blood with a flip of his hand, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity:


    "I can''t help you much. If the Heavenly Dao notices, it could bring upon me a far more terrifying Heavenly Tribulation. Take care of yourself."


    Helping someone through Tribulation was tantamount to defying the Heavenly Dao, disrupting the established order, a major taboo in the eyes of Heaven.


    Even someone as powerful as Jian Shier dared not challenge the supreme authority of a realm. The consequences of such action were predictable without even thinking about it.


    "Thank you, Senior."


    Chu Zheng didn''t dwell on it. He took a deep breath, bowed in thanks, and accepted the Blood Bowl handed to him by Jian Shier.


    Just this bowl of heart blood was already an unexpected gain.


    Chu Zheng stepped onto the summit without a moment''s delay and directly prompted the arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation.


    Boom¡ª


    The muffled thunder rolled across the sky, casting a dim scene of mountains and rivers.


    In an instant, a sense of alarm surged in Chu Zheng''s heart, and before he could react, a fierce, golden bolt of thunder struck him at the point called Spirit Platform Bai Hui on his crown.


    Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Crack¡ª


    Chu Zheng''s head exploded in an instant, black blood splattering everywhere, while the Soul Stabilizing Bell emitted mournful wails, showing signs of cracking.


    This bolt of Heavenly Thunder was far stronger than the last, to the point that the Soul Stabilizing Bell could barely withstand it.


    Chu Zheng was well prepared for this, his mind as calm as still water.


    As his shattered head gradually healed, far across the starry sky, his main body''s aura whirled with Tribulation Qi, incessantly consuming wave after wave of Immortal Qi into his belly, beginning an extreme transformation like never before.

 Chapter 276 Consecutive Breakthroughs, Guessing

    Under a staggering temporal disparity, Chu Zheng had to hasten his movements, drawing in vast amounts of Immortal Qi into his body.The immense energy fluctuations instantly tore his body apart. Even the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture''s operations at their limits couldn''t digest the endlessly growing immortal power.


    Cracks appeared on the surface of his body, reflecting the dazzling immortal radiance that lit up the entire cave.


    The effect of Immortal Qi on bettering Cultivation was immediate. Within a few breaths, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had already been pushed to the Fourthfold of Immortal Tribulation, and it was still rising rapidly.


    Despite the intense pain from his torn Dantian, Chu Zheng''s expression did not waver as he closely monitored his state. Just as his physical body was on the brink of collapse, he utilized a healing panel to mend the damages on his body.


    Now, the healing was limited, and he had to use every instance of it entirely on critical areas.


    Before a short period had passed, Chu Zheng sensed that the Heavenly Tribulation had ceased where his avatar was located and only then did he stop refining the immortal power.


    Even in that brief time, his cultivation had already advanced further into the Fifthfold of Immortal Tribulation.


    Such shocking speed was impossible in the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm; even for someone like Chu Zheng, who had an extraordinary talent and possessed a Superior Immortal Bone, with a Celestial Foundation condensed into an Immortal Root, proper healing was needed after undergoing tribulation.


    Advancing across two realms was already defying the norm. It required the practice of Qi-refining Techniques and a method to quickly dissipate a great amount of Tribulation Qi, and Chu Zheng''s case was almost impossible to replicate.


    This tribulation had brought Chu Zheng several new insights.


    Yin Corpses did not belong to ordinary living creatures. They existed beyond the Six Paths, similar to the inhabitants of the Vast Universe, and therefore, Tribulation Qi did not burden them.


    Only when the cultivation reached a certain realm would the Heavenly Dao bring down Heavenly Tribulation. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    A fortuitous coincidence had caused the Heavenly Tribulation to stir the Tribulation Qi of his physical body, leading to such rapid progression in Chu Zheng''s cultivation.


    In the eyes of Heavenly Dao, this Tribulation Qi was considered as resolved by Chu Zheng, and how it happened seemed to be outside of its concerns.


    The increase in Immortal Path Cultivation brought great benefits to Chu Zheng. The most obvious was the enhancement of his Qi-refining Techniques.


    His Qi Refinement Cultivation was only at the initial stage of Returning to Void, lagging far behind the Immortal Path. In the face of such a vast disparity in cultivation levels, the Tribulation Qi accumulated from his Qi Refining was negligible, allowing him to elevate his cultivation without any worries.


    At least until he integrated his Dao, he wouldn''t be troubled by Tribulation Qi.


    This once again showed Chu Zheng a clear path; if he could continue this method of overcoming tribulation, by the time he crossed through the door of a True Immortal and refined Qi to become a Heavenly Immortal, it was undoubtedly just within reach.


    ...


    ...


    Within the Great Tomb.


    The desolate mountain range was a mess, scattered with traces of Thunder''s rampage, and charred rocks were strewn everywhere.


    The Yin Qi in the heaven and earth, shredded by the masculine air encompassed by the thunder, turned into wisps of black smoke. Like catkins in a breeze, they couldn''t condense into form. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jian Shier moved through the air, occasionally lifting his finger to lightly sweep across, drawing out pieces of flesh and bones, as well as organ fragments from the crevices of the rocks, gradually piecing Chu Zheng back together.


    Even the Undecayed Bone couldn''t withstand the forceful Heavenly Thunder and was smashed into pieces.


    After a long while, Jian Shier finally managed to piece Chu Zheng back together. Within the split skull, the shattered Ancient Bell protected the last trace of his incomplete soul, preserving his life.


    Jian Shier slashed open his wrist, drawing forth a stream of thick golden Holy Blood, pouring it down from the top of Chu Zheng''s head.


    Gurgle¡ª


    The charred flesh and blood instantly began regrowing and healing. Under the nourishment of Holy Blood, the ghastly wounds gradually closed, and the fragmented soul gradually revived, regaining vitality.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze was blank for a long while before gradually regaining his senses.


    This time, the tribulation included one more Heavenly Thunder than the last, totaling five, because of Jian Shier, he did not use Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade for protection, fearing that something might be revealed, and he was severely injured.


    If it were not for the essence blood Jian Shier gave before the tribulation, his chances of surviving would be slim.


    The Undecayed Bone had a strong body that even a Seventh Order Supreme Treasure could hardly damage, but it was shattered into pieces under the thunder, enough to glimpse the majesty of Heaven.


    He regained his composure, pulled up the repair panel, and, seeing that the number of repairs had reset to zero, he directly injected three streams of Primordial Qi into it, then reactivated the repair panel.


    As the Primordial Qi was injected, the repair panel quickly responded, turning the reset repair count into three.


    He had discovered this method not long ago, the operation of the repair panel depended on the environmental Qi of heaven and earth, but in the end, it was just energy.


    After the three streams of Primordial Qi were exhausted, Chu Zheng''s internal injuries had mostly recovered, though his external appearance still looked somewhat fierce.


    The Soul-shattering Bell had cracked, but fortunately, after repair, it could still be used, no need to waste Primorial Qi, just wait for the repair count to refresh tomorrow.


    "Thank you for your help, senior."


    After calming his slightly chaotic inner breath, Chu Zheng bowed.


    Jian Shier had saved him by bleeding twice before the tribulation, which was no small favor.


    "No need for formalities, follow me, I will take you to meet the Great Commander!"


    Jian Shier spoke with rare excitement, and even his stiff face seemed spirited.


    Given the realm of Undecayed Bone, to draw five Heavenly Tribulations and even survive under the thunder ¨C such talent, he had neither seen nor heard of before.


    Mediocre talents are not envied by Heaven;


    the more tribulations drawn, the more monstrous Chu Zheng''s talent proved to be, possibly surpassing him one day to become someone of the Great Commander''s level.


    Great Commander...


    Chu Zheng paused slightly, feeling somewhat familiar with the title, and after recalling it carefully, his expression changed subtly.


    Geng Yiyang had once mentioned to him that Great Commander was the appellation used by evil demons from the vast universe.


    Those who could be titled as commanders were able to contend with True Immortals, even up to Nine Tribulations Perfection Celestial Lords, while a Great Commander, stronger than an Immortal Venerable, could only be opposed by an Immortal King.


    Jian Shier, already a Perfect Eighth Order Holy Spirit, must certainly be venerating someone above the Ninth Order.


    Without time to think deeply, Jian Shier had already lifted him up and stepped into a spatial passage.


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng appeared in a vast palace complex, spanning horizon to horizon, the Yin Qi curling up like ink visible to the naked eye.


    At a glance, Chu Zheng was nearly overwhelmed by the information transmitted by his Spiritual Eye.


    At least all were Yin Gods who had stepped into the Eighth Order, or Holy Spirits who had metamorphosed after undergoing tribulations.


    This Great Tomb, amassed over tens of millions of years, was frankly shocking, already forming an immensely powerful Yin Army.


    A doubt suddenly flashed in Chu Zheng''s mind.


    If this Taoist Master were truly on the verge of revival, would these Holy Spirits really be part of his original plan?


    Probably not.


    At the Realm of Ancient Myths, even if their powers were combined, they would likely be but a drop in the bucket for that Taoist Master.

 Chapter 277 Core of the Great Tomb

    The Underground Palace never saw the light of day, apart from clusters of ghostly fire, not a glimmer of brightness, extremely cold and dark.Under the watchful eyes of numerous Yin Gods, Jian Shier led Chu Zheng forward until they approached the most central hall.


    The hall''s doors were tightly sealed, engraved with dragon relief carvings, lifelike as if they were living creatures. The eyes of the dragons had been removed, leaving hollow voids.


    "This place is the core of the Great Tomb; just beyond here lies the resting place of the Taoist Master,"


    Jian Shier explained succinctly, his expression solemn. He bowed in front of the hall doors and extended a pitch-black command token with his hand.


    The command token transformed into a streak of light and entered within the hall.


    Boom¡ª


    A moment later, the tightly shut hall doors slowly opened, releasing a dull, musty air that had been sealed for ages, carrying with it a cold, chilling breeze.


    As the wind brushed past him, Chu Zheng''s heart tightened, his spiritual perception alerted to an overpowering oppressive force.


    Before he could gather his wits, Jian Shier had already stepped into the hall.


    Inside the hall was pitch black, one could not see their own fingers, but for cultivators like Chu Zheng and Jian Shier, night and day had long since ceased to bear any difference.


    On a hall wall not far to the side, there hung a painting nearly as tall as a man and over ten zhang long, which drew Chu Zheng''s gaze the moment he stepped through the doors.


    The painting seemed to contain another universe, encompassing a vast and boundless galaxy. Within it, points of starlight shone, blood-colored mists pervaded, and faint sounds of slaughter echoed.


    The interior of the hall was simply arranged; a pitch-black lotus platform stood at the center, surrounded by twelve treasure banners, each imprinted with ferocious likenesses of rakshasa ghost-gods.


    Upon the lotus platform sat a shadowy figure, shrouded in black mist, emanating an aura that Chu Zheng found somewhat familiar.


    A flash of spiritual light in Chu Zheng''s eyes captured a snippet of information.


    [Gongyi Zi Yu (Ninth Order): A residual soul transformed into a Yin God. A fragment of soul from the battlefield fell into the Vast Universe. Reborn into a True Spirit, later joined Lingtian Mansion, rising to the rank of Great Commander, second only to the Pavilion Master.]


    A creature from the Vast Universe?! Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng''s heart shook violently; he hadn''t imagined he would come into contact with a creature from the Vast Universe so soon.


    No wonder he had felt a familiar aura from this person; this Qi originated from the evil demons of the Vast Universe, which he had encountered more than once within the Cangyun Realm.


    This was a Supreme Being capable of contending with an Immortal King, no less than Shang Cangyun whom he had previously encountered.


    However, Shang Cangyun''s cultivation had since advanced further, presumably much stronger than this Great Commander.


    Apart from the Great Commander himself, both his lotus platform and those twelve treasure banners were Supreme Treasures of the Ninth Order, far surpassing True Immortal Artifacts, warrior implements of Immortal King Level.


    A series of information made Chu Zheng''s eyes slightly blur.


    "Great Commander,"


    Jian Shier bowed respectfully and stepped aside to reveal Chu Zheng behind him, slowly saying, "During his earlier tribulation, he called down five strikes of Heavenly Thunder. Observing that this man is a talent ripe for shaping, I thus recommend him, disturbing the Great Commander''s tranquility¡ªfor which I hope to be forgiven."


    In his cold tone was hidden a hint of barely repressed excitement; the stronger the talent, the more advantageous it would be for the Taoist Master in the future, and he too might receive recognition and advance further.


    A gaze landed on Chu Zheng. In an instant, Chu Zheng felt as if his Dantian and insides were completely transparent, with nowhere to hide.


    "His passing through the Heavenly Tribulation has nothing to do with talent,"


    The Great Commander spoke slowly, his voice crisp and pleasing to the ear, like pearls rolling on a jade disk, the sound of shattered jade from Kunshan.


    Such a cadence sounded like an ancient ballad, not of the human world, a melody that could be called the sound of nature.


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng almost seemed bewildered.


    Crack¡ª


    As the voice faded, the figure on the Lotus Platform moved lightly, accompanied by the soft clanking of armor.


    Several breaths later, the Great Commander approached the two, the black mist wrapping around him like windblown sand, gradually dispersing to reveal his true face.


    Chu Zheng lifted his head for a look and felt a hint of surprise. Gongyi Zi Yu appeared to be merely an ordinary young woman. In her early twenties, she had an elegantly tall figure and a delicate face, exceedingly pale, lacking even the slightest hint of blood color. Her hair was neatly tied back, and there was a certain majesty in her presence.


    "His talent is indeed exceptional, but it''s not once in eternity. The abnormality of the Heavenly Tribulation originates from the Qi-refining Technique he practices. His foolhardy challenge against the heavens has led to divine punishment."


    Gongyi Zi Yu spoke slowly, her gaze revealing that she recognized the Qi-refining Technique within Chu Zheng and identified the source of the Heavenly Tribulation.


    But it seemed she had not perceived the whereabouts of Chu Zheng''s true self; otherwise, her reaction at this moment would be different.


    Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    If the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record could be detected so easily, transforming to survive the tribulations would scarcely be effective.


    If it couldn''t deceive living creatures, how could it deceive heaven?


    Gongyi Zi Yu scrutinized Chu Zheng a few more times, then suddenly raised her hand and brushed across Chu Zheng''s cheek. Golden hairs fell away, revealing a slightly greenish face beneath.


    She gazed intently at Chu Zheng''s face, her brow slightly furrowed, puzzlement apparent:


    "You... bear a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance of mine."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s eyes sharpened. He didn''t miss this rare opportunity and ventured with some probing, "Great Commander, could this acquaintance of yours be Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu?"


    As his cultivation of the Qi-refining Technique progressed, his face was now likely not much different from his original appearance.


    The ancient temple that stood against the long stream of years, along with this Great Commander''s words, made it difficult for him not to ponder deeper.


    "Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu... that does sound somewhat familiar."


    Gongyi Zi Yu fell into thought, then turned and walked toward a hanging scroll on the side.


    As the distance between them closed, the shouting and killing from the painting grew louder, mixed with the thunderous booms of exploding stars, piercing the eardrums.


    Chu Zheng stepped closer, his eyes suddenly reflecting a starry battlefield. In the next instant, the great hall vanished without a trace, leaving him standing alone upon a meteorite, surrounded by divine halos and Immortal Light.


    Shadowy, terrifying figures whose faces were indiscernible battled at the top of the starry river. With every movement, star domains collapsed, and Great Realms shattered.


    The invisible force of Heavenly Fate intertwined above the dome of the starry sky, waxing and waning.


    Without a doubt, this was a Dao War, involving peak individuals from many Taoist Orthodoxies.


    Chu Zheng was captivated by what he saw until suddenly, a ray of Spiritual Light swept past, shattering the scene before him into fragments. He stepped back instinctively, and as his vision dimmed, the great hall reappeared. The scroll hung nearby, and the shouting and killing sounds had also vanished without a trace.


    "Past events have become hazy to me. What you just witnessed was the final scene before my death, which I painted after my True Spirit awakened, in order to seek traces left from my past life."


    Gongyi Zi Yu turned her head to look at Chu Zheng: "Did you discern anything just now?"


    Chu Zheng concentrated, recalling the scene, then shook his head somewhat helplessly after a while. Once he entered the painting, his Spiritual Eye lost its effectiveness, and it was difficult to see any subtle clues.


    The worlds he had witnessed were still too narrow.


    "Your memory also has gaps. Perhaps there will be hope for mending in the future. What you don''t understand now, maybe you will in the days to come."


    Gongyi Zi Yu was not concerned, waved her hand indicating for Jian Shier to escort Chu Zheng away.


    As the doors closed again, a reminder was heard:


    "Continue with your Qi-refining Technique, but know that your path in cultivation cannot last long. It would be best to stop sooner."

 Chapter 278 Changes in the Battlefield

    Gongyi Zi Yu''s reminder was one Chu Zheng had heard many times before.The path of Qi Refining was not an easy one, something he had experienced firsthand, but it was a path he could not possibly abandon.


    The Immortal Path was one Chu Zheng might not be able to follow to the very end; if the people of Cangyun Realm could not merge with Immortal Blood and become Immortal Descendants, then his achievements on the Immortal Path would be capped at True Immortal Perfection.


    Countless examples throughout history had proven that, aside from Zhao Tingxian and Shang Cangyun, no Immortal Path Cultivator from Cangyun Realm had ever broken through the threshold of the True Immortal Realm. At most, they could become a Celestial Lord, forever hopeless of reaching the realms of Immortal Venerable.


    Chu Zheng did not feel that he would necessarily be an exception to this rule.


    True Immortal Perfection, although a realm that stood above the myriad of living beings, capable of overturning star domains and controlling the life and death of all creatures,


    was far from enough for what Chu Zheng wanted to achieve.


    Such cultivation was not even considered a main force in the wars between the great Taoist orthodoxies.


    In order to secure a sufficient position in the conflicts between the Taoist orthodoxies and act unfettered throughout the Great Universe, one needed at least the cultivation of an Ancestral Dao to have a chance at achieving this.


    Moreover, even Ancestral Dao figures had long disappeared without a trace, and not the slightest bit of news had come out about them.


    No matter what, Qi-refining Techniques were still the means by which Chu Zheng hoped to access higher realms, and to stop now was absolutely not an option.


    From the information he obtained from Gongyi Zi Yu, Chu Zheng''s impression of the Vast Universe had significantly changed.


    Why should the souls fall into the Vast Universe after the deaths of living creatures?


    The more he contemplated, the more the existence of the Vast Universe seemed to him like the Yellow Springs, the place of reincarnation, which he remembered.


    Reincarnation, for the entire Great Universe, was still an unproven notion.


    Those beings capable of overturning time and space, traveling to the past and future, had not found where exactly the Yellow Springs lay.


    The only tangible contact was with the Vast Universe.


    Gongyi Zi Yu''s impression on Chu Zheng, compared to the evil demons Chu Zheng had known before, was vastly different, capable of normal communication, with no evidence of flawed logic, and did not show the innate bloodthirstiness that Geng Yiyang had described.


    Aside from being born from a residual soul, Gongyi Zi Yu had nearly no differences from ordinary living creatures.


    This might be related to Chu Zheng''s current state as a Yin Corpse, yet Gongyi Zi Yu''s consciousness was clearly lucid, capable of normal interaction.


    In fact, Gongyi Zi Yu was the first being Chu Zheng had encountered that originated from the Vast Universe; and considering Geng Yiyang''s level of cultivation at the time, his statements were not necessarily the truth.


    Most importantly, Gongyi Zi Yu was very familiar with the name Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, a piece of information that was well worth Chu Zheng''s deep contemplation.


    The age of the Taoist Temple, according to his judgment, did not conflict with his estimations; it truly might date back to a billion years ago, or even traceable to the Primordial Era.


    During this period, there must have been many secrets unknown to others, some of which were related to him.


    Lost in thought, Jian Shier stopped in front of a cluster of low buildings.


    Here in this core area, he had found a new place for Chu Zheng to seclude himself¡ªa room that was somewhat cramped but was several times better than the previous Underground Palace.


    "From now on, you will cultivate here."


    After speaking, Jian Shier tossed a black Command Token to him, "If there''s an urgent matter, activate this token, and I will come to find you."


    Compared to when he arrived, his gaze held a trace of disappointment. Chu Zheng''s talent was not sufficient to impress the Great Commander, and the reward he hoped for was as elusive as trying to scoop the moon from water.


    However, he did not harbor any dissatisfaction towards Chu Zheng; even if not earth-shattering, Chu Zheng''s rate of growth was evident to him, becoming a Great Commander in the future was not an impossibility.


    "Thank you, senior." Chu Zheng bowed in gratitude.


    No matter what Jian Shier''s motives were, he had helped him significantly, and Chu Zheng would try his best to repay this favor before leaving the Great Tomb.


    Chu Zheng did not plan on staying long in the Great Tomb. According to what Jian Shier had said earlier, the entrance to this Great Tomb would be closed again within a hundred or two hundred years, at which time another bloody slaughter would ensue.


    Once the entrance was closed, everyone who stayed in this tomb would die.


    Chu Zheng did not wish to be involved, nor did he want to be trapped in this corner of the world. He wanted to go to the center of the Tianwu Realm, to see the Heavenly Wutong and along the way, gather more information about the Vast Universe, if possible.


    In fact, the most efficient way to learn about the Vast Universe would be to directly ask Gongyi Zi Yu.


    But Chu Zheng did not want to take that risk. Aside from Gongyi Zi Yu, these Yin Gods in the core of the Great Tomb had no connection to the Vast Universe.


    Here, Chu Zheng could not be certain what role Gongyi Zi Yu truly played. If he carelessly asked about secrets he should not know, this embodiment and tribulation journey could come to an end prematurely.


    This would delay Chu Zheng a lot of time; not every reincarnation and tribulation journey could proceed as smoothly as this one, consuming a vast amount of Tribulation Qi in the most convenient way.


    After Jian Shier left, Chu Zheng pushed the door open and stepped into the house, no more than ten paces across, which reminded him of the Filth Room he stayed in when he first entered Cangyun Realm.


    Inside the room, apart from a circular mat made of black jade, there was nothing else.


    The mat radiated a very pure Yin Qi, so pure that Yin Dew had condensed on it.


    ```


    Such an environment was indeed beneficial to Chu Zheng''s cultivation, but it was somewhat less friendly to Qi-refining techniques.


    Fortunately, Qi-refining techniques could extract some Yang Qi from extreme Yin, sufficient to support cultivation, albeit with difficulty.


    Chu Zheng did not rush to begin his seclusion but instead turned and left, circling the entire Underground Palace.


    He needed to collect enough fragments of ancient artifacts to absorb Primordial Qi to enhance his cultivation and repair suitable treasures.


    This Underground Palace, having endured through lengthy epochs, contained numerous spiritual artifacts that had lost their energy, appearing to be burial accompaniments of varying qualities, but not a few of them were of the Seventh or Eighth Order.


    After a rough search, Chu Zheng returned to his room with satisfaction,


    Seated on the Jade Mat, his mind slightly cool, his thoughts gradually emptied, and he shifted most of his consciousness back to his original body. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This breakthrough saw significant changes in his main body, changes he had yet to spend time addressing.


    ...


    ...


    Myriad Realms.


    In the Qingyun Realm, in the Northeast Territory,


    veils of incense and willpower wafted like clouds amidst the sprawling Divine Palaces, with rosy glows steaming upward.


    Inside an inconspicuous secret chamber, Chu Zheng sat cross-legged in his armor, faint cracks visible on his face, through which Immortal Light leaked.


    Leveraging the heavenly tribulation of this incarnate form, his cultivation had surged to the Fifthfold of Immortal Tribulation, which was undeniably astounding.


    Although the incarnate form had endured the tribulations for hundreds of years, the total years of cultivation his main body had experienced did not exceed twenty, and yet his cultivation had already stepped into the realm of a Demi Immortal.


    Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Not even the whole Immortal Alliance could find a second one.


    That was also the reason Chu Zheng was eager to leave the Immortal Alliance; such an abnormal speed of cultivation would soon attract the attention of the Alliance''s higher echelons, an attention he could not avoid.


    An abrupt increase in cultivation often came with side effects, such as an unstable foundation and difficulty in controlling the surge of Immortal Power.


    However, for Chu Zheng, once he had dealt with the troublesome Tribulation Qi, he would have plenty of time to compensate; he only needed some time to adjust.


    As time passed, the cracks on Chu Zheng''s cheeks gradually healed, and the Immortal Light slowly retreated.


    From the perspective of his original body, looking at the incarnate form again felt wholly different, especially the changes in the Repair Master''s interface.


    Beneath the vast discrepancy in the flow of time, with every incense stick burned, the experience of the Repair Master steadily increased. Following this pace, once this incarnation''s tribulation ended, his Repair Master level would surely advance to the Eighth Order.


    Once elevated to the Eighth Order, should he be able to repair Seventh Order treasures without limits, Chu Zheng''s strength and foundation would enter a new round of rapid growth.


    After temporarily suppressing his internal injuries, Chu Zheng took out the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll and glanced at it, his eyebrows furrowing at the empty pages.


    After a long silence, the once-easy contact with Song Lingxue had gradually become infrequent.


    This time, nearly four months had passed without any message.


    Every time Song Lingxue sent a message, he always felt the content was incomplete, just like the letters he sent, which withheld more than they revealed, sharing only good news and not the bad.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Chu Zheng drafted a message, pushed down the faint restlessness rising in his heart, and his Divine Sense reached out of the secret chamber, sending a communiqu¨¦ to the master of this Divine Palace, ''Jade Pot Spirit Lord.''


    In a few breaths, the Jade Pot Spirit Lord, draped in a Divine Robe, appeared before Chu Zheng, greeting him with full respect:


    "Supreme Deity, I pay my respects."


    "Have there been any news recently? Tell me everything, both within and beyond the realm."


    Chu Zheng lacked access to the native forces of the Myriad Realms, limiting his news channels. He had chosen this particular Divine Palace because of the many people coming and going, which made the news spread faster.


    "Nothing noteworthy has happened recently. Rumors say a Qi Cultivator has come nearby, intending to transcend tribulation amidst the Red Dust. Many powers are wary of getting involved, hesitant to make any moves for fear of consequences."


    The Jade Pot Spirit Lord pondered for a moment before hastily continuing,


    "Apart from that, there are rumors from beyond the realms. The Myriad Realms have suffered setbacks on the battlefield and need to replenish their forces. Many have been called up from various realms. I, too, have received an order from a Supreme Deity to pay tributes of Incense Fire Willpower on time."


    "Battlefield setbacks?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s first reaction was not one of surprise. From a superficial perspective, there was a full ten percent of Heavenly Fate separating the Myriad Heavens and Realms from the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall.


    Moreover, compared to the highly coordinated organizations like the Immortal Alliance and Martial Hall, the Myriad Heavens and Realms were nothing but a scattered mess, each fighting on their own.


    Without the advantages of time, location, or unity, it would be a huge problem if the Myriad Heavens and Realms won the battle.


    But why did the Myriad Heavens and Realms initiate the battle knowing they couldn''t win?


    Not only did they not give up after suffering defeats on the frontlines, but the Myriad Heavens and Realms also chose to further deplete their resources from various realms and continue to expand the battlefield.


    ```

 Chapter 279 Visiting the Daoist Sect

    The battle between the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall and the Myriad Heavens and Realms seemed to have entered a fever pitch, on the verge of a decisive confrontation that would settle victory and defeat.After leaving the Cangyun Realm and entering the Great Universe, Chu Zheng had read countless Ancient Books about struggles between the Taoist orthodoxy, uncovering many secrets.


    If the battle continued to expand and drew out those giants spanning eons and space-time, the calamities it might cause would be unpredictable.


    In ancient times, such vast wars had broken out, where space-time crumbled, yin and yang fell into disorder, and the universe of chaos was reborn. Even that period of ancient history had been entirely buried into the realm of the unknowable, beyond any scrutiny.


    A true dispute over the Dao is not easily sparked, but once the fight for Heavenly Fate truly begins, it cannot readily be quelled. The entirety of the Great Universe would be engulfed, with no Taoist orthodoxy able to remain uninvolved.


    In such situations, the weaker the orthodoxy, the quicker it would meet its doom, and the existing power structure would be completely reshuffled.


    With this thought, Chu Zheng couldn''t help tightening his heart. If he couldn''t enhance his cultivation swiftly, by the time that Taoist strife encompassing the Great Universe arrived, his only fate would be to turn into ash in that ordeal.


    "Has any news come from the battlefield on the side of All Heavens?"


    Gathering his thoughts, Chu Zheng turned to inquire about any developments in the direction of the All Heavens, where the Martial Hall was in battle, for there might be some intelligence on the Martial Hall.


    "All Heavens..."


    Jade Pot Spirit Lord pondered for a moment, shook his head, and then let out a light sigh:


    "It''s too far away; I''ve heard no specific news. However, the battlefield on the side of the All Heavens is in worse shape, having suffered heavy blows and several ancient races have been extinguished in succession."


    This outcome is fully predictable. The combat power of the Martial Path has always been at the apex of the various orthodoxies, possessing numerous Secret Techniques that can squeeze potential and elevate combat power in a short time as easily as drinking water.


    The majority of All Heavens consist of Otherkind with only their sturdy flesh and a few Innate Divine Abilities, with no other advantages. Retreating step by step when facing the Martial Hall is only normal.


    Speaking of the current plight of the Myriad Heavens and Realms, Jade Pot Spirit Lord''s expression was also filled with worry, the matter he had been concerned about these days.


    What is to be done...


    If the Myriad Heavens and Realms lose this war, with the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall advancing unopposed, all the Great Realms will fall. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Neither the Immortal Alliance nor the Martial Hall would tolerate dissent; when that day comes, the other orthodoxies would have only one path left: death, even the chance for allegiance would not exist.


    Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, then raised his hand and drew out a strand of Incense Fire Willpower, injecting it into the body of Jade Pot Spirit Lord:


    "You have worked hard during this period. I will depart in a few days."


    This small amount of Incense Fire Essence was compensation for Jade Pot Spirit Lord''s assistance in gathering information over the past days.


    With Immortal Qi as the medium to improve his cultivation, Incense Fire Willpower no longer seemed as important to Chu Zheng as before.


    After all, in terms of energy levels, pure Immortal Qi is several times stronger than Incense Fire Willpower.


    In the future, Chu Zheng also planned to store as much Incense Fire Willpower as possible within his Golden Body to minimize its impact on his physical form.


    This type of power is, after all, somewhat mixed and should not be too heavily relied upon. He had absorbed quite a lot before, and his foundation was starting to become shaky.


    Moreover, after stepping into Immortal Tribulation, the problem of his unstable foundation due to rapid progression in his cultivation had become more apparent.


    "Thank you, Supreme Deity."


    Jade Pot Spirit Lord''s face suddenly brightened with joy, and he bowed deeply in gratitude. The strand of Incense Fire Willpower that Chu Zheng had casually bestowed was clearly purified, which could save him a hundred years of arduous cultivation.


    During these days, Chu Zheng''s stay was to make use of him for gathering some information, which was practically effortless.


    Such an opportunity was a chance encounter that could not be sought.


    Without another word, Chu Zheng gestured with his hand, indicating for Jade Pot Spirit Lord to leave.


    In the following days, using the repair panel and the extracted Immortal Qi, Chu Zheng steadily solidified his foundation, clearing away hidden dangers.


    Subsequently, he no longer contacted Jade Pot Spirit Lord and left the Divine Palace directly, heading southeast towards the Qingyun Realm.


    In recent times, many Daoist Sects in the vicinity had already recalled their disciples and sealed their Sect Gates, related both to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield and rumored Qi Cultivators enduring the Red Dust trials.


    Regarding this, Chu Zheng also felt helpless, as staying here no longer provided access to useful information.


    Within the Qingyun Realm, the Taoist School was not particularly prominent, having some reclusive sects in the southeast.


    He intended to visit these Daoist Sects of this realm, seeking information about the Taoist School''s Qi Cultivators and matters of Nie Longhu''s lineage.


    In truth, if Chu Zheng wanted to see Nie Longhu, it wasn''t necessary to go through such trouble.


    When they met for the second time in the Dongyuan Realm, Nie Longhu had given him a Dao Seal, which Chu Zheng still clearly remembered.


    According to Nie Longhu, if he activated this Dao Seal near the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, Nie Longhu would sense it, and then a Golden Immortal would be requested to meet him.


    Nie Longhu had revealed his background, apprenticed to the lineage of the Great Clarity Primordial Daoist Lord, with his master being the North Spirit Golden Immortal, cultivating in the Chuyun Cave on Liyang Mountain in the Guangyuan Realm.


    The Golden Immortal he could invite was likely his master, the North Spirit Golden Immortal.


    In the current situation, Chu Zheng did not intend to contact such high-level beings too soon.


    A Golden Immortal nearly reaches the pinnacle of Qi Cultivating,


    and the genuine state of his Immortal Path Cultivation would be easily detected.


    Even though the tolerance within the Myriad Realms was sufficiently strong, in the current state of conflict with the Immortal Path, it''s unlikely to allow a powerful Immortal Path Cultivator to swagger through the Myriad Realms'' camp.


    Furthermore, how he passed through the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield to enter the territory of the Myriad Realms was a significant issue in itself.


    In the presence of a Golden Immortal, Chu Zheng had no confidence he could conceal any information, and the fact that Shang Cangyun had intervened on his behalf could be inadvertently exposed, potentially leading to even greater trouble.


    Shang Cangyun had been active in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield for many years, responsible for countless deaths of Realm Creatures; compared to the Immortal Alliance, cultivators of the Myriad Realms might wish for his demise even more.


    Unless absolutely necessary, Chu Zheng did not want to use the Dao Seal given by Nie Longhu prematurely.


    After stepping into the Immortal Tribulation, Chu Zheng''s understanding of Space Law had been progressing by leaps and bounds, and using Great Divine Powers like Shrinking Earth into Inches had become even more natural for him.


    In just a day''s effort, Chu Zheng entered the southeast territory of the Qingyun Realm, found a city, spread his Divine Sense to sense briefly, and then he gathered the information he was seeking.


    The power of the Taoist School in Qingyun Realm wasn''t very strong, with Qi Cultivators even rarer, totaling less than a thousand people.


    Amongst them, the most renowned was the Yuxuan Palace.


    The Qingyun Realm''s Yuxuan Palace was merely a branch, with its main lineage originating from the Taoist School''s Thirty-Three Heavens Beyond Heaven.

 Chapter 280 Visiting and Making Contact

    In the southeast of Qingyun Realm, marked by many mountain ranges and hills, stood Qingtian Peak, the highest mountain of the realm and the residence of Yuxuan Palace.Qingtian Peak soared twenty-seven thousand five hundred and forty-odd feet into the sky, resembling a celestial sword thrusting heavenwards, its summit perennially capped with snow, frigid to the extreme.


    The vast majority of Qi Cultivators chose high places for their cave dwellings and Sect Gates, and Yuxuan Palace was no exception, located at the pinnacle of the peak. This place, closest to the sun and moon, brought many benefits for cultivation.


    Although in comparison to the span of the universe, the heights of these peaks were minuscule, the essence of the sun and moon up high was relatively unspoiled by Turbid Qi and ultimately purer.


    When Chu Zheng arrived at this location, it was noon, the great sun hanging high in the sky. The entire Qingtian Peak was bathed in a faint clear light, exuding an air of refreshing purity that lifted one''s spirits.


    Amidst the mountains, Spiritual Springs encircled, brimming with Spiritual Mist condensed from the essence of heaven and earth¡ªa landscape fit for an Immortal Clan''s Holy Land.


    With a casual glance, Chu Zheng spotted many precious birds and Auspicious Beasts among the ancient forests atop the peak, presumably attracted by the Qi of Qi Cultivators.


    Not to mention the Auspicious Beasts in the forest, even Chu Zheng himself felt his mind became much clearer, setting aside his worries for a moment and feeling delightful and at ease.


    After surveying the area for a while, Chu Zheng did not directly ascend to the summit but landed at the mountain''s base, advancing slowly towards the top.


    One ought always to observe some etiquette before visiting abruptly.


    Chu Zheng was not in a hurry. As he walked slowly up the mountain, approaching the summit, fine snow began to fall from the sky.


    Bracing against wind and snow, he made his way to the peak, where a number of green-tiled and brick houses appeared in front of Chu Zheng. There were no grand pavilions or palaces, only rooftops covered with ice and snow, shrouded in frost.


    There was no sign of any Arrays set up around the area; everything maintained the most original appearance given by nature, simple and pure.


    Indeed, most Qi Cultivators led simple lives, and with not many disciples or descendants, they seldom spent extra effort gathering and storing resources for cultivation. Usually, just the sun and moon''s essence was enough for their cultivation needs.


    Although such a practice would not accelerate the growth of one''s Cultivation, likewise, the accumulation of Tribulation Qi wouldn''t be as severe and would be easier to manage.


    All along, the reason why Chu Zheng''s Tribulation Qi was so troublesome was because his cultivation had increased far too rapidly. In twenty years, he had traversed a path that would take others hundreds or even thousands of years. How could he expect smooth sailing in every endeavor?


    His gaze swept over the green-tiled houses, Chu Zheng bowed with folded hands, and spoke in a measured voice,


    "Qi Cultivator Chu Zheng has come to pay a visit to fellow practitioners, hoping not to be turned away."


    Creak¡ª


    A noise came from the most central house, and an ancient wooden door creaked open slowly, revealing a middle-aged Taoist.


    He appeared to be around forty years old, clad in a teal Taoist Robe with his hair in a Daoist bun, his face stern and a vertical line between his eyebrows resembling a Heavenly Eye, his feet shod in thick-soled black cloth shoes.


    Kuang Yuanshan (Seventh Order): A Unity Realm Stage Qi Cultivator, Daoist name Xu Jingzi, who also practiced Alchemy and talismanic magic. He had weathered seventy-four tribulations, having recently overcome one, his vitality was not yet restored, sustaining injuries, repairable (0/3).


    Kuang Yuanshan was not the strongest in Yuxuan Palace; there was a Heavenly Immortal hidden here, which Chu Zheng could sense.


    However, with Chu Zheng''s current level of cultivation, he was not yet qualified to have such a personage greet him at the door.


    Apart from Kuang Yuanshan, there was no movement or sound coming from the other green-tiled houses¡ªdead silence prevailed.


    It was clear that Yuxuan Palace did not seem very welcoming to Chu Zheng''s arrival.


    Chu Zheng was not surprised by this, as most Qi Cultivators generally disliked disturbances unless necessary.


    That Kuang Yuanshan had come forward was probably because he had recently faced a tribulation and wouldn''t invite further complications due to Tribulation Qi.


    Kuang Yuanshan took a look at Chu Zheng, his eyes calm as still water, and after returning the gesture with a fist-and-palm salute, he got straight to the point,


    "Fellow Daoist is most courteous. What brings you here today?"


    "I hope you''ll forgive my uninvited intrusion," Chu Zheng didn''t beat around the bush and said directly,


    "Chu hails from a non-orthodox Taoist Sect and has not had the guidance of a prestigious master. By chance, I obtained scraps left by predecessors and have struggled alone to this point. I have many doubts and would like to seek advice from fellow Daoists."


    Before coming to Yuxuan Palace, he had already sealed his Immortal Tao Power and suppressed his Qi, revealing only the cultivation of the early-stage Returning to Void, so as to be less alienating to the Qi Cultivators.


    "A visitor is a guest, please come in and we can talk," Kuang Yuanshan said without further ado, gesturing with his hand.


    Chu Zheng thanked him and followed Kuang Yuanshan inside the tiled house.


    The room was warm as spring and not very spacious, stretching out a few zhang with several small rooms partitioned off. The air was permeated with the fragrance of medicine, mingled with the Qi of various Spiritual Medicines.


    The wooden door inside was ajar, revealing the corner of a Pill Furnace with Spiritual Fire burning beneath it.


    Kuang Yuanshan was in the midst of Alchemy, and judging by the pervasive scent, he was likely crafting a Spirit Pill for nourishing one''s foundation and healing injuries.


    "I apologize for interrupting Daoist," Chu Zheng spoke apologetically.


    Kuang Yuanshan was unfazed and waved his hand dismissively: "There''s no interruption. Not many people visit on normal days, and your presence gives me someone with whom to pass the time."


    As he spoke, he led Chu Zheng into a side room which, from the decor, seemed to be a tea room.


    A black and white Immortal Crane was curled up on the ground, apparently dozing off.


    Kuang Yuanshan stepped forward to open the window, letting the wind and snow usher in a slight breeze. Then, he turned to make tea. After that, he kicked the Immortal Crane awake with the back of his foot:


    "Go fetch a couple of Spiritual Source Treasure Leaves. I have a guest to entertain."


    The Immortal Crane staggered to its feet, took to the air out the window, and returned after a short while, its mouth holding several verdant branches and leaves.


    Kuang Yuanshan took the branches and leaves, plucked the green leaves, and dropped them into the boiling tea water. Moments later, he poured two cups of Spiritual Tea and casually remarked,


    "This tea is best when freshly picked. I apologize for making you wait, Daoist friend."


    With that, he pushed one cup of Spiritual Tea across to Chu Zheng, the steam rising and forming misty clouds.


    Chu Zheng took the cup, sipped lightly, and although the tea did not brim with abundant Spiritual Energy as it went down his throat, his mind immediately relaxed involuntarily, becoming significantly more at ease.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng''s eyes brightened, and he couldn''t help but praise,


    "Excellent tea."


    After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chu Zheng began to inquire about some matters concerning Qi Cultivators from Kuang Yuanshan.


    Entering the world and experiencing tribulations can have many effects and easily bring disaster upon one''s Sect. As a result, many Qi Cultivators opt not to undergo such trials in their homeland but use various methods to travel to other Great Realms instead.


    Although these methods are cumbersome, the risks are relatively lower. A slight misstep may lead to death in the external realms due to tribulations, yet the impact on one''s Sect and old friends is negligible.


    This measure is taken out of necessity, as the influence of tribulations is too complex and variable, easily slipping out of control.


    ...


    ...


    PS: Some content needs to be edited.


    Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 281 Buddhist

    "Before ancient times, it already existed..."Chu Zheng had speculated as much, but never thought so far back.


    "If that is indeed the case, my fellow Daoist, it would be best not to delve into it. It is merely a waste of mental effort."


    Kuang Yuanshan shook his head with a light sigh, "There lies a Heaven Pass beyond that realm, a domain unattainable in this lifetime for us cultivators."


    The ancient times were too distant from the present; many events from before were beyond exploration and had buried many secrets.


    Even those who had comprehended the Space-time Laws and could traverse past and future were unable to touch the secrets of that ancient battle.


    It was an insurmountable Heaven Pass. Any living creature attempting to cross that cataclysm and thereby alter history would be embroiled in that battle.


    Once affected, one would face the fiercely ancient ancestors of the immortals, ancestral realm powerhouses of each Dao, and the inscrutable Ancestral Dao, whose Dao fruit had already reached the Perfection of a Daluo Golden Immortal.


    Faced with such a lineup, no living creature could possibly escape unscathed.


    It was a bloody meat grinder; the slightest carelessness could result in total obliteration, losing all the cultivation accrued over countless years.


    "Understood, thank you for the reminder, Daoist friend."


    Chu Zheng came to his senses, setting aside some thoughts for now. The secrets of the ancient era were a waste of time for him at his current level of cultivation.


    This trip had garnered some information about Nie Longhu''s sect and the situation of other Qi Cultivators, which made it worthwhile.


    After a brief contemplation, Chu Zheng took out a Fifth Order Spirit Pill and pushed it across to Kuang Yuanshan.


    The Spirit Pill, at first glance, seemed ordinary, but Chu Zheng had infused a wisp of Primordial Qi into it, which would greatly benefit Kuang Yuanshan''s injuries.


    "Thank you for clarifying, my fellow Daoist. This is a small token of appreciation, please do not refuse."


    Hearing what Chu Zheng said, Kuang Yuanshan glanced at the Spirit Pill. Being greatly skilled in alchemy, he easily recognized the quality of the pill and, without much concern, nodded and accepted it:


    "You are too courteous, my friend."


    This was also a way to settle this cause and effect face to face, to avoid further intersections in the future.


    "Chu Zheng bids farewell."


    Chu Zheng stood up, bowed with his fists clasped, and without lingering further, turned and departed.


    After stepping away two or three paces, his figure had vanished into the horizon, disappearing without a trace.


    He had gathered plenty of information already, and staying any longer would just be a waste of time ¡ª and given the obvious unwelcome sentiment from Yuxuan Palace, staying beyond his welcome could be irritating.


    ...


    ...


    Shortly after Chu Zheng left, there were already several figures in Kuang Yuanshan''s room, all clad in Taoist robes, each with a different expression.


    "This person suddenly arrived, and from his words, he seems unfamiliar with the Qingyun Realm. Could he have come from beyond our realm, possibly a Qi Cultivator preparing for tribulation?"


    "It shouldn''t be. I observe that there doesn''t seem to be much tribulation Qi beside him. He shouldn''t face any tribulation soon."


    "Just now, this person suddenly mentioned the method of transformation through tribulation. Perhaps he holds some technique of transformation in his hands."


    At this point, the room fell silent.


    The method of transformation through tribulation was vitally important for a Qi Cultivator. Only disciples of the Golden Immortal Sect could pass down such methods, indicating its significance.


    For a moment, everyone''s gaze turned unanimously towards an elderly Daoist with white hair and beard, Xuan Tianming, the current head of this branch of Yuxuan Palace.


    Xuan Tianming was the only Heavenly Immortal within Yuxuan Palace, and his words naturally held absolute authority.


    "It is not possible."


    Xuan Tianming slightly shook his head, outright dismissing the thoughts brewing in everyone''s mind:


    "It''s just a possibility. Moreover, he also mentioned the North Spirit Golden Immortal. It involves the Golden Immortals, and it''s better not to act rashly to avoid inviting trouble."


    The method of transformation through tribulation was indeed very tempting, but since this person mentioned the North Spirit Golden Immortal and knew the method of transformation through tribulation, he might be a disciple chosen by the North Spirit Golden Immortal, crossing realms in dreams. They could not afford to provoke him.


    Furthermore, the legendary transformation through tribulation wasn''t without its shortcomings. There was no need to risk snatching it cunningly.


    "Forget this person''s visit today, keep it in your hearts and don''t mention it again. If someone asks, pretend ignorance."


    Xuan Tianming settled the matter without further discussion and vanished.


    The remaining people exchanged glances, and without further thoughts, they left one after another.


    After everyone had left, Kuang Yuanshan casually swallowed the Spirit Pill on the table and then turned around, planning to tend to the alchemy in the Pill Furnace.


    As he turned around, he stopped in his tracks, shock flashing across his eyes, disbelief written all over his face.


    The moment the elixir entered his throat, a tremendous vitality exploded within his body, gradually starting to heal the hidden injuries he had sustained earlier.


    After a moment, the vital force slowly dissipated.


    Kuang Yuanshan''s expression turned even more astonished; this unassuming Spirit Pill had healed half of his injuries in just a moment and even had strength to spare.


    Even an ordinary Seventh Order Treasure Pill did not have this effect; the value of this Treasure Pill was incalculable.


    Following that, Kuang Yuanshan''s expression grew more solemn.


    To casually give away such a high-level Treasure Pill, Chu Zheng''s background could not be underestimated; he might indeed have some connection with the Golden Immortals.


    ...


    ...


    After leaving Qingtian Peak, Chu Zheng headed directly northwest.


    In the northwest of the Qingyun Realm lay a Buddha Country, whose Buddhist cultivators Chu Zheng had yet to encounter, sparking much curiosity. He wondered if the Buddhism there was the same as he had envisioned.


    Moreover, since Buddhism emphasized the cycles of karma and reincarnation, it might provide him with new insights.


    In the Myriad Realms, Buddhism found itself in a somewhat awkward position; many cultivators of Taoist Orthodoxy simply did not believe in an afterlife, let alone the karmic fruits of future lives promised by Buddhist cultivation.


    Maintaining their current lives was challenging enough, expending countless energies¡ªthey viewed discussions of a nebulous afterlife as utter nonsense.


    How could one believe in the karmic fruits of a future life if they did not believe in an afterlife at all? sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng, of course, believed in past and present lives; his own memories were proof of that. However, he still held some reservations about Buddhism.


    Ultimately, he cultivated the Dao Laws, which were not aligned with Buddhism.


    In the Myriad Realms, the reason Buddhism was not well-received mainly stemmed from the existence of Incense Fire Deities.


    Offering incense and willpower could indeed fulfill wishes.


    But if the incense fire willpower was offered to the Buddha, the Buddha would only promise blessings in the next life¡ªa notion most creatures saw as taking advantage of nothingness.


    ...


    ...


    Note: Most content needs revision.

 Chapter 282 Changes in the Da Li Dynasty, Tribulation

    Within the Northern Domain Buddha Country, numerous Buddhist cultivation techniques were passed down.These cultivation techniques, in reality, had little to do with Incense Fire Willpower but instead emphasized the physical body more than the Primordial Spirit.


    Among the various Taoist orthodoxies in the Myriad Realms, Buddhist cultivators were also one of the few who competed with the Martial Path in terms of physical prowess.


    Chu Zheng had collected some Buddhist cultivation techniques. He had never followed the Martial Path, but he had practiced Martial Dao Divine Abilities and had some understanding. The foundation of his physical body was much sturdier compared to ordinary cultivators, verifying each other''s techniques, and he had gained some insights.


    Apart from the cultivation techniques, Chu Zheng also collected some incomplete ancient Buddhist treasures. This act was merely incidental, but while performing the Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing, he discovered something else within these Buddhist treasures, apart from the Primordial Qi.


    [Merit Golden Light (No Grade): A gift from heaven and earth, the accumulated result of selfless good deeds, with effects of enhancing wisdom, breaking barriers, purifying the heart, protection, strengthening fate, and prolonging life.]


    Merit Golden Light was the first time Chu Zheng had encountered something without a grade, and its existence was extremely peculiar. Chu Zheng tried to absorb it but failed as if it had an owner.


    If the effects of Merit Golden Light were truly as unique as the information provided by the Spiritual Eye, then this item could be considered defying heaven. Its effects were all great opportunities for cultivators.


    Especially for the intangible enhancement of Qi Fortune¡ªthis was an effect that no Heavenly and Earthly Treasures could achieve.


    Qi Fortune, an intangible entity, was different from Heavenly Fate that contested the Tao; Heavenly Fate affected the speed of cultivation, while Qi Fortune influenced the luck and misfortune.


    Those with strong Qi Fortune could miraculously escape from death, turn disasters into blessings, and even transform defeat into victory in combat.


    Conversely, those with weak Qi Fortune often faced many hardships and fell victim to unprovoked disasters, with calamities being a common occurrence.


    Merit given by heaven cannot be replaced by human efforts. Although there was some residual Merit Golden Light in these ancient Buddhist treasures, Chu Zheng, unfortunately, could not use it for himself.


    After spending more than a month traveling around the Northwest Region, Chu Zheng inadvertently passed through the Eight Desolates of the Qingyun Realm, and aside from the Four Seas, he had traversed most of the world.


    With the improvement of his cultivation, the existence of the world began to appear smaller in his eyes. Understanding a world was no longer as strenuous as it had been in the Cangyun Realm; he could now see most secrets as clearly as patterns on his palm with just some casual time spent.


    At this stage, Chu Zheng began to understand why highly cultivated individuals usually appeared extraordinarily calm most of the time.


    For them, the unknowns of the world were extremely rare, and the things that could disturb their emotions were even rarer.


    Once everything in the world had no secrets before their eyes, such a feeling might feel somewhat empty and boring.


    Although Chu Zheng in his previous life was passionate about artifact restoration, he himself had no real interest in repairing things. What interested him were the messages hidden behind those broken artifacts.


    Those secrets buried under the sands of time, unable for anyone to speak of or declare.


    And this Great Universe before him held secrets too numerous to imagine.


    .....


    .....


    After leaving the Northwest Region, Chu Zheng returned to the territory of the Da Li Dynasty and settled in a small city.


    During the time Chu Zheng traveled to other regions, many changes had occurred within the Da Li Dynasty.


    A group of cultivators came from beyond the realm, entering directly into the Da Li Imperial City, Yujing Divine Palace, and directly facing the emperor. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What exactly happened remained unknown, but a day later, an imperial decree was issued from the palace, descending to the Ministry of War.


    The Ministry of War drew six million elite troops from across Da Li, led by a modern-day military deity alongside many military cultivators, all heading beyond the realm.


    The entire military deployment within the territory of Da Li underwent many changes, with substantial military power lost¡ªeach region was expanding its own forces and replenishing fresh blood, beginning preparations for war.


    This news shocked the Eight Desolates and Four Seas, and aside from the Da Li Dynasty, other forces were also summoned. Most of the cultivators from Qingyun Realm with significant cultivation had headed beyond their realm.


    Although no specific news had spread, most people were well aware of these cultivators'' destination, which was none other than the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Apart from this news, two major events had occurred within Da Li Imperial City.


    A Confucian scholar, upon hearing the Holy Teachings, was enlightened and his vast righteous Qi soared to the skies, alarming the Ancient Sages to appear. The Emperor personally issued a decree to summon him into the palace.


    At the same time, various Taoist orthodoxies from the Northern Region began to make contact with the Da Li Imperial Court, hoping to introduce their doctrines to the Da Li Realm while the dynasty needed military strength.


    However, these pieces of news had little impact on Chu Zheng at the moment.


    After settling down, he set up an array and tried to contact Geng Yiyang again but still received no response.


    The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was extremely far from Qingyun Realm, and with his current level of cultivation, Chu Zheng was far from being able to communicate across realms.


    As a result, Chu Zheng couldn''t help feeling somewhat uneasy.


    The situation of the Taixuan Holy Land was unknown now, and with the changes involving Shang Cangyun, it was expected that the Primordial Spirit Holy Land and the Shang Family would be implicated; the situation in the Cangyun Realm was likely very chaotic.


    He needed to send back the news quickly; delaying too long could lead to complications.


    In the Taixuan Holy Land, there were only a group of the elderly and weak. If any mishap occurred, he would feel quite guilty for not being able to reciprocate Geng Yiyang''s long-time care.


    Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.


    While in deep meditation, Chu Zheng suddenly felt something, sensing a disturbance from his avatar''s location. His tribulation was approaching.


    ...


    ...


    A mere year had passed in Qingyun Realm, but within the Great Tomb, a hundred years had hurriedly gone by.


    During these hundred years, the avatar had not left the room even once, deeply immersed in cultivation.


    The Yin Qi in this place was so abundant that even without actively absorbing it, it permeated into his body, and with the enhancement of Qi-refining techniques, his cultivation progress was unimaginably fast.


    In just a hundred years, he had reached the third Heavenly Tribulation of the Undecayed Bone.


    Jian Shier occasionally came to see him, each time bringing a bowl of essence blood to replenish his Yuan Qi.


    After all, the Undecayed Bone was still a Yin Corpse, and drinking blood benefited both his cultivation and overall condition significantly.


    With the rise in cultivation, the golden hair on Chu Zheng''s body gradually shed, revealing skin that was tinged with a blue-gray color, completely devoid of any trace of blood.


    "Haah¡ª"


    Chu Zheng exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi and slowly opened his eyes, glancing at the repair panel.


    [Repair Master: Seventh Order (15865/16000)]


    In these hundred years, the experience on the repair panel had almost been maxed out, and in his hands, aside from the initial Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade, he now also possessed two Eighth Order Holy Artifacts, and the number of Seventh Order Supreme Treasures had long surpassed one hundred.


    After tallying up his gains, Chu Zheng stood up, left the room, and sent a message to Jian Shier. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    According to what Jian Shier had previously mentioned, the time to close the entrance of the Great Tomb was nearing. After this tribulation, he would have to prepare to leave this Great Tomb.

 Chapter 283 Heavenly Tribulation, Opening Realm

    Once the entrance to the Great Tomb closed, a Blood Tribulation would befall, dooming all living creatures within to death and becoming nourishment for the tomb.Moreover, after the tomb closed this time, there was no telling when the entrance would open again.


    This place concealed great secrets and was related to the mightiest beings in the universe, where a Taoist Master was buried. He sought to leave his mark through the ages and to enter the Realm of Ancient Myths.


    Furthermore, the Great Commander, Gongyi Zi Yu, was a creature of the Vast Universe, indicating that this buried Taoist Master might have had numerous connections to the Vast Universe as well.


    The cause and effect involved were significant, potentially affecting the power dynamics within the Chaos Sea. Given Chu Zheng''s current cultivation level, it was best for him to stay far away.


    After receiving a message from Chu Zheng, Jian Shier rushed over, his appearance somewhat hurried.


    "After you succeed in overcoming the tribulation, if your wounds prove hard to heal, find a place to lay low and send me your location. I will come to find you."


    With that said, he handed Chu Zheng a bowl of Holy Blood, casually opened a spatial passage, and then left directly, without following as he had the last time.


    With the impending closure of the Great Tomb, as a Commander-level existence, Jian Shier had matters to attend to.


    Moreover, he had taken note of Gongyi Zi Yu''s words from before, no longer showing the same level of concern for Chu Zheng as he once had.


    The second great tribulation had already proved so difficult; naturally, each successive one would only grow tougher. If Chu Zheng failed to overcome this tribulation, all would be lost.


    Chu Zheng understood this perfectly. In the end, their relationship was nothing more than a chance encounter. Jian Shier had shown him as much kindness and duty as could be, leaving a debt of gratitude.


    It was actually a good thing that Jian Shier did not accompany him this time; it left Chu Zheng with much autonomy, allowing him to easily leave the Great Tomb and avoiding many complications.


    After passing through the spatial passage, Chu Zheng returned to the Second Mountain Pass of the Great Tomb.


    The world lacked vitality, a picture of desolation. The sky was overcast, the Yin Qi thickened considerably compared to before, suggesting an increase, and the daylight was dim and gloomy.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and, confirming his physical body was fully prepared, he immediately evoked the Heavenly Tribulation.


    Boom¡ª


    The sky underwent a sudden change, and within moments, dark thunderclouds roiled over tens of thousands of miles, and fierce lightning like flood dragons swept across the clouds, illuminating heaven and earth.


    The golden hair around Chu Zheng''s body had already shed significantly, and the remaining strands began to fall away one by one, revealing large patches of bluish-grey skin.


    The blood within his body, previously congealed, now showed signs of flowing once again and was no longer as stagnant as before.


    Crack¡ª


    Pale purple lightning fell from the sky, tearing through the pitch-darkness and striking directly at Chu Zheng''s Baihui point.


    In an instant, purple light pierced the sky.


    Chu Zheng exhaled a mouthful of Turbid Qi and pulled a stream of light from the void with his hand, positioning it in front of him.


    The pale cyan light solidified into a bolt of fabric, like a stretch of the Milky Way cascading down, shielding him from the fierce lightning.


    The Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade, a top-grade Holy Artifact, the most valued treasure Chu Zheng currently possessed in his hands.


    A few breaths later, the cyan light enveloping the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade was pierced by the lightning, rolled back upon itself, and retreated. The remnants of the lightning''s power, like a Spiritual Spring pouring down, rolled over Chu Zheng''s body.


    Boom!


    Chu Zheng staggered, and the pitch-black, rugged earth beneath his feet suddenly crumbled, with much of his hair falling out and cracks appearing in his flesh.


    The power Chu Zheng currently possessed was insufficient to unleash the true might of the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade.


    After all, the strength of the Yin Corpse lay in its physical body, and its mana could not really be considered strong.


    A Seventh Order Supreme Treasure could still rely on the True Spirit within to fight autonomously, displaying combat power not inferior to that of ordinary living creatures. Yet, higher grade artifacts such as Eighth Order Holy Artifacts and Immortal Treasures had lost this ability.


    It was as if an additional shackle had been added; they required manipulation by a living creature or the expenditure of considerable energy or resources in order to be activated and display even a fraction of their true power.


    The thunder struck down once more, swift and fierce like a dragon, giving Chu Zheng no chance to catch his breath.


    Chu Zheng casually drew forth a stream of Primordial Qi, injecting it into the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade and once again spread it out.


    He had amassed a fair amount of Primordial Qi; though still unable to unleash the full power of the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade, it was enough to serve as protection for Chu Zheng.


    This time, the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade held on for a few moments longer, yet it still couldn''t completely block the thunder. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The remaining force of the thunder, carrying with it the intense Yang Qi, surged into Chu Zheng''s body. In that instant, it seemed as though his physical body underwent some type of transformation, and the stagnant blood within him began to circulate faintly.


    After five successive Heavenly Thunders, Chu Zheng''s golden hair shed greatly again, and except for the full head of golden hair, his upper body was almost indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person, though his skin was slightly pale.


    Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    With the assistance of the Frost Radiance Heavenly Brocade, Chu Zheng''s experience of the tribulation here was far less wretched than the last time, allowing him spare energy to pay attention to where his true body was.


    Using this tribulation, his true body again consumed vast amounts of Immortal Qi, and his cultivation soared once more, spanning two realms, from the Fifthfold of Immortal Tribulation directly into the Seventhfold of Immortal Tribulation.


    This dramatic increase in cultivation had already shown signs of becoming uncontrollable; his Spirit Platform wavered, his Dantian hung overhead, and the aura around his body was unstable.


    After sensing carefully for a moment, Chu Zheng detected the anomaly.


    Ordinary Immortal Path Cultivators, upon entering the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, would rely on their own understanding of Law Theory to open up a Small World. Using the Small World as a foundation, they would suppress the continuously surging immortal power within themselves.


    Without a Small World as a foundation, one''s Immortal Qi would involuntarily rise and press against the Spirit Platform Bai Hui, causing the Divine Origin to be restless and significantly affected.


    Immortals, being light in form and faint in presence, would find it difficult to control themselves without something to bind them; there were many legends of ascending to the heavens in broad daylight, the majority of which stemmed from this.


    Without a world as support, even a True Immortal would find it challenging to stay in an ordinary Great Realm and would inevitably ascend to the Great Universe. The reason for this, with Chu Zheng''s current perspective, was still difficult to explain.


    So far, Chu Zheng had never attempted Opening Realm because creating a Small World required the consumption of numerous resources, and the advancement of cultivation would also be limited by the Small World in some ways.


    If Chu Zheng had created a Small World early on, even with a clone to bear the calamity and Immortal Qi to support him, his current level of cultivation would not have risen as rapidly.


    But now, he had no choice but to attempt to open up a world. In the Seventhfold of Immortal Tribulation Realm, in the Late Stage of the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm, the distance to the True Immortal Realm was now just a step away.


    If he delayed any longer, he would find it difficult to remain in the Qingyun Realm, and moving to other Great Realms would also bring many troubles.


    After some contemplation, Chu Zheng suddenly lowered his head and looked at the Condensing Space Bracelet, a flicker of consideration appearing in his eyes.


    To open his own world, he still needed to search for some Spiritual Objects, and expend a lot of mental effort to shape the Laws within the realm, which would take a considerable amount of time.


    The Small World connected to the Condensing Space Bracelet already existed. If he used this as a foundation, the resources and energy he would need to expend to Open Realm would be greatly reduced.

 Chapter 284 World Barriers, 8th Tier Repair Master

    Refining a small world was no easy task.Chu Zheng had just begun to attempt it when he sensed the difficulty.


    The small world connected by the Condensing Space Bracelet was not very expansive, yet it was incredibly sturdy.


    It seemed there was a seal compressing the entire world, its boundary walls astonishingly strong.


    With Chu Zheng''s current cultivation, if he were trapped inside without the aid of Immortal Treasures or Holy Artifacts, he would find it hard to break through these world barriers and escape.


    Former Elder of Taixuan, Ye Yulou, who attained only the peak of Tongxuan, tragically perished within this realm, an unsurprisingly common fate.


    The process of refining the world was extremely slow, and the repair panel offered Chu Zheng no assistance; he could rely only on his own power.


    Chu Zheng estimated that to completely refine this small world, he would need at least close to a decade.


    This was under the circumstances where his cultivation was sufficient; for an average cultivator just entering Immortal Tribulation, it would take at least a couple of hundred years.


    Compared to the lengthy lifespans of Immortal Tribulation Cultivators, a few hundred years was but a fleeting moment, gone in the blink of an eye.


    As cultivation increased, every advance required a substantial amount of time, an unavoidable reality.


    Feeling the urgency, Chu Zheng had no choice but to continue his cultivation methodically, seeking a secluded place to start the longest seclusion since he began his cultivation. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    Before retreating, he took out the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll, attempting to contact Song Lingxue, but his messages disappeared without a response, much like stones sinking into the sea.


    It had been over a year since their last communication, a situation that naturally aroused concern.


    After a long ponderance, Chu Zheng sighed softly, put away the Jade Scroll, and began refining the small world while shifting most of his consciousness back to his avatar.


    Battlefield of All Heavens.


    In a corner of the vast starry sky, a verdant star hung at the center of an array, its aura fluctuating, faintly permeated by a trace of blood.


    Shattered mountains protruded into the clouds at angles, the setting sun like blood, the air thick with extreme stench of blood, the ground beneath flowed with rivers of blood, strewn with corpses.


    Most of the corpses had turned into dry bones, as if their essence had been drained, already decayed, the surfaces of the bones riddled with tiny holes, their marrow completely dried up and hollow.


    The whole mountain range was completely shattered, swept away by a terrifying battle, beyond recognition.


    Whoosh¡ª


    A slight noise came from a corner of the battlefield, a figure emerged from a pile of corpses, rolling onto the ground, gasping heavily, his face and hair caked with thick blood scabs, eyes bloodshot, resembling a fierce ghost,


    Gazing at the dim daylight, Song Lingxue appeared mesmerized, then after a long while, a dull, low laugh spilled from her throat.


    She had survived another brush with death.


    In the midst of blood-soaked battles, her advancement in the Martial Path was terrifyingly faster than one could imagine.


    Stepping into the Third Realm Perfection in less than two months, she touched her Divine Orifice within, her Divine Sense on the spiritual platform surged, stepping into the Fourth Realm of Gathering Spirits.


    Then in just over a year, she had achieved Perfection in Gathering Spirits Realm, with the early appearances of Divine Orifice within her body, coupled with the aid of the Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, she possessed the remarkable combat power to slay Fifth Order Otherkind.


    However, as she increasingly hunted Otherkind, she inevitably provoked some powerful Otherkind ethnic groups, encountering hunts and perils.


    This time she was gravely injured, barely a step away from the Yellow Springs, having slept longer than usual, unaware of how much time had passed.


    Regaining her senses, Song Lingxue struggled to rise, suddenly stumbled, sensing something unusual, and glanced down at her left arm.


    From his elbow down, his left arm was missing, presumably devoured by one of the Otherkind.


    For a Martial Cultivator, losing a limb wasn''t considered a severe injury, but regrowth required reaching the Sixth Realm of Martial Arts, Nirvana.


    Such injuries had become somewhat commonplace for Song Lingxue; facing Otherkind in life-and-death battles, how could one come out unscathed? Her internal organs had been torn open countless times.


    Calming her mind, Song Lingxue slowly exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi; as she breathed, there was a flow of Qi, secretly harboring Blood Fiend.


    The essence of these Otherkinds'' flesh and blood further fueled her protective Blood Fiend; her Divine Orifice stirred within her. With just one more step to unlocking the Divine Orifice, she could step into the Fifth Realm of Martial Arts. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After entering the Fifth Realm, armed with the accumulated Blood Fiend, she should possess the strength to threaten a Sixth Order Otherkind, bringing her one step closer to completing the Blood Trial.


    However, fighting across levels was no easy task, especially at the Sixth Order¡ªa qualitative transformation.


    For the Otherkind, reaching this stage meant awakening various innate divine abilities, making them quite troublesome adversaries requiring careful planning.


    After much contemplation, Song Lingxue took out the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll, looking with a warmth in her gaze at the dozen or so messages floating atop.


    She sent a brief message back to Chu Zheng assuring him of her safety, before her figure gradually sank into the heaps of corpses, disappearing without a trace.


    Her injuries were not fully healed, and she would need more time to recuperate; the stench of blood here was enough to deter most Otherkinds.


    With hopes of entering the Martial Hall through the Blood Trial being so close, she needed to be even more cautious and careful.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Tianwu Realm.


    Inside the Great Tomb.


    The sun hung high, a spatial channel spanned the sky, piercing through heaven and earth.


    Emerging from the Second Mountain Pass, the skies gradually cleared, and the Yin Qi sank, allowing the sun to regain some of its brilliance; the red cloud curtain condensed between the heaven and earth and the green of the mountains filled the sky, as if returning from the Yellow Springs back to the world of the living.


    Chu Zheng tore through space, moving toward the outer perimeter of the Great Tomb.


    While passing through a plain, Chu Zheng stopped. His gaze landed on a corner of the plain.


    A temple stood on the plain, enveloped in a faint scent of incense¡ªit was the very ''Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu Temple'' he had stumbled upon before.


    Noticing the swirling incense within the temple, Chu Zheng was slightly surprised and sent out his Divine Sense.


    The arrangement inside the temple remained unchanged from over a hundred years ago. A figure sat cross-legged within, of plain appearance and in the middle stage of the Fourth Realm.


    Seeing who it was, Chu Zheng paused momentarily in astonishment.


    Mu Xin.


    Initially, to verify the matter of the Golden Body, he had abducted Mu Xin to the temple and made a promise: if Mu Xin guarded the temple for a year, he would be allowed to leave and would be given a chance.


    However, Chu Zheng eventually ventured deeper into the Great Tomb and encountered Jian Shier, and this matter gradually slipped his mind.


    He assumed that Mu Xin had long left, but unexpectedly, after over a hundred years, this minor cultivator hadn''t left and was still tending the incense there.


    After a brief moment of surprise, Chu Zheng was about to step into the temple when a sudden change transmitted from his repair panel caught his attention.


    [After accumulating a vast amount of experience, you have reached the peak of the crafting cycle in repairing; your skills transcend the heavens, possessing the power to turn decay into magic. You have now become an Eighth Order Repair Master.]


    [As your repair skills have improved, you increasingly approach the origin of the universe, perceiving the Heavenly Fate that ordinary creatures cannot sense. You have realized a Divine Skill: ''Luck Stealing Skill (Tenth Order)''.]


    Throughout his journey, Chu Zheng had never neglected his daily repairs; after tirelessly accumulating experience, the experience of a Seventh Order Repair Master had finally reached Perfection in that instant.

 Chapter 285 Luck Stealing Skill, Route

    "Luck Stealing Skill (Tenth Order): Seize the Heavenly Fate of myriad paths for oneself, replace heaven, and control Heaven''s Mandate."A stream of information surged into Chu Zheng''s mind, making his eyes suddenly glow intensely.


    Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The description of the Luck Stealing Skill was incredibly simple, yet the implications had greatly shaken Chu Zheng.


    Kill to seize fate.


    The fate of any creature that died by his hand would be directly stripped away and fall onto him.


    When he had first entered the Seventh Order, he had also received a Divine Skill, Return to the Origin, which could transform the Qi of all things into Primordial Qi.


    This was specifically demarcated among the many great paths, intended to prevent the power of one''s own Taoist Orthodoxy from leaking.


    This type of Qi carried an extremely strong exclusivity and was incompatible with other Heretic Paths.


    The first time Chu Zheng had attempted to integrate it, an accident had occurred, and if not for the repair panel, he would have suffered severe injuries.


    After the death of the creatures, this energy, as time went by, would flow back into their respective Taoist Orthodoxy by other means, with only a small part of Heavenly Fate missing.


    After obtaining Return to the Origin, for Chu Zheng, whether it was ''Immortal Qi'' or ''Primordial Qi,'' both were useful to him, and now adding the Luck Stealing Skill, even this Heavenly Fate would belong to him.


    The information contained within was too astonishing.


    In other words, he alone could instigate a conflict over the Dao, and if he slaughtered all living creatures of the other Taoist Orthodoxies, taking all their Heavenly Fate into his hands, he would become the heaven of the Great Universe and could redefine some rules and even change the heavenly laws.


    At this moment, Chu Zheng had the opportunity to become a Dao Lord like a powerful being, monopolizing a great amount of Heavenly Fate and advancing into a realm of unparalleled reverence.


    However, Chu Zheng was not a heartless butcher with a crazed interest in slaughter; such an act was clearly not something he would pursue.


    The distribution of Heavenly Fate determined the structure of the Great Universe.


    A single person''s power is weak and seldom changes the overall situation, but Chu Zheng now possessed the potential to change the situation by himself.


    Regaining his senses, Chu Zheng''s expression tightened a bit, and his mind felt somewhat heavy.


    The emergence of the Luck Stealing Skill did not bring him joy but rather some unease.


    All along, he had a vague feeling that someone was paving the way for him.


    Since mastering Dao in the Cangyun Secret Realm, receiving the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record, and first meeting Zhao Tingxian to learn of his circumstances, he felt as though he had plunged into an unfathomably deep mire, unable to see where the path ahead lay.


    The origin of this repair panel was also puzzling; as his cultivation advanced, this repair panel increasingly resembled a supreme Divine Skill.


    His all high-grade Divine Skills largely originated from it; even the initial Great Circulatory Qi Guideline was completed through the repair panel.


    Reincarnated in the Cangyun Realm and gaining the repair panel, along with considerable clandestine support, it was difficult for Chu Zheng not to be apprehensive.


    But now, other than continuing down this path, he had no other options.


    Abandoning Qi-refining Techniques and relying solely on Immortal Path, he could not go far, for the constraints of the realm creatures of the Cangyun Realm meant that True Immortal Perfection was his limit.


    Moreover, he couldn''t possibly abandon the repair panel; the Divine Skills obtained from the repair panel were no different from those recorded in the Eternal Calamity Treasure Record, clearly showing no link to the Immortal Path and a very close relation to the Qi-refining Techniques.


    Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Chu Zheng stepped into the temple.


    The temple was spotless, filled with the faint scent of incense, and the walls and ceilings were imbued with traces of the Dao.


    The Divine Statue stood tall on the altar, nourished by incense for a hundred years, its features becoming clearer and more vivid; compared to a hundred years ago, it looked even more divine.


    Though there was only one follower here, Mu Xin''s cultivation was not weak, and coupled with his pure faith, his daily devoted offerings nurtured the statue, granting it a touch of divinity.


    Mu Xin was sitting in meditation in front of the Divine Statue, deeply absorbed in cultivation, but upon sensing a disturbance, his eyes abruptly opened.


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s face, he was stunned, his eyes filled with disbelief: "Dao Lord?!"


    After realizing what had happened, he couldn''t hide his excitement, and like a devoted follower, he knelt to the ground, offering a grand gesture of worship:


    "Mu Xin pays respect to the Dao Lord!"


    Chu Zheng was taken aback for a moment, looked up at the Divine Statue, and then it dawned on him. As his cultivation advanced, his appearance grew increasingly similar to his true form, and after several transformations through Heavenly Tribulation, he was almost identical to his true form; it was not surprising that Mu Xin recognized him at a glance.


    Continuing as a Dao Lord without denial, Chu Zheng didn''t beat around the bush, and with some puzzlement, he directly asked, "I had once said that after a year, you could leave on your own, so why are you still here?"


    He had spent over a hundred years deep within the Great Tomb, assuming that Mu Xin had long since left, only to find upon his return that Mu Xin was still guarding this temple.


    Hearing this, Mu Xin suddenly looked up, his thoughts tumbling in his eyes, gradually connecting the person before him with the Flying Corpse from before.


    In that instant, many speculations flashed through his mind, eventually settling on the most likely one.


    The Flying Corpse before him must be the spiritually awakened body of the fallen Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu; hence he was commanded to worship the Golden Body within the temple.


    With this thought, Mu Xin didn''t linger to think further, bowing his head and responding, "While worshipping your Golden Body here, the temple helped me dispel the Yin Qi from the Great Tomb, and I received protection from your Golden Body, which significantly sped up my cultivation. Not seeing your return for a long time, I dared not act rashly, so I chose to stay."


    When the initial year ended, he had thought of leaving, but remembering the opportunity Chu Zheng was to give him, feeling somewhat reluctant, he hesitated a bit longer, deciding to wait a bit more.

 Chapter 285 Luck Stealing Skill, Route_2

    After a long time, he had yet to see Chu Zheng return, yet under daily offerings, he experienced the Golden Body Spirit Communication Manifestation, which rewarded him and increased his cultivation speed significantly.The temple dispersed the Yin Qi and also exhibited the effect of Gathering Spirit, gradually transforming the area into a Spirit Land, and over time, Mu Xin chose to stay within the temple.


    Although the solitude of over a century was felt, his gains were likewise substantial. His cultivation had soared from just entering the Third Realm to the middle stage of the Fourth Realm, just a step away from the late stage of the Fourth Realm.


    Such a speed of cultivation was, compared to his own talent, at least saving him a century of arduous cultivation, nearly doubling it.


    For a cultivator, this was indeed a rare opportunity. The years spent worshipping Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu in the temple also refined his Divine Soul, quieted it substantially, and his previously unsettled emotions gradually stabilized.


    Chu Zheng pondered in reflection for a moment, then suddenly said, "I once told you, after a year, I would grant you an opportunity."


    Upon saying this, he flipped his hand and produced two Seventh Order Supreme Treasures, pushing them towards Mu Xin.


    A cyan Jade Ruler and an ancient copper bell covered in dust.


    These were the protective Supreme Treasures Chu Zheng had prepared for himself before entering the Great Tomb, the Cold Spirit Ruler and the Soul Stabilizing Bell¡ªone a weapon for battle, the other specifically guarding the Primordial Spirit.


    Either of these treasures, arbitrarily chosen from within the Seventh Order, would be considered top-notch, hard-to-find Supreme Treasures in the outside world.


    However, for the now Chu Zheng, such Supreme Treasures were not surprising, as he had no fewer than a hundred in his possession after becoming an Eighth Order Repairer; Seventh Order treasures no longer caught his interest.


    After a brief consideration, Chu Zheng once again flipped his hand and tossed a Jade Talisman towards Mu Xin, also obtained from deep within the Great Tomb, a cultivation technique called "Nine Radiant Divine Firmament True Technique." Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    It included a path to attaining the Eighth Order, already an extremely rare method of cultivation. The Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture that Chu Zheng''s true self cultivated was no different.


    Looking at the Supreme Treasures before him, Mu Xin was momentarily stunned, his pupils unconsciously dilated, and after a long while, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.


    He could not discern the grade of these two Supreme Treasures, but from the oppressive feeling emanating from them, they seemed much more terrifying than the protective treasures of his sect.


    After a long while, Mu Xin reluctantly withdrew his gaze, his eyes filled with slight trepidation:


    "Daoist Venerable''s gift is overly generous; Mu Xin dares not accept it without having rendered any service."


    This opportunity was too significant, and he was initially hesitant to accept it. He did not feel that he had been of much use to Chu Zheng, merely guarding a door for over a century.


    Such generous acts were astonishing; such opportunities, not to mention guarding a temple for a hundred years, even guarding for a thousand or ten thousand years would find people willing to undertake it.


    "I will not go back on my word, just accept it."


    Chu Zheng waved his hand nonchalantly, then asked, "Would you like to leave with me?"


    After leaving the Great Tomb, he planned to go to where the Heavenly Wutong was located. The situation in the Tianwu Realm was very chaotic with numerous races, and he needed a guide who knew the way, Mu Xin being the best fit.


    "Naturally, it is my fortune that the Venerable Daoist wishes to bring me along."


    Mu Xin dared not refuse excessively, slightly trembling as he collected the two Supreme Treasures. Touching that Jade Talisman, his heartbeat became erratic once more, starting to accelerate uncontrollably.


    This level of cultivation technique was something he had only heard about in rumors. The technique he cultivated was already the top technique within his sect, but compared to this "Nine Radiant Divine Firmament True Technique," it was still far behind.


    "The entrance to the Great Tomb is about to close. If you have old friends or relatives inside the Great Tomb, you may send them a message, advising them to leave the Great Tomb as soon as possible, otherwise they will surely perish."


    Recalling what Jian Shier had said earlier, Chu Zheng spoke up as a reminder. This information was top secret within the Great Tomb, not known to any creatures in advance.


    Jian Shier had helped him quite a bit, and Chu Zheng would not get overly involved in this matter, especially since it related to a formidable entity from the Mythical Realm. Revealing this to Mu Xin was already the limit.


    Hearing this, Mu Xin was suddenly startled, cold sweat breaking out on his back, and he quickly shook his head and said:


    "When I left to gain experience, I accidentally entered this Great Tomb and had not yet had the chance to make friends before being brought here by the Venerable Daoist. My sect is very far from here, and rarely do sect members operate in this area."


    "As it is, it could not be better."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly; this way, it had saved him quite a bit of trouble.


    "Dao Lord, this temple..."


    Mu Xin looked around, slightly hesitant. He had stayed in this place for over a hundred years and had grown accustomed to it. Suddenly leaving now, he felt somewhat reluctant.


    "You may stay here."


    Chu Zheng slightly pondered, then drew a stream of Incense Fire Willpower from between the stars and injected it into the Divine Statue to maintain the spirituality of this Golden Body. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, having had billions of followers in the Chaos Sea, with this Incense Fire Willpower to nurture it, even if no one worshipped it for thousands of years to come, it would not lose its divine wonders.


    Leaving this temple would also leave Chu Zheng with an anchor point. Even if the Great Tomb was sealed and he departed, through this Golden Body, he could still know some situations inside the Great Tomb.


    After glancing at the temple, Chu Zheng refrained from speaking further, turned, and stepped out of the temple with Mu Xin silently rising to follow.


    After leaving the temple, Chu Zheng tore open a spatial passage, taking Mu Xin away from the plain where the temple was located and into a desolate valley.


    Finding a rarely trodden corner, he casually dug a deep pit and buried a round bead and a time-delayed message.


    Leaving the Great Tomb, Chu Zheng naturally couldn''t explain this directly to Jian Shier as it might attract unnecessary trouble; he could only leave without saying goodbye.


    Two days later, this message would reach Jian Shier''s hands.


    As for the round bead, he had created it using the technique to imitate the Melting Bead. Stored within it were some strands of Primordial Qi he had refined these days. This item was very useful for all beings except those practicing Immortal Martial Arts.


    It was the same for Jian Shier as Chu Zheng had already personally tested its significant benefits to cultivation.


    After finishing these tasks, Chu Zheng did not linger any longer. Taking Mu Xin, he rushed towards the entrance of the Great Tomb.


    Compared to when he arrived, his cultivation had grown immensely. In less than half a day, he had passed through the torn space at the entrance of the Great Tomb and returned to the Tianwu Realm.


    The moment he left the Great Tomb, Chu Zheng felt slightly unaccustomed. It was noon outside, the concentration of Yin Qi between heaven and earth had lessened, and Chu Zheng could once again feel the abundant Yang Qi.


    "If we are to go to where the Heavenly Wutong is located, how should we proceed?"


    Chu Zheng was not in a hurry to travel and turned his head to ask Mu Xin.


    "From here to the Heavenly Wutong, there is a considerable distance, and it cannot be crossed straight through, we would pass through many Taoist Orthodoxy and tribal territories. Without prior notification, it could bring trouble."


    After pondering for a moment, Mu Xin had a plan, and said gravely, "Dao Lord can first follow me back to the Sect Gate, where I will ask the Elder inside to help devise a plan, possibly choosing a shortcut."


    The distribution of power within the Tianwu Realm was extremely chaotic. Countless tribes stood tall, with thousands of Taoist Orthodoxy, the Human Race''s strength only at a moderate level.


    Among the manifold Taoist Orthodoxy, there were ten top ones, most flourishing; each Taoist Master there had reached the supreme domain, just a step away from the Realm of Ancient Myths.


    Among the worlds Chu Zheng traversed in his incarnations, the foundations of the Tianwu Realm were the strongest, without equal.


    Taoist Orthodoxy wasn''t divided by species or tribe but by the cultivation techniques practiced. For instance, the tenth-ranked Divine Phoenix Dao, its Taoist Master, was a massive demon transformed from a Divine Phoenix.


    Despite this, there were still numerous Human Race powerhouses who allied under its banners, practicing Sorcery and even using secret techniques to transform themselves into Half-demons, taking pride in grafting feathers onto their bodies.


    As there are two sides to everything, with Yin there is Yang; similarly, some of the Human Race, unwilling to mix with the Foreign Races, strongly opposed Otherkind. This portion of the Human Race, within the Tianwu Realm, found their situation precarious, bearing grudges against many tribal Taoist Orthodoxy.


    Given the overly complicated relations between various powers, with Chu Zheng currently in the identity of a Yin Corpse, taking Mu Xin, a member of the Human Race, and recklessly plowing ahead, they could easily invite trouble, necessitating long-term planning.

 Chapter 286 The Living Heavenly Wutong, Ancient Myths

    The sect Mu Xin belonged to was called Yunhua Palace, whose founder was honored as ''Yunhua True Man'', who had passed away more than ten thousand years ago.Yunhua Palace''s strength was not considered strong. Currently, within the sect, the stabilizing Supreme Elder had only just entered the Seventh Order of cultivation.


    In the Tianwu Realm, various Taoist orthodoxies intertwined like interlocking teeth, and territories were divided in extreme complexity, with power structures deeply rooted and tangled.


    However, although there were constant minor frictions between the various Taoist orthodoxies, there had never been a full-scale conflict over the Tao. A force like Yunhua Palace could maintain its long existence, which was clearly somewhat contrary to common sense.


    After obtaining the Heavenly Fate Technique, Chu Zheng''s perception of the existence of Heavenly Fate became more acute. He could sense that the Heavenly Fate within the Tianwu Realm was extremely chaotic, obviously lacking restraint, allowing various living creatures to divide it among themselves.


    The Heavenly Dao of the Tianwu Realm clearly had some issues.


    In such a powerful world, the autonomous consciousness of the Heavenly Dao should have been extremely strong. If the Heavenly Dao wished, it could at any time rectify the chaos and cleanse the Tianwu Realm.


    The current situation might very likely be related to that cross-realm Heavenly Wutong.


    Near the Heavenly Wutong, there were living creatures from the Vast Universe active, and Chu Zheng wanted to understand more information about the Vast Universe.


    Whether it was the shackles on the bodies of the Immortal Path Cultivators of the Cangyun Realm, or facing an insurmountable adverse trend like Shang Cangyun in the future, having another way out would be beneficial. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, when he was in the Cangyun Realm, the evil Qi leaked out from the space passage to the Vast Universe, and Chu Zheng had had contact with it.


    The evil Qi from within the Vast Universe could also serve as replenishing energy to support the operation of the repair panel.


    Just this point alone was enough to ensure Chu Zheng could survive in the Vast Universe.


    The problem was, when he first attempted to autonomously absorb the evil Qi within the Vast Universe, the result was not as he wished.


    The evil Qi amplified the killing intent in his heart. In that instant, his inner demons surged, and he nearly lost his mental fortitude, almost turning into a walking corpse.


    If he was unable to cultivate using the evil Qi, even with the repair panel, he would only be able to barely protect himself in the Vast Universe, unable to continue cultivation. It was a dead-end.


    However, at that time, his cultivation was weak, only at the Third Order. Now, his body had stepped into the late stage of the Immortal Tribulation Realm, about to touch the threshold of the Eighth Order. The gap was like heaven and earth. Perhaps a different result would be found if he tried again now.


    Moreover, with the examples of Zhao Tingxian and Shang Cangyun before him, it was enough to prove that there indeed existed in the Vast Universe a path rarely known by others; that was Chu Zheng''s hope.


    Chu Zheng took Mu Xin and left the location of the Great Tomb. On their way, he didn''t rush to Mu Xin''s master''s sect but instead turned back to Fire Rock City, where he had first arrived in the Tianwu Realm.


    It was there that a wisp of his Divine Sense had been drawn into this Yin Corpse''s residual body. If it weren''t for the fortuitous encounter with Yin Corpse Dao, having Heavenly Tribulation as an aid, he didn''t know how much effort it would take to think of ways to erode the Tribulation Qi to have now reached such a Cultivation Realm.


    Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Since Chu Zheng''s trip to the Great Tomb, more than a century had passed, and today''s Fire Rock City had changed greatly compared to his memory, having expanded more than tenfold, with an even more flourishing population.


    After sending out his Divine Sense to scan the area, Chu Zheng knew of the changes that had occurred in Fire Rock City over the past hundred-plus years.


    When he had helped the Gu Family take control of the entire Fire Rock City, he left behind some resources and cultivation techniques before departing. Relying on this, the Gu Family swiftly grew stronger. Over the past hundred-plus years, their strength and foundation had surged by more than a hundredfold, and within tens of thousands of miles, they had become a prominent and influential family.


    Chu Zheng''s primary purpose for returning to Red Rock City was to retrieve a Melting Bead he had left behind.


    At that time, it had been a casual act; he thought to let the Gu Family help him collect and accumulate Blood Qi. Now, after more than a hundred years, there should be a considerable accumulation.


    As his cultivation rose and with the existence of Qi-refining Techniques, the Blood Qi was gradually losing its effect on Chu Zheng. He came to reclaim this Melting Bead, also to spare the Gu Family the effort, as, after all, it required the depletion of many people''s blood and Qi.


    Today in Fire Rock City, the Gu Family reigned supreme, and their residence was easy to locate. Chu Zheng used the Invisibility Technique and took Mu Xin straight into the core region of the Gu Family''s territory, into a secret chamber, where they found the current Family Head, Gu Zhenxun.


    Lately, Gu Zhenxun had rarely made public appearances, spending most of his time in closed-door cultivation. His cultivation had made no small progress, having already stepped into the Fourth Realm.


    The secret chamber was enveloped by an Array, but for Chu Zheng, it didn''t pose any hindrance.


    He went directly through the Array, taking Mu Xin with him into the secret chamber.


    A middle-aged man, clad in blue robes, sat cross-legged at the center of the chamber. Sensing the disturbance, he abruptly opened his eyes. Seeing the two people who suddenly appeared before him, a flicker of alarm passed through his eyes, but he then composed himself and rose to his feet, tense as he spoke,


    "Who might you two be?"


    Gu Zhenxun''s tone was evidently lacking in confidence. To be able to reach him without a sound meant that this manner of cultivation was simply beyond what he could resist.


    "I''ve come for the Melting Bead."


    Chu Zheng was concise, directly revealing his purpose.


    Gu Zhenxun paused for a moment, then quickly realized, a flash of elation crossing his eyes as he hurriedly bowed,


    "Congratulations to the senior, your cultivation has advanced greatly!"


    Chu Zheng now appeared indistinguishable from an ordinary person. With such cultivation, even if he was not the fabled Corpse King, he must be not far from it.


    For a moment, Gu Zhenxun''s heart was filled with even more reverence. In just over a hundred years, the cultivation had grown to such an extent. The wisp of residual soul he had invited back then was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

 Chapter 286 The Living Heavenly Wutong, Ancient Myths_2

    Chu Zheng did not speak further; he simply reached out his hand."Please hold on, Senior, I will have someone fetch it immediately!"


    Gu Zhenxun did not dare to delay, he immediately left the secret chamber and sent out a message.


    After a short while, a woman in her thirties hurried over, descending from the air, holding a blood-colored jade case in her hands.


    Gu Zhenxun reached out to take it, stepped back into the secret chamber, and presented the jade case before Chu Zheng:


    "Senior, we did not dare to neglect the task you entrusted to us, and for over a hundred years, we have been accumulating Blood Qi. However, the strength of the Gu Family is weak and limited; I do not know if it will be sufficient for Senior''s use."


    Chu Zheng opened the jade case, and the sweet, fishy scent unique to Essence Blood rushed to his face. The Melting Bead inside had turned completely blood-red, its Blood Qi seeping out and staining the case, concealing its true color.


    The Essence Blood stored within the Melting Bead was astonishing and could even be of significant benefit to the current Chu Zheng.


    Although the power of the Gu Family had increased substantially, it was still not considered strong. Accumulating this Blood Qi had not been easy, reflecting the arduous effort that Gu Zhenxun had put in over the years without any neglect.


    "You have my thanks."


    Chu Zheng casually took out a Seventh Order Battle Blade and handed it to Gu Zhenxun, nodding slightly:


    "Consider this a token of my gratitude. From today forward, my dealings with the Gu Family are settled."


    This was closing a chapter of karma.


    At a glance of the Battle Blade, Gu Zhenxun could not help the surge of ecstasy in his eyes, but upon hearing Chu Zheng''s words, the joy slowly faded and he fell into a dilemma, unsure whether to accept it or not.


    Not accepting it might provoke Chu Zheng''s anger, but if he accepted it, from then on, the Gu Family would have no further ties with Chu Zheng¡ªa prospect he found difficult to part with.


    "Thank you for your generous gift, Senior."


    After a moment''s hesitation, Gu Zhenxun still pressed down the reluctance in his heart and bowed to receive the Battle Blade.


    Being too greedy could backfire. The Gu Family was already far stronger than before, and now, with this Supreme Treasure securing its foundation, the opportunity for a rise to power was within reach.


    Chu Zheng put away the Melting Bead and left the Gu Family with Mu Xin. His acquisition of the Melting Bead had been an unexpected delight.


    ...


    ...


    Within the Great Tomb, above the desolate valley, a spatial passage suddenly opened.


    A figure stepped out slowly, dressed in black, carrying a long sword, with a stern countenance.


    After surveying his surroundings in the valley, a trace of perplexity flashed in Jian Shier''s eyes, and he then reached out to catch something lightly.


    The valley shook violently, earth and rocks upheaved, sending clouds of dust into the air, and a gray, hazy orb broke through the mist into his palm.


    Gazing at the orb in his hand, Jian Shier''s brow furrowed slightly, his expression tensing as he turned and made his way deep into the Great Tomb.


    In an instant, he had arrived at the heart of the Great Tomb, standing before Great Commander Gongyi Zi Yu.


    Looking at the orb Jian Shier had presented, Gongyi Zi Yu examined it for a moment and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Primordial Qi... How did he obtain it with his level of Cultivation?"


    Extracting Primordial Qi was extremely complex, even for her, requiring some effort.


    It was one of the best treasures for enhancing Cultivation, superior to most of the world''s precious medicines and divine pills, and it had many other wonderful uses.


    Moreover, the Primordial Qi extracted by the various Taoist Orthodoxies contained more or fewer impurities and required energy to purify. The Primordial Qi in this orb was already sufficiently pure, and its quality could even be said to be extremely high.


    "Great Commander, shall I bring him back for questioning?"


    Jian Shier''s brows slightly furrowed as he spoke in a deep voice:


    "He has been nurtured with my Essence Blood, and I can roughly sense his location."


    Chu Zheng was the one he had brought back; if anything untoward occurred that impacted the Taoist Master''s rest, he would be hard-pressed to escape blame.


    "It is not necessary."


    Gongyi Zi Yu shook her head slightly: "Your emergence has revealed your whereabouts and may bring about unnecessary trouble. Just make sure to close the entrance to the Great Tomb as scheduled." Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    "After this time, with the closure of the entrance, the foundation necessary for the Taoist Master''s resurrection will be nearly complete. We should avoid any unnecessary complications."


    After speaking, she sent the sphere hurtling toward Jian Shier as she casually said,


    "Since it was a gift from him, it also represents his sentiment, just accept it."


    "Understood."


    Jian Shier bowed and exited the Underground Palace, gazing at the sphere in his hand, he was silent for a long time before turning to leave.


    The Taoist Master was about to awaken, and in his view, Chu Zheng''s departure equated to missing a grand opportunity, which was somewhat regrettable.


    ...


    ...


    Yunhua Palace, where the territory was located, was still some distance from Fire Rock City.


    It took almost three days for Chu Zheng with his cultivation to travel, in this time to avoid trouble, he even bypassed some Taoist Orthodoxy and clan territories.


    Only those who had personally experienced it could understand the complexity of the Tianwu Realm''s internal politics; regardless of one''s Taoist Orthodoxy or bloodline heritage, one needed to be careful when venturing out.


    Yunhua Palace''s station, suspended in the expanse of the sky, stood atop azure clouds, with a cloud ladder descending to the ground, winding upward.


    A vast complex of palaces lay shrouded in mist, appearing like a Fairy Palace.


    Seventh Order cultivators were already considered extraordinary. Under the protection and blessing of the Ancestors and the Supreme Elder, Yunhua Palace''s domain was quite extensive, covering nearly a hundred thousand miles with over ten thousand disciples, and more than a hundred minor affiliated forces, making it a significant sect.


    After not returning to the sect for over a century, Mu Xin couldn''t help but feel a little emotional. He stepped forward and climbed onto the cloud ladder, leading the way.


    In an instant, the vast cloud ladder had been ascended, a disciple stood at the exit of the ladder, dressed in a vestment robe of blue and white, with a statuesque figure and an extraordinary demeanor.


    The Sect Gate disciples were not positions ordinary disciples could hold, especially within a major sect, this was even more emphasized.


    The first person a visiting guest would see is the Sect Gate disciple, representing the face of the Sect, and usually only the elite among peers would have the chance to guard here.


    The quality of the Sect Gate disciples often served as an important measure of a sect''s foundation.


    Mu Xin took one look and joy surfaced in his expression. He took the initiative to greet,


    "Junior Brother Ning Yu!"


    "You are..."


    Ning Yu''s expression showed hesitation as he stared at Mu Xin for a moment before suddenly recognizing him, his face revealing a look of surprise,


    "Junior Brother Mu?! You''re still alive?!"


    As soon as the words slipped out, he realized the inappropriateness and hurriedly explained, "Your departure for external cultivation lasted over one hundred and fifty years, with no news for so long. The Elders have searched for you, to no avail, and everyone at the palace thought you had encountered some misfortune."


    Regaining his composure, he glanced at Chu Zheng behind Mu Xin, "And this is..."


    "A senior who wishes to travel to the Heavenly Wutong."


    Mu Xin did not disclose too much about Chu Zheng''s identity, deflecting the topic, and after some pleasantries, both entered Yunhua Palace smoothly.


    The sudden return of a disciple who had gone missing for over a hundred years naturally caused a stir, alarming several Elders who personally visited to inquire about the entire situation.


    On the journey, Mu Xin had already fabricated an excuse, concealing the existence of the Great Tomb, and managed to fend off the group of Elders.


    Yunhua Palace''s stabilizer, Supreme Elder Cui Yang, sensing Chu Zheng''s cultivation, specially came out of seclusion to receive him personally.


    After learning of Chu Zheng''s purpose, Cui Yang was straightforward, quickly arranging the Teleportation Array for Chu Zheng.


    Half a day later, Chu Zheng left Mu Xin at Yunhua Palace and set off alone.


    Given the unpredictable circumstances ahead, bringing Mu Xin along would only be a burden, and there was no need for it.


    Utilizing Yunhua Palace''s Teleportation Array and after several transfers, Chu Zheng finally reached the region where the Heavenly Wutong resided.


    As soon as he stepped out of the Teleportation Array, a colossal pillar caught his vision.


    The towering Wutong ancient tree stood between heaven and earth, connecting the starry sky and rooted in the earth, its whole body gleaming with a golden light, as if it was cast from Immortal Gold, etched with countless laws, its canopy spanning billions of miles, branches like True Dragons resting, leaves large as stars, resembling Small Worlds, harboring countless living creatures.


    A glint of Spiritual Light briefly flashed in the depths of Chu Zheng''s eyes as a message leapt into his sight.


    [Ancestor Blood Parasol (Tenth Order): An Otherkind nourished by the Essence Blood of Ancestral Realm living creatures, innately harmonious with the Space-time Law, has stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths, continuously absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, deeply integrated with the Heavenly Dao of this world, corrupted by evil energy, its origin damaged, with your current ability, you are unable to repair it.]

 Chapter 287 Immortal Phoenix Corpse, The Transformation of an 8th Rank Repair Master

    Gazing at the information revealed through his Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng felt a sudden chill in his heart.This Heavenly Wutong, a living creature, had claimed this world as its own, equivalent to having refined it. Even the Heavenly Dao had been completely absorbed.


    This was identical to what his true self was doing now, the only difference being that after the Heavenly Wutong refined this realm, it elevated the realm''s rank.


    This was Chu Zheng''s first time confronting an existence that had stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths. Through the Spiritual Eye, the Ancestor Blood Parasol tree in his sight was infinitely magnified, like an ant gazing at the sky, akin to the boundless universe, unfathomable.


    The Realm of Ancient Myths had penetrated the past and future, contemplating the direction of the entire Great Universe as easily as one observes the patterns on one''s palm, watching the ancient times and predicting the future.


    In the presence of such a realm, the entire Great Universe had virtually no secrets left to hide.


    Before seeking out the Heavenly Wutong, Chu Zheng had already obtained some information from Yunhua Palace. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    The location of the Heavenly Wutong, although at the heart of the Tianwu Realm, did not have any powerful Taoist Orthodoxies residing there. Instead, relatively weaker orthodoxies would set up their Sect Gates in this place.


    And above the body of the Heavenly Wutong, within its branches and parasol leaves, resided the most powerful group of Otherkind within the Tianwu Realm.


    This group of Otherkind consisted mainly of avian creatures, some of which were extremely ancient, not native to the Tianwu Realm, but accompanying the Heavenly Wutong across the realms, existing since Ancient Times. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This particular Heavenly Wutong had suddenly traversed across realms, claiming this world as its own, obviously happening for a reason, likely related to the Vast Universe.


    As deduced from the information given by the Spiritual Eye, this Otherkind, watered by ancestral blood, had been contaminated by evil Qi, and its essence damaged. Even an Eighth Order Repairer might not be able to repair and compensate for such severe damage.


    This point was something the Heavenly Wutong itself must have realized, yet it still chose to remain in this place.


    Temporarily setting aside his thoughts, Chu Zheng slowly approached the direction of the Heavenly Wutong.


    As the distance closed, a faint trace of evil Qi appeared amidst the nature''s spiritual energy that pervaded the world.


    Compared to his true self''s discomfort when coming into contact with evil Qi, Chu Zheng felt much better at this moment, even somewhat invigorated.


    The evil Qi was very similar to the Yin deathly aura, which was quite beneficial for the Yin Corpse Ghosts. There were many Cultivators within the Tianwu Realm who practiced the art of Nourishing Corpses with their Yin God, which was also related to the environmental conditions.


    Although the Heavenly Wutong appeared not far away, Chu Zheng still traveled for two days before finally arriving at the base of the Heavenly Wutong.


    Here, the evil Qi in the environment was extremely rich, shrouded in a thin mist, and Chu Zheng could no longer see the entirety of the Heavenly Wutong. The enormous trunk stood before him like a colossal wall, and within the interlacing grooves on the tree bark, many living creatures resided.


    The laws of nature had undergone some changes, with Wood Attribute Yuan Qi becoming more abundant. Yet, with evil Qi mixed within, what should have been an environment conducive to prolonging the lifespan of Living Creatures,


    Chu Zheng''s arrival drew the attention of many living creatures. His Seventh Order Cultivation was a very delicate position in this place, far weaker than those Divine Birds and Otherkind perched atop the parasol. Yet among the nearby residing living creatures, it was close to the pinnacle.


    Creatures who had entered the Eight Realm rarely approached the Heavenly Wutong, only coming briefly if they had business before quickly leaving.


    The aura of this place would gradually erode the physiques of living creatures. After stepping into the Eighth Order, this erosion would become more intense, severely harming their longevity.


    And the reason why those Divine Birds and Otherkind perched on the parasol leaves could stay here year-round was due to the protection of the Heavenly Wutong.


    Ignored the probing glances around him, Chu Zheng lifted his head to gaze at the heavens and began climbing towards the top of the Heavenly Wutong.


    Evil presence cascaded down from above, and if there was an entrance leading to the Vast Universe here, it should be above.


    Throughout his journey, the creatures Chu Zheng encountered were all practicing the art of Controlling Corpses and Ghosts, wielding the Ghost Dao Evil Method to manipulate Yin Gods¡ªwith most emanating a gloomy aura, their bodies eroded to various extents by the evil Qi, and their temperaments exceptionally fierce and irritable.


    After a day''s travel, Chu Zheng personally witnessed no fewer than a hundred battles, and in some places, the trunks were covered with blood scabs accumulated over years, their original color indiscernible.


    Chu Zheng slowed his pace slightly, carefully sensing the changes in nature''s spiritual energy, advancing neither hurriedly nor slowly.


    As he ascended, the number of creatures gradually thinned, and the traces of bloodshed and conflict disappeared, replaced by an aura of peace and tranquility.


    At last, Chu Zheng stopped near the tree canopy, arriving in this area where the surrounding evil Qi seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force, with myriad parasol leaves in the distance veiling the powerful presence of various distinct auras.


    His gaze swept the surroundings, but when it landed on the top of the tree canopy, it suddenly paused.


    A faint purple Immortal Phoenix Corpse lay prostrate at the top of the ancient tree, with wings spanning more than a hundred thousand miles, its tail feathers oozing with the somber fluctuations of Laws, its body shrouded in black smoke enveloped by terrifyingly extreme evil presence, as if it were a statue dredged from the Yellow Springs.


    Dozens of golden lights condensed into Heavenly Locks, completely entangling it, pinning it to one of the branches.


    [Netherworld Phoenix (Ninth Order): A creature from the Vast Universe, with Cultivation at Ninth Realm Perfection, Primordial Spirit locked, memory incomplete. With your current abilities, you can partially repair it. Material needed: Dead Soul Spirit Jade. (0/30000)]


    Looking at the information about this phoenix, Chu Zheng''s spirits lifted¡ªhe was a creature from the Vast Universe.


    This Netherworld Phoenix, much like Gongyi Zi Yu he encountered earlier, had its memory incomplete, yet there was no abnormality on its body that would normally trigger the Repair Master panel''s response.


    Apparently, after stepping into the rank of an Eighth Order Repairer, the Repair Master panel underwent some changes, now even offering a way to mend ephemeral memories, albeit requiring the aid of special mediums.


    After a moment''s hesitation, Chu Zheng slowly approached the direction of the Netherworld Phoenix.


    Only when he got closer did he suddenly notice a huge wooden nest constructed from intertwined vines next to the body of the Netherworld Phoenix.


    The Wooden Nest was entirely shielded by branches and leaves, its interior obscured from view.


    Before he could get any closer, the world before him blurred, and the realm inverted; in the next instant, he was standing amidst a hall woven from tree vines.


    A figure stood not far away, draped in an emerald green robe, with a youthful face that seemed no older than twenty and a head full of verdant hair.


    A flicker of Spiritual Light moved in Chu Zheng''s eyes, and in the next instant, a trace of shock involuntarily surged from the depths.


    [Wu Tong (Tenth Order): A Body Separation of the Ancestor Blood Parasol, forged from the remains of a Vast Universe creature, capable of freely traveling between the two worlds.]


    The person before him was actually a Body Separation of the Heavenly Wutong beneath his feet, a powerful entity that had stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths!


    "You are not a creature of this realm, your soul origin from another world, employing a Qi Cultivator''s method of Body Separation to undergo trials," Wu Tong said, looking down at Chu Zheng, his expression devoid of ripples and his eyes diffusing the aura of death, speaking indifferently:


    "What brings you here? Seeking death?"

 Chapter 288 Past Future

    Wu Tong''s words carried no intent to kill, resembling a stagnant pool, merely posing a question.Chu Zheng dared not neglect and bowed respectfully:


    "Qi Cultivator Chu Zheng, at your service, senior."


    One glance revealed his origin, this was the profoundness of Ancient Myths.


    This place was the Chaos Sea, where beings above the Tenth Order couldn''t enter; Wu Tong must be a creature of the Chaos Sea. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within the palace forged of interwoven vines, the air was thick with the scent of vegetation mixed with a startling amount of evil aura.


    The evil aura here was so intense it was almost maddening, Chu Zheng glanced at the repair panel which showed that the daily refresh rate of repair opportunities had skyrocketed from one to thirteen.


    This was the repair frequency of the Eighth Order, the energy required to activate it was incomparable to that of a Seventh Order Repairer.


    Compared to the outside world, the evil aura inside the palace had increased by at least tenfold.


    "Chu Zheng..."


    Wu Tong''s gaze fell on Chu Zheng, his dark green eyes suddenly reflecting space of the Luotian Starry Sky, with its stars crisscrossing and sketching numerous rays of light and shadows.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng''s form stiffened slightly as if an invisible thread was gently tugged, causing his main body to sense it simultaneously.


    "Your main body is in the Immortal Domain, but I cannot see your past or future, why?"


    Wu Tong''s eyes held a hint of confusion; in a fleeting moment, he had already seen all the karmic threads beside Chu Zheng''s body, knowing most of his experiences. However, the threads concerning Chu Zheng''s past life and future destiny were completely blank.


    Given Chu Zheng''s current cultivation, it shouldn''t be possible for him to block his probing. Even if someone intervened, he should have been able to spot some traces, not nothing at all.


    Such circumstances suggest only two possibilities, one, that Chu Zheng before him was already dead, with both his past and future having ended definitively, paused in the river of time.


    Second, that someone erased Chu Zheng''s traces from the river of time, but if that were true, Chu Zheng should likely be dead at this moment.


    How could a creature without a past or future continue to exist in the world?


    Even for creatures within the Vast Universe, he could discern clues if they had ever existed in the Great Universe, as the river of time would accurately record such traces.


    Qi Cultivators...


    On remembering Chu Zheng''s identity, Wu Tong''s brow slightly furrowed; this situation bore a slight resemblance to that Ancestral Dao from the Qi Refining Lineage.


    Although that Ancestral Dao was well-known, nobody knew his true identity or origin. He had once tried to deduce these himself and again found nothing.


    The Daluo Golden Immortal, completely severing countless karmic ties, both ancient and the future empty, adding nothing to the Dharma Body through calamities, yet still occupying twenty-five percent of Heavenly Fate and still moving within the universe was an exceedingly defiant feat.


    The Qi Refining Lineage was unique amongst all paths in that he could see no limit.


    Now, only one step away from the Ancestral Realm, he had encountered numerous creatures from the Ancestral Realm and even witnessed such beings battling to death before his eyes.


    He was well aware of the power of the Ancestral Realm, but that Ancestral Dao, according to legend, could kill creatures of Ancestor-killing Realm with a single strike.


    Such a level of power was beyond his comprehension entirely.


    Could this young cultivator be related to that Ancestral Dao?


    Wu Tong shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought from his mind. At the level of an Ancestral Dao, such rudimentary embodiments undergoing tribulations were futile; he could easily discern them, and they could never deceive the Heavenly Dao of the Great Universe.


    Hearing Wu Tong''s inquiry, Chu Zheng looked somewhat perplexed and shook his head: "My cultivation is shallow, making it difficult to comprehend the profoundness in your words, senior."


    Space-time Law, with his current cultivation, was far from his reach, and talking about the past or the future was out of the question.


    If he could foresee the future, he wouldn''t need to spend so much thought considering which path to take.


    "It''s enough."


    Wu Tong waved his hand, shifting the topic, "What brings you here today?"


    The unique aura on Chu Zheng made him more patient; on any other day, Chu Zheng would have been annihilated by now.


    "With due respect, I''d like to borrow the way to the Vast Universe for a visit," Chu Zheng hesitated slightly before he revealed the truth.


    Within the Vast Universe, hidden secrets abounded, and with ample time on his hands, he wanted to see if he could find any clues which might help him on his future path.


    "You want to go to the Vast Universe?" Wu Tong appeared slightly surprised, "What are you going there for? To find someone?"


    To find someone?


    Chu Zheng paused for a moment, not quite understanding why Wu Tong associated the Vast Universe with searching for someone. Just as he was about to speak, a shrill scream suddenly exploded from deep within the palace:


    "Wu Tong, come out here and let me go, I will tear you to pieces!"


    As the piercing scream burst forth, the Yin Qi within the palace suddenly began to whirl, becoming extremely violent.


    Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    Chu Zheng grunted and stumbled, his Divine Soul trembled, and black blood seeped from his seven orifices.


    That long scream, unlike human speech, sounded more like a phoenix''s cry, filled with a murderous aura as sharp as a sword piercing the clouds.


    Wu Tong''s eyes slightly dimmed, and he turned to stride forward.


    As he took steps, the vines around him began to shift and move, revealing a pathway.


    Chu Zheng shook his dizzy head and quickly followed.


    Moments later, he followed Wu Tong into another grand hall with a towering dome.


    Upon entering, the evil aura grew stronger. Chu Zheng glanced at the repair panel, and the repair count jumped again to twenty-seven, more than doubling.


    The visible evil Qi condensed into black mist, swirling around him, and the first thing that caught Chu Zheng''s eye was a huge cage intertwined with vines.


    Wrapped around the cage were chains forged from Immortal Gold, binding a woman in black tightly.


    The woman was in her late twenties, her black hair draped over her shoulders, her features delicate yet slightly sinister. Her gaze was firmly fixated on Wu Tong, filled with resentment and hatred.


    A flicker of Spiritual Light momentarily stirred in Chu Zheng''s eyes, and he was shocked; this woman was none other than the Primordial Spirit of the Netherworld Phoenix he had seen earlier.


    The previous information from the repair panel had indicated that the Primordial Spirit of the Netherworld Phoenix was locked up, and unexpectedly, it was here.


    A light screen emerged beside Wu Tong, encasing Chu Zheng, shielding him from the restless evil Qi.


    Chu Zheng''s cultivation was too weak, and the residual energy here could easily crush him.


    "She was once my close friend, her residual soul fell into the Vast Universe after her death, her Spiritual Sense shattered, and all her previous memories lost," Wu Tong spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, adding an explanation,


    "When I took her out of the Vast Universe, I was too harsh, killed several Evil Demons, and thus she sees me as her sworn enemy."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng pondered for a few moments and spoke with some hesitation,


    "This memory impairment¡­ perhaps I could try to repair it a bit."

 Chapter 289 The Secrets of the Vast Universe

    "Repair the memory?"Hearing Chu Zheng''s words, Wu Tong''s brow slightly furrowed, no joy apparent on his face, his words tinged with some doubt, "By yourself?"


    He did not look down on Chu Zheng, but repairing memories was something that even he could not achieve, let alone Chu Zheng, a Qi Cultivator who had not even stepped into the Eighth Order.


    Beneath the powerful Cultivation Realms, so-called Divine Powers and Secret Techniques were hardly secretive, and he did not believe that Chu Zheng had any methods completely beyond his understanding.


    "It may not be effective, but if senior doesn''t mind, this junior is willing to give it a try." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng did not speak too confidently, whether an Eighth Order Repairer could truly repair memories was also an unknown.


    "How would you do it?"


    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Wu Tong did not refuse. He had tried countless methods already; trying one more time would be no loss. With his expectations in check, he wouldn''t even feel disappointed.


    Chu Zheng recalled the information provided by the repair panel earlier and spoke solemnly, "To repair memory, a certain material is needed for assistance, called Dead Soul Spirit Jade."


    "You actually know of Dead Soul Spirit Jade?"


    Wu Tong was somewhat surprised. Such a special Spiritual Object would be unknown unless one had a deep understanding of the Vast Universe.


    Even he himself had only heard about it by chance while searching for traces of the Immortal Phoenix.


    Hearing Chu Zheng mention Dead Soul Spirit Jade, a glimmer of hope finally surged in Wu Tong''s heart. Perhaps, Chu Zheng could truly repair memories and change the current predicament between him and the Immortal Phoenix.


    Wu Tong pondered for a moment and spoke slowly, "Dead Soul Spirit Jade occasionally appears in the Soul Origin Pool; it''s very rare even within the Vast Universe and will take time to find. Are you willing to accompany me?"


    At these words, Chu Zheng''s eyes brightened, "If it won''t cause senior any trouble, it would naturally be better to go together."


    Unexpectedly, he had so easily found an opportunity to head to the Vast Universe, and with an extremely strong guide to boot. Just being able to enter the Vast Universe was already worth the journey.


    Seeing the joy overflowing in Chu Zheng''s eyes, Wu Tong''s gaze shifted slightly,


    "You just told me you want to go to the Vast Universe; such determination, is it also to search for someone?"


    Chu Zheng looked momentarily stunned, then, with a bit of confusion, asked, "What exactly is the Vast Universe? Could senior enlighten me?"


    No sooner had he finished speaking, he couldn''t help but ask another question, "According to senior, do all living creatures go to the Vast Universe after death?"


    Wu Tong''s previous words weren''t hard to guess, and coupled with Chu Zheng''s past encounters with Gongyi Zi Yu and the Netherworld Phoenix, it seemed that creatures would inevitably enter the Vast Universe after they fell.


    If that was truly the case, the real identities of those Evil Demons within the Vast Universe...


    "So you know nothing at all."


    Realizing this, Wu Tong glanced at the wooden cage in the distance and suddenly raised his hand, emitting a beam of Spiritual Light, hitting the Netherworld Phoenix directly in the brow.


    The fierce-looking woman had no power to resist and instantly fell into a deep sleep, motionless.


    Wu Tong withdrew his hand and said no more, turning around and leaving the hall.


    Chu Zheng quickly followed, and as they left, the corridor behind them gradually closed, cutting off the thick aroma of Evil Spirits.


    Once they returned to the original palace, Wu Tong finally spoke up again, "The Vast Universe is the place known as the Yellow Springs in Ancient Times."


    Chu Zheng looked slightly alarmed by this conjecture. He had occasionally thought of it himself, but he also felt that it seemed somewhat improbable. There had always been conflict between the Vast Universe and the Great Universe¡ªif it really were a matter of Yin and Yang realms, it shouldn''t be like this.


    "I don''t know much either, mostly fragments passed down from Ancient Times. I went to verify it carefully and use it as some references."


    Before Chu Zheng could ask any questions, Wu Tong already began speaking, explaining the reasons:


    "Before the ancient times, it was said that there were living creatures who mastered full Heavenly Fate, proclaiming themselves as Heaven, wielding Heaven''s Mandate, walking the path of the Heavenly Dao alone¡ªturning their hands to create Yin, and flipping them to create Yang, with the life and death of the Myriad Realms hanging on their thoughts."


    "Later, this ''Heaven'' chose another path beyond anyone''s imagination. He wanted to create an almost impossible eternal universe..."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s eyes widened, and a chill arose in his heart. In an eternal realm, there would be no birth, aging, sickness, or death, no fighting or strife, and no separation from loved ones.


    Such a world, just thinking about it, seemed like an illusory bubble, totally unreal.


    "That Heavenly Dao completely emptied the Yellow Springs, clearing out all Yin God Spirit Souls within. A great number of souls entered the cycle of reincarnation, squeezed into the Great Universe. During that period, regardless of which Taoist Orthodoxy''s Realm Creatures it was, if there were pregnancies, there would inevitably be multiple births. Heroes and prodigies emerged vastly, all paths flourishing."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng''s expression became even more solemn. The distinction between Yin and Yang is the essential law of Heaven and Earth. This action had undoubtedly completely disrupted the balance of Yin and Yang. The heroes and prodigies, crowded in the same golden age, would likely set off countless storms of blood and conflict.


    Wu Tong''s expression also grew more serious:


    "It wasn''t long before signs of Taoist conflicts emerged, battles gradually arose, and everyday a shocking number of living creatures fell, a vast number of Yin souls once again poured into the Yellow Springs."


    "Seeing this scene, the Heavenly Dao completely altered the Heaven and Earth Laws, erasing the path of reincarnation, and refusing the Yin souls of the dead creatures from reincarnation, forcibly keeping them within the Vast Universe. This was the origin of the first batch of living creatures in the Vast Universe."


    "He never gave up. Within the Vast Universe, he redefined the Laws, using the path of reincarnation to create two strange domains. One is the Soul Origin Pool, and the other is the Burial Valley."


    "These two regions are the core within the Vast Universe, creating what the living creatures in the Great Universe recognize today as two types of beings, ''Evil Spirits'' and ''Demon Monsters''."


    "The living creatures that die in the Great Universe almost all emerge from these two places, achieving rebirth. But memories of their past lives are completely washed away, whether this is the intention of the Heavenly Dao, no one knows."


    Without the Yellow Springs, living creatures can no longer go through reincarnation. After death, the once complete path of reincarnation that could accommodate the full passage of souls, can now only pass through some shattered residual souls. Therefore, having incomplete memories is only to be expected.


    Before Ancient Times, those with high levels of cultivation could interfere slightly with Yin and Yang. Now that Yin and Yang have been completely severed, the difficulty of allowing the departed to return to the Yang has increased by a thousandfold, if not more.


    "Your ability to hear these secrets today is also a kind of fate."


    Wu Tong sighed softly, "Right now, in the Great Universe, there are few who know the ins and outs of this matter. Even I, have gathered these pieces of information by extracting some memory fragments from the blood of Ancestral Realm powerhouses and cross-referencing from various aspects."


    After digesting this information, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel more doubts:


    "Senior, then where do the Evil Demons of the Vast Universe go after they die?"


    "I don''t know."


    Wu Tong shook his head, and turned back to look in the direction of the Netherworld Phoenix, his eyes filled with complex thoughts: "If I knew, I would have sent her through reincarnation a long time ago, rather than continue to torment each other like this."


    After the death of the living creatures of the Vast Universe, there are no traces left, and it''s impossible to deduce their afterlives.


    Whether there is a next life, you must put a question mark on that too.


    Although according to the origins of the living creatures of the Vast Universe, some possibilities could be inferred, Wu Tong still didn''t dare take the risk.


    He couldn''t bet on it.


    In case there was no next life, in case the result was the complete dispersal of the soul.


    Even if the odds were one in ten thousand, he couldn''t bear it.

 Chapter 290 Entering the Vast Universe, the Returning to Life Technique

    Resurrection from the dead was not an unusual occurrence in the ancient era, but in this age, it had become an almost impossible feat.Those who had just died could still recall their incomplete Spirit Souls and use Secret Techniques to return to life, but even those with profound Cultivation could only sustain themselves for a few more days¡ªat most seven¡ªbefore their souls dispersed, never to be found.


    Wu Tong said no more and took Chu Zheng away from the Wooden Nest, plunging towards the earth.


    Before Chu Zheng could react, he found himself countless fathoms underground, surrounded by thick, intertwined tree roots that cast dark shadows amid the golden light, suffused with Evil Qi.


    Chu Zheng glanced at the repair panel; the number of repairs remained fluctuating, jumping between five and fifteen, at times strong and at times weak.


    Suddenly he perceived faint ripples of space, and after careful observation, he saw an entrance to a spatial passageway amidst the crisscrossing tree roots.


    The entrance leading to the Vast Universe was blocked by layers of vines, and many vines near the entrance clung to variously shaped corpses, clearly belonging to the living creatures of the Vast Universe.


    "When I first came to this realm, it was for this suddenly opened passage, to avoid a great war, to prevent the Chaos Sea from becoming a battlefield between two realms. I lured my main body here to suppress this entrance while simultaneously, using a Body Separation to build forces in the Vast Universe as a cover."


    With this explanation, Wu Tong led Chu Zheng directly through the layers of vines and into the spatial passageway.


    As he crossed the spatial passageway, Chu Zheng felt the extreme changes in the Heaven and Earth Laws; his Divine Soul was slightly affected, and the connection with his main body became a bit sluggish. Most notably, the intangible Tribulation Qi split into two parts.


    Stepping into the Vast Universe was entirely different from going to the Chaos Sea or the Myriad Realms; the very essence of heaven and earth had altered.


    Before Chu Zheng could fully experience it, he was already stepping on solid ground, and before him lay a vast Earth Cave. The spatial passageway behind him was completely enveloped by thick tree roots, which suppressed it and significantly reduced its fluctuations.


    Chu Zheng glanced at the repair panel again; the number of daily repairs gradually stabilized at three.


    The Evil Qi here was not as dense as at the other end of the passageway.


    Chu Zheng was not surprised by this; much like how suitable Spirit Lands for Cultivation in the Great Universe were not so common, it should also be rare to come across places rich in Evil Qi within the Vast Universe.


    As for the other end of the passageway, it was the accumulation of years; the Evil Qi endlessly seeped from the spatial passageway, reaching the other end only to be blocked and suppressed. Day by day, it naturally became extremely rich.


    As for the Evil Qi above the tree canopy, it was mainly due to the presence of the Netherworld Phoenix.


    An Evil Demon of Ninth Order Perfection, its body constantly emitted Evil Qi, and if not for Wu Tong''s suppression, the entire Tianwu Realm would have been assimilated by the Evil Qi.


    "With your level of Cultivation, you should not be able to linger in the Vast Universe. It was only by a stroke of luck and the occupation of a Yin Corpse that you have this unexpected opportunity," Wu Tong spoke calmly, his expression as serene as ever, leading Chu Zheng out of the Earth Cave.


    Before leaving the cave, he raised his hand and sent a ray of Spiritual Light which streamed directly into Chu Zheng''s Sea of Consciousness. A vast amount of information instantly flooded Chu Zheng''s thoughts, and after a moment, he barely managed to assimilate it all.


    This was a brief about the Vast Universe''s power distribution and the intangible rules, merely a general introduction, yet it was immensely complicated.


    The Vast Universe, not the same as the Great Universe, was not a starry sky but an entire continent with territories big and small, separated into countless regions and each governed by different Divine Mansions.


    Divine Mansion was the paramount force in the Vast Universe, totaling one hundred and twenty-eight in number. To be honored as a Divine Mansion, there was only requirement: within the power, there must exist a powerhouse like Wu Tong who had stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths.


    Even setting aside the independent behemoths unconstrained by Divine Mansions, as well as the hidden depths of various Divine Mansions, the number of Mythical Realm powerhouses in the entire Vast Universe was at least well over two hundred.


    And under this terrifying power, the Great Universe that had managed to protect itself from being completely invaded to this day, was feared to be just as strong, if not stronger.


    The waters of the Great Universe were far deeper than what Chu Zheng had superficially perceived before; after all, the existence within the Realm of Ancient Myths he had encountered so far was only Wu Tong.


    In the years locking down the spatial passageway''s entrance, initially out of searching for traces of that Immortal Phoenix, Wu Tong built a force within the Vast Universe named ''Hundred Phoenix Pavilion,'' gathering a group of Phoenix Blood Phoenix Descendants and staking claim to their territory.


    Due to Wu Tong''s own overwhelming strength, who already presented as a Tenth Order being, there was no power nearby daring to provoke him. Over time, the Hundred Phoenix Pavilion had grown increasingly powerful, and the number of Ninth Order Divine Birds within had exceeded ten.


    The nearly hundred regions in this vicinity all belonged to the Lingtian Mansion, and now, Hundred Phoenix Pavilion''s fame was widely known, becoming one of the mighty forces within Lingtian Prefecture Domain. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After digesting this information, Chu Zheng exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, his thoughts somewhat heavy.


    His initial venture into Vast Universe was also to take the opportunity to see if he could find any clues of Shang Cangyun.


    Shang Cangyun, pursued by the Immortal Emperor, had fled into the Vast Universe and after that, there was no news, nor was his fate known. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    However, given the current state of the Vast Universe, it wasn''t appropriate for him to take any action, as it might bring unnecessary trouble to Shang Cangyun.


    "The Vast Universe is extremely vast, I have also never explored to its boundaries."


    Seeing Chu Zheng silent for a long time, Wu Tong thought he was astounded by the vastness of the Vast Universe and offered rare consolation:


    "Although I can peer through the river of time and space, witnessing the living creatures and unseen sceneries of this era, my own essence has always been confined to the Chaos Sea, your youth still before you, the world you will witness in the future may be even more expansive than what I see."


    Hearing again about the restrictions of the Chaos Sea, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but feel a bit puzzled:


    "With countless passageways connecting the Vast Universe to the Great Universe, can''t you use them to leave the Chaos Sea?"


    The Heaven and Earth Laws of the Great Universe couldn''t intervene here, so it seemed the barriers of the Chaos Sea shouldn''t affect this place either.


    "Leaving the Vast Universe is not as simple as you think. All beings here are essentially studying the Returning to Life Technique. Once you''ve entered this realm, to think of leaving, you not only face obstacles within the Vast Universe, but the various Taoist Orthodoxy of the Great Universe would not easily let you pass through their barriers, unless you sneak in unobtrusively like I am now."


    Wu Tong gently shook his head, his eyes shimmering with an inexplicable luster: "Actually, the number of beings from the Vast Universe within the Great Universe now may be far beyond your imagination."


    "Ultimately, the Evil Demons you see are the old Family Members or Dependents, kith and kin of others."

 Chapter 291 Dead Soul Spirit Jade, True Nature of Samsara

    Regarding what Wu Tong had said, Chu Zheng felt no surprise, as he easily understood.Within the Great Universe, the basic condition to be called a living creature was to possess Spiritual Wisdom. All those with Spiritual Wisdom inevitably harbor seven emotions and six desires.


    Some herbs and Spiritual Medicines are born with immense power, inaccessible to ordinary living creatures, but until they undergo Spiritual Awakening, no matter how strong their energy, they are still merely plants and cannot be called demons.


    Once endowed with seven emotions and six desires, there naturally exists a differentiation between kinship and estrangement towards other living creatures.


    Wu Tong was the best example. As powerful as he was, he still had vulnerabilities. For that Netherworld Phoenix, he had trapped himself completely in that realm. For millions of years, even when corrupted by evil energy and his essence was damaged, he had never moved a single step.


    In today''s Great Universe, there are countless beings with profound cultivation, and there are probably no shortage of examples like Wu Tong''s.


    If there was a chance to resurrect deceased loved ones, it was hard to imagine anyone willing to give up.


    However, according to the environmental conditions of the Vast Universe, the living creatures of this realm should find it very difficult to adapt to an environment rich with Spiritual Energy. Even with Wu Tong''s cultivation, he could not withstand the corruption of evil spirits.


    The existence of Spiritual Energy, for the living creatures within the Vast Universe, should be indistinguishable from evil energy.


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    At this point, Chu Zheng furrowed his brow and couldn''t help but ask, "Since the living creatures from the Vast Universe can stay in the Great Universe for a long time, is there any way for those from the Great Universe to survive normally in the Vast Universe?"


    "Absolutely impossible."


    Wu Tong shook his head, closing the door on that prospect without leaving any room for doubt: "With powerful cultivation, one can stay temporarily, but living there for an extended period is out of the question."


    "Those who leave the Vast Universe and continue to exist in the Great Universe do so because they have protection. Inside the Vast Universe, no one would willingly let any creature from the Great Universe survive."


    As he said this, a seriousness flashed in Wu Tong''s eyes: "With my cultivation level, I still need to rely on a Body Separation to move about and cannot come here with my true Primordial Spirit. Even an Ancestral Realm powerhouse would face a deadly calamity if they caused too much trouble here."


    "Why is that?" Chu Zheng was somewhat puzzled. He had originally thought the tension between the Vast Universe and the Great Universe stemmed from an inability to communicate, and that resolving this could solve many issues. Now, it seemed, there were deeper reasons.


    "The living creatures in the Vast Universe have an extreme longing for Yang energy; although they live, in the end they are bodies of the Yin God. Strictly speaking, they can only be considered dead, unable to procreate on their own. The belief in the Vast Universe has always been that if they could accumulate enough Yang energy, they would be able to truly resurrect from death."


    At this point, Wu Tong glanced at Chu Zheng, and spoke more softly:


    "Do you think that Yin Corpses, even though they have not awakened their spiritual intelligence, instinctively know to suck the Essence Blood of living creatures? Essence Blood is the root of the Yang energy within a living body, fundamental to growth, cultivation, and reproduction. It seems they are after Essence Blood, but in reality, it is the Yang energy they desire."


    The living creatures of the Vast Universe, the most fundamental difference from the Great Universe, is that they cannot reproduce on their own and can only rely on the Soul Origin Pool and Burial Valley to obtain fresh blood.


    A race that cannot reproduce is ultimately a race without a future. The reason why the creatures of the Vast Universe are called Evil Demons is that most of them lack emotional bonds, are murderous by nature, and extremely cold-blooded.


    The Vast Universe consists of one hundred and twenty-eight mansions, most of which fight individually. There are few instances of cooperation, lacking ties that could maintain long-term unity, which invariably dooms them to an inability to band together.


    "If Yang energy is plentiful, can one truly achieve resurrection from death?" Chu Zheng felt somewhat incredulous for a moment.


    If that were the case, wouldn''t there really be people in this world capable of eternal life, wherein Yin and Yang cycle, enduring through the eras unchanged?


    For a time, Chu Zheng recalled the Great Tomb; its master seemed to be using some Secret Technique to periodically absorb Essence Blood, aiming to resurrect from death.


    Wu Tong shook his head again: "In actuality, they cannot, but they all choose to believe."


    "Many Divine Mansions control ninety percent of the resources within the Vast Universe, and they are constantly at war with the Great Universe along the borderlands, killing countless living creatures. The amount of Yang energy they have obtained is immeasurable, yet not a single one has truly been resurrected,"


    "Despite this, no creature of the Vast Universe is willing to give up, for their lifespans too are limited. Evil Demons do not age, but they too have their final moments."


    "When that limit arrives, they completely vanish from the world without any method of extending life. These creatures are less in search of a chance for resurrection than they are in pursuit of longevity, much like those undertaking cultivation, all seeking a way out."


    "So that''s how it is," Chu Zheng suddenly understood, though he couldn''t help feeling somewhat anxious about Shang Cangyun''s situation.


    Previously, their encounters had all been too hasty, leaving many questions he hadn''t had the chance to ask.


    Zhao Tingxian and Shang Cangyun both managed to break through the constraints originated from the Cangyun Realm through the Vast Universe, advancing beyond the True Immortal realm and stepping into the domains of Immortal Venerable and even Immortal Monarch.


    He was now in the midst of the Vast Universe, which meant he was closer than ever to this secret, but at the moment, he was entirely without a clue, which inevitably made him anxious.


    Not to mention Zhao Tingxian and Shang Cangyun, even Chu Zheng himself had not expected to come into contact with the Vast Universe so soon, let alone step into it personally.


    In the battlefield between the Vast Universe and the Great Universe where even True Immortals hardly survive, Chu Zheng''s cultivation was simply insufficient to stir any trouble. The thought of crossing the battlefield to enter was nothing short of a fanciful dream.


    Things in the world are often unexpected, and plans cannot keep up with changes.


    "You are not a creature of the Vast Universe. Although you possess a Yin Corpse body, there are still some differences, making it easy for others to spot your disguise. I will take you directly to the Soul Origin Pool, we must go swiftly and return immediately,"


    Wu Tong had no intention of engaging in idle chatter. He simply made a remark and then lifted Chu Zheng through the air with a wave of his hand.


    The next moment, the void around them spun wildly, and when Chu Zheng opened his eyes again, he was in an entirely different world.


    The Soul Origin Pool, though called a pool, was in reality a pitch-black ocean sprawling for billions of miles. Countless residual souls emerged from it continuously, drawing in the evil energy of the heavens and earth and transforming into the lowest rank of Evil Spirits.


    This was the current state of the cycle of reincarnation in the Great Universe and where the Vast Universe replenished its new blood.


    Gazing at the vast ocean not far away, Chu Zheng could not conceal the shock in his eyes.


    According to the information previously given by Wu Tong, the Lingtian Mansion was extremely far from the Soul Origin Pool, equivalent to crossing boundless Star Domains within the Great Universe.


    The power of this Body Separation was unquestionably far inferior to Wu Tong''s main body, but the distance it covered in a single moment was a journey that would take Chu Zheng nearly a thousand years at full speed without any rest.


    Wu Tong paid no mind to Chu Zheng''s reaction. He reached into the void, searching for a moment, then pulled out a fist-sized piece of gray Crystal Jade.


    The surface of the Crystal Jade was rough, reflecting hazy light and shadows. Within it seemed to churn endless, fragmented scenes, too distorted to discern, yet emitting a fascinating brilliance that captivated the soul.


    "Are you sure this is useful for restoring memories?"


    Looking at the Crystal Jade in his hand, Wu Tong still held some doubt. Although rare, the true purpose of this object had yet to be discovered by any creature.


    [Dead Soul Spirit Jade (No Grade): A crystallized substance formed from the impurities cleansed from residual souls, which can act as a bridge connecting ghosts with their memories.]


    "It is useful,"


    Chu Zheng restrained the Spiritual Light in his eyes and nodded repeatedly, feeling somewhat stirred inside. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This Dead Soul Spirit Jade was like the Merit Golden Light, an object without a Grade!

 Chapter 292 Memory Repair, Heavenly Dao Authority

    Without a grade, it meant that its effects worked on all living creatures, regardless of their level of cultivation.However, the limitation of the Death Soul Spirit Jade was much greater than that of the Merit Golden Light. For now, other than using it to repair the memories of departed souls, no other uses could be seen.


    Chu Zheng looked it over carefully and, unexpectedly, he was startled. An invisible aura was constantly emitting from the Death Soul Spirit Jade, and in just a few short breaths, the Crystal Jade in Wu Tong''s hand had shrunk by a size.


    "The reason why the Death Soul Spirit Jade is so rare is that it cannot be preserved for long. Once removed from the Soul Origin Pool, it will dissipate quickly. Even sealing it can only delay the process temporarily."


    Noticing the change in Chu Zheng''s expression, Wu Tong offered an explanation, then stretched out his hand into the void and searched for a while.


    In the end, he picked up six more pieces of Death Soul Spirit Jade and without wasting any time, he led Chu Zheng straight back.


    Moments later, the two left the Vast Universe and returned to the Wooden Nest they were in before.


    Wu Tong took Chu Zheng directly to the grand hall where the Netherworld Phoenix was imprisoned, took out all of the Death Soul Spirit Jade, and urged with slight impatience, "The Death Soul Spirit Jade dissipates faster once away from the Vast Universe. We must hurry."


    There was a lack of his usual calm in his expression, tinged with a bit of unrest, and even a touch of fear hidden within it.


    Worried that the hope that had emerged might fall through.


    Chu Zheng said nothing further, took the Death Soul Spirit Jade into his hand, sliced his fingertip, squeezed out a droplet of Essence Blood, and remotely placed it on the Netherworld Phoenix''s forehead as a medium to activate the repair panel.


    The evil Qi inside the great hall was extremely abundant, refreshing the repair panel a total of twenty-seven times.


    After exhausting all the repair attempts, the current batch of Death Soul Spirit Jade had also completely dissipated.


    "You can absorb such a large amount of evil Qi for your own use?" Wu Tong showed some surprise in his eyes.


    With cultivation like his, he was extremely sensitive to changes in the energy around him. In the instant just passed, the amount of evil Qi Chu Zheng had consumed would have overwhelmed any creature newly entered into the Eighth Realm, assimilating them completely, yet Chu Zheng seemed almost unaffected.


    Even a Yin Corpse would be eroded by the evil Qi, at best only fairing slightly better than ordinary creatures. In essence, a Yin Corpse and the Evil Demons in the Vast Universe were not the same kind of beings.


    For a Yin Corpse, evil Qi was more like a secret medicine that could excite the body for a short time, but long-term use would also harm the body.


    However, Wu Tong could not see any trace of evil Qi having lingered on Chu Zheng''s body, which was, without a doubt, somewhat inconceivable.


    But at this moment, he had no desire to explore this further. Without waiting for Chu Zheng to answer, he turned his gaze away, looking toward the imprisoned Netherworld Phoenix, his eyes swirling with a dark green, embodying hope:


    "How is it? Does it work?"


    Chu Zheng hesitated for a while and then shook his head, "Hard to say, I haven''t tried this before and can''t guarantee it with absolute certainty."


    Twenty-seven repair attempts were just a drop in the bucket for the Netherworld Phoenix''s repair progression bar, which was as high as thirty thousand.


    Moreover, he discovered something rather unwelcome: repairing memories did not garner him any experience points.


    This meant that if he was bound here for a long time, repairing the Netherworld Phoenix''s memories, a lot of time would be wasted.


    Although his main body was currently refining worlds and he had plenty of time amidst the trials, Chu Zheng didn''t want to waste it in vain.


    This trip to the Vast Universe, all told, lasted less than an hour, and apart from some information, Chu Zheng hadn''t gained any other benefits, which was somewhat regrettable this time.


    At least he had gained some understanding of the Vast Universe, not like before when he knew nothing at all.


    According to messages transmitted from the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, Shang Cangyun had already entered the Vast Universe; it was just unclear what his current circumstances were like.


    Judging by the clues from before, since Shang Cangyun had actively withdrawn into the Vast Universe, he surely held quite a few bottom cards.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng felt the inclination to withdraw and thought he should find a way out of here. If all else failed, he could initiate the Heavenly Tribulation and fall under its punishment, then choose another incarnation to go through tribulation again.


    His journey had allowed him to reach the level of an Eighth Order Repair Master, and to whittle away so much Tribulation Qi; it had not been in vain.


    Wu Tong did not notice Chu Zheng''s dark surge of thoughts. He stared at the Netherworld Phoenix in the cage, hesitated slightly, then extended a finger and emitted a ray of Spiritual Light straight into the Spirit Platform Bai Hui of the woman in black.


    A few breaths later, the woman''s eyelids trembled lightly and slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was unfocused, and her expression was filled with bewilderment.


    "Cloud Pill?"


    Wu Tong couldn''t help but step forward and softly called out, his voice slightly unsteady, his fingers hidden in his sleeve trembled uncontrollably.


    Following this soft call, the woman in black came to her senses. Her face shifted from bewilderment to ferocity, and killing intent boiled in her eyes, as she let out a high-pitched phoenix cry from her throat:


    "What evil technique have you used on me now?! Do you think by weaving some bizarre memory illusions, I would believe you?! If I get the chance to return to the Vast Universe, I will kill you!"


    The thunderous yells stirred into a powerful wave, and Wu Tong was momentarily stunned, forgetting to protect Chu Zheng. In an instant, Chu Zheng was flung away, his body as if crushed by the stars, every bone in his body fractured.


    Black blood splattered out, and the Repair Master''s panel went into overdrive to maintain Chu Zheng''s battered body, preventing him from blowing apart on the spot.


    For the first time, Chu Zheng deeply understood the saying about the misfortune of bystanders when calamity strikes.


    "It really worked!"


    Wu Tong came back to his senses, eyes brimming with ecstasy. Without wasting words on the woman in black, he reached out and knocked her unconscious, then rushed back to Chu Zheng:


    "I was distracted for a moment and neglected you, please don''t blame me!"


    He personally helped Chu Zheng up, a surge of immense pure Yuan Qi continuously flooded into Chu Zheng''s body, almost bursting him.


    Before Chu Zheng could collect himself, Wu Tong spoke again, making a significant vow: S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you are willing to continue helping me repair her memories, I owe you a favor. No matter what it is in the future, as long as it''s within my capabilities, even at the cost of my life, I will do it for you!"


    He was well aware of the relationship dynamics between them; being in the Chaos Sea, he could pose no threat to Chu Zheng''s true form.


    In other words, he currently had no means to compel Chu Zheng; he could only exchange Chu Zheng''s favor with sufficient benefits.


    Upon hearing Wu Tong''s words, Chu Zheng, who was initially ready to leave, underwent a slight change of heart.


    A titan from the Realm of Ancient Myths, comparable to an Immortal Emperor and second only to an Immortal Ancestor¡ªif used appropriately, his impact could be immeasurable.


    Before Chu Zheng could speak, Wu Tong once again offered a condition Chu Zheng could not refuse:


    "I know that your journey here was initially for undergoing tribulation through an incarnation. Now that I control the Heavenly Dao''s authority in this realm, I can ensure that you cross your tribulation safely and reach Seventh Order Perfection before stepping into the Eighth Realm."

 Chapter 293 Perfect Immortal Tribulation

    Tribulation was the best way for Chu Zheng to resolve the Tribulation Qi, and the effect was immediately apparent.Based on the soaring power of the previous Heavenly Tribulation, whether he could successfully overcome the next tribulation was still not fully guaranteed.


    Depending on high-grade Supreme Treasures for protection could indeed get him through the Heavenly Tribulation, but the power of the next Heavenly Tribulation would increase accordingly. There''s always a trade-off.


    Heavenly Tribulation was fundamentally a test sent down by the Heavenly Dao. Relying on certain methods to cheat could only evade it temporarily.


    Currently, Wu Tong had control over the Heavenly Dao authority in the Tianwu Realm. In other words, he could completely control the power of the Heavenly Tribulation.


    However, Wu Tong had added a precondition in his previous statement, before entering the Eighth Order.


    Thinking of this, Chu Zheng did not beat around the bush and directly asked,


    "Senior, what you mentioned before, about before entering the Eighth Order, what does it mean?"


    "Once you enter the Eighth Order, I cannot help you with the tribulations. You need to go to the Great Universe, where the Heavenly Dao of the Great Universe will personally judge. Otherwise, the laws will not be complete, and the innate foundation will be damaged, making future Breakthrough Realm hopeless."


    As he spoke, Wu Tong raised his hand, and with a light flick of his fingers, a clear Qi emerged from his palm, first transforming into Five-Colored Profound Light, and then merging Yin and Yang, finally turning into a mass of Chaos Qi:


    "The True Immortal Tribulation that your Immortal Path requires you to pass through begins with the Five Elements Yin Yang Tribulation and ends with the baptism of the Chaos True Tribulation. Only then can your foundation be completed, transforming the acquired into the innate, and stepping into the realm of Immortal Venerable."


    "In the supreme Immortal Path, the foundation cannot have any flaws. This tribulation is better described as a gift from the Great Universe. Given your inherent talent, there won''t be any risk. If you don''t undergo it, it''s tantamount to missing an opportunity."


    The Eighth Order is a significant transformation, a barrier in the Immortal Path, the Martial Arts Saint Realm, the Qi Refining Hundred Tribulations combined, stepping into the Heavenly Immortal, is a qualitative change at the life level, greatly increasing understanding of the laws of the universe. Similarly, combat power will also begin to rapidly expand.


    Counteracting the Immortals, from ancient times to the present, has always been mythical, even for Martial Cultivators who are accustomed to fighting across ranks, it is difficult to surpass the barrier of the Eighth Order.


    Creatures that step into this level have an extremely close connection with the Great Universe, highly integrated with the Heavenly Fate of Taoist Orthodoxy, no longer belonging to any one realm alone.


    The legends of ascending and transforming into ethereal flight mostly come from this.


    The Eighth Order is also a major force in Taoist Orthodoxy during conflicts over the Dao.


    Speaking to this point, Wu Tong reminded him once more, "I see that your cultivation up to now has taken many shortcuts. Qi refining, Immortal Path, and Incense Spirituality are mixed and not refined, which will harm your future path considerably. It''s better to make a decision early."


    A person''s energies are limited, if spread too thin and covering a wide range but mastering none, it will be detrimental to cultivation without any benefit.


    "Thank you for the guidance, Senior. I will make a decision soon."


    What Wu Tong said was something Chu Zheng had already started to think about.


    In fact, Immortal Path and Qi-refining Techniques had already integrated to a certain extent in his body. Immortal Power could also stimulate Qi-Refining Divine Abilities, and his body could also absorb both Immortal Qi and Primordial Qi.


    Additionally, the Divine Skill of returning to the origin had not caused too many conflicts.


    However, the path of Incense Spirituality was indeed a significant issue. Although the speed of enhancing cultivation through Incense Fire Willpower was rapid, the reliance on believers was too great. Once there was a significant loss amongst believers, a towering building would collapse overnight.


    To abandon this path would indeed be quite troublesome for Chu Zheng now.


    After entering the Immortal Tribulation, he had already begun to isolate most of the Incense Fire Willpower outside his body, but the growth rate of his believers had far exceeded his expectations.


    The flow of time in the Chaos Sea was too swift, and since he had left his Golden Body in the Dongyuan Realm, he almost exclusively enjoyed the realm''s incense offerings, which swelled at an alarming rate. If he did not control it, his path as an Incense Fire God would have already reached the Eighth Order.


    Among the many Taoist orthodoxies Chu Zheng encountered, the purity of Incense Fire Willpower undoubtedly belonged to the lowest grade, and its battle power was at the bottom tier. However, the speed of advancement in cultivation realm was astonishingly horrifying.


    Now, Chu Zheng was faced with two paths. The first was to no longer respond to his believers'' worship and offerings and to stop expending divine power for their protection, which would naturally lead to a gradual decrease in the power of faith over time.


    However, doing so would undoubtedly cause a chain reaction, leading many believers, because of him, to be displaced and their families destroyed.


    Even if he was willing to do so, the many fanatical believers under his command, who actually controlled the community of believers, would not stop spreading the faith.


    The second path was to cultivate the Incense Fire Spirits under Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, transferring most of the willpower to these Incense Fire Spirits and gradually phasing out the name of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu for a vague and nebulous title.


    One day, this vague and nebulous title would also achieve Spiritual Awakening through extensive offerings of Incense Fire Willpower and evolve into a true deity. By then, the connection with Chu Zheng would be much less significant, and once Chu Zheng''s cultivation was sufficient, he could easily sever the causal links.


    However, this second path would undoubtedly take much longer. Chu Zheng would have to wait for his first batch of fanatical believers to die, then select a few to spiritually summon and build temples for them to start a new round of God Creation.


    This action would take a lot of effort, but comparatively, it would not have as significant an impact on the believers.


    Seeing Chu Zheng remain silent for a long time, Wu Tong spoke again, "What are your thoughts?"


    He was very humble, placing Chu Zheng on an equal footing, which was a sufficient show of sincerity relative to his cultivation strength.


    "Senior''s kindness, it would be disrespectful for the junior to refuse."


    Chu Zheng did not hesitate much and nodded in agreement, as the terms Wu Tong offered were generous enough. To refuse would clearly be seen as ungrateful.


    Being able to step into Seventh Order Perfection was enough for now. As for the subsequent True Immortal Tribulation, it was premature to discuss it at this moment.


    Wu Tong''s eyes flickered slightly, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Chu Zheng''s willingness to stay was naturally a cause for great joy.


    Death and rebirth, the return of the deceased to the living, were secrets those in the Ancestral Realm were researching. Now, Chu Zheng had brought him a glimmer of hope, which was no less than a lifesaving straw.


    ...


    ...


    After agreeing to Wu Tong''s conditions, Chu Zheng settled down directly in the Wooden Nest.


    He did not rush to undergo tribulation because his avatar''s cultivation was still lacking, and his original body also needed some time to stabilize its foundation.


    The previous consecutive breakthroughs, as far as the original body was concerned, had happened over just a few years, and in the context of the Immortal Tribulation Realm, this period was too hurried, even insufficient to stabilize the immortal power within his body. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the orderly process of cultivation, in the blink of an eye, over six hundred years passed.


    Nearly seven years had also passed in the Myriad Realms where Chu Zheng''s original body resided.


    In those seven years, with Wu Tong''s covert assistance, his avatar had smoothly overcome three major tribulations and reached the realm of Undecayed Bone Perfection, just one step away from becoming a Corpse King.


    Meanwhile, his original body''s cultivation had also risen significantly, advancing into Perfect Immortal Tribulation.

 Chapter 294 Discard the False and Preserve the True, A Broken Mirror Can Hardly Be Rounded

    The continuous breakthroughs in cultivation had rendered Chu Zheng''s already somewhat unstable foundation even more precarious.Since Chu Zheng had entered the path of cultivation, less than thirty years had passed, yet he had already traversed through seven major secret realms and touched the threshold of becoming a True Immortal.


    Leaving aside the innately powerful Otherkind, amongst the Human Race, such speed was almost unprecedented.


    The path of cultivation was inherently like water carving through stone; to ensure stability, one naturally couldn''t advance too quickly, as taking shortcuts often meant paying other unpredictable prices.


    Had it not been for the strong foundation Chu Zheng laid in the Entry Dao Realm, achieving Perfection in the Five Elements Foundation and evolving into the Immortal Root, supplemented by the Yin Yang Immortal Bone as support, and his celestial talents in the Immortal Path reaching an unparalleled pinnacle, he certainly couldn''t have achieved his current state.


    Even so, Chu Zheng''s current condition was like a pagoda in the sky, suspended mid-air, reaching neither heaven above nor earth below, always at risk of collapsing.


    Fortunately, as his cultivation grew, the progress of refining his Small World also significantly improved. With a complete world as his support, he could stabilize his footing again and solidify his foundation to prepare for the Five Elements Great Tribulation after stepping into the True Immortal threshold.


    This required some time; the repair interface couldn''t help him, and he could only rely on himself.


    The True Immortal Realm involved detaching from the world, contacting the Great Universe, mastering the Laws within, and during the baptism of the Yin Yang Five Elements Qi, crushing evil to assist the righteous, eliminating the false and retaining the true, only then could one attain Dao.


    The eighth realm of cultivation, this realm, was the stage of Deification where all living creatures transformed. Lifespan, combat power, and mastery of the Laws would undergo qualitative changes, elevating the level of life, making the concept of Swallowing Stars and eclipsing sunsets no longer a mere metaphor.


    For ordinary cultivators, stepping over the threshold of a True Immortal might require hundreds of years of preparation, but Chu Zheng had a faster method.


    Once his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation reached the peak of Dao Integration, minor flaws would naturally be remedied. With the Tribulation Qi now completely dispersed, this wouldn''t take too long.


    Unburdened by Tribulation Qi and with the Heavenly Fate Chu Zheng carried, his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation improved daily.


    During the six hundred years in the Tianwu Realm, the restoration of the Netherworld Phoenix''s memories, hindered by the scarcity of Dead Soul Spirit Jade, did not progress very quickly.


    Out of the thirty thousand, only seven thousand and three hundred were completed, barely one-quarter of the total.


    Dead Soul Spirit Jade was not a common material, rare even in the Soul Origin Pool, and given Wu Tong''s cultivation, he could only explore the surface, yielding not much.


    Nevertheless, the attitude of the Netherworld Phoenix had softened considerably. She was no longer as resistant toward Wu Tong as before, seemingly recalling past memories, fostering some hope for restoration.


    However, Chu Zheng always felt something was off. One-quarter of the memories, for a being who had lived for countless ages, was just a tiny fraction, especially given that these memories were incomplete and fragmented.


    What was more important was that Wu Tong''s attitude had made Chu Zheng sense something was amiss.


    With the increase in the restoration of the Netherworld Phoenix''s memories, Wu Tong''s expression grew colder, like stagnant water, devoid of any waves, no longer excited as when he first discovered the means to restore memories.


    Sometimes, when he glanced at the Netherworld Phoenix, there was always a hint of struggle, as if weighing his options.


    ...


    ...


    Inside a great hall woven from intertwining vines, dark energy surged covertly.


    Many leaves that were once verdant had been thoroughly soaked by the evil aura, emitting a dark green light.


    Outside the tree cage, Chu Zheng stood tall, the Dead Soul Spirit Jade in his hand gradually dissipating, transforming into a ray of Spiritual Light, and infused into the body of the woman in black inside the cage.


    With the promotion in cultivation, his appearance now was almost indistinguishable from his true self, save for his slightly pale skin, nearly identical to a common person.


    The previously congealed black blood inside had already started flowing, the heart had begun beating again, and with each heartbeat, the flowing black blood faintly shimmered with golden lines.


    If he stepped further, crossing the Eighth-Order threshold and entering the domain of the Corpse King, turning black blood to gold, Chu Zheng would become a Holy Spirit, comparable to a True Immortal.


    Wu Tong stood silently beside Chu Zheng, staring at the woman in black inside the cage, not uttering a word, his eyes shadowed. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    Over the years, the Netherworld Phoenix''s demeanor had softened greatly, yet Wu Tong had never allowed her to step out of this cage, not even unlocking the Immortal Lock bound to her body, consistent as ever.


    After a long moment, the Netherworld Phoenix slowly opened her eyes, raised her hand to rub her temple, silently digesting the additional memories.


    After a short while, she put down her hand, stood up, and walked to the cage door, carrying a hint of pleading:


    "Wu Tong, I want to go out. Staying here all day is too suffocating. Do you still remember how I used to hate being confined?"


    Wu Tong didn''t respond, a barely noticeable sorrow flickering in his eyes.


    Unaware, the Netherworld Phoenix''s gaze shifted as she continued:


    "You shuttle between two realms, to and fro, it''s too hard, and a lot of Dead Soul Spirit Jade gets wasted needlessly. Why don''t we just live near the Soul Origin Pool? That way, I can recover my memories faster, what do you think?"


    Her tone carried a hint of testing, her expression apprehensive, seemingly worried Wu Tong would not agree.


    Wu Tong remained silent for a long time, then finally nodded slightly:


    "Alright."


    Click¡ª


    As his words fell, the Immortal Lock binding the Netherworld Phoenix broke, and the wooden cage slowly opened. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing this, the Netherworld Phoenix rubbed her wrists, looking at the wide-open cage door, her eyes flickering with disbelief, wondering how Wu Tong could so easily agree to something she had longed for.

 Chapter 294 Discard the False and Preserve the True, A Broken Mirror Can Hardly Be Rounded_2

    "You rest for the night, and tomorrow I will take you back to the Vast Universe."Wu Tong, saying little, waved his hand and, with Chu Zheng who seemed wanting yet hesitant to speak, turned and left.


    It was not until they had left that great hall that Chu Zheng began to speak, his brow slightly furrowed and with some hesitation, "Now that the memory restoration is less than half complete, it''s hard to distinguish the truth of her words. Elder, it''s better not to take too many risks."


    The Netherworld Phoenix was ultimately a being from within the Vast Universe. Should she act up after entering the Vast Universe and send out messages, it could attract some unimaginable terrifying giants from within the Vast Universe, causing a lot of trouble.


    Especially considering the spatial channel that Wu Tong now suppressed, there was also a risk of exposure.


    In any case, bringing the Netherworld Phoenix back to the Vast Universe was a completely detrimental action.


    "There''s no need for further discussion, I have considered it thoroughly." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wu Tong, unconcerned, raised his hand signaling Chu Zheng to leave. His mood seemed to have dropped, as he stood there, head bowed, exuding loneliness.


    Seeing this, Chu Zheng found it best not to say more. Carrying a few doubts, he left to wait for the departure the next day.


    He was reluctant to stay in the Vast Universe for a long time, primarily because of the rate of time flow.


    Due to the region''s uniqueness, the rate of time flow in the Chaos Sea was different from the Great Universe, but such uniqueness did not exist within the Vast Universe.


    The time flow rate in the Vast Universe was the same as in the Great Universe, which would undoubtedly waste a lot of Chu Zheng''s time.


    With this progress, it was unknown how long it would take for the Netherworld Phoenix''s memory to be completely restored, and he did not have the time or energy to continuously waste following Wu Tong.


    During the six hundred years in the Tianwu Realm, Chu Zheng had once returned to the location of the Great Tomb, which had an entrance that was initially closed but later caused quite a stir.


    Many beings who had stepped into the Ninth Order personally came, trying to break through the spatial barriers and reopen the entrance to the Great Tomb. The result, naturally, was fruitless.


    In the end, no living creatures came out of the Great Tomb alive.


    Regarding this, all Chu Zheng did was watch from the sidelines. In the past, he might have thought of some solutions, but now, as his horizons gradually broadened, many matters were not something he could participate in.


    Especially concerning powerhouses who had stepped into the Space-time Domain, they would bring him a lot of trouble.


    The existence of Wu Tong was the best proof that all secrets were almost transparent in his presence.


    Stepping into the Space-time Domain meant, on a macroscopic level, they were no longer in the same dimension as ordinary beings, aside from the up, down, left, and right, they also saw the past and future in their eyes.


    With Chu Zheng''s current cultivation, forcibly getting involved would only be asking for trouble.


    Wu Tong, currently holding the authority of Heavenly Dao in the Tianwu Realm, ensured nothing within the realm could be hidden from him. Chu Zheng had indirectly inquired about the person buried within that particular Great Tomb.


    Regarding this, Wu Tong did not specify, only mentioning that the person was deeply connected to the Vast Universe, and he himself should not offend them, thus turning a blind eye.


    As Wu Tong refrained from saying more, Chu Zheng also had his suspicions; all the beings within that tomb were led by Gongyi Zi Yu.


    Gongyi Zi Yu was a genuine being from the Vast Universe, originated from Lingtian Mansion, which was precisely the territory where Wu Tong established the Hundred Phoenix Pavilion, and this undoubtedly still hid unknown crucial relations.


    ...


    ...


    One day passed in the blink of an eye.


    This day, the Netherworld Phoenix seemed very calm. After coming out of the cage, it did not leave the Wooden Nest, merely wandering around aimlessly.


    As the morning light emerged, the brilliance of the sun was obscured by evil Qi, casting only mottled spots of light, and the sky was a dim gray.


    Wu Tong, accompanied by Chu Zheng and the Netherworld Phoenix, left the Wooden Nest.


    After obtaining permission from Wu Tong, the Primordial Spirit of the Phoenix returned to its body.


    With a resonant cry filled with boundless joy, the pale purple Netherworld Phoenix soared into the sky, its bound Heavenly Locks completely snapping, bursting forth an immeasurable light of divinity.


    Wu Tong watched this scene quietly, his eyes shimmering like a lake brushed by a gentle breeze; he slowly raised his hand, making a hollow grasp.


    In an instant, the Void around the Netherworld Phoenix melted into an invisible force, transforming into a cage that slowly contracted.


    Moments later, it turned into a fist-sized transparent crystal ball, resting in Wu Tong''s palm.


    He did not utter a word as he led Chu Zheng downward, heading directly towards the entrance of the space passage.


    Chu Zheng felt a bit uneasy for a moment, sensing an eerie presence around him. By Wu Tong''s side, a familiar fluctuation emerged, though he dared not confirm it immediately.


    It seemed to be Tribulation Qi.


    In just a moment, Chu Zheng followed Wu Tong, passing through the space passage, the Lingtian Prefecture Domain, crossing an unimaginably vast distance, and finally arrived at the edge of the Soul Origin Pool.


    Wu Tong, without saying much, crushed the crystal ball in his palm, and directly released the Netherworld Phoenix.


    Hoo¡ª


    The Netherworld Phoenix spread its wings, obscuring the sky. As its wings flapped, fierce winds howled through the void, carrying a piercing shriek:


    "Wu Tong, I told you before, if I ever got a chance to return to the Vast Universe, I would kill you¡ªtoday, you''re seeking your own death!" Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Before the echoes faded, countless feathers from its neck spread out, transforming into numerous pale purple streams of light that splashed across the wilderness and merged into the void, vanishing without a trace.


    Clearly, this was a method of sending a message. The Netherworld Phoenix had signaled an unknown entity for strong reinforcements to come and kill Wu Tong. She did not even hesitate for a moment, deciding resolutely and definitively.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng''s expression subtly changed as he turned to look at Wu Tong.


    Seeing Wu Tong''s reaction, he was taken aback.


    Wu Tong''s expression was complex, with a blend of reluctance and relief, and he did not even move an inch.


    Boom¡ª


    The sky underwent a transformation, the vast expanse shattered, and several hundred figures crushed the space, arriving with strides.


    The Soul Origin Pool is the foundation of half of the Vast Universe. This place is perennially manned by countless forces, and all major Divine Mansions have powerhouses stationed here to absorb suitable new blood.


    The moment the Netherworld Phoenix sent the message, numerous powerhouses set out, hurrying to this place, including notables who had stepped into the Tenth Order domain.


    "You killed my old friend first and imprisoned me for a million years after¡ªtoday is the day you pay back the blood debt and cleanse my humiliation!"


    Joy filled the Netherworld Phoenix''s voice, and in the current situation, Wu Tong was trapped, unable to escape.


    Throughout the Netherworld Phoenix''s sudden reversal, Wu Tong remained utterly calm, unflustered as if he had anticipated it all along.


    He looked around and then sighed lightly, "I gave you numerous chances, yet you still deceived me for over six hundred years."


    The Realm Creatures of the Vast Universe who had gathered around did not act rashly but quietly watched from the sidelines.


    Being eager to take action was not always good; they had ample patience.


    "He holds a space passage that connects to the Great Universe Chaos Sea, capable of accommodating Pavilion Masters coming and going, and without any Ancestral Realm beings guarding the realm gate, breaking in is as easy as turning one''s hand over!"


    With a fierce shout from the Netherworld Phoenix, the many Realm Creatures present suddenly changed their expressions.


    The space passage leading to the Great Universe, that allowed powerhouses of the Realm of Ancient Myths to traverse, was unguarded by Ancestral Realm beings¡ªthis news was shocking enough for the masters of Divine Mansions.


    Seeing the changes before him, Chu Zheng''s heart sank a bit; he realized that this was Wu Tong''s intention.


    "Elder... why would you do this?"


    "A broken mirror cannot be mended."


    Facing Chu Zheng''s query, Wu Tong slowly shook his head, his expression desolate:


    "Without the Spirit Soul, even if forced, those memories regained are but flowers in a mirror, the moon''s reflection on water, easy to shatter. My Cloud Pill, had already died thirty-seven million years ago."


    Cloud Pill was the Immortal Phoenix''s original name.


    It was only at this moment that Chu Zheng came to understand; after the first memory repair, Wu Tong had never called this name again.


    "Cloud Pill always loathed being confined, unable to soar under the starry skies, but she also once said that she was willing to make me her cage, to never forsake."


    Wu Tong looked up at the Netherworld Phoenix in midair, his eyes gradually turning cold:


    "Today, you and I will end this."

 Chapter 295 Reunion with the Lingtian Prefecture Master

    Some gaps become more apparent as memory is gradually restored.Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    In these past six hundred years, Wu Tong had deeply realized a fact:


    Even if his memories were completely mended, the Netherworld Phoenix before him was no longer the dear friend of his memories.


    To ordinary people, the most difficult things in the world are spilled water that cannot be retrieved and broken mirrors that cannot be made whole again.


    For those advanced in cultivation, spilled water can be retrieved and broken mirrors can be mended, but some events, even if time and space are distorted and Yin and Yang are inverted, cannot be changed.


    Reviving the dead and bringing them back to life is a conundrum that still confounds all the supreme beings of both realms. It seems to bring the dead back to life, but hidden behind this question are the words "eternal life."


    If one truly mastered the method of returning to life from the Vast Universe, it would mean that all living creatures possess the capacity for immortality.


    After all, even if one were to die again after being resurrected, one would simply return to the Vast Universe.


    Above the Soul Origin Pool, due to the arrival of many powerful beings, the winds and clouds surged ominously, and layers of laws fluctuated intertwinedly. The concentration of evil energy between heaven and earth began to rise at an astonishing rate.


    Chu Zheng silently glanced at the repair panel, and sure enough, the number of repairs was skyrocketing, having soared to over two hundred!


    The thick evil energy condensed into a mist, almost liquefying.


    Under everyone''s watchful eyes, Wu Tong''s expression remained calm, his gaze on the Netherworld Phoenix, gentle like a breeze.


    But at that moment, the Netherworld Phoenix felt an unprecedented terror of murderous intent. The feathers on its body subconsciously rose in defiance, and a panic involuntarily surged in its heart.


    Imprisoned for so many years, she had defied the vast disparity in cultivation realms and repeatedly provoked him, relying on the belief that, no matter what, Wu Tong would never lay a hand on her to kill her.


    But now, the invisible shackles on Wu Tong had been shed.


    The Netherworld Phoenix looked around for a lifesaver, then suddenly realized something was amiss.


    The many figures around her were standing quietly, without any fluctuation.


    "Why haven''t any of you taken action yet?!" the Netherworld Phoenix couldn''t help but speak up, her expression slightly panicked: "That space passage leading to the Chaos Sea is incredibly stable, capable of accommodating the travel of Ancient Myths, right there in the Lingtian Prefecture Domain..."


    Before she could finish speaking, Wu Tong suddenly outstretched his hand. The Netherworld Phoenix felt as if her throat were being squeezed. The latter half of her speech halted abruptly, her body stiffened, and then she slumped down, the spiritual light in her pupils extinguished.


    Chu Zheng opened his Spiritual Eye and swept a glance, a chill running down his spine, not even given the chance to repair.


    The massive body of the Netherworld Phoenix plunged into the Soul Origin Pool, causing a tumultuous uproar and raising countless still ignorant Evil Spirits.


    Without a grand and mighty skirmish, in just an instant, a fierce beast capable of contending with top-tier Immortal Kings was obliterated, with all spiritual sense erased, soul scattered to the winds.


    This was Chu Zheng''s first encounter with the somewhat elusive power of the Ancient Myths.


    And this was merely a Body Separation, a mere speck in the vast sea compared to the power of Wu Tong''s true self. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What really shocked him was Wu Tong''s decisiveness and ruthlessness, without even a trace of hesitation.


    Wu Tong retracted his hand, looked around, and then turned his head to glance to one side.


    A figure emerged from the void, nearly ten feet tall, close to forty years of age, with a pair of dark gray facial armor, demonic and fierce, clad in a pitch-black long coat, his full head of silver hair bound by a Golden Crown. It seemed as if the Milky Way surrounded him, radiating an iridescent light.


    "As for today''s events, I ask all of you to speak cautiously after you return. There indeed exists a spatial passage, but the destination it leads to is ultimately the Chaos Sea. Should any Mansion Master be interested, you may come to the domain of Lingtian Prefecture and discuss it with me in person. I can grant passage."


    The low divine voice arose, smoothing the waves stirred in the Soul Sea.


    Chu Zheng opened his Spiritual Eye and was startled by the general information about the person before him.


    [Li Yunzhao (Tenth Order): Born from the Soul Origin Pool, naturally gifted with early Spiritual Awakening and wisdom, happened upon a fragment of the Space-time Law in his youth, completely assimilated it, entered the Mythical Realm, founded the Lingtian Mansion, has perfected the Space-time Law, and is on the verge of stepping into the Ancestral Realm.]


    The Lingtian Prefecture Master!


    The Lingtian Prefecture Master, a towering figure who has stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths and is only a step away from the Ancestral Realm!


    Indeed, his previous speculation wasn''t wrong; Wu Tong had controlled that spatial passage for many years, and with the presence of Gongyi Zi Yu, there must be a connection between Wu Tong and Lingtian Mansion.


    That spatial passage, in the eyes of the Supreme Beings of the Vast Universe, should also not be considered a secret.


    The moment Li Yunzhao appeared, a deathly silence enveloped the area, stirring waves of Divine Sense. After a short while, the figures that rushed over began to leave one after another.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze wandered around, and streams of information flowed through his mind, most of them being heavyweight figures from various great domains.


    Several breaths later, his gaze suddenly paused, a hint of shock flashing through his eyes:


    [Shang Cangyun (Tenth Order): Former Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance, now the Vice Mansion Master of Purple Dragon Prefecture in the Vast Universe, Mixed Blood Divine Descendant, in the Early-stage Immortal Monarch Cultivation Realm, creator of the Heavenly Azure Spirit Mysterious Scripture, has merged the Essence Blood of a hundred races on the Ten Thousand Race Battlefield, forging a Demigod Body, his Divine Soul has undergone baptism in the Soul Origin Pool, surrounded by evil aura yet untainted.]


    Chu Zheng had never imagined he would encounter Shang Cangyun here.


    At this moment, Shang Cangyun was shrouded in an evil mist. At first glance, there was no difference between him and a common Evil Spirit.


    His lingering gaze caught the attention of Shang Cangyun, who did not speak to greet him but simply nodded slightly before turning to leave.


    Chu Zheng pushed down his surging thoughts and stayed silent. He wasn''t foolish enough to trouble Shang Cangyun, naturally pretending to know nothing.


    Shang Cangyun had entered the Vast Universe and even became the Vice Manor Master of a domain; there must be many twists and turns to this story. However, based on his reaction just now, it was clear that there were many reasons that could not be explained.


    Steadying his mind, Chu Zheng looked towards Wu Tong beside him and sighed, "Did you foresee that today would come like this, senior? Then hasn''t all the effort expended over these years gone down the drain?"


    "Some things are ultimately meant to be let go. In the Mythical Realm, one can look back to the past and also deduce parts of the future. I already knew roughly what would happen today before entering the Vast Universe."


    Wu Tong did not deny it, his eyes calm as he looked down at the Soul Origin Pool below. In the dark Soul Sea, not a trace of the Netherworld Phoenix could be seen:


    "The Chaos Sea is but a corner of the Great Universe. Even if one enters it, existences above the Tenth Order cannot use it to enter the Great Universe, and if there''s a problem with the spatial passage, one could be completely trapped in the Chaos Sea. In truth, it''s nothing more than a prison."


    With that, he turned his head to look at Li Yunzhao, who had yet to leave, and bowed in thanks, "Thank you for your assistance today, Lingtian Prefecture Master."


    "You are also one of us from Lingtian Mansion; there''s no need for such formality between family."


    Li Yunzhao shook his head indifferently and turned to look at Chu Zheng, the eyes behind the face armor narrowing slightly as he spoke in a calm voice:


    "What is your relationship with Purple Dragon Prefecture?"

 Chapter 296 Sudden Incident, Blood Trial Ends

    The sudden inquiry startled Chu Zheng, but before he could contemplate it, Li Yunzhao spoke again:"In recent years, the Purple Dragon Prefecture has taken in a new Vice Mansion Master whose origins are unclear, but whose cultivation skills are quite remarkable. From his reaction just now, he should be an acquaintance of yours. You have not been in the Vast Universe for long, coming and going in haste. How did you come to know him?"


    This statement completely blocked Chu Zheng''s path of making excuses and revealed much information. Over the years, Chu Zheng''s every move in the Vast Universe had been under Li Yunzhao''s watchful eye.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng felt a tightness in his heart. Such sharp insight was almost terrifyingly excessive.


    Just now, Shang Cangyun had merely had a brief interaction with him, yet Li Yunzhao still managed to discern some clues.


    Chu Zheng had no intention of speaking. In any case, he would not divulge the true identity of Shang Cangyun; he would rather abandon this incarnation.


    However, with such a level of cultivation, calculating the lines of causality was too straightforward, leading to a certain probability that it might reveal Shang Cangyun''s true identity.


    "Yin Corpse cultivating the Qi-refining Technique, from extreme Yin to extreme Yang, should this path truly lead somewhere, it might also present a way out."


    After observing Chu Zheng closely, Li Yunzhao''s gaze suddenly condensed, and he looked toward Wu Tong, speaking indifferently:


    Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    "He is a living creature from the Great Universe. As his causality does not lie within the Universe Realm, I cannot divine it. Do you know the reason?"


    "I don''t know. Even if I did, I couldn''t tell you. I still owe him a favor."


    Wu Tong shook his head without elaborating further. He had already scanned most of the causal lines surrounding Chu Zheng, and the beings Chu Zheng had previously been able to contact who could touch the edge of the Space-time Domain numbered only a few.


    Additionally, given that Chu Zheng''s dealings in the Vast Universe were all beside him, there was no excess time to get to know this Vice Mansion Master of the Purple Dragon Prefecture. The conclusion was self-evident.


    He had more or less guessed the identity of that Vice Mansion Master of Purple Dragon Prefecture but preferred not to meddle as it had nothing to do with him.


    Li Yunzhao, his face masked and thus his expressions unclear, displayed a slight change in his eyes. He looked at Chu Zheng with a hint of curiosity, "Since you have means to mend memories of the past, could you perhaps assist me in this matter?"


    Memories of past lives held extraordinary significance for all beings of the Vast Universe; they represented their previous lives.


    "I am not unwilling, but my cultivation is still weak, and my methods unlikely to be effective on you."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng did not hesitate and shook his head immediately. A Tenth Order being was far too advanced compared to him; even the repair panel showed no response, providing no starting point.


    Perhaps when he stepped into the realm of a Ninth Order Repairer, there might be a sliver of possibility, but that was merely a possibility.


    As his cultivation level increased, the disparity between levels became ever greater. Surmounting these barriers was not as easy as before.


    Originally, when he was a First Order Repairer, he could mend Sixth Order Cultivation Techniques and Divine Weapons; however, upon reaching Sixth Order Repairer and dealing with a Seventh Order Semi-Immortal Treasure, he found it somewhat strenuous.


    Even this was under the condition of an ever-strengthening repair panel.


    The energy consumed in one repair as an Eighth Order Repairer compared to when he was a First Order Repairer was fundamentally incomparable, possibly also related to his own cultivation.


    He had yet to encounter a Ninth Order Exotic Treasure Fragment and did not know how much time and effort currently required to repair a Ninth Order Exotic Treasure, possibly similar to how mending memories required something like the Dead Soul Spirit Jade as a supplement.


    Seeing Chu Zheng shake his head, Li Yunzhao did not dwell on this point but swiftly extended an olive branch:


    "This matter is not urgent. Would you be willing to join my Lingtian Mansion? After returning to Tianwu Realm, I can also arrange for someone to take care of you, and your journey ahead could be smoother."


    These words instantly reminded Chu Zheng of that Great Tomb, and that Great Commander from Lingtian Mansion, Gongyi Zi Yu.


    Before Chu Zheng could reply, Wu Tong suddenly stepped forward, placing a hand on his forehead and speaking gravely:


    "I can no longer help you on your future path. I have already helped you avoid several calamities, and after leaving Tianwu Realm, I can''t conceal it from the Great Universe anymore. This ordeal of entering the Holy Spirit, if you cannot overcome it, you should leave sooner, saving some time."


    Wu Tong''s somewhat urgent demeanor left Chu Zheng somewhat confused. Before he could react, Wu Tong''s voice transmission rang in his mind again:


    "I still uphold the promise I made to you earlier. No matter the matter or the opponent, I can lend you a hand once in the future. Additionally, let me advise you to avoid contact with the Vast Universe until your cultivation is sufficient. This will be entirely beneficial to you without any harm."


    He spoke very solemnly, his fingertips emitting a burst of brilliant emerald radiance that completely enveloped Chu Zheng.


    In the next instant, the nearly indestructible body of the Undecayed Bone turned to ashes in the blink of an eye, merging into the mighty Yin wind that swept above the Soul Origin Pool, leaving no trace behind.


    "Wu Tong, you seem too anxious. I still had questions unasked. Are you worried that I would trace back to his true body?"


    Watching Chu Zheng turn to dust and completely vanish into the air, Li Yunzhao lowered the hand he was about to raise, his tone now carrying a hint of detachment, "It was merely a coincidence that I helped you once, and yet you show such partiality and protection?"


    "I have never been ungrateful or treacherous in this lifetime, and besides, he has been by my side for over six hundred years, never straying. Where is the coincidence in that?"


    Wu Tong remained unmoved, his words growing colder:


    "I know what you''re thinking, but don''t blame me for warning you. Some of the karma on this man is so intricate that even I cannot fully discern it. If nothing unexpected happens, it is very likely related to a being from the Ancestral Realm. As he is a Qi Cultivator, I need not remind you which Ancestral being he might be associated with."


    As for this, Wu Tong naturally had no certainty or evidence; it was merely speculation he threw out to drape Chu Zheng with a mantle that no living creature would dare lightly offend.


    A sharp light suddenly flashed in Li Yunzhao''s eyes as he murmured thoughtfully:


    "Ancestral Dao..."


    ......


    ......


    The Battlefield of All Heavens.


    Obscured by an array, a corner of the starry sky where a massive star hung at the center was permeated with the stench of blood.


    The surface of the star was pitted and scarred, a stark contrast to its appearance more than a decade ago, now covered with corpses everywhere.


    On the vast plain, cracks crisscrossed, and magma and fierce fires spread widely, continuously rising and igniting a formidable firestorm that transformed the grassland into a domain of fire.


    At the center of the Fire Domain, a massive creature that spanned a hundred li lay on the scorched earth, its dark armored scales shattered and peeling away, its beast blood nearly dried out.


    Pff¡ª


    After a moment, a figure sprang out from the huge eye socket, splashing a wave of blood, and bits of reddish-white brain mingled with flesh and blood splattered.


    Song Lingxue casually wiped the red and white brains off her face and collapsed atop the beast''s head, her eyes startlingly bright, her expression filled with excitement.


    After battling for more than half a year, she had finally slain this rhino cloaked in dark Profound Armor, the last and fiercest of the Otherkind on this star. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even now, with nearly seventy percent of the bones and organs in her body shattered and severely damaged, almost completely ruptured, her eyes still brimmed with joy.


    This year marked her fourteenth year participating in the Blood Trial, three years ahead of the seventeen years she initially agreed upon with Xie Xingzhong.


    She had truly accomplished something nearly impossible, surviving to this day and completing the Blood Trial.


    Before she could fully recover from the aftermath of her fierce battle, a spatial passage slowly emerged, and a blurred figure stepped out.


    The person bowed their head to glance at Song Lingxue, then slightly bent forward, his tone respectful as he verified her identity:


    "Are you the True Inheritor from the Immortal Domain, Song Lingxue?"

 Chapter 297 Privileges of the Martial Hall True Inheritor

    "Cangyun Realm, Song Lingxue."Song Ling raised her head, spoke softly to declare her identity, and quietly sized up the person before her.


    The figure was indistinct, surrounded by a mist of blood, clearly just a projection; close to forty years old, eight feet tall, clad in a grey martial robe, the edges and sleeves embroidered with golden threads depicting various patterns of Otherkind.


    The patterns seemed to bleed, and faintly, the roars of Otherkind could be heard.


    "Martial Hall Guide Envoy, Ji Hong, has seen Song Zhenchuan."


    The middle-aged man clasped his fists in salute and flipped his hand to produce a blood-colored Spirit Pill, presenting it before Song Lingxue:


    "The Hall Master has been informed that you passed the Blood Trial; please, after Song Zhenchuan rests, follow me back to the Martial Hall."


    Song Lingxue took the Spirit Pill but did not consume it, manipulating the Blood Fiend beside her to support her body.


    Without the protective Blood Fiend that she had condensed, her veins would have already ceased, and her blood drained, leading to her death.


    She glanced at Ji Hong before her, speaking in a deep tone,


    "I want to see Xie Xingzhong, Yu Ning."


    These two were the only people she knew within the Martial Hall; apart from them, she had to be wary of anyone else.


    Moreover, her father, Song Tonghai, and other Martial Cultivators who had come with them, including Li Mingzhou, were still with Xie Xingzhong.


    "Currently, these two should be at The Battlefield of All Heavens; rest assured, Song Zhenchuan, the Martial Hall had already issued orders before I came here; Xie Xingzhong is already on his way back."


    "After arriving at the Martial Hall, all arrangements concerning you will be handled by Xie Xingzhong; I am merely here to escort you back to the Martial Hall."


    Ji Hong was not surprised by Song Lingxue''s reaction. Leaving one''s homeland and being alone in foreign lands, some wariness was only natural.


    "Thank you, Guide Envoy, for leading the way."


    Hearing this, Song Lingxue no longer insisted and nodded in agreement.


    "Please follow me."


    Ji Hong spoke softly in a gentle tone, then turned and stepped into the spatial passage. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    Throughout, his attitude was very friendly, even going so far as to offer a Spirit Pill from his own pocket, all to leave a good impression.


    From the Immortal Realm World, those who broke free from the shackles of Heavenly Fate and stood out as Martial Arts Geniuses, none were simple characters; in the future, they could at least become Great Saints of the Martial Path, or even possibly step into the Space-time Domain and become Taoist Masters.


    Moreover, Song Lingxue was one of the rare geniuses who chose to enter the Martial Hall by successfully passing the Blood Trial, a rarity even among the True Inheritors.


    Therefore, the Hall Master was closely monitoring her condition.


    In the years to come, Song Lingxue would surely have her place in the Martial Hall; establishing good relations in advance could do no harm.


    Song Lingxue glanced at the rhino beneath her feet, activated the Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, and extracted most of its blood energy.


    During the past half-year of relentless battles, the rhino''s blood energy had nearly depleted, leaving only a small portion.


    The blood energy transformed into a warm flow, coursing through her limbs and body, eventually accumulating in the Divine Orifice within her.


    Her cultivation had just entered the Fifth Realm not long ago; only twelve Divine Orifices in her body were activated, but with the Divine Orifices for support, her physique had greatly improved, nourished by the blood energy, her rapid breathing soon smoothed.


    Taking a breath, Song Lingxue quickly followed behind Ji Hong and stepped into the spatial passage.


    The spatial passage was extremely short; in just a moment, Song Lingxue was already standing on solid ground.


    Before her lay the vast expanse of the universe''s starry sky, behind her stood a colossal light gate nearly ten thousand li high, its inner space brimming with starlight and reflecting the Luotian Starry Sky.


    Beneath her feet lay a vast continent that spanned hundreds of thousands of li, which compared to the boundless starry sky, seemed like a solitary island.


    Such islands, countless in number under the dome of this starry sky, stretched as far as the eye could see.


    Before Song Lingxue could gather her wits, a group of people approached slowly, fourteen in total, all women dressed identically in outfits adorned with bright silver armor plates, the leader nearly thirty years old with exceptionally strong Blood Qi, having entered the Sixth Realm of Martial Arts, Divine Communication.


    "These are Martial Servants, servants of the true inheritor of the Martial Hall. Starting today, they will take care of your daily needs. Anything you require for your cultivation, you can simply ask them to fetch," Ji Hong explained, then continued, "Song Zhenchuan just passed the Blood Trial, exhausted, and will first recover. In a month, the Hall Master will personally meet with you."


    "Thank you."


    Song Lingxue came to her senses and nodded in thanks.


    "It''s no trouble. As fellow members of the Martial Hall, it is only right," Ji Hong waved her hand and did not linger longer; her projection slowly dissipated.


    To forge closer ties, there was no need to rush; showing too much eagerness at this moment could backfire. The balance in this interaction needed to be delicately handled.


    Song Lingxue turned to the woman leading the group and asked softly, "What is your name?"


    The woman bowed deeply, her expression respectful, and said, "Song Yi."


    Hearing this, Song Lingxue furrowed her brow slightly and scrutinized the Martial Servants in front of her. After a moment, she noticed something unusual.


    The skin of these women subtly exhibited a metallic sheen, unlike the flesh of normal living creatures, more akin to weapons.


    Song Lingxue looked at the other Martial Servants and asked a few more questions.


    Indeed, the remaining thirteen individuals were named Song Er to Song Shisi, all bearing her surname without their own given names.


    Martial Servants, as it turned out, were not normal living creatures, but rather a type of unique puppet crafted by the Martial Hall, inspired by other Taoist orthodoxies.


    These puppets were convenient to use, as one did not need to consider their loyalty; the only drawback was that the crafting process was complicated, required significant resources, and needed time for meticulous training and the implantation of extensive information about the Martial Hall.


    The resources spent on crafting Song Yi alone could have created more than ten, possibly many more, Martial Artists in the Divine Communication Realm. Mass production was not economical for the Martial Hall.


    These fourteen individuals named Song Yi, newly created specifically for Song Lingxue, were a privilege reserved for the true inheritors of the Martial Hall.


    Song Yi opened a space portal with a gesture and bowed, "I will take you to the Lingxue Realm for recovery. Please follow me."


    "Lingxue Realm?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Lingxue paused for a moment, asked briefly, and then was struck with indescribable amazement.


    Each true inheritor of the Martial Hall had their own Great Realm, with all resources within that realm belonging to the inheritor.


    The Great Realm that now belonged to Song Lingxue had just been renamed ''Lingxue'' today.


    Through Song Yi, Song Lingxue learned about the specifics of her Great Realm.


    This Great Realm was governed by an Eighth Order Otherkind in charge of the Heavenly Dao, with over a hundred Seventh Order living creatures and more than one hundred billion Sixth Order and below, overflowing with cultivation resources.


    From today on, all these had become the private property of Song Lingxue.


    Having just joined the Martial Hall, Song Lingxue had already realized what it meant to be immensely wealthy; the welcome gift from the Martial Hall was even more formidable than the Cangyun Realm she remembered.

 Chapter 298 Martial Ancestors Special Permission, Observing the Eons

    Martial Hall, holding a formidable Taoist orthodoxy that accounted for two-tenths of the Heavenly Fate within the Great Universe, possessed resources that were immeasurable.A single Great Realm was but a speck of dust to the Martial Hall.


    Song Yi summoned a chariot from the Void with a wave of his hand, and as Song Lingxue got on, he spurred the chariot and plunged into the spatial passageway.


    Moments later, the chariot crossed the spatial passageway, traversing the Void, and halted above a palace ornamented with gold and jade.


    The palace bore no signs of weathering, clearly newly constructed. Inside, there was a martial training ground, a Spiritual Spring, a Weapon Forging Pavilion, Quiet Rooms for secluded meditation, and a Scripture Collection Tower filled with various scrolls of martial arts, fully equipped.


    The martial arts scrolls in the Scripture Collection Tower were of considerable quality¡ªSong Lingxue glanced briefly and even spotted Martial Arts Techniques and Slaughter Battle Skills that led to the highest dominions.


    These scrolls were even unguarded by any protective prohibitions and could be passed on freely.


    After browsing for a short while, Song Lingxue felt unable to suppress the fatigue in her body and turned towards the Spiritual Spring. She bathed in the nourishing waters of the spring to wash away her exhaustive weariness.


    After bathing and changing clothes, Song Yi had already prepared a table of medicinal delicacies. The ingredients consisted of high-grade Otherkind flesh and high-quality Spiritual Medicines¡ªall rare and potent supplements.


    Among the many Taoist orthodoxies, the Martial Path undoubtedly required nutritional sustenance the most, and naturally focused significantly on culinary research.


    As a Martial Servant, Song Yi had received relatively thorough indoctrination. The medicinal cuisine he prepared achieved perfection in both taste and effect.


    Having filled her stomach, an irresistible drowsiness surged, and Song Lingxue fell into a deep sleep.


    The fatigue derived from over a decade of life-and-death battle, hanging by a thread, was not something that could be offset in a short time.


    This sleep lasted for quite a while, and when she awoke again, it was already a half-month later; some figures had appeared outside the palace.


    According to Song Yi, during the days she was asleep, Xie Xingzhong had brought Song Tonghai and Li Mingzhou and others to the Lingxue Realm.


    Upon learning that Song Lingxue was resting, Xie Xingzhong and Song Tonghai decided against disturbing her through the Martial Servant and quietly waited outside the palace for her to wake.


    Upon receiving the news, Song Lingxue immediately started to get ready, knowing her injuries had not yet healed and that her father would undoubtedly worry if he noticed.


    Shortly after, Song Lingxue stood before the crystal mirror in the palace, carefully examining her complexion¡ªher eyes were bright, and her color was still good, showing no sign of her severe injuries.


    After confirming nothing was amiss, Song Lingxue hurried outside, a touch of excitement stirring within her.


    She had never expected Xie Xingzhong to act so swiftly. She thought it would be at least after meeting the Hall Master of Martial Hall that she would have the opportunity to reunite with her father.


    Just as she stepped outside, Song Lingxue saw a group of people not far away, some sitting, some standing¡ªSong Tonghai was unmistakably among them.


    "Father," Song Lingxue called out involuntarily, her expression complex. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    Even when originally taken back to Taixuan, Song Tonghai had always been with her.


    From her childhood to now, this was the first time she had been separated from her kin for so long. The reunion brought a mix of emotions; a slight sourness at the tip of her nose, a warmth filled her eyes but was quickly suppressed.


    "Lingxue!"


    Song Tonghai''s eyes instantly widened, he moved forward two steps, looking Song Lingxue over carefully, not noticing anything amiss. Then he heaved a long sigh of relief. His large frame trembled faintly, barely perceptible as if a heavy burden had been lifted, repeatedly nodding:


    "All is well, all is well..."


    Hearing from Xie Xingzhong about the dangers of the Blood Trial, he had been restless. Now, seeing Song Lingxue unharmed, the anxiety that had hung over him was slightly alleviated.


    Joy mixed with relief upon reunion, yet Song Tonghai''s expression involuntarily turned a bit more melancholic.


    With his eldest daughter before him, he couldn''t help but remember his other daughter, Song Lingqing. This young child who had left home for the Immortal Sect had, over the years, been more away than home, causing him to feel a surge of guilt and affection.


    The Martial Hall was so far from the Immortal Domain across the starry skies, and the family was scattered across the heavens. In this life, he didn''t know if they would ever have the chance to meet again.


    Thinking this, Song Tonghai, cautious, asked in a low voice,


    "Do you have any news of Chu Zheng?"


    He knew that Song Lingxue had a way to contact Chu Zheng. With the changes in status and cultivation, even towards his own daughter, he unconsciously held some apprehension, not daring to ask directly.


    Song Lingxue immediately caught on, hearing the underlying concern in his question, which was really about Song Lingqing''s situation.


    She knew that with Chu Zheng in the Myriad Realms, he couldn''t possibly look after Song Lingqing, but saying so would only add to her father''s worries.


    After a slight hesitation, Song Lingxue nodded and replied, "Don''t worry, father, all is well."


    Hearing this, Song Tonghai also temporarily set his mind at ease. Song Lingqing had Chu Zheng looking after her; it was unlikely there would be any big issues. Since everyone was still alive, there might still be a chance for reunion in the future...


    Song Lingxue calmed her tumultuous emotions and turned to Xie Xingzhong, bowing deeply and formally said:


    "Thank you, senior, for your care over these years."


    The chances of passing the Blood Trial were not high, and Xie Xingzhong had still looked after Song Tonghai and the others for so long not knowing the outcome¡ªthis was an act of kindness.


    "True Inheritor Song need not be so formal. I did this also to repay a favor, and furthermore, it was but a small effort."


    Xie Xingzhong waved his hand, his voice pausing slightly: "From now on, they are in your care."

 Chapter 298 Martial Ancestors Special Permission, Observing the Eons_2

    These people were Song Lingxue''s family members or dependents, and the resources needed for cultivation could be applied for from the Martial Hall, but the Martial Hall would not interfere too much; henceforth, she would have to take care of them herself.The Martial Hall would not take the initiative to care for ordinary disciples or the relatives of the true inheritors because if there were any negligence, it could lead to unnecessary disputes and troubles. Providing some cultivation resources without further involvement was actually a better choice.


    "Junior understands," Song Lingxue nodded in agreement, a hint of hesitation flickering in her eyes. She had wanted to inquire about the news of the Myriad Realms through Xie Xingzhong, wanting to understand more about Chu Zheng''s current real situation.


    But after careful consideration, Song Lingxue still gave up on this idea. The more she said, the more mistakes she might make; it would be better to wait until her own cultivation improved before finding an opportunity to investigate.


    Xie Xingzhong glanced at Song Tonghai and others, then his gaze shifted to Song Lingxue.


    Understanding his intent, Song Lingxue raised her hand and summoned Song Yi, to take Song Tonghai and the others away to settle them.


    Only after Song Tonghai and the others entered the palace did Song Lingxue turn back with slight confusion, "Senior, do you have any guidance?"


    "I heard some rumors in the Battlefield of All Heavens, news brought by reinforcements from the Immortal Alliance. A huge change has occurred in your homeland, the Cangyun Realm."


    Xie Xingzhong''s face was stern:


    "The Cangyun Immortal King from the Cangyun Realm¡­ no, he should now be called the Cangyun Immortal Monarch. He slew an Immortal Monarch and several Immortal Kings and Venerables, rebelled against the Immortal Alliance, and fled into the Vast Universe. The higher-ups of the Immortal Alliance are enraged. His bloodline has been implicated; the Primordial Spirit Holy Land has been uprooted!"


    Song Lingxue''s breath suddenly halted. Over the years, she had corresponded quite a bit with Chu Zheng, and occasionally he mentioned Shang Cangyun, saying that the Cangyun Immortal King was greatly indebted to him, but Chu Zheng did not inform her that Shang Cangyun had committed such a heinous crime!


    Xie Xingzhong was indifferent to Song Lingxue''s reaction and continued: "However...the bloodline of the Cangyun Immortal Monarch has not been entirely annihilated. Some remnants, in desperation, used a world-shaking Immortal Treasure to forcibly break through the passage from the Cangyun Realm to the Vast Universe and fled into it. Several True Immortals pursued them into the Vast Universe but did not return." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Song Lingxue''s heart pounded with alarm as she listened intently, fearing she would hear Chu Zheng''s name from Xie Xingzhong''s lips.


    "What I want to say concerns Chu Zheng."


    As soon as Xie Xingzhong said this, Song Lingxue''s expression changed dramatically: "What does this have to do with my husband?"


    "According to leaked information from the Immortal Alliance, before the Cangyun Immortal Monarch rebelled against the Immortal Alliance, a Demon Immortal noticed something unusual about Chu Zheng and wanted to capture him for interrogation by the Immortal Alliance, but was unexpectedly thwarted by the projection of the Cangyun Immortal Monarch. Their relationship was close."


    "Taixuan Holy Land was also implicated because of this. The Immortal Alliance sent True Immortals to thoroughly investigate Taixuan with no result, but considering that there were still people from Taixuan Holy Land fighting in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield with military achievements, and no bloodshed occurred, they inflicted a lighter punishment, only taking away most of Taixuan Holy Land''s cultivation resources, Immortal Treasures, and heirloom Fire Seeds, thus demoting it from the ranks of Holy Lands."


    Shang Cangyun''s identity was too special. Even the slightest association with him could bring unbearable weight to Taixuan Holy Land, as if its foundation of tens of thousands of years was lost in a single day.


    "There is also some news about Chu Zheng. Rumor has it that Shang Cangyun forcefully made a move at the Starry Sky Barrier and battled with an Immortal Monarch to send someone into the Myriad Realms. According to the Immortal Alliance''s deductions, there is an eighty to ninety percent chance that this person is Chu Zheng!"


    Xie Xingzhong''s expression turned even more solemn, and his tone grew heavier: "The Immortal Alliance has already issued a strict order and even dispatched Immortal Path Cultivators secretly to the Myriad Realms, all to capture Chu Zheng with all their might. Even bringing back his residual soul will suffice!"


    "Martial Hall and Immortal Alliance are, after all, cooperating. Your relationship with Chu Zheng must not be revealed to others, and the fact that you can communicate with him must not be disclosed to anyone, not even a single word. Do you understand the stakes at hand?"


    Only he and Yu Ning within the Martial Hall knew that Chu Zheng and Song Lingxue were husband and wife. Keeping this news under wraps was not challenging.


    "Junior understands."


    Regaining her composure, Song Lingxue''s gaze deepened, and she gave a respectful bow, expressing her gratitude: "Thank you, senior, for informing me. I shall repay this kindness in the future!"


    Xie Xingzhong''s words represented his stance, and to her, it was an immense favor.


    "As long as you are aware, try to contact Chu Zheng as little as possible. Any method may leave traces and risk detection. Also, warn your father and others. I have said all there is to say."


    Having finished a series of remarks, Xie Xingzhong unwittingly wiped his sweaty palms. He had never imagined that Chu Zheng would stir up such trouble. At such a young age, he had gotten involved with an Immortal Monarch and even alarmed the entire Immortal Alliance into pursuing him.


    His minuscule cultivation base was so exaggerated it bordered on the preposterous.


    Song Lingxue did not say more and, after another bow, turned and stepped into the palace.


    She found a Quiet Room to meditate in, locked down the Formation to isolate all disturbances, and then, only then, did she take out the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll. After thinking for a long time, she finally wrote down a message:


    [May you be safe, my lord.]


    ```


    [The Immortal Alliance has learned of your husband''s connection with the Cangyun Immortal Monarch, implicating both greatly, with Primordial Spirits entirely wiped out. The bloodline of the Shang Family has been scattered into the Vast Universe, and Taixuan has thus been burdened, all year gathering a foundation that has now completely eroded, though fortunately without shedding a drop of blood.]


    [Furthermore, the Immortal Alliance has secretly dispatched cultivators into the Ten Thousand Realms to hunt for your husband, with unspecified cultivation levels, please proceed with caution.]


    [As for the messages, leave no trace unless necessary, cut all communication otherwise, all is well, do not fret.]


    ```


    After concisely revealing some information, Song Lingxue put away the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll, and exhaled deeply with turbid Qi, her organs aching due to the tension in her heartstrings.


    At this moment, there was little she could do except try her best not to cause trouble for Chu Zheng; she would have to wait to see the Hall Master of the Martial Hall before making any further plans.


    Thinking of this, a subtle worry emerged within Song Lingxue.


    The Hall Master of the Martial Hall, Ji Zhouyin, was a Supreme Being who had stepped into the Ancestral Realm.


    The Ancestral Realm was the absolute pinnacle, the end of the Dao, rumored to be able to see the past and future lives of all living creatures, omniscient.


    Facing such a realm, she truly felt unsure, but now she could only take one step at a time.


    ...


    Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    ...


    Time flew swiftly, and at the end of the month, Song Lingxue received a message from the Martial Hall on time.


    The Hall Master of the Martial Hall had finally found the time to summon her.


    After calming her emotions, Song Lingxue walked out of the Quiet Room where she had been in seclusion, her expression serene.


    Her wounds, nourished by medicinal cuisine and the Blood Fiend''s essence, had almost fully healed. After meeting Ji Zhouyin today, she would know which path lay ahead.


    Life or death, all hinged on this meeting.


    Xie Xingzhong had been waiting outside early; not far away, a light portal to an unknown place was already activated.


    Upon seeing Song Lingxue emerge, he did not say much, simply gesturing with his hand. Xie Xingzhong''s eyebrows were laden with gravity, as he had not been informed of the Hall Master''s intention to see Song Lingxue himself, and this had slightly thrown him off balance.


    This was the Hall Master of the Martial Hall, a Supreme Being of the Ancestral Realm. In the Great Universe, what could possibly be kept from him?


    "Be very careful."


    Xie Xingzhong still reminded her, then stepped aside to let Song Lingxue pass into the light portal, without following.


    As Song Lingxue stepped through the light portal, she did not notice any spatial fluctuations or feelings of discomfort, as if she had merely passed through an ordinary door.


    Beyond the light portal was a simple Stone Hall, its stones a shade of purple-black, engraved with indecipherable patterns, and the sound of souls wailing and roaring seemed to echo in her ears.


    A figure was seated not far away, wearing a grey robe, close to forty years of age, with an ordinary appearance and no distin


    guishing features, and of medium height.


    Under these circumstances, the identity of this person before her was not difficult to guess.


    Song Lingxue bowed respectfully, her demeanor reverent:


    "Greetings to the Hall Master."


    "Your luck is good. Today, you have the chance to be ''Observing the Eons.''"


    Ji Zhouyin examined Song Lingxue with a slight movement in his eyes, his tone indifferent:


    "Not every True Inheritor has this privilege; it is a special permission from the Martial Ancestor."


    In the short time before, Song Lingxue had read many scrolls and gained deeper understanding of the Martial Hall.


    Only one in the Martial Path could be ancestor named "Martial."


    That was the Martial Ancestor, the one who enjoyed all the Heavenly Fate of the Martial Path, a legendary figure on par with the Immortal Ancestor, second only to the Ancestral Dao in the Great Universe, a terrifying giant!

 Chapter 299 The Path of Burning Life, The Future

    Ancestor of Martial Arts.He was the most formidable Martial Cultivator of this era.


    Now, the Martial Path occupied twenty percent of Heavenly Fate, and the blessings that the Martial Ancestor could receive were exceedingly terrifying, his combat prowess may not match the legendary Ancestral Dao, but the difference between them was considerably narrow.


    Ji Zhouyin personally received her, which was an exceptional rarity, and Song Lingxue had never expected that she would alarm an existence of the Martial Ancestor''s caliber.


    This was indeed the pinnacle of the entire Great Universe''s pyramid.


    Recalling Ji Zhouyin''s words, Song Lingxue reined in her thoughts and bowed her head to inquire, "Hall Master, what is ''Observing the Eons''?"


    "No matter the past or the future, the Dao originates from the same source, all Cultivators who practice the Martial Path are walking along the same road. This road may branch out in many directions, but ultimately, they all lead to one end,"


    Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ji Zhouyin extended a hand, and from his palm emerged a hazy path that shone with a silvery light. Its origin and end were not visible, stretching into the unknown corners of the Void. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Observing the Eons allows you to see the paths that others have taken. Naturally, those who can manifest on this path are the leaders of the Martial Path from all eras, past and future. Among them, the Supreme Beings treat the Ancestor-killing Realm as if picking things out of a bag, what you can gain from them depends entirely on yourself."


    Hearing this, Song Lingxue''s eyes sparkled as she couldn''t help but ask, "Is it even possible to know the future?"


    In her understanding, no matter the Taoist Orthodoxy, those who came after would surely become stronger by drawing on the experience of their predecessors, and the future Martial Arts Practitioners would undoubtedly be more powerful than the present.


    "I know what you are thinking, but I am sorry to say that your idea is incorrect,"


    Ji Zhouyin shook his head slightly, dismissing Song Lingxue''s notion, "Compared to the future, I would suggest that you learn from those who have come before."


    "May the Hall Master please enlighten me," Song Lingxue said, somewhat taken aback.


    "Your Cultivation is still shallow, and the world you can see is very limited. Between each era, there are boundaries. The times we now live in are barricaded before and after."


    "Once there were living creatures that monopolized a hundred percent of Heavenly Fate, sealing the entire temporal river at the end of the past, and for the times even further back, not even the Martial Ancestor can send you there."


    Ji Zhouyin did not hide anything, and explained slowly, "From that era till today, the strongest Martial Arts Practitioner is the Ancient Martial Ancestor. Back then, the Martial Path occupied thirty percent of Heavenly Fate, which was more formidable than the current Martial Ancestor. If you could gain his favor, it would result in significant gains."


    Song Lingxue suddenly understood and hesitated for a moment before asking decisively, "Does the Hall Master mean that from now on, it will no longer be possible for the Martial Path to occupy thirty percent of Heavenly Fate?"


    Her question was undoubtedly a bit impertinent, but Ji Zhouyin did not get angry, instead, he sighed lightly, "Although I would like to deny it, the truth is exactly as you said. In the not-so-distant future, Heavenly Fate will still all fall to one person, but that person will not be a Martial Arts Practitioner."


    By the Ancestral Realm, many things about the past and future are already clear, and the current struggle for Heavenly Fate is merely driven by unwillingness, all for the sake of rewriting the future.


    Hearing this, Song Ling carried a trace of probing as she asked, "Is that person an Immortal Path Cultivator?"


    Ji Zhouyin shook his head again, "I do not know."


    A hundred percent of Heavenly Fate is enough to completely rewrite the Heaven and Earth Laws of the Great Universe, no longer operating on the same plane as ordinary living creatures, even Supreme Beings of the Ancestral Realm cannot see an existence of that level.


    The one most likely to achieve this in the Great Universe was the Ancestral Dao who was currently nowhere to be found.


    During the Ancient Era, this Ancestral Dao once connected to the future and summoned unknown help from somewhere, a fact well known by all Ancestral Realm powerhouses.


    It was also because of the emergence of this Ancestral Dao that the long undisturbed Heavenly Fate began to tip.


    An ancestor of a path certainly enjoys the amplification of Heavenly Fate owned by the Taoist Orthodoxy, but there is a certain limit, after all, other Cultivators still need to practice their Cultivation, and should not be entirely obstructed.


    But it is different with the Ancestral Dao, the Heavenly Fate he occupies is solely concentrated on himself, and this has a tremendous impact on the Great Universe.


    In other words, if the Ancestral Dao were to die, the collective strength of the many Taoist Orthodoxies in the entire Great Universe would surge by at least one-third.


    On the other hand, the existence of the Ancestral Dao means there are many fewer strong beings born now compared to the Ancient Era.


    Many Cultivators who stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths struggle to cross over to the Ancestral Realm precisely because their respective Taoist Orthodoxies lack sufficient Heavenly Fate.


    Without the support of Heavenly Fate, even if one has talents that stun the ages, it is difficult to cross that barrier.


    Ji Zhouyin did not speak further on this matter, but with a gesture in the void, traces were left in an instant and then gestured to Song Lingxue:


    "Go."


    Seeing this, Song Lingxue did not ask further. After bowing respectfully, she stepped into the Array formed from the condensation of those traces.


    In an instant, her Divine Soul trembled, as if completely stripped away from her physical body, rising upwards.


    She didn''t know how long had passed when a misty path appeared before her, winding down from amidst a kaleidoscope of starlight.


    Upon the light path, at regular intervals, stood blood-red pillars radiating a terribly fierce aura.


    "The light pillars you see are the Martial Arts Practitioners willing to accept you, all of whom have at least stepped into the Realm of Ancient Myths. Entering inside a pillar allows you to acquire their Martial Arts True Intent and everything they have comprehended in their lifetime."


    "This path connects the past and the future, with upstream being the past and downstream being the future."


    Ji Zhouyin''s voice resonated beside Song Lingxue''s ear. She looked up at the many blood-red pillars standing ahead and, following Ji Zhouyin''s earlier suggestion, began to probe upstream.

 Chapter 299 The Way of Life Burning, The Future_2

    As she approached these pillars of light, myriad fragments of spiritual energy emerged, containing general information about the paths they represented.Their journeys, though under the same banner of the Martial Path, differed slightly; some focused on physical strength, others on Slaughter Battle Skills, placing their efforts on numerous Laws to reverse their Root Bone through the power of these Laws. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It could be said that, on this road, many predecessors of the Martial Path fully displayed their entire Taoist Collection, transforming it into treasures left for posterity.


    This was the most precious gift for fellow Cultivators; among them, perhaps many had trespassed the wrong paths ¡ª these failures, gathered at one place, forged the brilliance of the Taoist Orthodoxy.


    Of course, very few had the opportunity to come here in person.


    Song Lingxue ascended the path, observing in silence, supported by the power of the Martial Ancestor. Every step she took crossed millennia of ancient history.


    She quickly crossed the Age-old Path and arrived before one particularly striking pillar of light.


    Along the way, she had seen paths of many powerful figures, some of which were fitting for her, yet something always seemed amiss.


    No matter the method, it required considerable time to ponder and practice. She needed a faster way to strengthen her combat abilities significantly, even if it meant following what''s called the side door left road.


    This blood-red pillar of light, much larger than those of other Ancestral Realm strong practitioners, was presumably the Ancient Martial Ancestor referenced by Ji Zhouyin.


    Song Lingxue slowly approached and tried to touch the pillar.


    However, just before making contact, a torrent of memory fragments suddenly surged into her mind.


    The information was chaotic, with fragmented images nearly tearing her consciousness apart.


    For a moment, she nearly fainted, tumbling down along the river-like path.


    It was not known how much time had passed before she gradually regained her senses.


    Looking around, she unexpectedly found herself at the very end of the future, blocked by a blurry shadow, obstructing her path and enveloped in divine light, unidentifiable.


    This was not a Martial Arts Practitioner.


    Feeling the aura emanating from the figure, Song Lingxue''s expression shifted, she struggled to her feet, her heart pounding.


    If nothing went wrong, this would be the person Ji Zhouyin spoke of, who had once again gathered the full power of Heavenly Fate.


    The figure''s facial features were indiscernible, but Song Lingxue vividly felt a gaze upon her.


    After a while, before Song Lingxue could react, the figure subtly stepped aside.


    The ancient path, which had seemed to end, now reappeared, stretching into the unknown.


    Seeing this, Song Lingxue froze in place. Just then, a burst of pain shot through her mind, and suddenly, some memory fragments emerged. The scene before her felt eerily familiar.


    Hesitating briefly, she unconsciously took a step forward.


    Passing by the figure, Song Lingxue suddenly felt unwell as the laws of Heaven and Earth underwent some alteration, and the power of the Martial Ancestor protecting her gradually faded.


    At this rate, she would inevitably be forced out of this ancient path, leaving empty-handed.


    For a moment, Song Lingxue stopped in her tracks. The next instant, a gentle aura enveloped her, shielding her from the assault of Heaven and Earth Laws, pushing her towards the unknown.


    This breath felt like the most essential force between heaven and earth, warm and strangely familiar.


    Uncontrollably propelled forward, the surroundings shifted rapidly. When she came to, there stood a towering jade pillar before her, far exceeding the volume of the blood-red pillar she had previously encountered!


    The jade pillar was covered with various Taoist marks, some carrying an indescribable terrifying aura that instinctively made one shudder.


    Who knows what level of beings could possess such formidable Taoist essence to leave such ferocious marks?


    Song Lingxue felt her throat dry, momentarily at a loss for words.


    Based on the distance, this was undoubtedly the far future, and the jade pillar before her belonged to an entity beyond her comprehension.


    "What do you want?"


    Caught in a dilemma, a soft heavenly voice rang by her ear, smooth as jade.


    Song Lingxue''s mind raced, without hesitation, she bowed and spoke:


    "Martial Hall''s Song Lingxue, seeking the elder''s gracious teachings!"


    Though, chronologically speaking, the person before her was likely her descendant, yet in terms of Cultivation, they dwelled in a heavenly domain beyond her reach.


    To appear on this path was enough to prove that the person before him was also a Martial Arts Practitioner, perhaps even stronger than that Ancient Martial Ancestor!


    Given this, Song Lingxue naturally wouldn''t miss such a rare opportunity.


    "Martial Hall..."


    Heavenly sound rose again, still gentle, "As for the Martial Path, I have not climbed to the ultimate peak. The Path I follow might not really suit you, and it greatly depletes lifespan. Consider it carefully."


    Song Lingxue did not hesitate much, looking up directly at the jade pillar, "May I ask about the combat power of the Path that the predecessor cultivated?"


    "Within this Epoch, throughout ancient and modern times, there has been no enemy in the same realm."


    The heavenly sound was flat, but the words spoken carried astonishing confidence.


    "May I ask, how long does it take to cultivate the Path of the predecessor?"


    Song Lingxue asked the question that concerned her the most, for if the cultivation took too long, she couldn''t wait that long.


    "Among those faster than me in cultivation, none are heard of, but limited by personal talent, cultivating my Path might not enable one to ascend to heaven in a single step," the heavenly voice replied succinctly.


    Song Lingxue spoke no further, kneeling and bowing her head:


    "Please bestow the method, predecessor!"


    Her vision was still unable to discern the merits and flaws of the cultivation methods, so she chose the strongest and fastest.


    The heavenly sound did not rise again; instead, a gentle Immortal Light flowed from the towering jade pillar, enveloping Song Lingxue.


    Realizing the Immortal Light by her side, Song Lingxue looked up in surprise, wondering if this enigmatic giant also cultivated the Immortal Martial Arts?!


    Before she could ponder further, a vast amount of information poured into her mind, and the surroundings turned into fleeting lights and shadows, changing rapidly.


    By the time Song Lingxue regained her senses, she was back in the original temple hall.


    Ji Zhouyin was sitting not far away, looking at her with a gaze that held barely suppressed curiosity:


    "Martial Ancestor said you went to an unforeseeable future."


    "Indeed."


    Song Lingxue rubbed her temples, her eyes slightly vacant: "It seems I obtained some memories in the past, but now I have suddenly forgotten them."


    Those memory fragments, familiar yet strange, seemed to have shown her Chu Zheng''s face.


    "This is the power of the Space-time Law."


    Ji Zhouyin wasn''t surprised: "Your cultivation is insufficient, unable to defy the power of space and time, so some key memories have been erased by time."


    At this point, Ji Zhouyin''s eyebrows slightly raised, his expression changing slightly.


    One thing he didn''t tell Song Lingxue was that the memories affected by the Space-time Law were extremely important, meaning if they weren''t forgotten, they could change the course of ancient history.


    Song Lingxue had encountered some profound secrets, so the Space-time Law erased these memories to avoid accidents.


    This portion of the memories, once Song Lingxue encountered the Space-time Domain, might be able to recall some of them.


    Ji Zhouyin didn''t elaborate further on this matter but changed the topic: "Did you gain anything in the future?"


    "Of course."


    Song Lingxue nodded slightly, her consciousness sinking into the Sea of Consciousness.


    Above the Sea of Consciousness, hung a Crystal Jade Book, its cover bearing merely two big characters.


    "Martial Arts Scripture"


    This was a collection of the essence of ancient and modern Martial Arts, but it also had its flaws, with too severe a depletion of lifespan.


    In the Great Universe, followers of many Taoist Orthodoxy who were highly cultivated, pure-minded, and forsaking many temptations, exchanged many years of hard practice for eternal existence. Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    This path ran counter to that, exchanging a long lifespan for a moment of brilliance.


    Squeezing one''s vitality to pursue extreme progression speed and formidable combat power is indeed the true path of Lifespan Burning.


    However, for Song Lingxue, she did not mind the so-called depletion; fast enough, strong enough, was sufficient for her to try.

 Chapter 300 True Immortal Barrier, Da Li Yujing

    "What did you see in the future?"At this moment, Ji Zhouyin could not contain his curiosity about the scene Song Lingxue had witnessed. The unpredictable future was a realm untouched by even the mightiest of the time; even a Martial Ancestor could not reach it.


    "I didn''t see the whole picture, I just encountered a senior."


    Song Lingxue paused for a moment before continuing, "That senior... seemed to practice both Immortal and Martial Arts."


    Immortal and Martial Arts practiced together?


    Ji Zhouyin''s eyes blazed with excitement, "May I have a look at the technique you have obtained?"


    The alliance between the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall was based on the feasibility of combining Immortal and Martial Arts. Currently, the Immortal Ancestors and Martial Ancestors were diligently researching this path. If such a powerful being existed in the future, it would undoubtedly prove that this way was viable.


    By joining forces with the Immortal Path, as long as they could snatch another ten percent of Heavenly Fate, their share would exceed fifty percent. They could directly initiate a Dao War and force the Ancestral Dao to show themselves.


    If the technique that Song Lingxue brought back could facilitate the fusion of the two paths, it would lead to significant changes.


    Ji Zhouyin''s courteous demeanor surprised Song Lingxue, but naturally, she wouldn''t refuse. She stirred her Sea of Consciousness slightly, manifested the Martial Arts Scripture in the palm of her hand, and handed it to Ji Zhouyin.


    After leafing through it, Ji Zhouyin remained silent for a long time.


    Finally, he spoke, his tone somewhat heavy, "Although this technique originates from the future, it follows the same fundamental principles. It incorporates the strengths of various schools and is indeed worthy of the name Martial Arts Scripture."


    At this point, Ji Zhouyin shifted his tone, "However, this technique is too extreme. It consumes too much of one''s lifespan, and lacks a path to the Ancestral Realm. It is uncertain whether those who practice it will live to see that stage."


    Disappointment flickered in his eyes. While the scripture had many merits, it was after all still centered around the Martial Path and didn''t mention any aspect of the Immortal Path.


    What puzzled him more was that the scripture did not mention anything about Heavenly Fate. The practice of Martial Arts in the future seemed to have no relationship with Heavenly Fate.


    "The junior is aware of the advantages and disadvantages."


    Song Lingxue was only too aware of the drawbacks of the Martial Arts Scripture; the unnamed senior had already warned her before imparting the technique. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, without taking shortcuts, she did not know how long it would take before she could protect herself.


    "The path is under your own feet, how to tread it is not for others to interfere with; you must take care of yourself."


    Ji Zhouyin raised his hand to open a portal, said nothing more, slowly closed his eyes, and his presence gradually became still; in an instant, he turned into a blood-colored jade statue.


    Now that there were battles across all heavens and realms, what he left in the Martial Hall was merely an incarnation.


    Seeing this, Song Lingxue took a deep breath, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave.


    Cultivating the Martial Arts Scripture required not only a vast amount of resources but also finding opportunities for breakthroughs in the most extreme battles.


    Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    She would not stay in the Martial Hall for long. As soon as her injuries were fully healed and her cultivation stabilized, she would head to the Battlefield of All Heavens to seek her Breakthrough Realm.


    ...


    ...


    Myriad Realms.


    In the Qingyun Realm, within the Da Li Dynasty, at the Yujing Divine Palace.


    This place was where the dragon veins of the Da Li Dynasty lay hidden. Just the inner city spanned hundreds of miles, while the outer city stretched for thousands of miles, with a population exceeding one hundred million.


    On the long street, a middle-aged man in a green shirt sat in a bustling marketplace, leisurely sipping a bowl of wonton soup, his gaze fixated on a floating, ethereal panel above him.


    ```


    [Name: Chu Zheng]


    [Cultivation: Qi Refining: Mid-Stage Returning to Void, Immortal Path: Perfection of Immortal Tribulation Realm]


    [Root Bone: Yin Yang Immortal Bone (Superior Quality), Five Elements Spiritual Body]


    [Cultivation Technique: Eternal Calamity Treasure Record (Tenth Order)¡­]


    [Divine Skills: Return to the Origin (Tenth Order), Luck Stealing Skill (Tenth Order), Qi Gathering and Heaven Repairing (Ninth Order), Law of Heaven and Earth (Ninth Order), Shrinking Earth into Inches (Ninth Order), Heaven Returning Technique (Ninth Order), Samadhi True Fire (Ninth Order), Swallowing Stars (Ninth Order), Move Stars Change Constellations (Ninth Order)¡­]


    [Talent: Spiritual Eye (Eighth Order), Soul Capturing (Seventh Order), Sky Roaming (Seventh Order), Soul Snatching (Seventh Order)]


    [Repair Master: Eighth Order (598/30000)]


    [Remaining Repair Attempts for the Day: 1]


    The Spiritual Eye, with the level of the Repair Master raised to the eighth order, provided even more detailed information. The rest of the innate divine abilities were still at the seventh order due to the limitations of his cultivation.


    Not long after Chu Zheng had refined the entire Small World, he received a message from Song Lingxue. Without wasting any time and without even stabilizing his cultivation, he changed his appearance and hurried to the Great Da Li Yujing.


    His main purpose here was to inquire about Bai Nian''s plans.


    He had already felt the existence of the True Immortal Barrier and was preparing to leave the Qingyun Realm to undergo tribulations outside the realm.


    Undergoing tribulation was no trivial matter, and the disturbance it would cause could not be small. Chu Zheng could not attempt this in the territory of the Myriad Realms. The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was the only choice.


    Originally, Chu Zheng had planned to relay the information he knew to Geng Yiyang, but now it seemed best not to contact Geng Yiyang for the time being.


    Geng Yiyang, being in the Immortal Alliance, would likely receive news faster than Chu Zheng and should have already received word of the incident in Taixuan.


    Taixuan Holy Land had now lost all its depth, leaving only the last batch of disciples alive. Although it hadn''t reached the point of complete foundation eradication, it wasn''t far off. Without the protection of the Immortal Treasure, their days would not be easy.


    Chu Zheng dismissed the panel and furrowed his brows. The Immortal Alliance had issued a direct capture order against him, meaning endless troubles were ahead. On the other hand, due to his identity as an Immortal Path Cultivator, it was also difficult for him to linger in the Myriad Realms.


    For a moment, he found himself in a difficult situation not far from that of Shang Cangyun''s previous predicament, caught in a dilemma of progress and retreat.


    Now, with the merging of the Immortal Path and Qi Refining, he found it utterly impossible to sever the foundation of the Immortal Path. He could only take it one step at a time.


    To enter the True Immortal state, he must first pass the Five Elements Great Tribulation. Following the generating sequence of wood, fire, earth, metal, water according to the Five Elements, the first he should face would be the wood tribulation.


    Essentially, these types of tribulations are a gift from heaven and earth rather than a calamity, inevitable and not to be avoided.


    Wood, fire, earth, metal, water correspond to the human body''s liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys. The liver, the storage site for blood, after passing through the wood tribulation, will first receive Immortal Blood.


    The liver governs the eyes, and at that time, they will undergo a transformation, enabling the clear vision of the tracks of laws in the universe, leading to an explosive increase in combat power.


    By then, when Chu Zheng displayed the technique of transforming to undergo tribulation again, its efficiency would be much higher.


    Putting down the bowl in his hand, Chu Zheng stood up and walked towards the inner city.


    In the time it took to finish a bowl of wontons, his Divine Sense had gathered enough information to locate Bai Nian''s current whereabouts.


    Bai Nian was currently in Yujing, very famous, and thus easy to find.


    While listening to the Holy Teachings and gaining enlightenment, his Vast Righteous Qi soared, shocking the manifestation of the Ancient Sages.


    The Emperor of Da Li personally issued a decree to bring him into the Imperial Palace. Afterwards, he was directly appointed a fifth-rank official and entered the Tongjing Institute to partake in the study and repair of the Sage''s scriptures, evoking the envy of countless scholars.


    Regarding Bai Nian''s choice, Chu Zheng did not intend to interfere too much; he was here merely to ask a question.


    Looking at the current situation, staying in the Qingyun Realm might be better for Bai Nian.


    ```

 Chapter 301 Plan, Witness Ancient History

    Although the Da Li Dynasty solely revered the Confucian Path, some branches of other Taoist Orthodoxies still persisted.Chu Zheng found the Historians among them particularly intriguing.


    These individuals, within the entire Ten Thousand Realms coalition, were few, and even fewer had stepped into the Nine Realms.


    As recorders of ancient history, although the Historians had ordinary Cultivation and combat capabilities, they possessed a unique secret technique named "Time Mirror."


    Those who practiced Cultivation had lived through such long years that ancient history would inevitably change. Many histories, passed down by word of mouth, held conflicting views, naturally causing many distortions to the truth.


    The Historians would, by special means, depict what they had seen and heard into albums, and the trained Cultivators of the Time Mirror among the Historians could immerse themselves in these albums and see the scenes once witnessed by their predecessors.


    Only the facts acknowledged by the Historians were considered genuine ancient history. This was recognized by all living creatures in the Great Universe, and even the Immortal Alliance and Martial Hall would not question it.


    The primary duty of the Tongjing Institute, where Bai Nian was located, was to restore fragments from ancient texts, naturally including many Historians.


    Chu Zheng had always wanted to learn more about the Historians. The ancient history of the past Great Universe hid too many secrets, and perhaps within the Historians lay hidden albums left behind.


    Even if not in the Qingyun Realm, in some corner of the Ten Thousand Realms, there should be some hidden legacies from predecessors.


    Sometimes, the information he found on his own was not necessarily accurate, but the artifacts left by the Historians would at least contain no discrepancies in authenticity.


    Chu Zheng, now at Perfect Immortal Tribulation with profound Cultivation, once again demonstrated his Shape-Shifting Divine Power, achieving flawless concealment. Even True Immortals couldn''t detect anything amiss and even an Immortal Venerable, if not scrutinizing closely, would be deceived.


    As far as Chu Zheng knew, within the Qingyun Realm, there was no existence comparable to an Immortal Venerable, so he could move unimpeded.


    Moments later, Chu Zheng passed through the inner city and arrived in front of Tongjing Institute.


    The Tongjing Institute did not occupy a vast area, extending merely over a thousand yards, shimmering with a layer of lustrous micro-light. At the gate hung a plaque with dark purple gold edges and embossed with silver letters "Tongjing Institute."


    The font used was unfamiliar to Chu Zheng, but similar to his earlier times at Huanhua Academy, this plaque was imbued with Vast Righteous Qi, allowing Cultivators of other Taoist Orthodoxies to understand its meaning even without recognizing the script.


    At Huanhua Academy, the plaque inscribed by a Confucian Daoist Monk whose Cultivation was lesser than Chu Zheng had changed according to Chu Zheng''s own comprehension.


    Nowadays, the "Tongjing Institute" inscribed by a Confucian sage far surpassed Chu Zheng by an indeterminate degree.


    With Chu Zheng''s current Cultivation, it was naturally impossible for him to influence this plaque in any way.


    Vaguely, Chu Zheng''s mind even conjured an illusion¡ªa figure in a Confucian Robe, brush in hand drawing dragons and snakes, as he inscribed the plaque.


    Regaining his composure, Chu Zheng was slightly startled and retracted the Spiritual Light in his eyes. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    According to information from the Spiritual Eye, this plaque had existed for nearly a million years, its Vast Righteous Qi still solid and its charm divinely natural. The Confucian sage who wrote it was at least a Sub-Saint, comparable to an Immortal Venerable and Immortal King.


    Such a high-level being was rare even across the Great Universe.


    A group of armored attendants stood at the gate, led by a man who, upon first sight, appeared nearly fifty, with a Cultivation that had reached Fourth Order and not a Confucian Daoist Monk but one on the Path of Body Refinement, faintly exuding an aura of military array and combat, evidently a fierce warrior from the army.


    Their armor, all engraved with dragon motifs, clearly belonged to the elite of the Da Li Dynasty.


    However, aside from the leader, the auras of the others were much more scattered, and their Cultivation significantly weaker.


    Chu Zheng already knew the reason for this. Previously, when the Ten Thousand Realms conscripted combat forces, nearly six million elites from the Da Li Military Department had been drawn from various places and led by the contemporary God of War along with many military Cultivators, all having gone to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Most of those skilled in combat from the Da Li Army had likely been already deployed, drawing in many fresh recruits.


    Soon, the group spotted Chu Zheng at the gate, and the leading middle-aged man stepped forward and asked in a deep voice,


    "Who goes there?"


    Chu Zheng gathered his thoughts, clasped his hands in a salute, and said directly,


    "Illusory Spirit City old friend, here to visit Bai Nian, Mr. Bai, please trouble your honor to announce my arrival."


    After closely examining Chu Zheng for a moment, the middle-aged man''s expression softened significantly and he waved a hand, signaling a soldier beside them to enter and inform others, he said in a deep voice,


    "Please wait a moment."


    Bai Nian currently held an extraordinary position, valued by the Holy Emperor, and still young in age. In the future within the Da Li Dynasty, he was bound to be a person of significant importance.


    As an old acquaintance of Bai Nian, he was certainly not someone to offend either.


    A few moments later, a figure hurried across the threshold and came out to greet him.


    It had been nearly ten years since they last met, and Bai Nian had undergone substantial changes. His eyes were aglow with divine light, dressed in a light blue official robe, standing tall and straight like bamboo or a pine, his aura even more stable.


    Seeing Chu Zheng in his current state, Bai Nian''s eyes flickered slightly. Without saying much, he suppressed the turbulent emotions in his heart and smoothly welcomed Chu Zheng inside.


    Just the words "Illusory Spirit City" were enough to confirm his identity without needing to say anything further.


    Bai Nian led Chu Zheng through halls and courtyards, quickly arriving at a secluded side yard.


    After activating an array to seal off the courtyard, Bai Nian could not hold back his emotions and bowed deeply,


    "Bai Nian pays respects to the Holy Master."


    "No need for such formalities."


    Chu Zheng did not reveal his true form and nodded, asking, "How have you been recently?"


    "Compiling teachings and listening to the teachings of sages. It''s been quite fulfilling."


    Bai Nian''s face was full of smiles, nodding uncontrollably, "The ten-year period is almost due, I was actually preparing to go to Huanhua Academy to find you, but I didn''t expect the Holy Master to arrive in Yujing first."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes held a trace of complexity. For Bai Nian, it had been just under ten years, but for him, it had already been nearly a thousand years.


    Meeting again now inevitably felt like a lifetime ago; had Bai Nian not mentioned it, he might have almost forgotten the casually made ten-year appointment.


    Remembering what Bai Nian had once said, Chu Zheng gathered his thoughts, his voice slow, "I will leave this realm soon, heading to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. What are your plans? Have you thought about which path you want to take in the future?"


    As he saw it, staying in the Qingyun Realm, staying within the Ten Thousand Realms, might not be a bad choice for Bai Nian.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Nian''s gaze was resolute, without any hesitation, "I wish to continue following by the Holy Master''s side."


    "Think it through, to tell you the truth, the Immortal Alliance is currently capturing me. Within the Ten Thousand Realms, it is also difficult for me to find a foothold. Going to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, one small mistake, and you will be surrounded by enemies on all sides."


    Chu Zheng''s gaze was as sharp as a knife, clearly stating his current predicament and giving a direct warning,


    "Staying by my side, you could risk your life at any moment."


    Once he goes to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, and crosses the threshold to become a True Immortal, who knows what upheaval might occur. The trouble then would not be as manageable as it is now.


    It was a completely free battlefield where figures greater than an Immortal King operated, and even presences equaling the Immortal Emperor from the Realm of Ancient Myths existed.


    Chu Zheng could not even guarantee his own life, let alone Bai Nian''s.


    "Holy Master, I want to follow by your side and personally verify a piece of ancient history, no matter the outcome."


    Bai Nian''s eyes sparkled with a fiery intensity, his words punctuated firmly, Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I want to enter the Historian lineage and personally record a piece of ancient history, to spread the stories I witness to future generations."

 Chapter 302 Visiting, Resignation Letter

    "Recording ancient history can be done anywhere, you don''t have to stay by my side."Chu Zheng became momentarily dazed as he looked at Bai Nian''s eyes, blazing like fierce fire.


    Unknowingly, the once somewhat reserved and restrained young boy had grown to this extent.


    Leaving his name to posterity had once been his aspiration.


    But as his horizons broadened, he had realized that it was almost an impossible feat.


    Standing upon the vastness of the Great Universe, how difficult it was to leave a mark for future generations.


    The ancient sages, all buried by time, those who have passed on that are still renowned within the Great Universe might number barely two or three, even the Ancestral Dao who stepped into the realm of Daluo Golden Immortal was hardly known by name anymore.


    "If I do not follow by the Holy Master''s side, what I record can no longer be called ''ancient history,'' but merely legends, possibly unable to be preserved for posterity."


    Bai Nian shook his head slightly, his gaze firm, unwavering:


    "In the current Great Universe, the situation is ambiguous and unclear, if the Dao War is lost, all of the Myriad Realms will be affected, let alone the Qingyun Realm, the future circumstances remain unknown, staying here is no different from waiting for death, so given the likelihood of death, I''d rather choose my own method."


    Bai Nian had always had a clear understanding of his own abilities, although his Vast Righteous Qi had soared to the heavens and startled the Ancient Sages to manifest when he reached enlightenment, it didn''t mean that his future would definitely achieve great accomplishments, on par with the Ancient Sages.


    Even if he ultimately reached such high levels of cultivation, comparable to the Ancient Sages, the heavens and earth he could see might not constitute one or two-tenths of the Great Universe.


    But Chu Zheng was different.


    The more he knew, the clearer Bai Nian saw the terrifying aspects of Chu Zheng.


    When they first met, Chu Zheng was still a mortal peddling goods in Illusory Spirit City, his cultivation not yet reaching the Spiritual Spring, merely equivalent to a small Cultivator in the Nourishing Power Realm, even bargaining over one or two Spirit Stones.


    Now, Chu Zheng was a powerful figure of the Immortal Tribulation Realm, just one step away from becoming a True Immortal, even attracting the attention of top-tier powers like the Immortal Alliance that made all Myriad Realms retreat.


    This gap is one that the so-called geniuses of the day, even spending thousands or tens of thousands of years, would find difficult to cross.


    Yet Chu Zheng had done it in just twenty-four years.


    Chu Zheng''s speed of progression was witnessed by Bai Nian, who, through years at the Tongjing Institute, had read extensively across both Qingyun Realm and ancient books from the Myriad Realms, yet found no other who could match Chu Zheng in terms of speed of cultivation.


    Even the ethereal legends didn''t dare to pen such tales, but Chu Zheng indeed achieved it.


    Bai Nian didn''t care much about the dangers Chu Zheng talked about; he was alone, unattached, with every place under heaven his home, wherever he went, wherever he may die, made no difference.


    The future landscapes Chu Zheng would see were bound to be far broader than any he could see himself, and that alone was enough.


    "The path is yours to choose, I won''t persuade you further, only remind you once, once you join me on this journey, there''s no turning back."


    "I am aware."


    Regarding Chu Zheng''s warning, Bai Nian nodded nonchalantly: "What life is there in reverse? Since birth, there has been no path backward."


    "Then, do you still have unfinished business in Da Li? If not, we leave now."


    Seeing Bai Nian''s resolve, Chu Zheng said no more, the road ahead was uncertain, having an acquaintance by his side was better than traveling alone.


    He could notstay long, as the Immortal Alliance had secretly dispatched Cultivators across the Myriad Realms searching for his trace, whose power was unknown, thus it was better to depart sooner rather than later.


    The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, crowded and chaotic, although strong players soared in the sky, there were far more Cultivators of varied strengths; stirring up the muddy waters would be more conducive.


    Bai Nian hesitated for a moment, slightly hesitant, "I don''t know many people in Da Li, just two or three, and it will take half a day to say goodbye."


    "Half a day is nothing to worry about, I''ll wait for you here."


    Having said that, Chu Zheng sat down on a stone stool in the courtyard, closed his eyes to refresh his spirit, and began to organize his thoughts.


    There were many things he needed to do now. Aside from the True Immortal Barrier that was imminent, what was more important was to stabilize his own foundation.


    The boost from the Incense Fire Willpower was indeed immediate, but the too rapid increase in cultivation could inevitably lead to an unstable foundation.


    It was imperative to stop absorbing the Incense Fire Willpower as soon as possible.


    Fortunately, having undergone several lifetimes of tribulations and thousands of years of purification, coupled with the impact of numerous believers'' willpower, his mental state had undergone drastic changes.


    His mental cultivation was substantial enough that, for now, he had not encountered a situation where his cultivation was difficult to control.


    Next was to replenish the foundation of his Small World. Although he had refined a Small World as his foundation, it was still somewhat weak compared to his current cultivation level, lacking complete Heaven and Earth Laws.


    This could be supplemented by Primordial Qi.


    If the Small World were strong enough, the drawbacks of an unstable foundation would also be resolved easily.


    In the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, countless living creatures had perished, and there would not be a lack of Supreme Treasure fragments and remnants of corpses, making it easy to collect Primordial Qi when the time came.


    Bai Nian considered for a few moments, then took out paper and ink, his brush moving fluidly, and wrote three letters to inform a few old friends. Then he picked up his pen again and wrote a letter of resignation.


    He did not plan to say farewell to the Da Li Saint Emperor in person. He knew his own significance; young and without any achievements, yet he had been appointed a fifth-rank official, which clearly showed the emperor''s grace.


    If he were to say goodbye in person, the Saint Emperor and some of the great scholars in the court would not let him go easily, which could lead to unnecessary trouble. It was better to leave quietly.


    Moments later, two of the letters were replied to, and upon scanning them, Bai Nian''s expression warmed slightly.


    Sometimes saying goodbye did not necessarily require a face-to-face meeting; a letter was enough.


    In an instant, another hour passed, and the last letter had not received any response.


    While Bai Nian hesitated, not planning to wait any longer, a low voice came from outside the courtyard:


    "Mr. Bai, Master Fatan has come to visit."


    Hearing this, Bai Nian''s expression shifted slightly, and he immediately activated the Array and quickly went out to greet him.


    Soon after, Bai Nian returned, followed by a tall figure with a broad K¨¡?¨¡ya draped over his shoulders, nine feet tall, with robust muscles and bones.


    One could tell at a glance that he was a Buddhist Practitioner.


    Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    "This benefactor..."


    Master Fatan''s eyes fell on Chu Zheng, and suddenly a trace of astonishment appeared, pausing briefly with a bit of probing:


    "Benefactor, there is a golden light hidden on your body. You must have come into contact with numerous Buddhist articles before, and it seems you have a connection with Buddhism."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng was slightly amazed.


    Indeed, during his travels, he had collected some Buddhist Cultivation Skills from within the Northern Domain Buddha Country for verification. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides the Cultivation Skills, he had also incidentally collected some incomplete Buddhist Ancient Treasures.


    Unexpectedly, these items had left traces on him, and even his Shape-Shifting Divine Power had not managed to conceal them.

 Chapter 303 Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield

    "I previously traveled in the Northern Domain Buddha Country for some time, it must have been then that I contracted this aura. As for having a connection with the Buddhist School, you flatter me too much," said Chu Zheng.He shook his head slightly, showing no intention of further engagement with Fa Tan, and turned his gaze to Bai Nian:


    "How goes it? Is everything taken care of?"


    Bai Nian nodded immediately, looked toward Fa Tan, and bowed deeply:


    "Thank you, Master, for coming here specifically to see me off. If fate allows, I will invite you for tea another day to renew our acquaintance."


    Fa Tan perceived Chu Zheng''s reluctance to engage in lengthy discussions and did not persist. He chanted a Buddhist mantra, took out a Spirit Talisman from his sleeve, and handed it to Bai Nian with a solemn expression:


    "Mr. Bai, we have known each other for nearly a decade. As a humble monk, I have nothing valuable to give. Please accept this Protective Amulet and may it help you avert disasters and ensure your safety throughout your journey."


    Bai Nian received the amulet emanating Buddha''s light with both hands and nodded in acceptance, "Thank you, Master. May we meet again in this lifetime."


    Without another word, Fa Tan clasped his hands together at Chu Zheng, bowed, and then turned and strode away.


    Watching the monk''s departing figure, Chu Zheng pondered deeply.


    Fa Tan''s cultivation was not considered strong¡ªjust entering the Sixth Order, equivalent to Immortal Path Tongxuan, vastly inferior to Chu Zheng''s current level.


    Yet, he could sense Chu Zheng''s past encounters with various Buddhist Wonderous Treasures despite the concealment of Shape-Shifting Divine Power. Even this, alone, was proof of the prowess of Buddhist practitioners.


    The profound background subtly demonstrated was precisely the capital that allowed the Buddhist School to stand on equal footing with the Taoist School.


    The existence of the Ancestral Dao was sufficient to show the potential limit of the Taoist School, and as for the ancestral ground of the Buddhist School, the Pure Land, the legendary Buddha was said to possess unparalleled mighty power, which sparked some curiosity in Chu Zheng.


    In the Myriad Realms, it was rumored that the Buddha possessed a Three Lifetimes Body, spanning the past, present, and future, eternal and unending, a state beyond ordinary beings of the Ancestral Realm. Even if not comparable to the Ancestral Dao, it surely wasn''t far behind.


    ......


    ......


    The starry sky was vast and boundless, with various starlights mixing with distinctly different Laws, weaving terrifying miasmas of destructive energy.


    Some of these energies, varying in strength, were even capable of slaying True Immortals.


    A streak of light flashed across the Star Field, entering a region enveloped by an Array.


    This place was at the frontier of the Myriad Realms, just a step away from the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was an exceedingly unique place, not a Star Domain, but rather formed of numerous remnants of Great Realms from the Ancient Era, compressed and pieced together, isolated by Arrays set by ancestral powers from both Myriad Realms and Immortal Domain.


    This method of isolation was somewhat akin to suppressing the entrance to the Vast Universe, remarkably stable.


    Within, the Laws of Heaven and Earth were incredibly mixed, with Heavenly Fate in chaos, devoid of any semblance of order or regulation.


    In such a unique environment, every being was a stranger to the heavens and earth, facing certain suppression.


    Yet, in a way, this also made it a land of absolute fairness.


    The Qingyun Realm was relatively remote, and considering Chu Zheng''s limited experience traveling the cosmos, it took nearly a year, passing through various Teleportation Arrays before he finally reached the frontier of the Myriad Realms.


    During this journey, because Bai Nian''s cultivation was still frail, Chu Zheng had kept him within the Small World.


    In the myriad realms, the distribution locations of the many great realms were uneven. To facilitate the deployment of cultivators from different realms and to gather combat forces more quickly, many star domains had set up one-way teleportation arrays for easy access to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    However, entering the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was not too tightly restricted; there were many "small paths" that could be taken. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, with his Immortal Path cultivation too high, even with shape-shifting divine power, it was difficult to fool living creatures of the ninth or even tenth order. If he entered the battlefield through the normal routes, it would be easy for the powerhouses of the myriad realms to spot anomalies.


    In the myriad realms, although there were some Immortal Path cultivators, Chu Zheng was worried that it might lead to inquiries, so he chose to take a detour to avoid trouble.


    After spending several months, Chu Zheng finally found the entrance to a space passage.


    There was already a crowd gathering from different great realms. Chu Zheng observed for a few days and, posing as a Returning to Void Stage Qi Cultivator, blended in.


    Qi Cultivators usually kept to themselves; Chu Zheng''s presence did not attract much attention, and many cultivators even intentionally avoided contact with him, maintaining a distance.


    Chu Zheng was not surprised by this, as Qi Cultivators surrounded by tribulation Qi were always beset by trouble. Getting too close could easily bring unwanted disasters, and in the myriad realms, few were willing to interact with Qi Cultivators.


    From the day he became aware of the tribulation Qi, Chu Zheng understood that the path he was destined to walk in this life was one of solitude; he did not deliberately make friends, partly for this reason.


    Eventually, Chu Zheng blended into a group of about ten thousand people and, together with this army of cultivators, stepped into the space passage.


    After traveling through the space passage for about two hours, Chu Zheng set foot on solid ground again, where the laws of heaven and earth began to change. The originally orderly Qi began to become chaotic, and a sweet fragrance drifted in the air.


    The Yuan Qi between heaven and earth was incredibly dense; the invisible spatial barriers were far sturdier than any Chu Zheng had seen in any other great realm, including the vast universe.


    Under such conditions, living creatures would undoubtedly be greatly suppressed; both their combat power and speed of escape were greatly affected.


    Chu Zheng pulled out a panel and glanced at it¡ªthe panel''s repair count had risen to fifteen.


    After entering the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, no one came forward to direct or arrange them; it was up to these cultivators from various realms to fight their own battles.


    This was a one-way transmission array, incapable of retreat. Their current mission was to move toward the main camp of the myriad realms and kill all the Immortal Path cultivators they encountered along the way.


    Once they survived and reached the main camp, there would naturally be someone to make further arrangements.


    Many cultivators silently began to scatter. Too many moving together would attract too much attention and likely draw the Immortal Alliance''s notice, sending strong fighters to strike directly.


    Although among them were individuals who had reached the Eighth Order, there were no strong beings who had stepped into the Nine Realms. If the Immortal Alliance sent a single Immortal Venerable here, they could easily capture them all.


    Soon, many cultivators vanished into the void and disappeared without a trace, leaving only Chu Zheng alone at the original spot.


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath, attempting to run the Heavenly Fate Technique to sense Geng Yiyang''s whereabouts.


    Now that he was on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, under the same patch of sky, he expected some results.


    However, after trying for a long time, he still achieved nothing.


    The Heavenly Fate here was too chaotic to deduce or track anything¡ªa protective measure for cultivators with weaker cultivation.


    Chu Zheng thought for a moment and randomly chose a direction, dashing across the landscape for several days before entering a rarely tread wilderness.


    After regulating his breath for a short while, Chu Zheng did not hesitate. He activated the Grand Circulation, transforming the surrounding immortal power into a mouthful of Immortal Liquid. After nine cycles of the Grand Circulation, he swallowed it down to his viscera, directly targeting his liver. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    The Wood Element Immortal Root within his Dantian trembled slightly, beginning to grow wildly and directly triggering the Five Elements Great Tribulation, trying to touch the True Immortal Barrier.


    At the same instant, Chu Zheng''s Small World underwent numerous changes. Wood Attribute Yuan Qi surged dramatically, with verdant trees and immortal flowers and strange grasses shooting up from the ground.


    The originally lifeless Small World, in an instant, became an ancient forest, nurturing an extremely vigorous vitality.

 Chapter 304 Immortal List

    The manifestation of the Five Elements Great Tribulation differed from the Heavenly Tribulation that ordinary cultivators in the Immortal Tribulation Realm faced.Top-grade immortal bones cultivators didn''t even qualify to endure the Five Elements Great Tribulation, only those above Superior Immortal Bones, the prodigies, had a certain chance to trigger it.


    Ordinary cultivators, after reaching Perfection in their Immortal Tribulation, could consume Immortal Elixirs, replenish their Wood Element Essence Qi, and attempt to touch the True Immortal Barrier, expending vast amounts of time and energy before they could refine their bodies and fulfill their transformation into True Immortals.


    However, those prodigies above the Superior Immortal Bones could directly trigger the Five Elements Great Tribulation to hasten this process.


    It was more accurate to perceive the Five Elements Great Tribulation not as a calamity but as a reward from the Heavenly Dao to cultivators who surpassed the nine layers of Immortal Tribulation, the more outstanding the talent, the more lavish the reward.


    Chu Zheng''s talent in the Immortal Path was already terrifyingly advanced.


    The moment he triggered the great tribulation, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi around Chu Zheng instantly transformed, as an enormous amount of Wood Element Primordial Qi began to accumulate, crazily surging from the Immortal Bones at the back of his head straight to his liver.


    Moments later, a faint warm green light appeared on the surface of Chu Zheng''s liver, with vast amounts of Essence Blood flowing into it and then out again, transformed into Immortal Blood.


    Within this Immortal Blood, imbedded with Laws, lay the medium through which True Immortals could comprehend and harness the Universal Laws for their own use.


    The True Immortal Realm was an extremely prolonged stage, necessitating continuous self-refinement until reaching a flawless state.


    This was an ultimate transformation that every living creature stepping into the Eighth Order would undergo.


    Not every cultivator could withstand the gifts from Heaven and Earth, an explosive increase in Wood Element Primordial Qi indicated an imbalance of the Five Elements within the body, and if one''s foundation was insufficient or unstable, it was easy to sustain injuries.


    This, too, was why the Five Elements Great Tribulation was referred to as a tribulation; indeed, there were cultivators who died under these heavenly gifts.


    Ordinary cultivators, without an Immortal Root formed inside them, found it difficult to withstand such immense Wood Element Primordial Qi and could not bear too much at once; they needed to employ numerous methods to maintain the balance of the Five Elements inside their bodies.


    Even usual cultivators with Superior Immortal Bones must be exceedingly cautious at this step, but Chu Zheng did not need to, as his Yin Yang Immortal Bone had evolved from the Five Elements Immortal Bones, and his Dao Foundation had already transformed into an Immortal Root.


    This foundation laid in his earlier years now granted him unthinkably rich rewards.


    In less than half a day, Chu Zheng''s Immortal Blood had completed its transformation, and his cultivation had subsequently ascended into the True Immortal Realm, becoming a First Tribulation True Immortal.


    Nourished by the Immortal Blood, the immortal power he could command within his body soared by more than tens of times, experiencing a revolutionary qualitative change in combat power!


    The instant he crossed the True Immortal Barrier, Chu Zheng distinctly felt an abnormality; his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation suddenly surged, propelled by the heavenly gifts, and began a tremendously rapid increase.


    Seizing heavenly life for oneself is the essence of Qi Refining.


    In just a short moment, he had stepped into the Late Stage of Returning to Void and continued unabated, pushing towards the Unity Realm Stage.


    The Unity Realm Stage, being the final hurdle before the Heavenly Immortal Realm, was equivalent to the Immortal Tribulation Realm cultivators among the Qi Cultivators, already a rare powerhouse.


    Without the method of transforming and enduring tribulations, Qi Cultivators who cultivated to this extent were one in ten thousand.


    The heavenly gifts were far from over; Chu Zheng''s Wood Element Immortal Root continued to grow and strengthen, brimming with green radiance, vaguely beginning to take shape into a lush green jade tree.


    As vast amounts of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi poured in, his Qi Refining''s Cultivation began a rapid and unceasing climb, and in less than an hour, Chu Zheng had surpassed the Late Stage of Returning to Void and stepped into the Unity Realm.


    His Primordial Spirit, divided into Yin and Yang aspects, with one half bursting forth with Pure Yang Light, transformed towards the Pure Yang Primordial Spirit, significantly enhancing his divine capabilities.


    Stepping into the Unity Realm, enduring a hundred tribulations, he could then be called a Heavenly Immortal; this realm was filled with peril and unforeseeable changes, both natural and man-made.


    However, Chu Zheng had already mitigated many tribulation energies before, and with sufficiently high Immortal Path Cultivation, there wouldn''t be major issues for a short period.


    This Five Elements Wood Tribulation lasted for a full three days, and Chu Zheng fully absorbed all the incoming Primordial Qi without any wastage, breaking through two minor boundaries in his Immortal Path Cultivation and stepping into the Late Stage of First Tribulation True Immortal.


    ```


    If it were not for Qi Refining that had drawn off much of the Primordial Qi, he would have even directly reached One Tribulation Perfection and started preparing for the second tribulation.


    The growth in the Cultivation of Qi Refining was similarly significant, stepping into the middle stage of Dao Integration Realm and surging up an entire great realm.


    This rate of growth exceeded Chu Zheng''s expectations, and he also sensed for the first time in a long while the manifestation of Tribulation Qi at his side, leaving traces.


    Ordinary Qi Cultivators, advancing from the early to the middle stage of Dao Integration, must endure thirty-three minor tribulations. Chu Zheng, leveraging the foundation laid during his time in the Immortal Tribulation Realm, bypassed these thirty-three tribulations in one go.


    The mental effort saved and the dangers avoided were beyond imagination.


    As the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth around him calmed, Chu Zheng suddenly felt an invisible flow of Heavenly Fate, seemingly undergoing some subtle changes.


    ¡­ Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    ¡­


    Immortal Domain.


    Great Immortal Realm.


    This realm, a legacy of the Ancestor of Ancient Immortals to the Immortal Path, gathered the essences of many Great Thousand Worlds and condensed into a continent that spanned the starry seas, with countless Grotto Heaven and Blessed Lands and producing prodigies in abundance.


    Above the heavens, the Immortal Flames formed chains, linking ninety-nine great suns, with millions of Stars arranged around, weaving a giant net that enveloped the universe, swallowing and exhaling massive amounts of Immortal Qi every moment. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mortals could hardly survive here; even cultivators from ordinary Great Realms who came here, if slightly careless, could not withstand the immersion of Immortal Qi and would explode on the spot.


    In such an environment, once a cultivator conceived, the spirit embryo would be nurtured with secret techniques, usually born with the Spiritual Spring already open, and even those who had condensed their Dao Foundation were not rare.


    At birth, they already entered the Three Realms of Immortal Dao, and one could imagine the talents of the prodigies among them.


    At the center of the Great Immortal Realm stood a large white monument connected to the Heavenly Fate of the Immortal Path, known as the ''Heavenly Fortune Immortal Tablet.''


    The tablet bore the general information of all True Immortals.


    Eighth Order was a watershed, already able to influence a small part of the flow of Heavenly Fate.


    When a cultivator stepped into the realm of True Immortals, the Immortal Path Qi Fortune would sense it, and their names would naturally manifest on the Immortal List.


    Should a True Immortal die, regardless of the reason, their information would disappear with them, completely erased by the Heavenly Fate.


    At that moment, the Immortal Tablet faintly lit up, quietly adding a new piece of information.


    Seeing this, several True Immortals stationed near the tablet paid little attention.


    The territory of the Immortal Alliance, spanning billions of Star Domains and currently at war with the Myriad Realms, changes occurred almost daily on the Immortal Tablet, with names of True Immortals appearing and disappearing.


    The True Immortals glanced over casually, but when they clearly saw the information that emerged on the tablet, their expressions changed to one of shock.


    [Cangyun Realm, Chu Zheng, First Tribulation True Immortal, bone age forty-two.]


    "A forty-two-year-old True Immortal? Even the Ancestor of Ancient Immortals was one hundred and thirty-six years old when he stepped into the realm of True Immortals! Could there be a mistake with the Immortal List?!"


    "Cangyun? A mere Burial Realm, and yet it produced such a monstrous prodigy?!"


    "Isn''t this Chu Zheng the same person who was ordered by the alliance to be captured some days ago? Wasn''t he said to be a Tongxuan Cultivator? Just a Tongxuan more than ten years ago, how could he have become an Immortal so quickly?!"


    "Quickly report to the Punishment Authority! Please request the Heavenly Judge¡­ no, request the Inspector to decide!"


    One order after another flew across the void, within moments, news about Chu Zheng spread like a wildfire, sweeping through the upper echelons of the Immortal Alliance.


    ```

 Chapter 305 Decree of the Immortal Ancestor

    ```Within the Great Immortal Realm, there were countless individuals with broad and vast divine abilities, and the speed at which messages spread was astonishingly fast.


    At the age of forty-two, he achieved the status of True Immortal.


    This message nearly instantaneously caused the entire Great Immortal Realm to shake, and rumors began to spread far and wide.


    It didn''t take long for people to connect Chu Zheng''s unique circumstances with Shang Cangyun and Zhao Tingxian.


    Another monstrous talent emerged from the Cangyun Realm, and judging from previous cases, it was clear Chu Zheng was not aligned with the Immortal Alliance. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some Immortal Descendant Families secretly dispatched cultivators to Cangyun to investigate whether there had been changes in the Cangyun Realm and to try to pick up on some trails and clues.


    At the very least, about Chu Zheng, they wanted to dig up more leads.


    Once the message reached the Immortal Alliance Punishment Department, in less than half an incense stick''s time, an Immortal Monarch took the lead to call together some of the available Immortal Venerables and Immortal Kings for a council meeting.


    Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Within the vast open-air temple that spanned a million miles, countless jade columns stood tall, densely inscribed with Immortal Patterns and enshrouded in a distinctive aura.


    The jade columns varied in height and size, divided into six concentric circles, nested within each other, with only one column in the very center possessing a diameter of nearly ten thousand miles. The farther from the center, the greater the number of pillars and the denser their distribution, and relatively, the smaller their size.


    Within just a few breaths, hundreds of pillars in the three outer circles lit up as projections crossed the boundaries from starry space and materialized inside the hall.


    A True Immortal quickly stepped into the temple, standing in a corner with eyes flashing like lightning, sweeping over each illuminated column, he took out a Jade Book and began to write.


    [Immortal Alliance New Calendar, Fourth Universe Era, year 785,249.]


    [Reason for convening: Cangyun Realm, Chu Zheng.]


    [Initiator: Immortal Lord Pan Shi.]


    [Attendees: Ming Lin Immortal King, Fan Long Immortal King, Cold Spring Immortal King¡­ Immortal Yunli, Heavenly Bear Immortal Venerable, totaling three hundred and seventy-two attendees.]


    Every gathering here was significant, and the attendees, as well as all content of the meetings, were recorded and archived for future reference.


    The relations between the many Immortal Venerables and Immortal Kings were generally just as fellow practitioners; they typically had ordinary relations with each other. Coupled with the frequent wars at the time and the presence of scribes, the assembly had many attendees, but no one exchanged pleasantries, and the hall was deathly silent.


    A moment later, at the outermost part of the inner three circles, a jade column suddenly lit up, revealing a figure shrouded in dark cyan battle armor, tall and burly with a skin tone that was yellow tinged with green, resembling antique jade.


    The battle armor was filled with mottled cracks, and you could barely see the scarred flesh underneath, with most of the wounds not yet healed, and Immortal Blood was dripping down.


    "Greetings, Immortal Lord Pan Shi."


    The numerous Immortal Kings and Immortal Venerables greeted him together.


    "The war is pressing, and I will not delay the precious time of my fellow practitioners. I will be brief today."


    Immortal Lord Pan Shi wasted no time and went straight to the point:


    "Chu Zheng''s life has been personally divined by the Immortal Ancestors, and most of it has been clarified. He entered the Immortal Path at the age of seventeen and has been cultivating for twenty-six years; he developed his following by practicing the Incense Fire Divine Path in the Chaos Sea, thus dramatically increasing the power of spirit and soul, with his cultivation progressing at divine speed."


    "Besides, he also cultivates Qi-refining Techniques."


    ```


    Upon hearing these words, the assembly of Immortal Kings and Immortal Venerables were all startled.


    The three words "Qi-refining Technique" almost instantly made them think of the Ancestral Dao.


    Immortal Lord Pan Shi paused briefly before correcting himself, "Or rather, this person''s primary practice is the Qi-refining Technique, while also cultivating the Immortal Path."


    "In recent decades, the Cangyun Immortal Fate has shown anomalies twice. Because of Chu Zheng, the Immortal Ancestor reversed time and space to examine these subtle changes in the Cangyun Realm over the years, only to unexpectedly discover a trace of the Ancestral Dao."


    "Chu Zheng''s flesh, bones, and physical body are mundane with no Immortal Bone. He first forced his way through the Gate of Transcendence using the Qi-refining Technique, then cultivated the Immortal Law, reversing the innate order and cultivating an Immortal Bone at the back of his head. With the Five Elements harmonizing Yin Yang, he thereafter created the Five Elements Immortal Root. From this, it can be seen that this child''s comprehension is alarmingly strong."


    "The Cangyun Immortal Fate was personally severed by the Ancestor of Ancient Immortals. As a result, the ''Song'', ''Zhao'', and ''Yuan'' families were stripped of their ancestral blood and removed from the Immortal Descendant Families. We still have not fully understood the reasons behind this to this day, only knowing that it was somehow connected to the Ancestral Dao."


    "Therefore, the Immortal Ancestor deduced that there is a connection between Chu Zheng and the Ancestral Dao. At this critical juncture, when the war is in a stalemate, the appearance of the Ancestral Dao could potentially affect the entire battle situation."


    "I am saying this in hopes that you will take it seriously. Do not take the search for Chu Zheng lightly or deal with it perfunctorily."


    Immortal Lord Pan Shi''s expression was solemn, his eyes reflecting the lustrous Immortal Light as he spoke with focused attention:


    "Now, please receive the decree from the Immortal Ancestor."


    At these words, the Immortal Kings and Venerables immediately showed somber expressions and bowed to receive their orders.


    "Proclaiming by the verbal decree of the Immortal Ancestor: All True Immortals under the mandate of the Punishment Authority are to search for Chu Zheng with all their strength. Now that he is in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, the Heavenly Fate is in chaos, and it''s difficult to calculate his exact location. Upon finding any clues, report immediately to the corresponding Immortal Venerables and Immortal Kings you answer to. Any report regarding him must be personally investigated without disregard, whether by an Immortal Venerable or Immortal King."


    "Regarding Chu Zheng, there are also three forbidden commands to keep in mind. First, do not harm his life. Second, do not let him fall into the grasp of the Ten Thousand Realms. Third, whatever discussed today is of absolute secrecy, even towards the Martial Hall. Bear this in mind."


    Upon the mention of the Martial Hall, the Immortal Kings and Venerables'' expressions subtly shifted, but no more words were spoken; they simply bowed and accepted the command.


    At their level of cultivation, each of them was a revered figure in the universe, naturally understanding the implications of these three commands.


    The Immortal Ancestor wants Chu Zheng alive and not to fall into the hands of the Ten Thousand Realms or the Martial Hall; the meaning behind this was already sufficiently clear.


    The current situation was like a delicate balance, where pulling a single hair could move the entire body. Adding fuel to the fire, the entire Great Universe could become a jumbled mess, with even the mighty Immortal Alliance needing to seek assistance.


    The collaboration between the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall is merely due to the threat of the Myriad Heavens and Realms. Should they win this war, they would still have to share power with the Martial Hall, and the disputes over the Dao will inevitably arise again.


    Since Chu Zheng could cultivate both the Qi-refining Technique and the Immortal Law, it proved that the Immortal Path and the Qi Refining Lineage could coexist to some extent.


    The Ancestral Dao alone monopolizes more than two-fifths of the Heavenly Fate, which is more than the entire Martial Hall combined. Rather than exhausting efforts to research the simultaneous cultivation of Immortal Martial Arts, it would be wiser to find a way to establish a connection with the Ancestral Dao.


    Although the ancestor of the Ancient Immortals perished at the hands of the Ancestral Dao, the current Immortal Descendant Families all have ancestors who perished during those disputes to some extent. In terms of these ancient enmities, the Immortal Alliance and the Ancestral Dao are nearly inseparable.


    But... times have changed.


    Those who survived the ancient battle have long since perished, with the exception of a few sleeping ancients. Even the truth has been buried by time, impossible to uncover.


    If they could truly establish a connection with the Ancestral Dao through Chu Zheng, then the Immortal Alliance would no doubt gain a terrifyingly powerful ally.


    Of course, all these were just their conjectures. The true intentions and objectives of the Immortal Ancestor were unknown to anyone.


    Regardless, searching for Chu Zheng now and bringing him back to the Immortal Alliance is the primary mission of the Punishment Authority.

 Chapter 306 Cangyun

    Cangyun Realm.Southern Region.


    In recent years, the changes in the Southern Region could be described as earth-shattering.


    The original Five Great Holy Lands, with their Primordial Spirits wiped out, Taixuan excluded, and Tai Xu sealed off to avoid the world, the glory of the Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects still fresh in memory, and yet in just over a decade, three of the Five Great Holy Lands had already vanished.


    Now, only Heavenly Throne and Golden Glass still stand in the Holy Lands.


    However, these two Holy Lands have not reaped many benefits in recent years either. Since Shang Cangyun defected from the Immortal Alliance, the Immortal Alliance dispatched a Seven Tribulations True Immortal to reside permanently in Cangyun, take charge of the Heavenly Dao of the Cangyun Realm, and begin to sort out the chaos in the Heavenly Fate caused by the unsealing of the Cangyun Secret Realm.


    With such a being present in the current age, even the Holy Lands could not too eagerly annex the remaining resources and influence of other Holy Lands. As a result, the days for some of the smaller Sects have been considerably better in these years.


    Due to the changes in the environment between Heaven and Earth, the frequency of top-grade immortal bones appearing in the Cangyun Four Regions has notably increased, and even Superior Immortal Bones have emerged recently.


    Without the Holy Lands'' intervention, these exceptionally talented Immortal Seedlings have all joined the Immortal Sects, preparing for the next Great Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.


    With the fall of the Holy Lands and the renewed appearance of living creatures due to the unsealed Cangyun Secret Realm, the freed-up resources are enough to sustain thousands of small Sects.


    The power structure of the Cangyun Realm is about to undergo its largest reshuffling, a process that will continue for a thousand years.


    It is foreseeable that, without the suppression of the Holy Lands, the killing wars between Sects will not cease for a thousand years.


    In a corner on the southeastern edge of the Southern Region, a small Sect named ''Taixuan Sect'' quietly emerged.


    The Sect occupied an area of just over ten miles, with no more than two hundred disciples, among whom only two were Elders at the Divine Transformation Realm, the rest being a bunch of young disciples under thirty, newly adult.


    These were all that remained of the Taixuan Holy Land''s forces.


    A few simple bamboo buildings, along with a not-so-complete Array, made up this small Sect.


    The Taixuan Holy Land still had a True Immortal in existence, only that he had always been at the border of the cosmos, guarding the perimeter, and preventing invasions from the Vast Universe.


    As for these disciples of Taixuan, the Immortal Alliance had not been too coercive either. After confiscating the Taixuan Immortal Treasure and the Holy Land''s treasure vault, they simply let things take their own course.


    Many Taixuan disciples were mostly taken back by their families, with only a small part still following Fu Quanliang.


    This group of disciples, mostly from ordinary circumstances without clan forces to support them, would not have seen much change in their situation even if they had left.


    During this time, naturally, there were many who coveted the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, and either overtly or covertly attempted to target this group of the weak.


    The complete Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture was now only in the hands of Fu Quanliang.


    Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    However, before these people could act, the Song Clan came forward to protect the remaining disciples.


    Song Lingqing surrendered the Family Heritage Blood Jade as collateral for practical control over the Song Family Secret Realm, securing temporary protection for the disciples and ensuring their safety for the time being.


    Previously, the Song Clan might have to look up to the Taixuan Holy Land. But now, these disciples could remain under the shelter of the Song Clan''s tree only through the relationship with Song Lingqing.


    The reversal in status between the two parties could be described as the cycle of fate.


    At the very least, the Song Clan was once a True Immortal Noble Family, with some heritage in the family, and many True Immortals from their ancestors once joined the Immortal Alliance, fighting for it and burning all their Immortal Blood.


    The Seven Tribulations True Immortal who now commanded the Heavenly Dao had personally visited the Song Clan, causing all members to feel unexpectedly honored.


    Apart from the Song Clan, the two other True Immortal Noble Families in the Eastern Region also received the same treatment.


    Just this one action was enough to make many living creatures in the Cangyun Realm look on in awe, not daring to overstep bounds.


    Inside the bamboo building, Fu Quanliang paced back and forth, his brows tightly knitted, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins.


    Every step he took, the bamboo house creaked as if, like the present state of Taixuan, it couldn''t bear the weight any longer.


    Since the day Taixuan had undergone changes, he had never really rested, with barely any time to close his eyes and circulate the Circuit of Qi; the pressure on his shoulders was as heavy as a mountain.


    The vast foundation of Taixuan Holy Land was now reduced to nothing more than earthen steps and thatched cottages, hardly shielding against the wind and rain.


    Nowadays, storms raged from all directions, and even with the protection of the Song Clan, it was uncertain how long they could hold out.


    The disciples remaining within the sect were mostly those with Mid-grade Immortal Bones, and the longest among them had cultivated for only a little over twenty years, with few stepping into the Entry Dao Realm.


    Fortunately, Chu Zheng had left him with enough hidden resources.


    The two with Superior Immortal Bones who came from beyond the domain, under his arrangement, had been escorted by an Elder of the Divine Transformation Realm and had already left the Southern Region to cultivate in a secret location in the Northern Region.


    Besides, the batch of resources Chu Zheng had left was safely preserved by him, unknown to anyone else.


    These were not recorded in the accounts of Taixuan Holy Land, so the Immortal Alliance hadn''t confiscated them.


    This was one third of Tai Xu Holy Land''s foundation; the cultivation resources within were immeasurable, entirely sufficient to restore Taixuan''s vitality.


    But Fu Quanliang couldn''t expose these too soon. There were numerous eyes secretly watching Taixuan, and he must remain careful and prudent in his words and actions.


    At this moment, what worried him even more was Chu Zheng''s safety. The current situation of Taixuan was closely related to Chu Zheng, which was enough to suggest that Chu Zheng had encountered great trouble outside, and might even have drawn the attention of the Immortal Alliance.


    Communications with the outside world were scarce in the Cangyun Realm, with channels of information blocked. To find out about Chu Zheng''s situation now was as hopeless as seeking a path to heaven.


    "Daoist Fu."


    In the midst of his chaotic thoughts, Song Lingqing stepped into the bamboo house.


    "Daoist Song? What instructions do you have?" Fu Quanliang didn''t dare to show the slightest neglect. Currently, Taixuan Sect was counting on the Song Clan to survive, and Song Lingqing had shown great favor to Taixuan.


    "A True Immortal from the Immortal Alliance has come and summoned me."


    Song Lingqing''s expression was slightly somber, her tone slightly heavy, "It seems... it''s because of Chu Zheng."


    Fu Quanliang''s face changed instantly, and he became utterly distraught, "What... what should we do? Could there have been some new development?"


    Taixuan''s destruction was already an event of more than a decade ago, and this sudden summoning by the Immortal Alliance was likely ill-intentioned, possibly indicating new trouble on Chu Zheng''s side.


    "I have come here to address a few matters."


    Song Lingqing, on the other hand, seemed much calmer, with no trace of fear between her brows, she said firmly:


    "If my connection to Chu Zheng is exposed, and my elder sister''s situation is unclear, she might also run into trouble, though the Song Clan should not be implicated. Taixuan should be safe, at least for the short term, but if I cannot return, you should make preparations earlier."


    Song Lingqing''s meaning was crystal clear¡ªif she couldn''t return, the fragile link between Taixuan and the Song Clan would snap instantly, and Fu Quanliang and the others would face incredibly difficult circumstances. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do not worry, Daoist Song, I will make arrangements... take care of yourself."


    With these words, Fu Quanliang slowly sat down on the ground, his eyes dimming, feeling somewhat drained for a moment.


    Faced with the existence of the Immortal Alliance, all his thoughts and plans were as fragile as thin paper.


    Continuing to strive for survival in the gaps was exceedingly difficult.


    Song Lingqing remained silent for a moment, then without saying more, she turned and left.


    The fact that the True Immortal didn''t come for her directly meant the situation wasn''t too disastrous. She had an inkling.


    Things concerning Chu Zheng couldn''t be judged by common sense; perhaps this summoning by the True Immortal wasn''t necessarily bad news.

 Chapter 307 Shackles of Bloodlines

    The True Immortal who summoned Song Lingqing was not the one who currently presides over the Cangyun Heavenly Way.Instead, he came from an Immortal Descendant Family, named Gongyi Zezi, with a cultivation base that had reached Eight Tribulations Perfection, just one step away from becoming a Nine Tribulations True Immortal.


    The meeting process was far calmer than Song Lingqing had imagined.


    At first glance, Gongyi Zezi saw nothing more than a young woman in her early twenties, her appearance cold and detached, dressed in wide-sleeved purple celestial robes, her hair fastened with a jade hairpin, no sense of oppression emanating from her.


    Gongyi Zezi''s attitude toward Song Lingqing was very gentle, and he did not trouble her too much, only asking a few questions about Chu Zheng.


    Song Lingqing knew very little about Chu Zheng''s current situation and naturally couldn''t provide much of an answer.


    Upon learning that Chu Zheng had become a True Immortal, she was stunned for a long time before coming back to her senses, feeling a surge of surreal absurdity.


    Although Chu Zheng''s cultivation was already at Tongxuan when he left Cangyun, crossing two major realms in just over a decade to enter the threshold of True Immortals still subverted her cognition.


    A True Immortal was already the pinnacle that most Immortal Path Cultivators aspired to, with realms above it unheard of by the ordinary living creatures of the Great Realms.


    Her current cultivation was merely in the late stages of the Soul Condensing Realm, still some distance from reaching the Divine Infant Realm, yet she had started on the Immortal Path much earlier than Chu Zheng.


    Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    By her age, among ordinary Cultivators, her speed of cultivation was considered fast, even for someone with a Superior Immortal Bone. However, she still had no comparison to the monstrous Chu Zheng.


    After regaining her composure, Song Lingqing''s thoughts did not dwell on Chu Zheng for long¡ªhis previously demonstrated defiance of the heavens was more than enough, having gone from a household servant to the master of a Holy Land in just a few years.


    Opportunities to have close communication with a True Immortal of the Immortal Alliance were rare; she could not miss this chance.


    Gongyi Zezi was frank about Song Lingqing''s many questions, answering them all truthfully.


    From Gongyi Zezi''s words, Song Lingqing learned for the first time of the term "Immortal Descendant."


    The True Immortal Noble Family Song Clan had an astonishing origin; they had once been an Immortal Descendant Family, residing within Cangyun. However, due to some reason, the ancestral blood of the Song Clan''s Immortal Descendants had dried up.


    Now, the Song Clan was no different from the many living creatures of the Cangyun Realm, all trapped by bloodline constraints, with no hope of ever reaching the realm of Immortal Venerable in their lifetimes.


    Hence, Cangyun had come to be known as the Burial Realm.


    A Great Realm that had long been buried held no future and would one day vanish completely; for a Superior Immortal Bone to be born in such a realm was actually a misfortune.


    Although being at True Immortal Perfection was already a remarkable feat in the universe, without entering the realm of Immortal Venerable, one could never reach the upper echelons of the Immortal Alliance, ultimately struggling to make a name for themselves.


    After her Immortal Bone was shattered, Song Lingqing had tasted the warmth and coldness of the world; her intuition had become increasingly sharp. When the topic of Immortal Descendants was brought up, she could sense the faint pity in Gongyi Zezi''s eyes.


    It was like looking at a stray dog, struggling with all its might through thorny mud¡ªno matter how strong it''s physique or how dry its fur once it reaches shore, it was still just a stray dog.


    Song Lingqing''s breathing gradually deepened, her palms unconsciously tightening. First, it was Immortal Bone, and now this so-called Immortal Descendant bloodline¡ªit had become another mountain obstructing the path of her future cultivation.


    "Although the Cangyun bloodline has constraints, it''s not without precedent to break free," Gongyi Zezi said, his eyes flickering slightly with implied meaning.


    "Shang Cangyun and Zhao Tingxian both emerged from the Cangyun Realm; Zhao Tingxian entered the realm of Immortal Venerable long ago, and Shang Cangyun even touched the forbidden domain, becoming an Immortal Monarch."


    "Perhaps Chu Zheng is the third person from the Cangyun Realm to break free from these shackles; you should be able to find some enlightenment from him."


    Clearly, the wine was just a pretext for the underlying message.


    Upon hearing this, Song Lingqing quickly calmed down, suppressing the swirling thoughts behind her eyes, and bowed in gratitude:


    "Thank you for your guidance, senior." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She did not continue to chat with Gongyi Zezi and soon departed.


    On her way back, she had already sorted out her thoughts.


    Analyzing Gongyi Zezi''s words, the Immortal Alliance was still uncertain about whether Chu Zheng could break free from the shackles of his bloodline and become a True Immortal.


    The Immortal Alliance''s interest in Chu Zheng was evidently intense. Therefore, the key point must be more than just Chu Zheng''s cultivation talent; perhaps there were many hidden secrets that she was not aware of.


    These issues were probably only clear to Chu Zheng himself now.


    At least one thing Gongyi Zezi said was not wrong: with examples like Zhao Tingxian and even Shang Cangyun before her, her path may not have come to an end.


    ...


    The Great Immortal Realm was the core of the Immortal Domain, and the news of Chu Zheng becoming an Immortal spread through the sea of stars, both openly and covertly, at an astonishing speed. After not too long, the Martial Hall received the relevant information.


    "My husband... has become an Immortal?"


    Hearing from Xie Xingzhong that Chu Zheng had ascended to the Immortal List, Song Lingxue''s expression was somewhat dazed.


    She had been cultivating with all her might, originally thinking that the gap between her and Chu Zheng would gradually narrow, but now, the gap seemed to have increased invisibly and even more significantly.


    "How did you come to know this news?"


    Regaining her composure, Song Lingxue''s expression changed abruptly. The fact that even the Martial Hall had learned of this astonishing news meant that, even if it was not common knowledge, it was probably not far off.


    For Chu Zheng, this might not be good news. The next move of the Immortal Alliance was completely unpredictable.


    Moreover, it was likely that Chu Zheng was not yet aware of this situation.


    "Now that you are a True Inheritor of the Martial Hall and have even been summoned by the Hall Master, you should not encounter any major trouble. However, the Immortal Alliance is already in turmoil, with many forces having sent people to Cangyun to trace Chu Zheng''s whereabouts."


    Xie Xingzhong paced back and forth, feeling the situation was tricky: "Chu Zheng''s talent is so conspicuous, and your relationship with Chu Zheng may also hardly be concealed from those who are determined to investigate. The Immortal Alliance may send someone to inquire soon."


    "I am well aware, thank you for delivering this message, senior."


    Song Lingxue''s expression was composed. She quickly saw Xie Xingzhong off and then took out the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll with a flick of her wrist, recorded the Immortal List and the Immortal Alliance''s various reactions, and transmitted it all to Chu Zheng.


    After sending the message, she looked at the Jade Scroll in her hand, a sharp glint in her eyes. Power surged through her palm, and she shattered it into powder in an instant.


    This item was a potential risk if kept on her person. If it were carelessly exposed, the Immortal Alliance could use it to pinpoint Chu Zheng''s location directly.


    Even if destroying the Jade Scroll meant that her only connection to Chu Zheng was completely severed, and they were disconnected in the vast sea of stars, she absolutely could not take this risk.


    Calming her slightly disordered emotions, Song Lingxue took a deep breath, already formulating a plan in her mind.


    Originally she was pondering her next move, but now there was no need to consider it.


    To the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    There, she would be closest to Chu Zheng and closest to the Immortal Alliance.

 Chapter 308 Kill Chu Zheng

    Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.Between the desolate mountain ranges, Chu Zheng, clad in gray, sat on the ground, gazing at the Spirit Communication Jade Scroll in his hand which was gradually dimming, his brows slowly furrowing.


    The Spirit Communication Jade Scroll was crafted from his Golden Body; once it was damaged, he would instantly be aware.


    After Song Lingxue had sent a message and then destroyed it, he understood without much thought that she had not wanted to involve him.


    Stepping into the realm of a True Immortal and managing to alarm the Immortal Alliance was indeed beyond his expectations.


    It was understandable; within the Immortal Alliance, there existed methods to observe the Heavenly Fate, but he never imagined they could be so precise.


    After pondering for a long while, Chu Zheng put away the jade scroll and stood up to walk out of the mountain range.


    The world was filled with a faint sweet fragrance, originating from the War Blood of various powerful beings.


    Countless suns hung in the sky, both near and far, illuminating the vast heavens.


    Not all of these suns were stars burning in the universe; a significant number of them were slowly moving about, manifestations of the powerful beings'' own vital energy.


    Within the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, a self-contained realm and temporal space were divided into three layers: upper, middle, and lower Heavenly Domains.


    This was to differentiate the battlefields and avoid unnecessary injuries.


    Even True Immortals could not withstand the residual effects of fights between Supreme Beings, let alone cultivators below the rank of True Immortal.


    On the battlefield, although life was wagered in combat, mostly cultivators of similar power clashed.


    It permitted the strong to overpower the weak, but not excessively; this was a rule tacitly accepted by all Taoist Orthodoxies.


    Once a creature set a precedent by crossing the line, it would only bring endless retaliation and ruthless bloody vengeance, resulting in mutual destruction.


    Crucially, the death of a large number of low-grade cultivators might severely shift the Heavenly Fate of their respective Taoist Orthodoxy, leading to unforeseeable events, such as the arrival of a Son of Destiny.


    Heavenly Fate, being sentient, in order to protect itself, would concentrate the Heavenly Fate reclaimed from a mass of deceased cultivators into a single creature, likely giving rise to an uncontrollable monster.


    Therefore, the core of a Dao War was always to strike from the top down, first severing their Ancestral Dao, then using the force of thunder to slay most of their top-tier combatants before the next Ancestral Dao could rise, thoroughly devouring their Heavenly Fate.


    With the dispersion of Heavenly Fate and no access to the eighth level, even if some escaped, they could not cause any significant impact. After thousands of years, the Taoist Orthodoxy would naturally perish without a trace.


    The location Chu Zheng was currently in was the Lower Heavenly Domain, where, typically, only beings around the level of Eighth Order Third Layer lingered; Immortal Venerables and even Immortal Kings rarely set foot here, as most of the creatures active here were of cultivations below the eighth level.


    The Middle Layer Heavenly Domain was the main battlefield for eighth-level beings.


    As for the Upper Heavenly Domain, it was the active arena for Ninth Order beings.


    The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield did not host beings who had stepped into the highest domains; their battlegrounds were mostly in another layer of space-time, even on the River of Time, in the gap between the past and the future.


    Gazing upon the heaven and earth before him, spiritual light surged in the depths of Chu Zheng''s eyes as he watched the continuous messages from the Spiritual Eye and fell silent.


    As a battlefield over many years, this place was riddled with countless fragments of Magic Treasures and innumerable corpses, making it an undoubtedly fitting place for his cultivation.


    However, the problem was that this place was a battlefield, and although he had the Shape-Shifting Divine Power for protection, whether he revealed himself as an Immortal Path Cultivator or a Qi Cultivator, trouble would inevitably find him; it was unavoidable.


    While Chu Zheng was observing his surroundings, a great sun quietly approached and stopped above his head, forming a figure.


    A man in his thirties stood in the air, his long hair draped over his shoulders, his whole body bathed in blazing divine radiance, holding an Ancient War Halberd, clad in Battle Armor, his expression indifferent.


    Between his brows was a Heavenly Eye flashing with brilliant golden light, seemingly capable of penetrating everything.


    [Qi Yun (Eighth Order): Age 7849, cultivates the Eight Gates Heavenly Locking Dao, naturally born with Nine Apertures All Open, eight gates unlocked, has stepped into the Eighth Order Second Layer, possessing unpredictable strength like gods and spirits.]


    He hailed from the realms of Dao, not yet ten thousand years old, relatively young.


    Watching the messages received from the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng took a deep breath. Without any hesitation, he turned and fled, utilizing the Great Divine Power of Shrinking Earth into Inches, frantically escaping.


    With just one exchange of glances, he had sensed the terrifying aspect of the person before him; the energy fluctuations within his body were dozens or even hundreds of times greater than his, comparable to a Second Tribulation Perfection True Immortal.


    Chu Zheng had only passed the Wood Tribulation, and although he had benefited immensely from the tribulation, advancing his cultivation through two minor realms and stepping into the Late Stage of First Tribulation True Immortal, he was still far behind compared to the Second Tribulation.


    Crossing into the threshold of True Immortal, the gap between each realm was like the difference between heaven and earth; the current Qi Yun had already attained the true ability to swallow stars and devour suns.


    Until he crossed the Fire Tribulation, even with a repair panel on him, he could not possibly be his opponent.


    ...


    ```


    ...


    Upon learning that Chu Zheng had become a True Immortal a few days ago, Song Lingxue once again received news about the Immortal Alliance.


    As Xie Xingzhong had predicted, the Immortal Alliance dispatched an envoy, seeking some clues about Chu Zheng from Song Lingxue.


    The attitude expressed by the Immortal Alliance was of no malice toward Chu Zheng; they simply wanted to recruit him into the Immortal Alliance and hoped that Song Lingxue could facilitate this.


    Naturally, Song Lingxue was not naive enough to believe this. However, before she could figure out how to handle these envoys from the Immortal Alliance, the Martial Hall had already made a move.


    One of the Vice Hall Masters of the Martial Hall, Fu Pinglan, a Supreme Being who had entered the Ancestral Realm many years ago, personally intervened, using the excuse that Song Lingxue was in closed cultivation and sent the Immortal Alliance Envoy back.


    Song Lingxue had thought she would be summoned again and waited for a long time, but there was no movement at all.


    This action, instead, made Song Lingxue somewhat uneasy; she did not believe her influence was sufficient to cause a conflict between the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall.


    By preventing the Immortal Alliance from meeting her, it seemed that the Martial Hall did not want the Immortal Alliance to obtain any clues about Chu Zheng from her. Then what was the purpose of this action?


    Feeling restless, Song Lingxue accelerated her previous plan and submitted an application to the Martial Hall to go to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Soon after she submitted her application, the Martial Hall quickly responded and deployed several strong cultivators to travel with her.


    When Song Lingxue saw the individuals who were accompanying her, a chill ran down her spine.


    The Martial Hall had dispatched seven people, led by a Great Saint, and accompanied by six Saints.


    Such a powerful lineup was more than sufficient to kill an Immortal Venerable.


    Sending her to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield did not require such an assembly of forces; clearly, there was another motive.


    But at this moment, Song Lingxue had no room to refuse and could only set out.


    Not long after the group departed, a streak of flowing light came from the sky, moving unimpeded and entering a floating island deep within the Martial Hall.


    The island was desolate, with only one great hall, and every brick and stone that built the hall sparkled with starlight and was filled with auspicious colors.


    The flowing light dispersed, revealing a tall and burly figure who strode into the hall.


    The hall was empty except for a figure seated cross-legged, wearing a green Martial Robe, looking like a child barely over ten years old. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    The burly man knelt on one knee, unable to hide his unease in his brows, "Hall Master, Bi Yue has set off and should enter the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield by tomorrow."


    Fu Pinglan slowly opened his eyes, his eye sockets empty, without eyeballs.


    "I know."


    A slightly hoarse voice echoed in the great hall, tinged with some fatigue.


    The burly man responded with a voice, hesitating slightly.


    Fu Pinglan''s nostrils flared, and he frowned slightly, showing some impatience, "Speak if you have something to say."


    "Forgive my presumption," the burly man sighed with relief and repeatedly said:


    "This Chu Zheng... what is his origin? Why did you send back the Immortal Alliance Envoy and even personally arrange for someone to kill him?"


    "The Martial Ancestor sensed the moves of the Immortal Ancestor, who, because of Chu Zheng, reversed time by himself. Chu Zheng''s importance to the Immortal Alliance is far beyond your imagination. Whatever the Immortal Alliance intends, kill Chu Zheng first." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What about Song Lingxue then..."


    Seeing Fu Pinglan''s frown deepen, the burly man''s heart skipped a beat, and he knelt down and said, "I heard she was summoned by the Hall Master and even received the Martial Ancestor''s permission to enter the Ancient Dao Path, and..."


    "The Martial Ancestor has predicted her future, stopping at the Mythical Realm, never even touching the threshold of the Ancestral Realm, do not worry too much about her."


    Fu Pinglan''s frowning brow slowly relaxed, his expression indifferent:


    "Send a message to You Bi Yue, to make haste. Before the Dao War begins officially, I want to hear that Chu Zheng has been removed from the Immortal List."


    "Understood."


    The burly man nodded repeatedly, got up, and left.


    As he was about to leave the great hall, Fu Pinglan''s chilling whisper suddenly rang in his ear:


    "Only this once."


    In an instant, the burly man broke out in a sweat, didn''t dare to look back, and in a blink, he transformed into a streak of light, vanishing amid the layers of the starry sea.


    ```

 Chapter 309 Success Means Certain Death

    The Great Saint of Martial Path was already in the Ninth Realm of Martial Path, traveling through the universe at such a harrowingly high speed.With each step Bi Yue Great Saint took, the surrounding starry skies rippled like ocean waves, his mighty Blood Qi forcefully tearing through the spatial barriers and extensively shifting the cosmos.


    Song Lingxue had not yet thought of how to respond when the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was already in sight.


    Contrary to her expectations, Bi Yue Great Saint did not ask her about any clues regarding Chu Zheng. Instead, he set her down on a plain and departed directly with six Martial Saints.


    This reaction plunged her into extreme unease as she sensed the subtle flow of Blood Qi from Bi Yue Great Saint.


    For a Martial Cultivator, Divine Sense and physique are unified; the spirit influences the Blood Qi, and any slight disturbance causes an unconscious flow of Blood Qi¡ªan emotional feedback from the body.


    At the same time, this was the state most ready for immediate response amidst a suddenly approaching crisis, indicative of readiness to engage at any moment.


    The Blood Qi of a Great Saint could stain the Milky Way; even its minor stirrings could appear like tempestuous waves to weaker cultivators.


    Although Bi Yue Great Saint had only recently ascended to the Great Saint Realm, his formidable combat prowess as a Martial Cultivator made it no difficult task for him to eliminate a common Immortal Venerable.


    At this moment, he harbored a killing intent.


    Just arriving at the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, whom did he intend to kill?


    As Song Lingxue felt increasingly panicky, Bi Yue Great Saint suddenly returned, his face bearing traces of years but now with a hint of a smile:


    "Song Zhenchuan, having hurried here to train, do you possess any suitable weapons?"


    As his words fell, he reached into the void on his own accord, pulling out hundreds of weapons.


    Each weapon shimmered with dazzling light, branded with complex seal patterns.


    Some weapons were still stained with War Blood, steaming with blood mist after who knows how many years, proving the immense strength of the creatures that had fallen under these weapons.


    Watching these weapons, the light in Bi Yue Great Saint''s eyes dimmed slightly, as if he had fallen into some memories. After a while, he spoke faintly:


    "Some of these were used by me in my early years; the remaining ones come from adversaries whose names I still remember. Song Zhenchuan, you may choose any one of these as a suitable gift¡ªa meeting present for our first acquaintance."


    "This gift is too precious, Saint, I cannot accept such a reward unworthily; I''m afraid..."


    Song Lingxue repeatedly waved her hands, each of these weapons was no ordinary object; they were at least Half-Saint weapons.


    Moreover, this sudden return to offer weapons left her feeling somewhat uneasy.


    "These weapons are of no significant use to me now; they are not precious items. Could it be that they do not catch the eye of Song Zhenchuan?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This... Thank you, Saint. I am unworthy, but I accept."


    With that, Song Lingxue glanced over the weapons and ultimately pointed to a silver-white battle halberd, its blade like ice sculpture¡ªcrystalline and translucent, emitting a bone-chilling cold.


    Among these hundred weapons, this battle halberd was of above-average quality, almost reaching the edge of True Saint Weapons.


    She had never used such weapons; previously in Great Zhou, she mainly practiced swordsmanship, but as her martial cultivation deepened, the superficial sword techniques she had practiced hardly counted as foundational.


    Inside the Martial Arts Scripture, there were many traces of halberd techniques, and such weapons, with their bold and powerful strokes overpowering through sheer force, relatively offered the most substantial increase to combat strength in a short time.


    The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was unlike any other place; in her hurried departure, she indeed needed a weapon for protection.


    "The Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield is the main battleground of the Immortal Alliance. Apart from some forces called in for support, there aren''t many people stationed here in the Martial Hall."


    "This area is part of the Lower Heavenly Domain, so you won''t encounter overly powerful living creatures. However, Song Zhenchuan, you must be cautious on your own. If you meet someone from the Immortal Alliance, you should reveal your identity as soon as possible, or there will be trouble."


    Seeing that Song Lingxue had accepted the Battle Halberd, Bi Yue Great Saint''s eyes flickered slightly as he offered a few words of caution before turning away to leave.


    Most of the Martial Hall''s forces were now fighting on the Battlefield of All Heavens, clashing with various otherkind races. In the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, there wasn''t even a base for the Martial Hall.


    In the Ten Thousand Realms, there were also numerous Body Refinement sects, which had slight differences from the Martial Path and could easily be mistaken for one another.


    Watching Bi Yue Great Saint leave, Song Lingxue looked at the Battle Halberd in her hand as her chaotic thoughts gradually organized. Suddenly, her expression changed. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    She had been too hasty. Coming to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was too impulsive.


    Perhaps the Martial Hall didn''t originally know Chu Zheng''s exact location, but from her reaction, it could be inferred that Chu Zheng was indeed on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, which would undoubtedly narrow the search considerably.


    There might also be traces intentionally left by Bi Yue Great Saint on this Battle Halberd, at least enough to confirm the specific location of this weapon.


    After a moment, Song Lingxue sighed softly, stashed away the Battle Halberd, knowing that discarding this weapon now would only make her look more suspicious. For now, she could only take things one step at a time.


    She still didn''t know Chu Zheng''s exact whereabouts, and her visit here was also to gather information.


    The attitude of the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall toward Chu Zheng was still unclear, and her next move had to be taken with extreme caution.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Bi Yue Great Saint, accompanied by six Martial Saints, traversed the void, quickly arriving at the border area of the Lower Heavenly Domain to search methodically for clues.


    "Great Saint, the relationship between Song Lingxue and Chu Zheng is extraordinarily close. She might have a way to contact Chu Zheng. Why not ask her directly? The Martial Hall sent us to find Chu Zheng. What exactly are we supposed to do?"


    While searching, a Martial Saint could not restrain his curiosity and asked.


    Asking Song Lingxue directly would clearly require much less effort than this painstaking search.


    "An undercover informant from within the Immortal Alliance has passed on the information that the Immortal Alliance is vigorously searching for Chu Zheng because this person practices both Qi-refining Techniques."


    Bi Yue Great Saint stopped, spoke slowly, "Wrapped in Tribulation Qi, practicing both the Immortal Path and the Qi Refining Lineage, such individuals are rare even if you scour the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. Just keep looking, and besides, the Immortal Alliance is also searching for Chu Zheng. It''s likely that clues will surface before long."


    Suddenly, Bi Yue Great Saint''s face grew grim, and his eyes swept over the six Saints beside him:


    "Nowadays, I won''t hide it from you. Our task is to execute Heretic Cultivators under that guise and eliminate Chu Zheng before the Immortal Alliance finds him, and certainly, the Immortal Alliance is not out to kill Chu Zheng. In this regard, we are bound to clash with the Immortal Alliance."


    As he spoke, Bi Yue Great Saint''s tone grew colder, and a hint of sorrow appeared in his expression:


    "I must remind you, we come to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield not to seek Chu Zheng, but to escort Song Zhenchuan and aid the Immortal Alliance. If Chu Zheng truly dies by our hands, it would be purely coincidental."


    The faces of the saints changed. They were seasoned saints who had witnessed many changes over the years and were accustomed to discerning the true nature of worldly affairs.


    The dispute between the Ten Thousand Realms and the Immortal Alliance was escalating, and now they were both genuinely committed to finding Chu Zheng, indicating his significant importance.


    If a conflict with the Immortal Alliance leads to exposure, under the grand scheme of the Immortal Martial Alliance, their fate would likely not end well.


    This mission was a death sentence, possibly survivable if unsuccessful.


    But if successful... death was certain.

 Chapter 310 Starting Tribulation, Fire Tribulation Approaches

    In the Lower Heavenly Domain, the vast expanse knew no bounds. For top-tier powerhouses who frequently traversed star domains, seeking individuals here was no easy feat.Moreover, with Heavenly Fate chaotically dispersed in this place, it was impossible to deduce the will of the heavens, making the task even more difficult.


    Within the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, aside from the Immortal Alliance and the Myriad Realms that were engaged in combat, as time passed, there arose a portion of races that survived within the battlefield.


    Among them were members of the Human Race and Otherkind, mostly those who had come to the battlefield, including a considerable number of mixed-blood living creatures who, due to various reasons, had not left for a long time and thus multiplied and thrived in this place. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These beings mostly operated underground, sheltering beneath layers of arrays, rarely showing themselves above ground. They had no desire to engage in the disputes between the Immortal Alliance and the Myriad Realms, but they were often involuntarily involved.


    Above their heads, without the protection of Heavenly Fate, their lives were full of misfortune. Occasionally, individuals of exceptional talent would appear, but they were like fleeting meteors, vanishing in the blink of an eye.


    The number of these creatures was immense. They were referred to as ''Grass Descendants'' by the many Taoist Orthodoxies within the Immortal Alliance and Myriad Realms, likened to roadside weeds, a type of renewable resource that could be used at will.


    The places where these Grass Descendants lived were called ''Earth Caves.''


    This was the nomenclature of the Myriad Realms and the Immortal Alliance. However, they referred to themselves as the ''Heavenly Blood Lineage,'' residing in underground palaces, nurtured by nature since birth.


    Over the years, the Heavenly Blood Lineage living in the Lower Heavenly Domain had already interconnected with one another, weaving an intricate underground network that covered much of the Lower Heavenly Domain in the dark depths below.


    Any disturbance could not escape the notice of these beings living underground.


    ...


    ...


    Above the azure sky, countless suns hung high, and in the vast lands, not a single inch of shadow was to be found.


    Two streaks of light, one after the other, dashed across the sky, with fragments of shattered space scattering all around, instantly crushed by the powerful Qi.


    Chu Zheng was enveloped in Immortal Light, his eyebrows tightly knitted, his eyes filled with a cold hue, and murderous intent flickering within.


    Qi Yun, who had been in hot pursuit for more than a month, was still behind him. Even though Chu Zheng spared no effort in using his immortal power to forcefully employ Great Divine Powers like Shrinking Earth into Inches, he found it difficult to shake off his pursuer.


    The Heavenly Eye on Qi Yun''s forehead was particularly troublesome; it could see the trails Chu Zheng left in the torn void and even penetrate his Shape-Shifting Divine Power to see the Immortal Root and Immortal Bone within him.


    The key point was that after a month of pursuit, this person still had plenty of energy to spare. His profound depth was alarming; no wonder he had reached the Eighth Order Second Layer at just over seven thousand years old.


    Chu Zheng''s current cultivation had reached the Eighth Order, which was the same Order as the Repair Master''s. The number of his daily repairs was limited and he could barely maintain support. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    It had been a long time since his true body was forced into such a dire situation. It was like a persistent disease clinging to his bones, impossible to shake off.


    The last time he faced such a desperate situation, it was when the Dongsheng Demon Immortal took action personally to intercept him, and now, there was no second Shang Cangyun to save him.


    To resolve his current predicament, the most direct approach would be to undergo the Fire Tribulation. Once he stepped into the realm of a Second Tribulation True Immortal, even if he couldn''t slay his enemy, escaping would not be too difficult.


    At the beginning of his Immortal Path, he cultivated the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture, and later, after refining the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire, the Fire Element Immortal Root had always been the most stable part of his foundation.


    Having already crossed the Wood Tribulation, with plenty of Wood Primordial Qi inside his body and his Immortal Blood nearly fully nurtured into form, the heart governing the bloodline, igniting the Heart Fire with Wood Primordial Qi, and stepping past the Fire Tribulation, were all nearly certain.


    But at this moment, Chu Zheng did not dare to hastily take this step.


    During his previous Wood Tribulation, his Qi Refining''s Cultivation had already soared by a major realm, entering the Middle-Stage Dao Integration Realm, closely approaching his Immortal Path Cultivation, and accumulating quite a bit of Tribulation Qi.


    Upon stepping into the True Immortal Realm, the Five Elements Great Tribulation would no longer help him dissipate Tribulation Qi. If he underwent the Fire Tribulation now and, like before, his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation absorbed Fire-attribute Primordial Qi and entered Dao Integration Realm Perfection or even ascended to Heavenly Immortal in one fell swoop, the resulting Tribulation Qi would be unimaginable.


    Under this threat, Chu Zheng dared not rashly attempt the Fire Tribulation, as it would inevitably bring great trouble.


    He had originally wished to find an isolated place to re-enter the Chaos Sea and undergo a lifetime of trials to cleanse the Tribulation Qi before attempting the Fire Tribulation, but then, unexpectedly, Qi Yun emerged.


    The tenacious Qi Yun trailing behind Chu Zheng, although troublesome, was not yet a fatal tribulation for Chu Zheng, putting him in a dilemma.


    Qi Yun, closely following behind Chu Zheng, also had a frosty expression with an indomitable fear in his eyes. During the more than a month of pursuit, he had spent an abundance of the Secret Medicines and Spirit Pills he had accumulated, suffering tremendous losses.


    The reason for his relentless pursuit was due to the unique phenomenon at birth; with his Heavenly Eye capable of discerning all things, he had detected the bone age of the Immortal Path Cultivator before him.


    Although he could not be sure, it definitely would not exceed a hundred years of age.


    An Immortal below the age of a hundred, and moreover, on the verge of stepping into the Second Tribulation.


    Not to mention seeing, Qi Yun had never even heard of such a thing.


    Too young.


    In the current Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, with the Immortal Alliance already dominating, allowing such a monstrous talent to grow would be like giving the Immortal Alliance another edge.


    Although it was unclear why the Immortal Alliance would let such a prodigy venture out alone for training, without even a Protector, and why after such a long chase there had been no cry for help, Qi Yun would not miss this opportunity.


    If he were to let the tiger return to the mountain today and the dragon slip into the sea, the next time they met, he feared he wouldn''t even have the chance to make a move.


    Taking note of the direction Chu Zheng was heading, Qi Yun''s expression grew increasingly grave.


    At this pace, if they continued on for a few more days, they would pass by a large camp of the Immortal Alliance. He couldn''t delay any longer.

 Chapter 310 The Onset of Tribulation, Facing the Fire Tribulation_2

    After pondering, he immediately sent out a message, beginning to summon nearby allies of the Ten Thousand Realms.The energy signature of a powerful being is hard to conceal. If too many people responded to the call, it was very likely they would be detected by the Immortal Alliance, leading to unpredictable upheaval with far-reaching consequences.


    But now, he could no longer care about all that. At this moment, at any cost, he had to kill the man before him to eliminate future troubles!


    At the very moment the message went out, Chu Zheng, who had been fleeing in madness, suddenly stopped, turned around to face Qi Yun, his eyes filled with rampant killing intent, no longer holding back.


    The instant Qi Yun summoned reinforcements, the Tribulation Qi around him that seemed to neither rise nor fall finally began to surge, stepping into the realm of his destined tribulation.


    Having begun the tribulation, there was no avoiding it, and he no longer needed to have so many concerns.


    Seeing Chu Zheng suddenly stop, Qi Yun''s expression froze for a moment, but he did not pause. The Ancient War Halberd he had been tightly gripping swept across the void, aiming straight for Chu Zheng''s head.


    The War Halberd was sharp beyond compare, carrying with it overwhelming energy fluctuations, slicing through vast expanses of the void, its murderous intent bone-chilling.


    "Hu¡ª¡ª"


    Chu Zheng slowly exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, and with a thought, the Wood Element Primordial Qi inside of him boiled over, his Immortal Blood surged into his heart.


    Inside his Dantian, the Fire Element Immortal Root stirred slightly, and the Jade Qilin, transformed from the Fire Seed of the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire resting on the Fire Element Immortal Root, leaped joyously. It burst out from the Dantian, along with the surging Immortal Blood, straight into Chu Zheng''s heart.


    Boom¡ª¡ª


    In an instant, for thousands of miles around, Heavenly Fire scorched the sky, the void collapsed, melting into one with the celestial flames.


    Spurt!


    Chu Zheng''s head was severed by the War Spear, his Immortal Blood had just gushed out when it was swept back by the rumbling heartbeat, his injuries healed instantly, his decapitated head reattached.


    A red flame ignited at Chu Zheng''s heart, and within his Dantian, the Green Jade Tree, transformed from the Wood Element Immortal Root, quivered lightly, exuding a gentle green glow, nourishing the flame ignited at Chu Zheng''s heart.


    At the same time, a terrifying surge of Qi descended from the heavens into Chu Zheng''s body, causing the Fire Element Immortal Root to swell. The flame burning at his heart grew more and more intense.


    "Crossing the Fire Tribulation?!"


    Qi Yun''s face underwent a drastic change, having not anticipated that Chu Zheng, who had previously lacked even the courage to exchange blows, would dare to take such a huge risk and undergo tribulation right before him.


    The surrounding Heavenly Fire benefitted only the person undergoing the tribulation; for other living creatures, it posed a calamitous assault.


    The battle armor around Qi Yun turned red-hot in an instant, almost melting, his skin felt scorching, and soon after, a burnt smell wafted in the air.


    His eyes suddenly filled with a fierce light. Without retreating an inch, blood filled the Heavenly Eye on his forehead, a halo shone around each of the Eight Gates surrounding him, and his charred flesh restored to its original state. Layers of scabs peeled off, revealing skin as hard as jade.


    The Eight Gates Heavenly Locking Dao required successively unlocking the gates of Heaven, Earth, Qi, Blood, Wind, Fire, Sinew, and Bone. With all eight gates open, one possessed the unpredictable power of gods and demons, a genuine method of tempering the physique, akin to the Martial Path, with combat prowess far from ordinary.


    The only downside, similar to the Martial Path, was that battling depleted one''s life force and cut short one''s lifespan.


    In the state with all Eight Gates open, an ordinary cultivator at the Eighth Order Third Layer was no match for Qi Yun.


    At this moment, he no longer cared for his own longevity, pushing his state to the limit, using his physique to withstand the refining Heavenly Fire. Holding the War Spear, he advanced with large strides toward Chu Zheng.


    With each step he took, his battle armor was thoroughly melted by the Heavenly Fire into molten metal, which trickled down his skin, leaving behind mottled red marks.


    Chu Zheng''s face was flushed and his eyes were ablaze. Within the depths of his pupils, star-like fires seemed to burn brightly. The instant the Heart Fire ignited, a more tumultuous killing intent surged in his heart, and his circulating blood became much more violent.


    He received all the incoming Fire Element Primordial Qi without hesitation and then, without a moment''s delay, activated the Great Divine Power, Law of Heaven and Earth.


    In an instant, his form began to swell massively. By the time Qi Yun reached his side, he had already grown to a height of a million zhang, his features vague and indistinct, hinting at a ghostly visage with green faces and fierce fangs.


    "Law of Heaven and Earth, a Great Divine Power of the Qi Refining Lineage, how could you?!"


    Qi Yun''s face stiffened, his eyes flooding with astonishment.


    Law of Heaven and Earth, this Great Divine Power, was a trump card of the Qi Refining Lineage, available only to a very few inheritors of Dao Lords, central to the core secret techniques that could greatly enhance combat prowess within a short period.


    Such a secret technique could not possibly fall into the hands of an Immortal Alliance cultivator, nor could it be propelled by immortal power. These were two completely different paths; how could they come together?!


    But at this moment, the reality was right before his eyes, leaving no room for disbelief.


    The consumption of "Law of Heaven and Earth" was extremely severe; even with the repair panel at his disposal, Chu Zheng couldn''t maintain it for long. Only now, by harnessing the Primordial Qi imparted by the Fire Tribulation, could he hold out a little longer.


    He took a deep breath, and before Qi Yun could contemplate further, Chu Zheng already raised his hand, and a gigantic palm that obscured the sky suddenly pressed down.


    Ka-ka-ka¡ª


    The void that had collapsed under the melting of Heavenly Fire once again let out a series of mournful creaks.


    The palm imprint, enveloped in Heavenly Fire, was a shade of crimson, like a collapsing pillar of heaven, bearing down on Qi Yun. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With no escape, Qi Yun could only raise his hand to brace himself, his War Spear crossing the void and once again unleashing a ray of divine light.


    But given the massive disparity in size, this strike was akin to an ant shaking a great tree, utterly lacking any sense of threat.


    Boom!


    The divine light shattered, and the descending palm imprint rolled over Qi Yun without the slightest pause.


    In the moment of the Fire Tribulation, Chu Zheng''s cultivation had stepped into the realm of the Second Tribulation True Immortal. Bolstered by "Law of Heaven and Earth," the power he could wield now far exceeded Qi Yun by more than tenfold.


    In an instant, blood surged like waves, and Qi Yun was crushed tens of thousands of feet into the ground by a single palm, striking a thick layer of arrays.


    If it were an Immortal Path Cultivator, even a Three Calamities True Immortal, without an Immortal Treasure for protection and taking this hit head-on, the physical body would shatter, and even the Primordial Spirit would struggle to escape, leading to certain death.


    But Qi Yun tenaciously held on, his body trembling violently, his sinews and bones wailing, the Eight Gates nearly collapsing but ultimately not bursting open.


    A hint of madness flickered in Qi Yun''s eyes. While coughing up blood, he forcefully crammed Secret Medicine and Spirit Pills into his mouth, and in the blink of an eye, he issued more than a dozen orders, calling upon all the allies of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Realms he could muster.


    A Qi-Refining Immortal Path Cultivator, if linked to the Ancestral Dao, the stakes involved were so grave that he dared not contemplate deeply.


    A Second Tribulation True Immortal not yet a century old, having not even utilized any Immortal Treasure, could rely on Qi-Refining Divine Abilities to inflict such heavy injuries on him!


    This was too defying of the heavens!


    Even at the cost of his life, this man must die here today; he absolutely could not be allowed to return to the Immortal Alliance!


    Chu Zheng''s eyes flickered with firelight, the Fire Element Primordial Qi descending from heaven and earth was far more exaggerated than during the previous Wood Tribulation. Despite the profound reserves within his body and the massive consumption from "Law of Heaven and Earth," he still couldn''t see the end.


    His Qi Refinement''s cultivation was uncontrollably skyrocketing; he had already stepped into the later stages of the Unity Realm Stage, progressing relentlessly towards Heavenly Immortal.


    Correspondingly, the Tribulation Qi rose uncontrollably. Already embroiled in the numbers of tribulation, the current surge in Tribulation Qi had the potential to transform into a Death Tribulation.


    Chu Zheng didn''t bother looking at Qi Yun below. Suppressing the killing intent in his heart, he looked around the desolate wilderness, extending his Spiritual Perception, carefully sensing.


    The thread of life...


    Where could life be found...


    Before he could discern where the gate of life was, two great suns crossed the void, bringing forth two figures, one male and one female.


    Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    Chu Zheng''s Spiritual Eye swept over them, his heart slightly sinking¡ªmore cultivators from the Ten Thousand Realms, with cultivation levels similar to Qi Yun''s.


    "This man is not yet a century old and has entered the Second Tribulation True Immortal, stealing Qi-Refining Divine Abilities, he cannot be allowed to escape; I implore everyone to strive at full strength to extinguish this scourge!"


    With a fierce shout, Qi Yun stated Chu Zheng''s background in a few words. Picking himself up from severe injuries, the divine radiance reignited around his body through the Eight Gates, his sinews and bones resembling jade as he gripped his War Spear tightly and once again soared into the void, advancing towards Chu Zheng.


    Having suffered heavy injuries, at this moment, he was entirely relying on the medicinal power of Secret Medicine and Spirit Pills to support him, effectively gambling with his own life.


    Seeing Qi Yun in such a dire state, the two cultivators who had hurried over wore solemn expressions. In unison, they brought out their Secret Treasures and utilized their strongest methods, aggressively targeting Chu Zheng.


    Chu Zheng paid no attention to them; after carefully sensing, his eyes lit up, detecting the presence of life, and without any hesitation, he released "Law of Heaven and Earth." Dragging behind him swathes of fiery clouds, he employed "Shrinking Earth into Inches," heading straight in the southeast direction.


    Seeing the direction in which Chu Zheng was escaping, Qi Yun''s expression drastically changed, a fierce howl erupting:


    "He''s going to the Immortal Alliance Camp for reinforcements! Stop him!"

 Chapter 311 Luck Stealing Skill, Immortal Alliance Assistance

    The sound of a fierce howl echoed across the four corners of heaven and earth.Qi Yun, with a severely injured body, joined forces with two recently arrived Ten Thousand Realms Cultivators, relentlessly pursuing the figure of Chu Zheng ahead.


    Heavenly Fire connected into patches, following Chu Zheng across the sky, leaving behind a crimson trail of fire at the Sky Summit, stretching for a million miles.


    Not far away, new Qi signals emerged; having received Qi Yun''s urgent messaging, nearby Ten Thousand Realms Cultivators were all striving to reach this location as swiftly as possible.


    The only piece of good news was that this area was still in the Lower Heavenly Domain, where generally only living creatures of about the Eighth Order Third Layer would be active; the Middle Layer Heavenly Domain was far away, and even if the message was received, it would take a long time to arrive here.


    The massive Fire Element Primordial Qi continued to pour endlessly into his body, causing an uncontrollable surge in his Qi Refinement Cultivation. In just a moment, he had been pushed to Dao Integration Realm Perfection.


    In the Dao Integration Realm, each minor realm transition required enduring thirty-three minor tribulations. Chu Zheng had only recently reached the middle stage of Dao Integration Realm, and was still sixty-six tribulations away from Dao Integration Realm Perfection.


    At this moment, driven by the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, these sixty-six tribulations were bypassed in one step; however, the Tribulation Qi did not decrease at all, accumulating fully in this one tribulation.


    The Tribulation Qi grew heavier, rapidly evolving toward a Death Tribulation.


    A Death Tribulation did not necessarily mean a lack of vitality, but compared to ordinary tribulations, the difficulty of transforming the tribulation would explode more than tenfold; finding the gate of life would be hard.


    At this moment, under Chu Zheng''s sensing, the vitality that was originally in the southeast direction was rapidly weakening.


    As the tribulation grew higher, the places that could have been gates of life were also beginning to falter.


    Even though Chu Zheng wanted to restrain the growth of his Qi Refinement Cultivation, the crazy influx of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi into his body gave him no chance to refuse.


    Hum¡ª


    As he worried about the tribulation, a low chant sounded from the void not far ahead. A brilliant sword light sliced through the sky, directly targeting the Primordial Spirit at his forehead.


    The sword''s edge was frigid, its coldness piercing to the bone.


    A Ten Thousand Realms Cultivator arrived on his sword, nearly forty years of age, with a bluish complexion, his long beard hanging down to his chest, clad in a gray cloth robe, his expression grave.


    Chu Zheng gave him a casual glance, his eyes slightly cold. This man''s cultivation level was not far from Qi Yun''s, but his bone age was many times greater, practicing the Qi Cultivation Path, harvesting Yang from the sky and Yin from the earth, transforming it into Golden Liquid Jade Liquid, nourishing the body''s key nodes, and prolonging life; he was not a Body Refining Practitioner. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watching the sword light before him, Chu Zheng sidestepped, allowing the sword light''s aftermath to tear through his shoulder and neck.


    Boom!


    In an instant, the Law of Heaven and Earth operated again, his foot shattering a thousand-mile range of mountains and rivers, causing the sky to suddenly darken, and the heavens and earth to split.


    A massive hand that obscured the sun and sky rose, and with a reach, he grasped the man in his palm.


    Pfft¡ª


    Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    The crisp sound of muscle and bones shattering erupted, blood spewing through the fingers into the high sky, stirring up waves of Spiritual Light, and in just a breath, an Eighth Order Second Layer Cultivator, along with his Divine Soul, was utterly annihilated.


    The terrifying Dharma Body, wrapped in Heavenly Fire, stood between heaven and earth, like a god or a demon.


    The moment this Ten Thousand Realms Cultivator died, Luck Stealing Skill autonomously activated, an invisible Heavenly Fate flowing into Chu Zheng''s body.


    This was the first Eighth Order Cultivator to die at Chu Zheng''s hands, and also the first time he clearly felt the flow of Heavenly Fate in his own body.


    But at this moment, he had no time to savor it, as just these few breaths of pause allowed the group of Ten Thousand Realms Cultivators chasing him to catch up.


    As time progressed, the number of Eighth Order Cultivators chasing him, including Qi Yun, had already grown to seven, their cultivation strengths varying.


    He could not be entangled here any longer; he needed to break free quickly. Chu Zheng surveyed his surroundings, his gaze locking onto the weakest one, and just as he was about to break through, a sudden ringing of a bell resounded in the sky.


    Clang¡ª¡ª


    Chu Zheng''s gaze scattered, his Divine Soul violently shook, and his Dharma Body showed signs of collapsing.


    The sound of chanting echoed through the void, a golden avenue stretched forth from the void, and a bulky figure holding a Golden Bell strode forward, about thirty years old, bare-chested, his physique as robust as a dragon, draped in a robe adorned with dense scriptures, with a Grotto Heaven emerging behind him, where the faint shadow of an ancient temple could be seen.


    [Heavenly Vow Arhat (Eighth Order): A Buddhist Practitioner, bone age 9513, has cultivated Three-layered Arhat Golden Body, impervious to external techniques, all evils easily repelled.]


    Chu Zheng''s expression tightened, and his heart sank.


    The gap between the Eighth Order Third Layer and the Eighth Order Second Layer was another huge divide, and even with his Law of Heaven and Earth, it would be difficult for him to suppress this Heavenly Vow Arhat.


    Furthermore, that Golden Bell he held, a Wonderous Treasure targeting the Divine Soul, meant that his chances of victory were not very high, especially considering the other cultivators from the Ten Thousand Realms, making it really challenging to escape.


    "Heavenly Vow Arhat!"


    Qi Yun burst out with overwhelming joy and urged repeatedly, "Please, Arhat, make your move quickly and capture this boy to prevent any changes!"


    They were already very close to the Immortal Alliance Camp, and any further delay could easily expose their tracks.


    Before he had finished speaking, several streaks of Immortal Light flew out from the distant void and stopped not far away.


    Leading them was a woman in a long dress, looking just over twenty, with skin fairer than snow, eyebrows like distant mountain willows, and eyes like autumn waters containing stars, transcending the mundane.


    Following her were four True Immortals, whose Cultivations ranged from First to Second Tribulation.


    [Fu Zhixuan (Eighth Order): Bone age 1845, Cultivation at Second Tribulation True Immortal Perfection, Immortal Alliance Inspector, direct disciple of the Ice Flower Great Immortal Emperor, specialized in the Immortal Emperor''s Scripture "Thundering Water Spirit Scripture," Pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, has overcome two major tribulations, possessing a Grotto Heaven of Five Elements yet still with imperfections.]


    A disciple of the Great Immortal Emperor, a Pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, an Immortal Alliance Inspector.


    Any one of these titles was already exceedingly rare and exceptional.


    Chu Zheng felt even heavier at heart, now facing enemies on both sides, the hopes of successfully escaping today seemed slim.


    However, the Immortal Alliance and the Ten Thousand Realms were locked in combat; perhaps he could find a slim chance amidst the chaos¡­


    Not far away, Fu Zhixuan suddenly noticed the fluctuations of Immortal Power coming from Chu Zheng and her expression changed dramatically as she called out loudly, "Are you Chu Zheng?!"


    As the name Chu Zheng was mentioned, the expressions of the cultivators from the Ten Thousand Realms also changed, and even the Heavenly Vow Arhat''s calm demeanor vanished as he widened his eyes.


    Chu Zheng''s fame had already spread throughout the Ten Thousand Realms.


    A True Immortal at the age of forty-two! Not a second such case could be found even in ancient records.


    As soon as she spoke, Fu Zhixuan affirmed her guess; a cultivator of the Immortal Path who also practiced Qi Techniques, it must be correct.


    Seeing the Heavenly Fire enveloping Chu Zheng, a sense of indescribable shock surged in her eyes.


    To think that Chu Zheng had become a True Immortal less than a year ago, and had already amassed enough foundation to transcend the Fire Tribulation, what astonishing potential!


    She glanced at the Ten Thousand Realms cultivators closely following behind Chu Zheng, her gaze becoming piercing:


    "You go first! We will hold them off for a while, head to the Immortal Alliance Camp, declare your identity, and you will surely receive aid, go quickly!"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng was almost stunned for a moment; several True Immortals whom he had never met were actually willing to risk their lives for him, a scenario he had never even dreamed of.


    Before he could speak, Fu Zhixuan had already risen and stepped forward, summoning an ice-blue battle flag and forcibly inserting themselves into the battle formation, positioning Chu Zheng behind them:


    "You go ahead, I will cover your retreat!"

 Chapter 312 Death Tribulation Erupts, Great Saint of Martial Path!

    The war flags swept across heaven and earth, snow floated across the sky, and in an instant, it turned into ice, enveloping an area of a hundred thousand miles.The heavenly fire surrounding Chu Zheng was faintly suppressed.


    "Thank you."


    He did not waste words or linger. After giving Fu Zhixuan a glance and expressing his thanks, he turned and left, rushing towards the increasingly faint signs of life in the southeast.


    Loud explosions continuously followed behind him. As he traveled, Chu Zheng''s divine sense glanced back and saw the situation of the battlefield, which left him somewhat astonished.


    Fu Zhixuan, a true inheritor of the Immortal Emperor, managed to steadily suppress four cultivators from the Ten Thousand Realms, including the Heavenly Vow Arhat and Qi Yun, with a single mid-grade immortal treasure.


    The Heavenly Vow Arhat''s golden bell rang incessantly but failed to affect Fu Zhixuan at all. Under such circumstances, if there wasn''t an immortal treasure protecting her divine soul, then her soul strength had been tempered to an extremely terrifying extent, impervious to outside influences.


    The skin of the Heavenly Vow Arhat was coated in a layer of golden paint, his golden body was pushed to its limits, and the grotto heaven illusion behind him almost completely materialized. A deep ancient temple in the mountains emitted melodic chants like a loud bell, deafening to hear.


    However, the chanting only lasted a few breaths before it was engulfed by the encompassing snow. The howling cold wind roared like thunder and lightning, tearing the vibrating chants into shreds.


    The movements of the Heavenly Vow Arhat became increasingly slower, his body frosted over, and for a moment, he appeared to struggle with each step.


    The battle did not proceed as Chu Zheng had anticipated; instead of a harsh battle, Fu Zhixuan, facing seven with only five, even held a dominant position despite being completely outnumbered in terms of cultivation amongst the other four true immortals.


    Chu Zheng withdrew his gaze, walked bathed in heavenly fire, simultaneously refining yuan Qi, and pressed on without pausing.


    Although Fu Zhixuan was currently at an advantage, this was only temporary. Deep within the void in the distance, fluctuations continuously transmitted, indicating more cultivators from the Ten Thousand Realms were still rushing towards this location. No matter how strong Fu Zhixuan was or how adept her methods, she could not possibly hold off all these cultivators by herself. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He needed to quickly extricate himself, cross the Fire Tribulation first, find that sliver of vitality, and stabilize the tribulation Qi; these were his immediate concerns.


    After nearly two days of full-speed travel, Chu Zheng finally reached the location of that sliver of vitality.


    Temples built from top-quality spiritual stones mixed with immortal jade were scattered around, throbbing with surging energy fluctuations. Cultivators of the Immortal Path clad in battle armor were visible everywhere, countless banners with the character ''Immortal'' fluttered in the wind, rustling loudly.


    Each battle flag was meticulously refined, faintly connecting to form a grand formation.


    Looking at the sprawling camp stretched out over hundreds of thousands of miles, Chu Zheng was momentarily dumbfounded. He had never expected that the vitality he had deduced with effort would actually be within the Immortal Alliance Camp.


    Recalling Fu Zhixuan''s attitude earlier, Chu Zheng had an epiphany. Perhaps the Immortal Alliance''s attitude towards him wasn''t as bad as he had imagined.


    But since the Immortal Alliance knew he practiced both cultivation and Qi techniques, why would they help him?


    Qi-refining techniques...


    As the thought struck him like a bolt of lightning, Chu Zheng thought of a possibility.


    Because of the Ancestral Dao?


    Before Chu Zheng could react further, several streaks of immortal light burst forth from within the camp and stopped just outside the range of the Fire Tribulation.


    Leading them was a Second Tribulation True Immortal named Fang Zhi, who appeared to be nearly fifty years old, with a bone age of over thirty thousand, considered to have ordinary talent among True Immortals.


    "Are you Chu Zheng?"


    As he inquired about Chu Zheng''s identity, Fang Zhi''s face revealed uncontrollable joy. "We have already received communications from Inspector Fu and were just about to come to your aid."


    Fu Zhixuan''s message was sent with a speed that surpassed Chu Zheng''s travel, arriving at the camp first.


    Only when he saw Chu Zheng nod in response did Fang Zhi finally breathe a sigh of relief, speaking in a softer tone:


    "You focus on your tribulation, everything else can be discussed after you pass the tribulation, within the camp in the Lower Heavenly Domain, no one can harm you, if you need any Immortal Elixirs to supplement your strength, just tell me directly, and I will help you request them."


    His attitude was very attentive, searching for Chu Zheng, watched by countless Immortal Venerables and Immortal Kings; if he could bring him back to the Immortal Alliance safely, it would certainly be a great achievement, earning unimaginable rewards.


    Thinking this, Fang Zhi couldn''t help but get excited.


    However, Chu Zheng''s mind was not even slightly relaxed, because even after arriving at the Immortal Alliance Camp and meeting Fang Zhi, the Tribulation Qi beside him had not weakened in the slightest and had even intensified.


    Looking at the camp in front of him, before Chu Zheng could speak again, the barrier of the Unity Realm Perfection had been directly shattered by the terrifying Qi that had accumulated over two days.


    A surge of Qi, tens of times more immense than before, poured into his body, the overwhelming Fire Tribulation instantly drained dry, all absorbed into Chu Zheng''s body.


    Qi Refining Eighth Realm, Heavenly Immortal.


    Though it was not voluntary, Chu Zheng had ultimately crossed that threshold.


    With his cultivation skyrocketing, a more tumultuous wave of Tribulation Qi suddenly struck down, pushing his number of tribulations to the peak, fully evolving into the Death Tribulation.


    Crack¡ª


    A crisp cracking sound echoed in Chu Zheng''s brain, completely severing the feeble life force represented by the Immortal Alliance Camp.


    In an instant, Chu Zheng felt a chill up his spine, and goosebumps sprang up all over his body, a horrifying sense of death overwhelmed his senses.


    A bone-chilling murderous intent came from afar, almost condensing into substance, with just a glance, Chu Zheng''s body showed signs of disintegration, cracking open countless fissures.


    Chu Zheng turned his head to look, in the distant sky stood seven figures, the leader an elderly man nearing sixty years, his face marked with the traces of many years, dressed in a Martial Robe that outlined his robust physique.


    Despite the years, eroded by time, the man before him remained as strong as a ghostly deity, his murderous aura deep as an abyss, having slain countless living creatures in his lifetime.


    [You Bi Yue (Ninth Order): Bone age ninety-four thousand eight hundred sixty-two, deputy commander of the Martial Hall Execution Division, Early Stage Great Saint of Martial Path, self-created "Heavenly Slaughter Demon Slaying Scripture" perfected, battled and slaughtered too much, his body bearing numerous chronic old injuries, his lifespan greatly reduced, approaching his end (irreparable).]


    Great Saint of Martial Path?!


    Chu Zheng''s heart chilled, his eyes sweeping over the other six figures, revealing even greater shock; their cultivation was also extraordinary, each at least at the Seventh Layer of the Martial Saint Realm, any single one could push through the Lower Heavenly Domain with ease.


    You Bi Yue''s gaze was too aggressive, his murderous intent unmasked.


    This caused Chu Zheng to be momentarily very confused; he had no old grudges or recent resentments with the Martial Hall, and even had some relations with the two envoys from the Martial Hall once.


    Where did this suddenly appearing Great Saint of Martial Path get such intense murderous intent from?!


    In the midst of Chu Zheng''s questions, a Martial Saint behind You Bi Yue glanced at the distant Immortal Alliance Camp, his brow slightly furrowed:


    "Great Saint, there''s still an Immortal Alliance Camp here, how should we deal with it?"


    Hearing this, Bi Yue Great Saint almost instantly made a decision, with no hesitation or uncertainty, his blood energy surged like raging seas, splashing up and staining the sky red, suppressing the brilliance of all celestial bodies in the sky.


    He suddenly reached out, extending his hand into the void, pulling out a blood-colored long knife, his tone grim:


    "The destiny here is chaotic, not even Immortal Ancestors can reverse time and deduce the specifics, level this camp, leave no loose ends, kill all!"

 Chapter 313 Heavy Damage

    Watching You Bi Yue draw his sword, Chu Zheng''s expression tensed, his mind whirling as he began to consider ways to escape.


    An Early Stage Martial Arts Saint possessed combat power enough to crush ordinary Immortal Venerables.


    Among the myriad paths in the universe, there might be disputes over the limits and difficulty of cultivating the Dao, but if one spoke of combat power, none surpassed the Martial Path.


    The pursuit of individual combat power by living creatures on the Martial Path had already reached perfection. Apart from the Ancestor of Martial Arts who monopolized one-quarter of the Heavenly Fate, no one could claim to be invincible throughout the universe.


    Under the vast disparity in cultivation, Chu Zheng did not even entertain the thought of retaliating; instead, he frantically searched for any possible lifeline.


    If he tried to enter the Small World, he feared that the moment he opened the entrance to his Grotto Heaven, You Bikong would detect it and crush both him and the Small World together, leading to a dead end.


    You Bikong''s Blood Qi obscured the universe, enveloping all ten directions, sealing the entire Immortal Alliance Camp within, isolating the void, turning this place into a realm without exits.


    Noticing You Bikong''s actions, the surrounding True Immortals all changed their expressions, unable to hide their fear.


    From the fluctuations of Blood Qi alone, they could sense the formidable power of this Great Saint of Martial Path.


    "Senior! The Dao War is imminent; the Immortal Alliance and Martial Hall should advance and retreat together! Why must it come to this?"


    Fang Zhi spoke loudly, his eyes filled with unresolvable doubts, as he really couldn''t understand You Bikong''s purpose.


    Glancing at Chu Zheng beside him, he suddenly realized something and his face turned pale. The next instant, he turned back to look at the few True Immortals behind him, his eyes filled with severity:


    "Protect Chu Zheng and enter the camp, activate the Array! Send a message to report to the Punishment Authority that the Martial Hall has broken the alliance, please have the Heavenly Judges make a decision soon!"


    The camp behind him held no value to the Great Saint before him except for Chu Zheng.


    As for the Great Saint''s purpose in killing Chu Zheng, it wasn''t hard to guess¡ªit was indeed disadvantageous for the Immortal Alliance.


    Upon hearing these words, the few True Immortals did not hesitate; they immediately protected Chu Zheng and retreated into the camp. Immortal Patterns suddenly appeared on the countless battle flags, and in an instant, the Array was fully activated.


    The scattered temples lit up with divine radiance, the essence within the Spirit Stone Immortal Jade was entirely extracted and poured into the Array for a desperate fight.


    Apart from the many Heavenly Judges and the Punishment Authority led by the Inspectors, which represented the absolute pinnacle of combat power, the Breaking Kill Army was the true main force on the battlefield, bearing most of the combat and slaughter on the frontal war zones, while the Divine Fire Camp and the Heavenly Craft Camp managed the logistics.


    Inside this camp, there were also over one hundred thirty thousand soldiers of the Breaking Kill Army, with not a few cultivators from the Divine Fire Camp and the Heavenly Craft Camp either, totaling nearly two million cultivators.


    At this moment inside the camp, seeing the Array light up, everyone felt somewhat panic-stricken. If it weren''t for facing an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, the defense Array would not have been activated.


    Countless streams of light surged from the Array, all sent by the many cultivators.


    However, it was all in vain; every message was blocked by the Blood Qi without exception, all dissolved.


    The space had been completely sealed off.


    Throughout this, You Bikong had not rushed to act. His gaze fixed on Chu Zheng, he slowly raised his sword, his eyes indifferent, void of any emotional fluctuations.


    Slaughtering a million living beings in his countless battles was just a drop in the ocean for him, hardly worth mentioning.


    Buzz¡ª


    Space trembled violently, the sky above the entire camp was torn apart instantly, and the bloody sword light shattered the heavens, a killing intent so ferocious that it suppressed all movement in an instant.


    Inside the camp, silence prevailed; all cultivators'' eyes were void of light, their spirits crushed by the extreme terror of the killing intent, standing motionlessly, resigned to their fate.


    "I''m sorry."


    Chu Zheng''s eyes dimmed as he swept a glance over the Immortal Alliance cultivators around him, murmuring in a low voice, bowing his head in apology.


    Had he not pursued that faint sliver of hope, he would not have come here.


    The cultivators in this camp were implicated because of him, thus dying innocently.


    Qi Cultivators often walked alone, precisely because the unpredictable fate could involve many innocents.


    Knife light approached, and in an instant, Chu Zheng''s body turned into ashes, his Immortal Root and Immortal Bone were ground into powder and dispersed into the void, his Divine Soul completely shattered.


    Boom!


    The entire camp turned into dust with a loud noise, taking nearly two million cultivators with it, disappearing into the thick dust in the sky. Even the indestructible Immortal Treasure left no trace, being completely obliterated.


    A full-strength strike by the Great Saint of Martial Path was enough to sink a Star Domain, erasing the camp without even needing to blow away the dust.


    Within a million miles, not a grass grew, the knife light had stolen all life, leaving only a desolate aura steaming.


    "Great Saint, the methods of Qi Cultivation are many and varied, is Chu Zheng truly dead?"


    A Martial Saint expressed his doubts, hardly daring to be sure, as this concerned their life and death. If Chu Zheng was resolved here and the area was completely cleaned, they might still have a chance to survive.


    "I have destroyed his Divine Soul, there can be no mistake."


    Chu Zheng was certainly dead, with no chance of life remaining, not even a residual soul was left, of this, You Bikong was absolutely certain.


    If Chu Zheng had any other tricks, he would surely have noticed them; when crushing his Spirit Platform, he did indeed see a complete Divine Soul.


    The mission in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was thus completed.


    You Bikong turned to look at the six Saints behind him and said solemnly, "Later, I will take you into the upper Heavenly Domain to eliminate some enemies for the Immortal Alliance, and you will be responsible for your own lives."


    Coming to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, it was inconceivable to do nothing under the eyes of the Immortal Alliance and just return; they had to exert some effort.


    This place was, after all, a battlefield, where the Ten Thousand Realms Dao was complex and not easy to deal with. Casualties were only normal, even You Bi Yue himself was not completely sure he could return alive.


    Glancing at the marks left by the knife on the ground, You Bikong casually waved his hand, the mountains and rivers shifted, and the canyon carved by the knife light turned into a plain, burying all traces: "The other camps of the Immortal Alliance must have sensed something, let''s leave this place first."


    A true man makes a decision and sticks to it; You Bikong felt no regret over the method of erasing the camp.


    If Chu Zheng had returned to the Immortal Alliance, this might have been his last chance to kill Chu Zheng.


    ...


    ...


    Within the Small World.


    Ancient trees formed forests, with Heavenly Fire continuously burning within them, leaving behind scorched fertile soil.


    A divine soul phantom sat cross-legged in mid-air, his expression cold.


    At the critical moment of the knife light''s strike, Chu Zheng had chosen to self-dismember.


    He turned his Divine Sense into a knife, forcibly tearing his Primordial Spirit in half and silently transferring one half of his Divine Soul into the Small World.


    He couldn''t even detect such a fleeting spatial fluctuation himself.


    As for whether You Bikong would discover it, at that critical moment, Chu Zheng could only gamble to see if he could fake his death to escape.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to get past this calamity.


    His Divine Soul was different from ordinary people''s, divided into Two Sides of Yin and Yang, and with the foundation of Qi Refining and the Immortal Path, nourished by the Incense Fire Willpower over the years, his soul''s strength was far beyond what cultivators of the same realm could compare to. With the repair panel stabilizing his injuries, he was lucky to survive.


    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    The Primordial Spirit had completely abandoned a whole half, along with the Immortal Root and Immortal Bone¡ªlosses that would have meant certain death for an ordinary cultivator.


    Even Chu Zheng, facing such a near-Dao Foundation destruction, would undoubtedly have died without the repair panel. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, as long as the Divine Soul still existed, these things could still be gradually repaired.


    Such severe injuries were unheard of for Chu Zheng''s original body, but now remaining in the state of only the Yang God, it also gave him an opportunity.


    A chance to completely abandon the Incense Fire Divine Path.

 Chapter 314 Cutting Off Incense, Recasting the Dharma Body

    The path of Incense Fire Divine was always an inseparable part of Chu Zheng.


    His progress in Immortal Path Cultivation had been incredibly swift, closely tied to the path of Incense Fire Divine.


    Now, with his Divine Soul torn and both his Immortal Root and Celestial Foundation shattered, his connection to the Incense Fire Willpower had reached an unprecedentedly fragile state.


    At this moment, he could completely sever the connection with Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, attempting to fully separate it from his true self.


    Initially, Chu Zheng believed that having multiple skills did not burden a master. Having an additional method surely meant an extra pathway. Many, including Zhao Tingxian, had advised him to focus on one path, but he had not given up.


    However, having reached this stage in his cultivation, he realized something ominous¡ªbeing a jack of all trades but master of none was certainly not beneficial. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    Especially the Incense Fire Divine lineage, which completely failed to integrate with both the Immortal Path and the Qi Refining Lineage, was entirely incompatible.


    A massive amount of Incense Fire Willpower, though vast in quantity, was excessively mixed and chaotic. Even though he had stopped absorbing Incense essence long ago to replenish himself, it still significantly impacted his Divine Soul.


    This could be slightly discerned from his own combat ability. Without resorting to methods from the Qi Refining Lineage, such as top-tier Divine Skills like ''Law of Heaven and Earth'' that forcibly elevated combat ability, struggling against peers, it would be difficult for him to kill Qi Yun.


    With his talents in the Immortal Path, even without relying on Qi Refining methods, he should not have been driven to such a desperate situation by Qi Yun. Ultimately, it was because his cultivation had risen too quickly, causing an unstable foundation.


    This path had been trodden by Zhao Tingxian before, but he had not rushed it as drastically as Chu Zheng. It took him nearly a thousand years to Become an Immortal, and his physical constitution was refined to Perfection¡ª even becoming a Pure-blooded Immortal Descendant, surely through some unknown means.


    However, this would have to be inquired about later when the opportunity arose.


    Using this severe blow as a chance, Chu Zheng could reshape his Dharma Body, first repairing his physical Root Bone through the repair panel, and his incomplete Divine Soul need not be hurriedly fixed, allowing him to gradually restore it himself.


    With this in mind, Chu Zheng no longer hesitated and forcibly severed the connection to the Incense Fire Willpower. Using all the Golden Bodies in the Chaos Sea as an anchor, he completely detached the connection between him and Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.


    The Incense Fire Willpower that had transmitted from the depths of the universe soon dissipated completely, no longer sending even the slightest fluctuation.


    This kind of detachment seemed decisive, but it was far from clean, leaving many hidden dangers behind.


    Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s Golden Body was still present, and within the Chaos Sea were billions of believers. Having lost their source in him, what changes might occur within the willpower of these believers contained in Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s Golden Body was unknowable.


    But now, Chu Zheng no longer had the power to control these believers, especially in the Dongyuan Realm. Under the vast differences in the flow of time, more than a thousand years had already passed there.


    During this lengthy period, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu had already become deeply intertwined with countless living creatures'' interests. Just under his command, the Incense Fire Divine alone had already become quite a significant number.


    Under these circumstances, the possibility of no longer accepting offerings was absolutely impossible.


    If Chu Zheng had wished to absorb all Incense Fire Willpower earlier, he would have already reached Perfect Eighth Order and could even possibly have leapt into the Ninth Order directly through the Incense Fire Divine Path.


    But for him personally, this would cause irreversible effects, as being mired in the varied wills within the Incense Fire alone would leave him mostly in a state of deep sleep, incapacitated to contemplate anything else.


    Aside from this, the Incense Fire Divine Path had one more fatal flaw. Should a mishap occur in the Dongyuan Realm, leading to the collapse of the painstakingly constructed believer system, his cultivation would also revert to square one, like a castle in the air collapsing overnight.


    This was something Chu Zheng absolutely couldn''t afford. Seizing the chance to cut off this path now was also like snatching the reins at the edge of a cliff, still offering a chance to remedy.


    Chu Zheng slowly closed his eyes, activating the repair panel, as the essence of heaven and earth converged around him, with the bright white crown of his head gradually solidifying.


    Not far away, Bai Nian leaned against a towering ancient tree, watching Chu Zheng, who was healing, with a slightly furrowed brow and in deep contemplation.


    During this period, he had been contemplating where to begin. Seeing Chu Zheng once again narrowly escape death, he seemed to have some ideas.


    Perhaps he could first write a historical record for Chu Zheng, documenting his experiences thus far.


    Bai Nian roughly knew some of Chu Zheng''s past experiences. Once Chu Zheng''s convalescence was over and he had inquired about his date of birth, adding some details would likely suffice.


    Aside from these, what he needed to consider most presently was which era-naming system to use.


    Within the Great Universe, the methods for calculating years were extremely complicated.


    Just within the Ten Thousand Realms, there were already dozens of era-naming methods, along with some more obscure ones¡ªprobably already more than a hundred. If the systems used by the Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall were included, they were indeed countless.


    The universe was too vast, and within the various Star Domains, the length of day and night cycles varied, with some extreme stars experiencing several hundred or even thousand years for a single cycle of seasons. This was a common occurrence.


    After deep thought, Bai Nian took out a Jade Book, and putting pen to scroll, he wrote:


    [Origin Year, Immortal Martial Alliance, Heavenly Fate each taking a share... ]


    Since it was difficult to standardize the calendar, it was time to establish a new class of calendar.


    As it all started with Chu Zheng, let us begin from his birth year, making it easier to calculate in the future.


    Even if a uniform calendar for the Great Universe will be established in time to come, by slightly comparing and verifying with the cosmic power structure recorded within this annal, it would be possible to deduce the specific era of Chu Zheng.


    "What is going on?!"


    Fu Zhixuan, her body stained with blood, stared at the desolate plain before her, her expression frozen, thoughts nearly halted.


    She had only managed to shield Chu Zheng for half a day before barely holding on, retreating toward the camp direction with a few True Immortals.


    At the same time, she had sent numerous messages to the camp requesting assistance, yet they fell into oblivily, with no responses forthcoming.


    When she finally made it back here, the original camp had vanished into thin air.


    The lingering energy of utter destruction in the air was enough to prove a catastrophic event had occurred here.


    Thinking of Chu Zheng, Fu Zhixuan''s expression transformed instantly; she pulled out a Jade Mirror and sent a message to her fellow Immortals still in the Great Immortal Realm:


    "Has Chu Zheng''s name changed on the Immortal List? Are the True Immortals from Breaking Kill Army''s Camp Number Six of the Seventh Company still safe?"


    The True Immortals'' deaths would also result in their removal from the Immortal List, which was the fastest way to ascertain the current status of Chu Zheng and the others.


    Soon, a reply came through the Jade Mirror:


    "Chu Zheng is intact. In Breaking Kill Army''s Seventh Company, Camp Number Six, Second Tribulation True Immortals Fang Zhi, Qin Gui, Lu Xing, and First Tribulation True Immortals Shi Yi, Huo Miaojun, Jiang Ze''an, and Tan Hai have all died in battle."


    Upon receiving the message, Fu Zhixuan''s gaze slightly dispersed, her mind buzzing.


    Chu Zheng was alive, but the entire camp had been fully erased.


    After glancing around, she dared not stay longer, leading the few True Immortals behind her toward another Immortal Alliance Camp.


    Now she had no time to investigate what exactly had happened to the camp.


    As more and more cultivators from the Myriad Realms gathered nearby, lingering any longer would put her life at risk. As a True Inheritor of the Immortal Emperor, her head had a hefty bounty in the Myriad Realms, worth a fortune.


    At the edge of the upper Heavenly Domain.


    A streak of light suddenly paused, revealing seven figures. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Great Saint?"


    Seeing You Bi Yue halting, the following Martial Saints all wore puzzled expressions.


    You Bi Yue''s cheeks slightly twitched, her gaze as dark as still water, as she spoke in a low tone:


    "To be safe, I had our insider from the Immortal Alliance check the Immortal List. I just received a message that Chu Zheng''s name is still on the Immortal List."


    Having his name on the Immortal List was enough to confirm that Chu Zheng was still in this world.


    Hisss¡ª


    The few Martial Saints instinctively inhaled sharply, their expressions instantly turning to fear.


    This is bad!


    Chu Zheng wasn''t dead, and it wasn''t just about whether the mission could be completed anymore.


    The critical issue was that Chu Zheng now knew what they had done before. Once he sent a message to the Immortal Alliance, only a bit of verification was needed for them to have no place to be buried.


    After all, the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was essentially half a main stage for the Immortal Alliance; they didn''t even have a chance to escape.


    Should their deeds come to light, the Immortal Martial Alliance might even fracture from this, leading to even more severe consequences.

 Chapter 315 The Death of Bi Yue Great Saint

    "Great Saint, what should we do now?"


    "Once the Immortal Alliance takes action, how should we respond?"


    The six Martial Saints were somewhat at a loss, having prepared for death upon learning the true mission of this journey.


    But the current issue was whether, if the Immortal Alliance truly intended to kill them, they should wait passively or fight to the death.


    The meanings represented by these choices were starkly different.


    Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Even if we return to the Martial Hall now, our ultimate fate would still be a dead end."


    You Bi Yue''s expression regained calmness as he surveyed the six Martial Saints:


    "Please follow me back to the Lower Heavenly Domain and exert all efforts to search for Chu Zheng. If any cultivator from the Immortal Alliance interferes, just as before, exterminate them."


    This statement was tantamount to asking everyone to face death.


    Upon hearing these words, the faces of the six Martial Saints turned solemn, and without any hesitation, they bowed:


    "We will heed the Great Saint''s commands."


    People of the Martial Path spend their lives constantly engaging in battle, always lingering on the brink of life and death, following a path that goes against the current.


    Among them, some might be plagued by various desires, but none are those who fear death over cherishing life.


    Before stepping onto the Martial Path, they had already prepared themselves, aware that their lives might seldom end well.


    Having lived to this age and reaching this point, the path beneath their feet was already much longer than many of their peers.


    Whether to the left or right, death was inevitable; if they could resolve some troubles for those who followed, their deaths would have meaning.


    You Bi Yue, without further words, led the six Martial Saints as they turned back and rushed towards the Lower Heavenly Domain.


    At that moment, he no longer wished to investigate why Chu Zheng had survived.


    Finding Chu Zheng and thoroughly killing him was his sole mission.


    The time needed to heal his injuries turned out to be much longer than Chu Zheng had anticipated.


    After about half a month, his body gradually began to take shape.


    The half-destroyed Primordial Spirit, slowly mended on its own, was progressing frustratingly slow; it would require at least several decades more. If there were some Immortal Elixirs to nourish the Divine Soul, progress could likely be sped up considerably.


    After his injuries had significantly healed, Chu Zheng immediately left the Small World and returned to the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    He was now surrounded by an unfamiliar heaven and earth.


    Immortal Path Cultivators'' self-condensed Grotto Heavens floated in the spatial turbulence, moving with their bodies.


    Chu Zheng was no different, though his situation was a bit special, as his original body, which had served as a spatial anchor, had been completely crushed.


    Thus, his Small World could only drift in the void, and he was uncertain of its current location.


    After contemplating briefly, Chu Zheng descended to the ground, employed Divine Shape-Shifting Skills, and transformed into an ordinary black snake, using the Earth Escape Technique to move beneath the ground.


    He sought a suitable location to realign himself, a place where he could undergo transformation and tribulation to diminish the Tribulation Qi and prepare for the next Earth Tribulation. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The previous great tribulation orchestrated by You Bi Yue, which he had luckily survived, had greatly reduced his Tribulation Qi, but he still did not underestimate the remaining Qi.


    Qi Refining was increasingly challenging the further one progressed.


    To become a Heavenly Immortal, one must transcend a hundred tribulations; to become a Mysterious Immortal, ten thousand; and to reach the level of a Golden Immortal, a million tribulations are necessary.


    It wasn''t just the number of tribulations that increased; the Tribulation Qi would exponentially surge, and the variability and unpredictability of the tribulations amplified. Just because Chu Zheng had survived this time did not mean he would the next.


    If there were a safer method, why not use it?


    After spending several days gathering information about the nearby area, Chu Zheng wrote countless letters, circulating the news of You Bi Yue''s strike on the Immortal Alliance through various channels into many camps of the Alliance.


    However, contrary to his expectations, the reception of his letters within the Alliance did not stir much upheaval; it seemed to have become the norm.


    After some investigation, Chu Zheng finally understood.


    This kind of discord had been employed every ten or eight years throughout the Ten Thousand Realms as a means to instigate conflicts within the Immortal Martial Alliance; the many cultivators of the Alliance had even grown somewhat accustomed to it.


    Regarding this, Chu Zheng felt somewhat helpless; he could not risk revealing his identity to establish direct contact with the Immortal Alliance.


    True Immortal had previously shown him goodwill, but he was genuinely not familiar enough with the Immortal Alliance to trust them rashly.


    The examples of Zhao Tingxian and Shang Cangyun were clear¡ªif the Immortal Alliance were truly a refuge, they would never have been driven to this point.


    ...


    ...


    Above the desolate land floated seven blood-red suns, slowly drifting, sweeping across the mountains and rivers in an instant.


    The Lower Heavenly Domain was too vast; finding someone could only be done in this way.


    "Please, hold on."


    A low murmur suddenly arose from above the sky, halting those who were meticulously searching.


    You Bi Yue paused, and the six Martial Saints behind her stopped as well.


    A middle-aged man in Immortal Armor stepped out from the void, descending into the air, his deep gaze radiating sharp Immortal Light from his dark pupils.


    His Gold-plated Battle Armor, engraved with dense Immortal Patterns, reflected the harsh Immortal Light on each armor piece, further accentuating his upright posture like a pine, with a commanding presence.


    His arms hung naturally as he looked down upon the members of the Martial Hall with a composed demeanor, his mere presence resembling an insurmountable Divine Peak, inducing a sense of compliance in others without a thought of resistance.


    Not far behind him followed several True Immortals, their approach formidable.


    "Immortal King."


    Sensing the aura emanating from the middle-aged man, You Bi Yue''s eyes grew cold, a trace of blood mist escaped her lips, and her heart began to beat wildly, desperately gathering the flowing Qi and blood throughout her body, then accelerating its circulation to ten or even a hundred times the usual speed into her limbs.


    In an instant, the blood vessels on his body bulged and his veins surfaced, his whole body swelling considerably.


    The Immortal King was a supreme powerhouse just beneath an Immortal Monarch, soon possibly touching the domain of space-time, beyond his capacity to confront. However, he could not simply surrender.


    Seeing this, the six Saints behind him flashed murderous intent in their eyes, each operating their Secret Techniques, their War Blood beginning to boil.


    The void thundered, echoing with low roars induced by the stirring of Qi and blood.


    "I am Fan Long, Heavenly Judge of the Immortal Alliance Punishment Department."


    Seeing the reaction of You Bi Yue and her group, the gaze of Fan Long, the Immortal King, turned frosty:


    "I received a secret message that you attacked and destroyed our Immortal Alliance Camp, slaughtering 1,760,000 Cultivators of the Immortal Alliance. According to the law of the Immortal Alliance, this blood debt is beyond redemption."


    This visit was initially just a routine inquiry, not truly a matter of concern to him.


    But judging from the reaction of these few, the transmission of the message was evidently true.


    Hum¡ª


    His response was met with a swath of blood-red blade light, a frightening killing intent sweeping across the sky, causing all living creatures within a billion miles to tremble, bowing and covering their heads, daring not to make any slight movements.


    The wind passing by in the sky, the flowing clouds, even the invisible primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth, all fell into a still.


    "To think a mere ant dares to swallow the heavens, how ridiculous."


    Watching the blade light approaching, Fan Long''s expression remained impassive¡ªindifferent he calmly raised his hand, releasing a gentle stream of Immortal Light.


    Crack¡ª


    The blade light shattered instantly, the gentle Immortal Light subtly transforming into a dragon, swallowing the seven people below in one gulp before disappearing into the void.


    Martial Power was extraordinary, capable of going against the current, but ultimately there was a limit.


    The Immortal King was now a domain You Bi Yue could not reach.


    With such a great disparity in cultivation, Fan Long did not even need to use an Immortal Treasure to erase their traces.


    Fan Long closed his eyes to rest. After a while, he slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a mist of blood.


    The blood mist merged with the void, turning into a rain of blood in a snap of the fingers, covering a million miles.


    The Immortal Flowers and Strange Grasses on the ground, nourished by the blood rain, began to grow visibly taller, as if blessed by rain from the heavens.


    Seeing this, a True Immortal hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Immortal King Fan Long, how should we report this matter?"


    "Just tell it as it is, no need to hide anything."


    Having said that, Fan Long fell silent for a while, then slowly said, "This matter¡­ was caused by the Cultivators from the Ten Thousand Realms, unrelated to the Martial Hall, and I will personally report the truth to the Master later."


    Now, the Immortal Alliance needed the help of the Martial Hall; before the Myriad Heavens and Realms perished, they could not afford to easily tear their faces apart.

 Chapter 316 Search

    The Immortal Alliance and the Martial Hall will inevitably clash one day, and both sides are well aware of this fact.


    But at this moment, as the All Heavens and Realms are yet to be fully dealt with, any disputes and friction can only be temporarily set aside.


    Fan Long had not truly intended to kill these individuals this time, but seeing that they were clearly prepared to fight to the death, he naturally would not hold back any longer.


    After a moment of silence, Fan Long turned to look at the True Immortals behind him:


    "The person who sent the magical message is very likely Chu Zheng. Notify all the camps to find him as soon as possible, and at the same time, issue a secret order. If any member of the Martial Path is seen, report it immediately to confirm their location and deny them any further opportunities to act. If necessary, strike preemptively and deal with them cleanly."


    "Right now, the battle situation in the Upper Heavenly Domain is tense, and I cannot afford to be away for too long. These matters will need you to coordinate. Should you encounter an insurmountable enemy, transmit a message immediately to the Punishment Authority. Other Immortal Kings will make time to come and deal with the situation."


    Having said this, his gaze drifted and landed on a woman:


    "Dongsheng Yu, regardless of any past grievances you might have had with Chu Zheng, set aside all of your schemes. Do as I have previously instructed, and do not consider defying me secretly ¨C the consequences are something you cannot bear."


    "Yes."


    Dongsheng Yu nodded her head and bowed, her expression calm: "I dare not defy your orders."


    Without another word, Fan Long Immortal King raised his finger, opened an astral path, ascended to the heavens, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Dongsheng Yu withdrew her gaze, her thoughts a mixture of emotions.


    Since she had ambushed Chu Zheng outside the Cangyun Realm and was blocked by Shang Cangyun''s projection, it had been just over a decade. Yet, Chu Zheng had already gone from a mere Tongxuan Cultivator to a True Immortal, even crossing two tribulations and stepping into the Second Tribulation Realm.


    Her original body was from the Shengling Wood Clan, naturally rich in Wood-Attribute Spiritual Qi. After easily overcoming the Wood Tribulation, it took her nearly a hundred years to accumulate the foundation needed to cross the Fire Tribulation. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    From the current situation, Chu Zheng holds significant meaning for the entire Immortal Alliance, and his status has far surpassed hers by an unknown amount.


    Fortunes reverse ¨C this is a common knowledge in the Great Universe. Under the flow of Heavenly Fate, a nobody of today might rise to royalty and become an ancestor tomorrow. It''s not impossible.


    However, in Chu Zheng''s case, fortune seemed to have turned too quickly. She had but dozed off, and Chu Zheng had already shown a momentum that pierced the sky.


    Since ancient times, the Cangyun Realm has been hard-pressed to produce outstanding and extraordinary beings. A powerful Great Realm, its essence has nearly dried up. But in the past tens of thousands of years, starting with Shang Cangyun, three great individuals have emerged, possibly signifying a last flicker of light.


    At these thoughts, Dongsheng Yu felt somewhat numb in her heart. The enmity between Chu Zheng and her was not insignificant; should he gain influence within the Immortal Alliance, it would be difficult for her to face a good outcome.


    "Dongsheng Demon Immortal, what should we do next?"


    A True Immortal looked towards Dongsheng Yu, inquiring about her next plan.


    Among the True Immortals present, Dongsheng Yu had the strongest cultivation, having crossed into the Seventh Tribulation. Apart from the external forces that had just entered the Lower Heavenly Domain, there would likely be no one stronger than her.


    Moreover, she was one of Fan Long Immortal King''s close associates, and the search for Chu Zheng still required her to take the lead. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Following Fan Long Immortal King''s orders, first send messages to all the camps and find a way to search for Chu Zheng,"


    Dongsheng Yu pondered for a moment, her eyes shifted slightly, and she turned around to instruct: "Also go and check how exactly those few individuals managed to enter the Lower Heavenly Domain."


    Entering and exiting the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield is no easy matter. Even if it were people from the Martial Hall, entering from the Immortal Alliance''s side would leave some traces, even if it were just an excuse, there should be some clues.


    The True Immortals each took their orders and left, leaving Dongsheng Yu standing alone on the spot.


    Now, all she could do was to follow orders, make her best effort to search for Chu Zheng, and see if she could find him before the others did.


    From the previous messages, it was evident that both Ten Thousand Realms Cultivators and people from the Martial Hall were pursuing Chu Zheng, implying that his current situation was not very promising.


    If she could think of some way to lend a hand and save his life, there might still be room to maneuver regarding their past grievances, and at the very least, there was hope to preserve a life.


    Even if the final outcome meant her own death, it would not involve the entire Shengling Wood Clan.


    As Fan Long had previously pointed out, she could not afford the consequences of duplicity; behind her stood countless clanspeople.


    Suddenly, an ancient towering tree appeared between heaven and earth, its roots penetrating deep into the ground, starting to communicate with the vegetation within hundreds of millions of miles.


    As Chu Zheng cultivated both Qi Techniques, all plant spirits would feel close to him, and this method was bound to be somewhat effective.


    Although the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was not limited to a single Qi Cultivator like Chu Zheng, a thorough search was sure to uncover some traces.


    ...


    Over the vast plain, where the nearly human-high weeds grew densely, they concealed the dark red ground, with fragments of armor and warriors scattered among the occasional glimpses of dry bones.


    Woosh woosh¡ª


    A figure wielding a Battle Halberd parted the tall weeds, stepping out and crushing a piece of dry bone underfoot.


    Song Lingxue looked around the plain, comparing it to the Heavenly Domain Map in her hands, appearing somewhat bewildered for a moment; she had lost her bearings.


    In the Lower Heavenly Domain, the majority of the land bore traces of battles, and the cultivating creatures involved were often not weak, causing alterations in the landscape quite frequently.


    In this place, ordinary maps were the most useless things. Instead, the Heavenly Domain Map was used, which roughly divided the area into different regions.


    Within the Lower Heavenly Domain, the territories delineated by the Ten Thousand Realms and the Immortal Alliance Camp were extremely chaotic and intermingled. In smaller regions, such maps were needed to distinguish the boundaries of different powers.


    As for a complete map of the Lower Heavenly Domain, not even the Immortal Alliance had one. Immortal Path Cultivators relied mostly on Secret Techniques or landmarks within the camps to locate positions, rendering the map similar to chicken ribs; rarely useful.


    The current Heavenly Domain Map in Song Lingxue''s hands was retrieved from a few corpses, likely not long dead, as their flesh was overgrown with spirit plants but had not completely decomposed.


    She had believed this map would not be far off, but it now seemed to have some discrepancies.


    According to this map, there should be an Immortal Alliance Camp nearby, but now all that remained was this vast wasteland, along with countless skeletons.


    After a long while, Song Lingxue sighed softly, stored away the map, and turned to leave. Originally, she had intended to inquire about Chu Zheng''s whereabouts through the local Immortal Alliance Camp.


    Her cultivation was only at Martial Arts Gathering God, the Fifth Realm, which was quite ordinary within the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. Even the safest parts of the Lower Heavenly Domain posed great dangers for her, resulting in a slow pace of travel.


    Fortunately, the Battle Halberd given to her by Bi Yue Great Saint was powerful enough to save her considerable effort.


    At this thought, Song Lingxue subconsciously touched the Battle Halberd on her back, which suddenly trembled lightly, its luster noticeably dimming.


    Song Lingxue''s expression changed slightly as she felt something was amiss and asked the Artifact Spirit within the halberd.


    The Battle Halberd lit up with divine brilliance, humming in response.


    Hearing the Artifact Spirit''s reply, Song Lingxue was taken aback for a moment.


    "Bi Yue Great Saint... is dead?"

 Chapter 317 Heavenly Blood Lineage

    Gazing at the plain covered in wild grass before her, Song Lingxue''s face showed a slight shock. She looked down at a piece of withered bone crushed by her own feet, feeling a chill in her heart and a loss for words from an indescribable, strong impact. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had not been long since they parted ways. How could such a distinguished Great Saint of Martial Path die like this?


    A Great Saint of Martial Path was a powerful existence even by the standards of the Great Universe, capable of deciding life and death for a star domain with a mere flip of the hand. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    As a fellow practitioner of the Martial Path, she knew all too well the strength of Bi Yue Great Saint. It was like a Divine Mountain whose peak she could not even see at this point, unreachable and unfathomable.


    Such a level of mighty being had now turned into the lifeless bones beneath her feet just like any other.


    Is this the terrifying reality of the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield...


    Song Lingxue took a deep breath; amidst the fragrance of grass and trees mixed a faint yet discernible sweet smell of blood that had not yet dissipated.


    The silver-white Battle Halberd flickered with a faint light, and as the Artifact Spirit of a Half-Saint artifact, it also appeared somewhat at a loss at the moment. It had not been completely refined by Song Lingxue and followed by her side with a task of surveillance as well.


    The task had barely started for a few days before its former master had fallen, the situation had changed too quickly, and it was somewhat unexpected.


    For a time, it did not know where to go next.


    This place was the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, where even a Great Saint could easily perish, not to mention a mere Half-Saint weapon like itself.


    Song Lingxue came back to her senses, sensing the restlessness of the Battle Halberd behind her, and immediately raised her finger to gently stroke the blade of the halberd:


    "If you have nowhere to go, then follow me for the time being. I will grow strong enough to wield you as soon as possible."


    The Battle Halberd did not respond and fell into silence, contemplating the future was somewhat beyond its purview, so it chose to fall asleep directly.


    After a good sleep, its future path would appear on its own.


    It had already been in a deep slumber for a long time before, this extra period did not make much difference.


    Martial Hall.


    Within the great hall shrouded with starlight and auspicious colors, a robust Great Man knelt on the ground to pay his respects, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead:


    "Reporting to the Hall Master, the party led by Bi Yue Great Saint... has perished on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield."


    The death of a Great Saint was no small loss for the Martial Hall.


    "The Heavenly Fate has already receded. You Bi Yue did not invoke the Heavenly Fortune upon himself till death, so it must have been the Immortal Alliance that made a move."


    Fu Pinglan opened his hollow eyes, his tone slightly heavy: "There is no need to worry about Chu Zheng for now. The Martial Ancestor has sent a message a few days ago. There has been a disturbance in the Vast Universe Great Realm, the third assault on the realm barriers this year."


    "It seems that those Evil Demons from the Mythical Realm in the Vast Universe Great Realm can hardly contain themselves any longer, desperately needing substantial Heavenly Fate to support their breakthrough into the Ancestral Realm. There have been too many mortalities in the Great Universe in recent years, bolstering the power of the Evil Demons, I''m afraid it won''t end well."


    "The immediate task is to quickly resolve the affairs in All Heavens, to help the Martial Ancestor secure more Heavenly Fate, so that we can gain the upper hand in the subsequent Dao Wars."


    As he spoke, Fu Pinglan slowly stood up, his expression revealing a measure of gravity:


    "Xiao Yuan, convey the Vice Hall Master''s commands, recall all Martial Saints and above stationed outside, and support the Battlefield of All Heavens with all our strength."


    ```


    "I need to return to 450 million years prior, to attempt the retrieval of my eyes. The future is uncertain. You hold onto my Dao Seal and constantly monitor the heavenly fate. If any misfortune befalls me and the Martial Arts Heavenly Fortune flows backward, immediately summon the Heavenly Punishment Martial Emperor back to the hall. Borrow the heavenly fate to enter the Ancestral Realm and stabilize the overall situation."


    ```


    As Fu Pinglan spoke, a blood-colored secret seal congealed in the palm of his hand and was handed over to Xiao Yuan.


    Xiao Yuan''s face was solemn as he accepted the Dao Seal with both hands, nodding in response:


    "Your command is heard. May your journey be successful and achieve perfection."


    Fu Pinglan''s expression was icy cold. To this day, he had no knowledge of what his eyes had seen in the past, such that they were forcibly left behind, with not a single memory remaining in his mind.


    ......


    ......


    The fall of a Great Saint of Martial Path did not create much of a stir in the grand scale of the Great Universe.


    It was like a ripple on the vast ocean, surfacing for a moment and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.


    Everything was as usual in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield ¨C endless skirmishes, and sights filled with tears and blood that eons could not dry.


    A relentless supply of fresh blood from every corner of the Great Universe poured into this dreadful meat grinder known as the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield. Some living creatures would rise from here, soaring like a brilliant rainbow, but many more were nameless bones submerged in the waves of blood.


    Beneath the earth soaked with blood and bone, lived the descendants of the original creatures of the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, now excluded from the ranks of various Taoist orthodoxies.


    These descendants called themselves the ''Heavenly Blood Lineage,'' dwelling in the Underground Palace, separating themselves entirely from the Immortal Alliance Martial Hall and all the Myriad Heavens and Realms.


    Over the years, these living creatures from the Great Universe, known as the ''Grass Descendants,'' used various types of teleportation arrays to transform the dark underground into a new world.


    The Underground Palace was extensive and interconnected, spanning most of the Lower Heavenly Domain, divided into four major domains: east, west, south, and north, within which countless arrays lay hidden, sheltering who knows how many living creatures, a place where ears and eyes were everywhere.


    Here was the most well-informed area in the Lower Heavenly Domain and, relatively speaking, more peaceful. Naturally, it was a place to band together for warmth, with fewer occurrences of skirmishes.


    Among the four domains of the Underground Palace, the Northern Region bordered the Ten Thousand Realms and was home to a relative complexity of force lineages and a particularly chaotic composition of clan groups, with many instances of mixed bloodlines visible everywhere.


    Underground, with no sunlight, the dome and the four walls were embedded with black and white crystals, formed by the Essence of the Great Sun and Moonlight. Twenty-four hours cycled through, with day and night transitions more regular than those on the surface.


    Above a crisscrossed and spacious marketplace, a miscellaneous goods store quietly opened. A long banner was hung at the door, offering ancient fragments in exchange for cultivation resources.


    If one were to ask where in the Lower Heavenly Domain one could find the most fragments, aside from the Underground Palace, nowhere else came to mind. Some weaker creatures here, in particular, liked to clear battlefields and search for cultivation resources to satisfy their hunger, forced by their environment.


    Just over a month ago, using the Shape-Shifting Divine Power to disguise as a Half-demon, and with the natural affinity of a Qi Cultivator, Chu Zheng easily infiltrated the Underground Palace and took over this small shop.


    He was planning to stay here for a long time, to weather calamities through his disguise, while dissipating the Tribulation Qi and staying quiet for a while.


    The Martial Hall was after him, and the Immortal Alliance''s stance towards him was unclear. With his status as an Immortal Path Cultivator, it was difficult to find a place to stay in the myriad realms. For the moment, he felt besieged on all sides, caught in a difficult predicament with no clear way forward or back.


    Therefore, seeking isolation and vanishing without trace for some time was his best choice for the time being.


    The street was crowded with people, filled with the bustling Red Dust, peaceful and prosperous. Chu Zheng leaned back in his reclining chair, his gaze sweeping over the many living creatures walking on the street, sorting through the complex information absorbed in his mind.


    When his Spiritual Eye swept across a figure, he suddenly shot up from his seat, his expression changing:


    [Shang Zuling (Sixth Order): Bone age one hundred and nine, Cultivation Middle Stage of Tongxuan Realm, former Centurion under the Breaking Kill Army Second Camp of the Immortal Alliance, forcibly underwent Blood Changing, broken and rebuilt, seriously injured (repairable).]


    Shang Zuling?!

 Chapter 318 Planning

    Meeting Shang Zuling here was somewhat beyond Chu Zheng''s expectation.


    Since parting on the extraterritorial battlefield all those years ago, almost twenty years have passed. In just two short decades, Shang Zuling had advanced from the Middle Stage of Divine Infant to the Tongxuan Realm¡ªa testament to her stunning talent.


    However, Shang Zuling''s current state was clearly not good. Her originally slightly yellow skin was now as pale as paper, and the tall and extraordinary figure, unlike that of ordinary women, seemed somewhat emaciated within the enveloping black robe.


    She had cast a Blinding Method on herself; it was unclear which secret technique it was, as her appearance hadn''t changed much, but her aura was no longer purely that of an Immortal Path Cultivator. It was somewhat mixed and blended in harmoniously with the living creatures in the Underground Palace; she didn''t stand out at all in the crowd.


    The Breaking Kill Army was overall divided into three camps: Heaven, Earth, and Man, with further subdivisions from one to nine. Camps one to three constituted the Heaven Camp, where only exceptional talents could enter¡ªan elite amongst the elites and where the Punishment Authority replenished its new blood.


    The fact that Shang Zuling had previously been admitted to the second camp confirmed her extraordinary talent. Even on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield, teeming with heroes, she was one in ten thousand.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze was too conspicuous, and Shang Zuling soon noticed, following his line of sight back to him.


    "Daoist Shang, long time no see."


    Hearing the long-lost voice echoing in her mind, Shang Zuling was stunned for a moment before she finally remembered the owner of the voice. Somewhat astonished, she opened her eyes wide as if she didn''t quite dare to recognize:


    "Chu... Daoist Chu?"


    "Let''s talk inside."


    Chu Zheng nodded slightly and turned to walk into the shop behind him.


    Shang Zuling silently entered the shop, her gaze wandering and taking in the decoration inside.


    The layout of the shop was straightforward with three shelves holding some curious and strange items, mostly damaged, and a half-person-tall counter displaying several miscellaneous books and some small tools.


    Chu Zheng was about to turn around and close the door when a little head suddenly popped out, full of questions:


    "Uncle Chu, why are you closing so early today? Are you still doing business?"


    Seeing the small boy who had suddenly appeared, Chu Zheng''s eyes warmed as he crouched down:


    "Xiao Ye, what''s wrong?"


    "I accidentally broke this before; can it still be fixed? It''s my mother''s keepsake, and I''m afraid my father will beat me when he comes back."


    Xiao Ye opened his palm to reveal a green Jade Lock.


    [Yunling Lock (First Order/Incomplete): A Magic Artifact carved from Spirit Jade, wearing it for years can nourish the tendons and bones and smooth out the meridians, beneficial for cultivation. The Formation Pattern is broken, and it is damaged (can be repaired).]


    "Come to pick it up tomorrow." Chu Zheng nodded with a smile, taking the Jade Lock.


    "How many Spirit Stones will it cost?" Xiao Ye looked a bit hesitant.


    "It''s not difficult, one Spirit Stone will be enough."


    "Thank you, Uncle Chu, I''ll come again tomorrow morning!"


    Hearing Chu Zheng''s reply, the boy''s eyes lit up slightly, and he turned to leave.


    Chu Zheng closed the shop door and turned to face Shang Zuling''s somewhat inquiring eyes.


    "Daoist Chu, it has been a long time."


    Looking at Chu Zheng before her, Shang Zuling felt complex emotions. Although she did not know the full story, her current predicament seemed to be significantly connected to Chu Zheng.


    "Before the disaster struck the Primordial Spirit Holy Land, the Elders imparted some matters to me using Bloodline Secret Techniques. In the chaos of battle, I feigned death to escape, using the Blood Changing secret technique to wash away all traces related to the Shang Family, barely managing to survive."


    "The family seems not to be fully aware of the details, Daoist Chu, do you know what exactly happened?"


    "It''s a long story, I''ll heal your injuries first."


    Chu Zheng took a deep breath and raised his hand to channel a beam of Immortal Light into Shang Zuling''s body, repairing part of her inner injuries. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shang Zuling has undergone Blood Changing. A full recovery would revive the Immortal King Ancestral Blood within her, rendering her previous Blood Changing effort meaningless.


    "You''ve become a True Immortal?!"


    Shang Zuling''s expression changed drastically as she sensed the immense immortal power within Chu Zheng''s body, something unattainable for a cultivator at the Immortal Tribulation Realm.


    This meant that Chu Zheng had indeed become a genuine True Immortal!


    Both of them had made it to the Hidden Dragon List years ago, and by all counts, he was just over forty this year!


    Separated for twenty years, their reunion marked a completely transformed world! Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Thanks to the assistance of Cangyun Immortal Monarch, I was fortunate enough to survive, enabling me to achieve this modest level of cultivation."


    Chu Zheng slightly shook his head and promptly recounted the recent unexpected events to Shang Zuling.


    However, he omitted some details, especially concerning the fact that Shang Cangyun had become the Vice Mansion Master of Purple Dragon Prefecture in the Vast Universe, which he did not elaborate on clearly.


    This matter touched upon Shang Cangyun''s own plans, and Chu Zheng didn''t feel it was proper to divulge too much.


    After a long while, Shang Zuling finally managed to digest this information and fell into contemplation.


    "Now that both the Martial Hall and the Immortal Alliance are hunting me, along with others seeking my traces, I can only hide here for a period," Chu Zheng slowed his speech, "Daoist Shang, what are your plans next?"


    "If you have nowhere to go, then stay here for the time being. Cangyun Immortal Monarch''s kindness to me is greater than the heavens, and since you are his descendant, and also an old acquaintance of mine, it is only right for me to assist."


    Thinking of Shang Cangyun, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but let out another long sigh: "Moreover, your current plight is also due to me."


    If it weren''t for helping him, Shang Cangyun wouldn''t have exposed himself so soon, at least there would have been more time to prepare.


    "I shall then impose on you during this time."


    Shang Zuling regained her senses and decided to stay for now. The taste of hiding and fleeing was unpleasant, and she needed a good rest to recuperate and regulate her body.


    ...


    ...


    The night passed in a blink of an eye.


    When the Essence of the Great Sun once again illuminated the canopy above, Chu Zheng, just like any other day, opened his shop, with Xiao Ye eagerly waiting outside.


    Chu Zheng smiled faintly, handing over the Jade Lock.


    "Uncle Chu, you are truly amazing! I asked several Artifact Refining Masters before, and none of them were willing to repair it."


    Seeing the Jade Lock shine anew, Xiao Ye''s face was full of joy, carefully taking out a Spirit Stone from her bosom, placing it into Chu Zheng''s palm, and then turning to leave.


    Watching the bouncing figure leave, the smile on Chu Zheng''s face faded slightly, his expression gradually returning to calmness.


    Above ground, where the struggles concerning life and death take place, maybe only these living creatures underground can be considered truly alive.


    The continuation of new bloodlines, like Xiao Ye and countless others with frail cultivation, only survive in this world due to the protection of multiple arrays.


    He didn''t want to disturb the rare peace here; it''s time to face the tribulation without further delay.


    Chu Zheng slightly lifted his head, his gaze reaching towards the canopy, as a wisp of Divine Sense extended from his brow.


    The Divine Sense pierced through the Array and returned to the Lower Heavenly Domain, starting to search among the streaks of starlight in the sky for a Great Realm suitable for undergoing tribulation.

 Chapter 319 Star Capturing Heaven, Return to the Chaos Sea

    Upon entering the Heavenly Immortal Realm, Chu Zheng found deploying Star Capturing Heaven much easier than before, to the point of effortless mastery. Supported by the artifact repair panel, he could recover quickly.


    As his main body''s cultivation grew, the choice of Great Realms for his divine incarnation to face tribulations became increasingly cautious, at least it should not die too swiftly.


    If the cultivation of the incarnation is too weak, it becomes meaningless to the main body, even a burden.


    At this moment, Chu Zheng understood why Nie Longhu was so infuriated upon encountering him.


    Going through incarnation tribulations is a matter concerning one''s entire fortune and life; not every tribulation leads to the desired effect, and the likelihood of failure is quite high.


    Qi Cultivators who have mastered the technique of incarnation tribulations tend to rely on their powerful main body''s cultivation to wear away the Tribulation Qi from their incarnations until they gain self-preservation capabilities, marking the true beginning of their tribulations.


    For Chu Zheng, if it wasn''t for the Qi-refining Techniques and the existence of the artifact repair panel, his tribulation process would not be so smooth. It might take hundreds of years of hard work, ending in vain.


    After releasing a strand of Divine Sense, Chu Zheng returned to the shop, quietly waiting for customers to arrive.


    In the Lower Heavenly Domain, there won''t be creatures with too powerful cultivation, so most of the fragments brought by people from Underground Palaces were not of very high Quality. There were some of Eighth Order, but most were Seventh Order or even below Sixth Order.


    To Chu Zheng, these levels of items were almost of no use, but his main purpose now was to search for Supreme Treasure or Spiritual Medicine that could enhance the Divine Soul and nourish the Spirit Soul.


    Having severed the connection with Incense Fire Willpower, his Primordial Spirit suffered a significant loss and has not been fully repaired. His previously powerful Primordial Spirit had almost become a weak spot, needing some time to recuperate.


    Ancestral Spirit Shang Zuling walked out from the back of the house, looking much improved and having had a stable night''s sleep, her spirits were visibly better.


    Seeing her in good color, Chu Zheng pondered for a while and inquired:


    "Daoist Shang, do you know where Supreme Mysterious Old Saint is now?"


    He had wanted to ask about Geng Yiyang yesterday, but now even if he knew Geng Yiyang''s whereabouts, he wouldn''t be able to go directly to him. Given Daoist Shang''s poor condition, he didn''t press the issue.


    "I truly don''t know much... Saint Master Geng did not accompany me; he was assigned to the Ninth Camp and went to the frontline of the clash with the Ten Thousand Realms. We have lost contact for more than ten years now."


    Ancestral Spirit Shang Zuling shook her head slightly, her expression somewhat helpless: "Aside from myself, the majority of Cangyun Cultivators have been assigned to the Eighth and Ninth Camps."


    In the Breaking Kill Army''s Human Camp, which includes the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Camps, where the number of cultivators is the most, they are tasked with the most dangerous frontal battlefield. They are also the cultivators with the least talent and oldest bone age.


    Simply put, they''re cannon fodder.


    After hesitating for a moment, Ancestral Spirit Shang continued: "The circumstances of the Old Saint may not be too good. The Immortal Fire Seed and Taixuan Battle Halberd he brought here have all been taken, sent to the Middle Layer Heavenly Domain because they''re not needed in the Lower Heavenly Domain''s battlefields."


    "The Taixuan Battle Halberd was taken directly by the Immortal Alliance?"


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s expression tightened slightly. Geng Yiyang''s cultivation was only at Immortal Tribulation Realm, and he was not in his prime years. Without the protection of the Taixuan Battle Halberd, life on the frontline would probably be very difficult.


    "It wasn''t the Immortal Alliance, but a senior from Taixuan Holy Land at Eight Tribulations True Immortal level who personally came down from the Middle Layer Heavenly Domain to retrieve it. I''ve heard that he left Cangyun more than thirty thousand years ago."


    Seeing Chu Zheng''s concerns, Ancestral Spirit Shang shifted the topic: "In the Ninth Camp, there is also a Second Tribulation True Immortal from Taixuan Holy Land; I presume he will provide some care to the Old Saint."


    Hearing this news, Chu Zheng was startled: "There are people from Taixuan Holy Land in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield?!"


    He had thought that those from Taixuan Holy Land who had left Cangyun were all gone. As the Holy Master himself, he was unaware that seniors from Taixuan Holy Land''s past were still present in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    If these people have been on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield all along, why have they never returned to Cangyun Realm for such a long time? This should be the case for Taixuan, as well as for the other Holy Lands.


    "It''s not the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield."


    Daoist Shang shook her head, denying Chu Zheng''s idea: "Recently, to gain an advantage on the main battlefield, the Immortal Alliance has called forth some battle-hardened elites from the frontier barriers at the edge of the universe. Many Cultivators among them have been redeployed from the barriers, including elders from our clan..."


    Talking about the realm barriers, Daoist Shang''s gaze suddenly dimmed. The cultivation of her clan''s elders was mostly above that of a True Immortal; they were high-profile targets, and only a few might have escaped unscathed in this major upheaval.


    "The edge of the universe... Realm barriers..."


    Chu Zheng became absent-minded, lost in thought.


    Zhao Tingxian once mentioned to him that there were secrets capable of breaking the bloodline shackles of Cangyun within the barren peripheries of the universe.


    However, Chu Zheng was not too eager about this now. The Immortal Path and the Qi-refining Technique were beginning to merge within him. Perhaps he could break free from these bloodline shackles on his own.


    Even if there were limitations later, by the time he reached Nine Tribulations Perfection, it would be a matter for the distant future. There was no need to consider this for now.


    While pondering, Chu Zheng''s eyes paused; the thread of Divine Sense he had sent out to search the Great Realm had found a suitable one.


    ...


    ...


    Chaos Sea.


    Spirit Moon Great Realm.


    Above the azure skies, six suns hung across the horizon, while clouds filled the Nine Heavens, covering countless islands floating in mid-air.


    In Ancient Times, after cataclysms tore apart the Spirit Moon Great Realm, the continent fragmented, exposing endless abysses from which clouds and mist billowed forth. A Silver Moon appeared at the core''s depths, its vague silhouette floating amidst the sea of mists, casting a glassy, Immortal scene.


    Powerful living creatures ventured forth to seek out the island, attempting to cross the sea of clouds to uncover the mysteries of the Silver Moon, only to find space folded upon itself, making the Silver Moon unreachable by any means.


    Since then, every three hundred and thirty years, the Silver Moon would emit a beam of Spiritual Light, stirring billions of miles of cloud sea, sending a great number of Earth Treasures and Heavenly Treasures and an astonishing amount of rich Spiritual Energy.


    The numerous islands that formed from the fractured continent have, over years and years of nurturing by Spiritual Energy, gradually turned into Spirit Lands.


    A single Silver Moon nurtured countless living creatures.


    Chu Zheng stood in the Void, surveying this unusual world before him, and began the search for a suitable incarnation vessel. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, for the cultivation trial of incarnation, he wanted to try a different path; such as abandoning the human body and trying to walk the Qi Refining Path with some Otherkind''s physique.


    Qi-refining Technique, after all, involved absorbing Yin Yang Dual Qi and Sun and Moon Essence; this was not something only humans could do¡ªOtherkind could do it too.


    In fact, some Otherkind may have even greater inborn advantages.


    After searching for a while, Chu Zheng''s eyes settled on an enormous Ancient Wood.


    [Silver Radiance Wood (Fourth Order): An Ancient Wood of one hundred thousand years, its branches and trunk have undergone multiple washes of Spiritual Energy and have become a Spirit Vein, making it an excellent material for crafting Magic Treasures.]

 Chapter 320 Spiritual Energy Tide, Ancient Wood Spiritual Awakening.

    Ancient Wood Umbrella Cover shaded like a canopy, shielding the firmament for miles around, and beneath the shade lay a small village, home to over three hundred families.


    There were not many cultivators, only around twenty or thirty people, while the rest of them, albeit unfamiliar with Cultivation Skills, lived here because


    Chu Zheng was interested in this ancient tree because it naturally nurtured a Spirit Vortex, similar to human meridians. Limited by innate talent and lacking cultivation skills, it had reached its limit by growing instinctively to its current state.


    Previously, Wu Tong, whom he had met during his incarnations through calamities, was originally a phoenix tree nurtured by the Essence Blood of an Ancestral Realm creature, which eventually grew into the Realm of Ancient Myths.


    In the Spirit Moon Great Realm, the overall environment was relatively peaceful; with powerful beings suppressing from above, and Spirit Moon providing regular cultivation resources from below, battles and skirmishes among the numerous Floating Islands were relatively few, leaving a considerable room for Chu Zheng to grow.


    Chu Zheng did not hesitate much, and his Soul Division entered into the ancient tree before him.


    As his Divine Sense gradually merged with the ancient tree, Chu Zheng''s perception started to change, his limbs and bones slowly fading from his senses, countless roots were firmly locked by the earth, unable to move.


    Due to his cultivation level, although Silver Radiance Wood had reached the Fourth Order, it still lacked the capacity for autonomous movement.


    At this moment, he had no eyes, yet the sceneries from all directions vividly appeared in his mind.


    For Chu Zheng, this sensation was somewhat novel.


    Beneath the tree, children were playing, their playful noises clearly entering Chu Zheng''s perception.


    A little boy left the group, ran to a corner, undid his protective belt, and urinated at the tree root.


    "..."


    The perception of Spirit Wood was very dull, lacking a nervous system; at least Chu Zheng had not noticed anything unusual.


    There was no pain, no comfort, not even the concept of sensation; he felt as though he had turned into a completely immobile corpse.


    ...


    ...


    The body of the tree was too vast and markedly different from the bodies of living creatures, and it took nearly two years for Chu Zheng to fully control this Silver Radiance Wood.


    Through exploration, he had gradually mastered all the Spirit Vortices on the trunk, simulated the flow of Qi veins, and significantly increased the efficiency of absorbing nature''s spiritual energy, hundreds of times more than just relying on instincts.


    However, there were some issues with the absorption of Yin Yang Dual Qi by the Silver Radiance Wood.


    Spirit Wood divides into Yin and Yang types, and unlike living creatures, it is difficult to integrate both Yin and Yang.


    And Silver Radiance Wood, being a Yang Wood, had absorbed sunlight year-round and accumulated a vast amount of Yang Yuan inside its branches, with scarcely any Yin Qi.


    Moreover, this place was not on solid ground but a Floating Island, with even scarcer earth-origin Yin Qi.


    Chu Zheng needed to expend a great deal of energy absorbing copious amounts of Moonlight during the night to neutralize the Yang Yuan. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was an extremely lengthy process, requiring endless and monotonous circulation of Qi, for which, Chu Zheng had ample patience.


    In the blink of an eye, over two hundred years had passed.


    During these years, Chu Zheng never ceased, tirelessly absorbing Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi day and night.


    The Spirit Wood''s main body grew further, its realm advancing to the Sixth Order, its trunk growing several times thicker, and its canopy expanding more than a hundredfold, stretching over an area of more than ten thousand acres, aptly described as blotting out the sun and sky.


    Under the shade of the trees, the small village had, over the course of more than two hundred years, transformed into a city with a population exceeding one million.


    Due to Chu Zheng''s cultivation, the concentration of spiritual energy here exceeded that of other places, attracting many cultivators; some smaller families even relocated their entire households to settle here.


    As a result of Chu Zheng''s presence, the city was thus named Silver Splendor City, which over the years became increasingly prosperous and thriving.


    Regarding this, Chu Zheng remained undistracted, constantly immersed in his cultivation. With the elevation of his realm, he was now able to manipulate some branches and leaves, capable of executing some divine skills, at least possessing the ability to defend himself.


    At this moment, he also discovered the advantages of an Otherkind body; the massive original body brought about a more vigorous primordial source.


    Being of the Sixth Order, the foundation Chu Zheng possessed now surpassed that of his original body''s state in the Tongxuan Realm by more than a hundredfold, far exceeding ordinary cultivators from the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm.


    While Chu Zheng was absorbed in his intensive cultivation, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi suddenly became restless and highly unstable.


    In an instant, he was roused from his submerged cultivation, his divine sense extending into the city, quickly understanding the reason.


    The Spirit Moon Great Realm''s spiritual energy tide that occurs once every 330 years was approaching.


    Before Chu Zheng could react, the numerous floating islands nearby lit up with spiritual light. Ascending formation patterns shone, starting to operate.


    Chu Zheng carefully sensed the movement within the city below, and soon understood.


    This wave of spiritual energy tides also marked the time for all the great floating islands to compete for resources and shares of spiritual energy, with all the spirit-gathering arrays lighting up at this moment.


    Furthermore, this competition would also affect the cultivation aptitudes of newborns within the various great floating islands for the subsequent 330 years.


    Through the sense provided by his Qi-refining technique, Chu Zheng perceived some differences; the robust heavenly fate of this realm, along with the surges of spiritual energy, began to flow.


    The impact on the newborns seemed to be related to this heavenly fate.


    Boom¡ª


    A thunderous roar resonated from the layers of clouds, as a majestic tide of spiritual energy surged up from below. The fog contained dew, nearly liquefied. Some smaller floating islands were impacted, drifting away, being casually seized by some powerful living creatures and integrated into some continents.


    The floating island where Chu Zheng was also began to tremble slightly, showing signs of displacement.


    Various colors of spiritual lights accompanied the tides, splashing everywhere; among them were Immortal Crystal Divine Mines, all sorts of spiritual objects, and countless essences of spirit stones.


    Following the immense tide of spiritual energy, a remarkably intense moonlight also appeared.


    Chu Zheng didn''t miss this rare opportunity. His branches spread out, and his roots deeply penetrated into the floating island, drawing in the surrounding Yin Qi to neutralize the Yang Yuan that this Silver Radiance Wood had accumulated over the long years.


    This tree of Silver Radiance Wood had grown here for one hundred thousand years, accumulating an astonishing amount of Yang Yuan, and what Chu Zheng had utilized over the past two hundred years was merely the tip of the iceberg.


    He entered a state of frenzied growth. Every instant, the branches expanded outward, and his realm began soaring rapidly.


    A vast amount of spiritual energy and dew, attracted by the Qi-refining technique, merged into the branches and leaves. The lingering spiritual energy caused the concentration of spiritual energy on the entire floating island to start rising.


    The roots continued to grow, piercing through the floating island, extending toward the clouds below, hungry and thirsty.


    Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    In less than half a day, Chu Zheng once again crossed a realm, stepping into the Seventh Order, controlling the branches around his body with ease, with a significant increase in power.


    At the same time, the long-steady Tribulation Qi began to stir.


    Some powerful living creatures took notice of Chu Zheng''s presence, looking at the floating island enveloped in spiritual energy dew with a peculiar gleam in their eyes.


    "What a magnificent Spiritual Ancient Tree!"

 Chapter 321 Ancient Wood Turns into a Demon

    The disturbance caused by the Ancient Wood absorbing the spiritual energy rain was truly astonishing, attracting the attention of many cultivators.


    Most cultivators, with mediocre cultivation levels, did not dare to harbor ideas about it, except for two living creatures who had stepped into the Eighth Order, inching closer to this place.


    Both were dressed similarly, each wearing an Auspicious Beast Martial Robe, and of a similar age, nearing forty.


    "This Ancient Wood might soon transform and commune with the divine!"


    "Captain Nangong, this Spirit Wood is so massive, it could be used to forge many high-quality Spiritual Treasures. Why not cut it down?"


    "It''s a rare piece of Spirit Wood with the effect of Gathering Spirit. It would be too wasteful to cut it down. Besides, this Floating Island doesn''t yet have an owner, so why not annex it into our Tianyi Dynasty?"


    This moment is critical, prioritizing the contest for Spiritual Objects and cultivation resources is what matters, there is no need to rush for the moment.


    From a distance, the Spirit Wood on the floating island began to wrinkle and deform its bark, the Spirit Vortex gradually expanding, resembling a giant eye, which landed its gaze upon the two.


    [Nangong Yunxiao (Eighth Order): Bone age 19,477, Cultivation Eighth Order Second Layer, Black Qilin Army Captain of Tianyi Dynasty, specializes in High Grade True Technique ''Heavenly Feather Technique'', protected by the dynasty''s Qi Fortune.]


    [Ren Ke (Eighth Order): Bone age 9,564, Cultivation Eighth Order First Layer, Black Qilin Army Deputy Captain of Tianyi Dynasty, specializes in High Grade True Technique ''Wind and Thunder Nine Slashes'', protected by the dynasty''s Qi Fortune.]


    Dynastic Qi Fortune...


    While viewing the information of the two, Chu Zheng pondered. This type of dynasty formed by cultivators wasn''t the first he had encountered, as there were many such forces in the Myriad Realms.


    However, the concept of dynastic Qi Fortune did not exist on those individuals, potentially indicating a completely different path of significant value to understand.


    If a dynasty could gather Qi Fortune, it would indeed be valuable for experimentation for himself.


    Qi Fortune is indubitably important for a Qi Cultivator, aiding both cultivation speed and dealing with Tribulations, enhancing one''s capabilities tremendously.


    Seeing that the two did not rush over, Chu Zheng did not waste time, continuing his focused cultivation, employing Qi Refining Techniques to absorb the spiritual energy rain.


    His massive body absorbed energy at a speed far exceeding that of the human body and bore no potential overloading issues.


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed swiftly. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every surge of Spiritual Energy Tide lasts only for three days; after which, most Spiritual Objects and cultivation resources would find their ownership.


    Chu Zheng''s act of absorbing the spiritual energy rain was too conspicuous, attracting many Spiritual Objects towards the island, benefiting many cultivators nearby.


    Normally with their strength, they would not have been able to partake in such a grand event, merely enduring and sipping on nature, yet now they genuinely reaped many benefits.


    However, as per usual precedents, possession of Spiritual Objects and cultivation resources was only temporary.


    In the days to follow, many powerful entities would patrol the islands, scavenging for anything overlooked.


    Some Spiritual Objects already possessed spiritual wisdom and would hide, or might be fortuitously discovered by weaker living creatures; although not in great numbers, no cultivator would willingly relinquish these easily attainable resources.


    This is an uncommonly turbulent period in the Spirit Moon Great Realm, likely to persist for over a decade with sporadic conflicts happening occasionally.


    During these three days, Chu Zheng''s gains were so tremendous that he even fleetingly touched the threshold of the Eighth Order.


    Using the body of an Otherkind to practice Qi Refining Techniques, the benefits were unimaginably substantial, opening a new gateway for Chu Zheng.


    Vibrations transmitted from the void, and two figures emerged from a spatial channel, faces changing slightly upon seeing the floating island.


    The lush Ancient Wood extended skyward and earthward, with a canopy covering tens of thousands of square meters, almost covering one-third of the small floating island, its roots infiltrating the entirety of the island.


    "This Spirit Wood must have transformed already."


    After a moment of silence, Nangong Yunxiao''s expression slightly hardened: "Let''s cut it down directly, to avoid causing chaos and hurting people."


    Once a tree gains Spiritual Awakening, it''s hard to control or communicate with; it''s better not to stir trouble.


    Listening to this, Ren Ke didn''t hesitate, pulling out a narrow long saber from the void with a blade cold as snow.


    The saber swung through the void, igniting fierce lightning with the sound of wind and thunder.


    Clang¡ª


    As the blade struck the trunk, a sound like metal clashing was emitted, scattering countless leaves.


    A terrifying gash was split into the tree trunk, penetrating dozens of meters deep and stretching over a thousand meters long, with sap continuously seeping out, forming a river.


    Burn marks around the wound turned the bark black as if struck by lightning.


    "..."


    Having endured this fearsome strike, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but fall into contemplation.


    If it were a normal Qi Cultivator at the Unity Realm Stage facing this strike head-on, death was certain, and even if it were his own body unguarded, it would not be an easy feat.


    Yet, he felt no discomfort at this moment, no pain at all, though invisibly, a substantial amount of Tribulation Qi had indeed been eroded.


    Different beings have different capacities to endure Tribulations.


    In the next moment, the healing panel activated, thoroughly mending the injury, retracting the scar, shedding the charred bark, and restoring the trunk to its original state.


    The two from afar showed surprise in their eyes.


    Unable to restrain himself, Ren Ke gripped his saber tightly, his face full of amazement: "Is this simply a common Silver Radiance Wood, how could it grow to such an extent? Possessing such mystical properties?"


    Nangong Yunxiao''s expression slightly deepened, stepping forward boldly, took a deep breath, and activated a spell.


    In the vast sky, a humming sound carried as nature''s spiritual energy madly converged behind him, and tens of thousands of Spirit Swords emerged from the void.


    The Sword Qi was sharp, like flowing feathers scraping across the sky, aiming straight for the sky-supporting ancient tree.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    A series of thunderous noises followed, branches broke off in batches, and fallen leaves filled the long river and dark valleys on the island, shaking the entire floating island violently. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Endless wounds appeared on the surface of the tree trunk, from which Spiritual Liquid seeped out and gushed forth.


    This strike from Nangong Yunxiao took Chu Zheng by surprise; his Tribulation Qi was greatly diminished again.


    At this rate, the Tribulation Qi would soon be exhausted, and he might even be able to transcend the Earth Tribulation soon, without the worry of increasing Tribulation Qi.


    As the repair panel was activated, the fallen branches and leaves instantly turned to ash, the scars on the trunk healed, and it flourished lushly once again.


    Nangong Yunxiao''s expression changed instantly, and he stepped back half a step: "Such a demon, the two of us probably cannot handle it."


    "What should we do then? Shall we go back to the capital to mobilize troops?"


    Ren Ke also felt troubled, as the instant healing was unprecedented to him.


    "Even if we go back, the Emperor might not be willing to send troops here to chop down this tree, it would probably require a lot of manpower."


    Nangong Yunxiao shook his head slightly, hinting retreat: "Better less trouble than more."


    There were many uses for strength within the dynasty; it shouldn''t be wasted excessively. If a lot of manpower was spent and in the end only a piece of deadwood was obtained, it would be too wasteful.


    After all, this ancient tree posed no threat to the Tianyi Dynasty; it was thankless effort.


    As the two were discussing, Chu Zheng waited for a moment and couldn''t help feeling puzzled. Seeing that they were hesitant to make another move and even considering leaving, he became somewhat anxious.


    It would be a pity if it ended like this.


    After a slight hesitation, he stirred the thoughts in his mind and began to control the massive branches, prepared to give the two a little stimulation.


    Using the body of an Otherkind to operate a Great Divine Power like the Law of Heaven and Earth was his first time; he needed to use the spell to adapt.


    Noticing the movement of the branches, Nangong Yunxiao''s expression tensed. After observing carefully for a few moments and discerning the trajectory of the branches, his face suddenly changed drastically:


    "Is it... casting a spell?!"


    To cast a spell meant to operate Divine Abilities and Techniques, how could such a newly Awakened Otherkind possibly do this?!


    The Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth instantly became frenzied, continuously gathering toward the sky-supporting ancient tree, creating an immense Spirit Vortex, affecting the area for hundreds of thousands of leagues.


    Before the two could react, a thick branch suddenly lunged out, resembling a swinging fist, sweeping across.


    The void collapsed massively, the branches and leaves cut through the air creating a harsh whistle, piercing like thunder explosions.


    Bang!


    The two didn''t even have time to react and were instantly swept by the branch.


    Their figures flew out instantly, bursting into a cloud of blood, their bodies shattered with countless cracks, blood scattered across the sky.


    That was too harsh a move.


    Chu Zheng inwardly remarked it was not good, he had never made a move before and was unaware of the force.


    He thought that given the gap in the great stages of cultivation, these two should have been able to withstand it, yet he didn''t expect them to be so vulnerable.


    The branch reached out again, shifting earlier than it appeared, catching the two and splitting open a gap, issuing two currents of clean Qi into their bodies.


    The repair panel then activated, partially healing their injuries and pulling them back from the brink of death.


    After a while, Nangong Yunxiao finally awoke groggily; amidst the shock to his Divine Soul, his thoughts were scattered and he thought he had reached the Yellow Springs.


    Seeing the layers of Silver Flower Tree Leaves around him, he realized his location, sat up abruptly, and saw Ren Ke, whose life and death were unknown, laying beside him, unusually unsettled.


    Whir¡ª


    The branches around gently rustled.


    "What... what are you trying to do?!"


    Recalling the tree''s spell-casting moment earlier, Nangong Yunxiao''s complexion changed, he suppressed the pain of shattered bones and muscles throughout his body, and prepared himself defensively.


    The ancient tree did not respond even slightly, it gently shook itself and threw the two out, slowly withdrawing.


    Nangong Yunxiao was stunned for a moment, and quickly grasped the still unconscious Ren Ke into his hands, not daring to stay a moment longer, he turned and left.


    Watching the two leave, Chu Zheng felt somewhat disappointed. If a few more strokes were given, his goal for this life''s trial might have been nearly accomplished.


    Now that the Tribulation Qi had faded, even if these two were let go, there would be no further trouble; he needed to wait for another opportunity.


    This might also be the only good thing about Tribulation Qi, allowing the precognition of fortunes and misfortunes.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Unexpectedly for Chu Zheng, just a few months later, Nangong Yunxiao returned, this time bringing a group of Cultivators.


    Unlike before, he was not here to chop the Spirit Wood but had brought the Emperor''s Decree from the Tianyi Dynasty.

 Chapter 322 Heavenly Gifted Divine Tree, Followers of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu

    A group of cultivators closely followed Nangong Yunxiao and set foot on the floating island.


    Before entering the island, they had already seen that towering and magnificent divine tree not far away. As they got closer, it was like an ant looking up at the sky, their expressions were all filled with shock.


    The ancient tree pierced the clouds; its main trunk was so thick that it was difficult to measure with the naked eye. The rough bark was covered with patterns left by the years, as if carrying fragments of time, with dense branches and leaves that obscured the sky.


    The brilliance of the six rounds of great suns, passing through layers of silver leaves, left only mottled light and shadows on the ground, resembling scattered star rivers.


    "Truly an ancient tree reaching the heavens! The ancients did not deceive me!"


    "I''ve only seen such divine wood in books. In the ancient era, when heaven and earth were intact, it is said that one could often see such divine wood."


    "How long ago was the ancient era? Nowadays, apart from the Three Great Divine Lands, where else could nurture such astonishing divine wood?"


    This kind of divine wood, in a world filled with floating islands, is extremely rare, no wonder the Emperor regards it as auspicious.


    The Earth Vein Qi needed for the growth of divine wood is the scarcest thing in the Spirit Moon Great Realm. Though some large floating islands span millions of miles, it is tough to nurture such extraordinary divine wood.


    This one before us is exceedingly rare; many living creatures might not see such a sight once in their lifetime.


    The group discussed animatedly, and even Nangong Yunxiao couldn''t hide his shock. He remembered clearly that before the onset of the Spiritual Energy Tide, this ancient tree did not have such a terrifying presence.


    Such a rate of growth was overly outrageous.


    While in awe, he couldn''t help but wonder. Logically, this divine wood should have been discovered long ago, but he hadn''t heard any news about it before. This obviously did not make much sense.


    After a slight hesitation, Nangong Yunxiao entered a city located at the base of the tree roots and randomly grabbed a passerby to inquire about the situation:


    "Has this ancient tree always been like this?"


    The person caught to answer, instinctively wanting to snap angry but seeing the numerous imposing people behind Nangong Yunxiao, the flicker of anger he had vanished, and he shook his head:


    "I moved here not long ago, before the Spiritual Energy Tide¡­ it seemed not so large then, it must have undergone changes during the tide."


    Nangong Yunxiao''s brows slightly furrowed, he began to search and inquire around, after much effort, he finally gleaned some information.


    "It wasn''t this big before; it only began to grow larger over two hundred years ago, and then Silver Splendor City came into existence."


    "I used to play under the tree as a child; it should have started in those two years, back then this place was just a small village with only three to four hundred households."


    An innkeeper, who had grown up in the area, knew the divine wood well.


    Hearing this, Nangong Yunxiao pondered for a moment and, without staying much longer, went directly towards the divine tree.


    The innkeeper leaned against the doorframe, watching the group leave while looking at the hazy sunlight overhead, he chuckled softly:


    "Hey, perhaps it awakened spiritually because of my watering."


    ......


    ......


    Nangong Yunxiao led a group of cultivators from the Tianyi Dynasty and slowly approached beneath the divine tree. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    This place had the most abundant spiritual energy, making it the most suitable place for cultivation on the entire floating island, attracting many cultivators to gather around the tree roots.


    "The spiritual energy here is comparable to that of the Royal Capital."


    "If we could transplant this tree back to the Royal Capital¡­" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A series of whispers came from behind, Nangong Yunxiao frowned, turned back to look at the cultivators behind him and scolded in a low voice, "Be cautious with your words."


    Based on the previous situation, this tree had already undergone spiritual awakening and possessed high spiritual wisdom. If they carelessly angered it, the few of them would have a hard time leaving alive.


    Actually, during this period, he was confused as to why that day, the tree spirit let him and Ren Ke go.


    Nangong Yunxiao scanned the surroundings, his cultivation was fully unrestrained, awakening the cultivators who were immersed in their secretive cultivation nearby.


    "Within 15 minutes, all irrelevant people, retreat ten thousand feet."


    Nangong Yunxiao spoke firmly, his voice carried a hundred miles, seeing some cultivators still unmoving, he knitted his brows and bellowed sharply:


    "Disperse!"


    This shout, imbued with mana, thundered like lightning, instantly scattering the surrounding cultivators like birds and beasts.


    Once most of the cultivators had dispersed, Nangong Yunxiao took a moment to gather his thoughts, then spoke solemnly:


    "Divine Tree, the Emperor of the Tianyi Dynasty regards your presence as a heavenly auspicious sign and desires to summon you to court, offering rich gifts in exchange. Today, I come bearing the Emperor''s Decree to invite you. Would you be willing to join our Tianyi Dynasty?"


    Hearing the inquiry below, Chu Zheng was somewhat surprised by the reaction of the Tianyi Dynasty, but he had no strong aversion to it.


    Having such a dynasty in front could only be an aid in his tribulation.


    There were still three hundred thirty years until the next outbreak of the Spiritual Energy Tide. If the Tianyi Dynasty was willing to nurture him, his time to advance to the Eighth Order could be significantly shortened.


    Under the watchful gaze of Nangong Yunxiao and his group, the fallen leaves on the ground slowly moved, assembling into a line of large characters.


    "I agree, but after that, the causal connections... you bear the consequences."


    He was not sure to what extent the subsequent tribulations would escalate, whether the Tianyi Dynasty would be involved, let alone whether they could withstand them, so it was better to set the expectations now.


    "..."


    Nangong Yunxiao fell silent for a while, staring at the Sky-Supporting Divine Wood in front of him, unable to fathom the implications.


    Bear the consequences themselves? What does this mean? A threat?


    After contemplating for a long time, he finally slowly unfolded the Emperor''s Decree in his hands and fulfilled the mission of this trip.


    The Emperor''s Decree, wrapped with intense Qi Fortune, was brief with only two sentences.


    Enthrone the Divine Wood as the Heavenly Gifted Divine Tree, rank higher than orthodox gods, and enjoy offerings of Blood Food.


    At the moment the Emperor''s Decree was recited, it instantly self-ignited, turning into a Spiritual Light which imprinted on the main trunk of the Divine Wood, solidifying into the two characters ''Heavenly Gifted''.


    Joining the dynasty naturally allowed one to enjoy a certain protection of the dynasty''s Qi Fortune.


    This was Chu Zheng''s first encounter with the existence of a dynasty''s Qi Fortune, feeling quite different and slightly distinct from Heavenly Fate, with different effects as well.


    The Qi Fortune of a dynasty could enhance the cultivation speed of living creatures, ward off many evils, among other benefits.


    However, the living creatures themselves would also become deeply entwined with the dynasty''s Qi Fortune, thriving with the dynasty''s prosperity and declining with its decay.


    The overthrow of a dynasty often meant not only the end of one''s cultivation path but could also involve sacrificing one''s life; there are gains and losses.


    Undoubtedly, this presented a new path to compete for Heavenly Fate. While it was difficult for one individual to contend for fate, by rallying the power of millions of creatures, there was hope.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng hesitated, wondering if in the future, when current paths were no longer viable, establishing a dynasty might be an alternative.


    But for a Qi Cultivator, this would undoubtedly involve considerably complex causal connections.


    Nangong Yunxiao and the others did not linger for long and soon departed.


    About a month later, the massive army of the Tianyi Dynasty arrived at the Floating Island, about four hundred thousand strong, led by Nangong Yunxiao, who immediately stationed there, bringing the island into the territory of the Tianyi Dynasty.


    This time, Nangong Yunxiao also brought Chu Zheng offerings of Blood Food: flesh from three complete Eighth Order Otherkinds, standards of worship he could enjoy once every hundred years.


    Although these were merely at the lower ranks of the Eighth Order, the essence within their physical bodies was enough for Chu Zheng to digest for some time.


    Meanwhile, the whole Floating Island began migrating, moving towards a vastly larger island in the distance.


    This migration lasted almost twenty years.


    During this period, naturally many creatures attempted to seize this Floating Island, but all were repelled by Chu Zheng, who did not kill any but merely resisted persistently, his Tribulation Qi almost completely depleted.


    Eventually, the Floating Island stopped in the midst of a cluster of islands, adjacent to over a hundred others.


    Due to the presence of clouds and mist, these islands exerted an inexplicable repulsion against each other, only managing to draw marginally closer and forming a chain-like cluster of islands, yet unable to merge fully.


    These islands, standing guard around the Tianyi Dynasty, formed fortresses as the most forward outposts of the dynasty.


    Clearly, the Tianyi Dynasty did not intend to let Chu Zheng freeload but used him as a shield on the outermost front.


    This was exactly what Chu Zheng wanted as he had come to endure tribulations, and given how resilient his current incarnation was, he naturally did not want to miss this rare opportunity.


    Nangong Yunxiao did not stay by Chu Zheng''s side for long and quickly departed, seemingly in a hurry.


    In the Spirit Moon Great Realm, the Tianyi Dynasty was one of the formidable forces, seldom targeted by others; however, conversely, if someone did take action, it would not be a trifling matter but akin to a thunderstorm.


    After arriving in the territory of the Tianyi Dynasty, Chu Zheng lived tranquilly for over ten years, and then occasionally small-scale conflicts erupted, often with Eighth Order beings attempting to plunder.


    Every time such situations arose, he would fully extend his form, protecting the cultivators of the Tianyi Dynasty behind him, bearing most of the impact and often severely wounded.


    After each battle, the Emperor of the Tianyi Dynasty increased the offerings of Blood Food, making them even more generous.


    The legend of the Heavenly Gifted Divine Tree began to spread within the territory of the Tianyi Dynasty, and the dynasty''s Qi Fortune increasingly gathered around Chu Zheng, enhancing his cultivation speed by another level.


    The relatively mundane days passed swiftly like a white steed flits past a gap, and in a blink, a hundred years had passed.


    The disputes caused by the tide of Spiritual Energy gradually settled, and the entire Spirit Moon Great Realm entered a very tranquil recovery period.


    This would last for almost two hundred years until the next tide of Spiritual Energy would begin, a cycle repeating itself.


    Chu Zheng''s consciousness slipped into a semi-dormant state, preparing to shift his consciousness back to his main body and start planning for the Earth Tribulation.


    Amidst the haziness, a figure caught in his perception¡ªa Traveling Taoist dressed modestly with a mere Sixth Order cultivation, appearing quite ordinary.


    However, the demeanor and acts of this person instantly tensed up Chu Zheng''s nerves, snapping him awake from his deep slumber.


    With the support from the Tianyi Dynasty and influenced by Chu Zheng over the years, Silver Splendor City had become increasingly prosperous.


    A Traveling Taoist mingled among the crowd, holding a Dao Seal in his palm and with a smile plastered across his face, approaching anyone to chat:


    "Do you wish to worship Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu? He is a divine being who has survived since the Ancient Era, possessing supreme power. If one pays homage every day, ordinary humans will strengthen and heal from all illnesses, and cultivators will receive blessings from the Daoist Venerable, advancing swiftly in their cultivation!"

 Chapter 323 Terrifying Growth of Devotees, Crossing the Earth Tribulation

    Facing the words of the Traveling Taoist, the reactions of the Cultivators on the street were mixed.


    "Who is Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu? There are only so many orthodox gods conferred by the Dynasty; where did this person come from?"


    "Is there really such miraculous effect? You wouldn''t be trying to swindle me, would you?"


    "Continue to bluff and deceive, seducing the will of the people, be careful, or I''ll report you to the authorities and have you thrown into the Heavenly Prison."


    Some were dubious, while others glared angrily.


    Within the Tianyi Dynasty, there were indeed many Incense Spirituality Deities, enjoying the worship of countless citizens, but those Incense Spirituality Deities outside of the ones canonized by the Imperial Court were deemed Indecent Sacrifices in the eyes of the Dynasty''s people.


    Indecent Sacrifice, a gathering place of evil spirits, not acknowledged by the orthodox gods, practitioners of such worship would be struck by divine punishment.


    "I have already reported to the Imperial Court and received permission; I have erected a temple dedicated to the Dao Lord not far outside the city. If you''re interested, you are welcome to explore for yourself."


    Faced with the many doubts, the Traveling Taoist remained unconcerned, still smiling: "If you find it suitable, you can request a Divine Statue to bring home for worship, which yields even better results."


    Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng''s thoughts paused, and a tumult arose in his mind.


    Has Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s believers truly begun their inter-realm activities?!


    He extended his perception toward the outskirts of Silver Splendor City, and soon, on a low peak located more than thirty miles outside the city, he discovered the newly built temple of the Dao Lord.


    The temple''s layout was simple, equipped with only a divine platform and a Divine Statue, which bore an uncanny resemblance to his own appearance.


    [Zheng Chu Daoist Venerable''s Divine Statue (Fourth Order): A Divine Statue of a Heavenly Venerate Incense Spirituality Deity, which can slightly increase the Cultivation speed of Fourth Order and lower living creatures, and there is a certain probability of receiving the deity''s blessings with daily worship.]


    As he viewed the information returned by his Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng''s astonishment deepened.


    A Heavenly Venerate realm Incense Spirituality Deity?!


    Has Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu ascended to the Ninth Order already?!


    Impossible!


    Chu Zheng instinctively wanted to deny it, well aware of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s believer distribution. How could such earth-shattering change occur in just a few centuries?!


    Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Moreover, he was well aware of the conditions in the Dongyuan Realm; not open to the Heavenly Dao''s shackles, it could not allow the existence of beings above the Ninth Order.


    Initially, he had set up a grand formation, forcibly helping Shan Xun break through Cultivation bottlenecks and advance into the realm of the Great God Witch; but the result was a death with no burial.


    No, wait¡­


    With a shift in his thoughts, Chu Zheng paused, realizing the crux of the matter.


    In the Divine Court, he possessed countless incarnations, which was precisely where Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s another source of Incense Fire originated.


    For an Incense Fire Deity, there is no such concept as a true body; as long as the belief and willingness of the Dongyuan Human Clan is sufficient, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu can use this to ascend to a Heavenly Venerate in the Divine Court domain.


    Ninth Order¡­


    Even if it is just entering the Ninth Order, that is equivalent to an Immortal Venerable of the Immortal Path, a realm comparable to Zhao Tingxian, magnitudes mightier than his current level of Cultivation.


    Previously, Chu Zheng consciously suppressed the Incense Fire Willpower. He did not expect that after severing the connection with Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, He could grow so powerful in less than a millennium.


    The Incense Fire Willpower from a complete Great Realm is indeed an astounding amount; nourishing a Ninth Order Incense Fire Deity is entirely within the realm of possibility.


    For a moment, Chu Zheng''s thoughts were in disarray; he was unsure how to deal with the existence of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.


    He was a Deity he had created with his own hands, but now, there was no longer any connection between him and Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.


    Even if he wanted to deal with it, given his current level of Cultivation, it was nothing more than a fantasy. To put it bluntly, the current Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu could easily crush him with a mere Divine Sense.


    Snap¡ª


    A branch silently fell and gradually transformed into a human shadow, shrouded within a voluminous Silver Leaf Robe, tearing through the void, striding towards the outskirts of Silver Splendor City.


    In the blink of an eye, Chu Zheng had already stepped into the temple.


    The temple had just been built, spotlessly clean, and the ash in the incense burner at the front of the altar was but a thin layer.


    Chu Zheng stood before the altar, his eyes squinting slightly, and he lit three sticks of Pure Incense, inserting them into the incense burner, intending to attempt calling out his true name.


    As the thought arose, the Tribulation Qi that had dissipated around him suddenly became tumultuous.


    Chu Zheng swallowed the words that had reached his lips, his eyes growing dark with premonition; speaking out his true name would bring grave disaster upon him.


    Where does the calamity lie? Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu?


    If it is indeed Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, then the trouble would indeed be great¡ªas much as the connection has been severed, Chu Zheng cannot be certain whether Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu could sense his existence.


    Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield is not like any other place; with the status of an Incense Fire Deity, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu could directly emerge from the Chaos Sea, traverse the myriad realms, and enter into the battlefield of the Ten Thousand Realms. What might happen then was somewhat beyond Chu Zheng''s imagination.


    With such a great disparity in strength, he dares not act rashly. Although in a strict sense, Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu is the same person as him.


    Before Chu Zheng had time to ponder further, a shadow stepped into the temple¡ªit was the Traveling Taoist who had been in the city earlier.


    Chu Zheng had already seen this person''s information; his name was Du Rui, with a Sixth Order Cultivation, bone age of over three thousand years, his path of Cultivation favoring the Primordial Spirit, and a talent that could only be considered ordinary.


    Du Rui glanced at Chu Zheng and, seeing him enshrouded in the robe, unrecognizable, paid him no mind and smiled warmly, saying:


    "Esteemed friend, have you come here to pay homage to the Dao Lord?"


    Chu Zheng remained silent and turned to leave.


    "Hold on a moment."


    Du Rui glanced at the three sticks of pure incense burning in the incense burner, raised his hand to stop Chu Zheng, and spoke unhurriedly:


    "If there''s no urgent matter, please stay for a while. Why not come and see the Dao Lord''s divine manifestation? Your thoughts might change after."


    Chu Zheng stopped in his tracks, fixing his gaze on Du Rui, wordless. He wanted to see what this so-called divine manifestation was all about.


    Du Rui smiled faintly, flipping his hand to take out a broken half of a sword and placing it on the altar. He burned incense, bowed deeply, and chanted the unique Summoning God Song of the Incense Spirituality believers.


    To activate the Summoning God Song consumes a considerable amount of Vitality, Qi, and Spirit, but at the same time, it can attract the attention of the Incense Fire Deity, allowing it to manifest through a Golden Body and wield Divine Secret Skills, or even reach out across space.


    This is the only method, apart from calling its true name, that one can use to communicate with the Incense Fire Deity.


    After the Summoning God Song was completed, Du Rui''s breath had grown heavy, indicating a certain level of depletion.


    Moments later, divine light suddenly shone from the eyes of the divine statue, reflecting on the fragmented blade.


    Enveloped by the divine light, the shattered Magic Artifact gradually began to restore its form. The broken sword was being reshaped and within a few breaths, it returned to its original state, with Spiritual Patterns moving smoothly over it, flawless.


    Chu Zheng''s fingertips trembled, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes. Was this... repair?!


    Why could the Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu use such a technique?!


    Soon, Chu Zheng calmed down and fell into deep thought.


    If this kind of method was a backbone for Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu, then the rapid expansion of his followers was not untraceable.


    As his Cultivation progressed, Chu Zheng saw the nature of the repair panel clearer; it was akin to Divine Abilities and Techniques, requiring energy from nature to be wielded.


    Magical repair divine skills are not rare in the Myriad Heavens and Realms. Some powerful living creatures at the peak of their Cultivation could even utilize nature''s spiritual energy to create something from nothing; this wasn''t particularly remarkable.


    The issue lies in the price that must be paid.


    The Magic Sword Du Rui had just repaired was merely Third Order, for which Chu Zheng, at his current Repair Master level, only needed to consume a slight amount of Spiritual Energy to achieve directly.


    However, the repair by Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu was somewhat different.


    Du Rui, being at the Sixth Order, had to expend a certain amount of Vitality, Qi, and Spirit, and use the Summoning God Song to repair such a sword. The gap between them, I''m afraid, was completely consumed by Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.


    If all his followers were doing this, then the reason Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s Cultivation could grow so quickly would be explained.


    The followers provide a massive amount of Vitality, Qi, and Spirit as nourishment and also fanatically expand his following, how could he not grow powerful?


    "What do you think? What the Dao Lord can do is far from just this, not only weapons and Magic Treasures, if you have intractable chronic diseases, the Dao Lord can also heal you,"


    Du Rui steadied his breath, looking towards Chu Zheng, his eyes filled with fervent reverence for Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu. Among the True Believers, such pure faith was rare; it was almost close to that of a Fanatical Believer.


    Seeing Chu Zheng still unresponsive, Du Rui stood up and spoke gently:


    "I have only one daughter under my knees, born with imperfections, no hope for the path of Cultivation, and doomed not to live past thirty. After seeking Divine Medicine to no avail, it was the Dao Lord''s divine manifestation that saved my daughter''s life and gave her a chance to step onto the path of Cultivation."


    So that''s how it is.


    Chu Zheng''s gaze grew complicated. For Du Rui, the grace of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu was almost equivalent to that of a second set of parents. Becoming his follower was the most natural thing to do. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To be frank, I am not from the Spirit Moon Great Realm. I am here for the Dao Lord to spread his teachings. If you join us, you will become a fellow Daoist."


    Du Rui''s face carried a hint of a smile, with a sharp glint in his eyes, and his tone grew somewhat complacent:


    "Across the Chaos Sea''s 108,000 realms, through every territory Dao Lord''s followers have traveled, if not ten thousand, then at least eight thousand. If you wish to serve the Dao Lord, we will all be your support."


    Hearing this, Chu Zheng couldn''t help but take a deep breath. Although he had prepared himself for the extent of the forces Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu currently possessed, Du Rui''s words still struck him with immense impact.


    The Chaos Sea, with at least one-tenth of its realms, bore the mark of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu; how astonishing is that?


    Without a doubt, Du Rui was a remarkably qualified Preacher. Anyone else would surely be swayed.


    But unfortunately, the one that stood before him was Chu Zheng, the creator of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu.


    Without a word, Chu Zheng turned around and left.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Lower Heavenly Domain, Underground Palace.


    The dazzling brilliance of the Sun Essence shone, lighting up the massive city that lay beneath the ground.


    On the bustling streets, shops were densely packed, the boisterousness of Red Dust rolling upwards.


    Lying back in a street-side chair, Chu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, his gaze slightly cold.


    Since he began the embodiment of undergoing tribulations, nearly five years had passed on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    These years, he had never once left the Underground Palace, but now, it could not continue; he must quickly overcome the Earth Tribulation, leveraging the durable nature of his Silver Radiance Wood embodiment to accelerate his Cultivation progress.

 Chapter 324 Earth Vein Stone Fire

    Inadvertently learning of Daoist Venerable Zheng Chu''s progress, Chu Zheng felt a significant impact.


    The terrifying advancement speed of the Incense Fire Divine Path made him quite envious.


    However, it was just a thought.


    This path is difficult to complete, as seen from the current distribution of Heavenly Fate in the Myriad Realms, which only occupies fifteen percent and is divided among various Taoist Orthodoxies.


    If the Taoist School did not have the support of an elusive Ancestral Dao, it would hold a mere fraction.


    In the Myriad Realms, the Incense Fire Divine Path is not renowned, and there are no famous deities associated with it, reflecting the fate of this lineage.


    Most cultivators prefer to believe only in themselves, and those who wholeheartedly worship deities are indeed few, involving some low-grade cultivators or even mortals, willing to offer incense.


    Once cultivation reaches a certain level, numbers no longer compensate.


    Chu Zheng re-entered the shop, looked at Bai Nian behind the counter, and spoke softly:


    "I''ve made progress in my cultivation and need to take a trip. The return date is uncertain. Should any changes occur, you may send word to me."


    After settling down here, Chu Zheng took the opportunity to release Bai Nian. The Laws within his Grotto Heaven were imperfect, staying there for extended periods wouldn''t benefit Bai Nian''s cultivation.


    Furthermore, he was amidst the Five Elements Great Tribulation without achieving Perfection, and frequent drastic changes within his Small World were not conducive for living creatures to thrive for long.


    "Alright." Bai Nian didn''t say much and agreed directly, then with a shift in his gaze, he said slowly, "If convenient, please check whether there is any significant event in the outside world."


    Over the years, he had adapted quickly to life in the Underground Palace, but with scarce conflicts and noteworthy events, it inevitably felt somewhat uninteresting.


    Squeak¡ª


    Shang Zuling entered from the back door, looking at Chu Zheng with a slightly changed expression, "Are you about to cross the Earth Tribulation?"


    Over the years, she had come to learn a lot about Chu Zheng''s past experiences. It was unexpected that in less than a few years after crossing the Fire Tribulation, Chu Zheng was taking another step forward.


    "Almost."


    Chu Zheng didn''t say much. In fact, his cultivation was currently at the Second Tribulation Middle Stage, and his Heart Fire wasn''t strong enough. He was still far from crossing the Earth Tribulation but, with the cultivation of Qi Refining Immortal Realm, he could attempt it.


    The Qi Refining lineage posed no bottlenecks for him, only the trouble of Tribulation Qi.


    Shang Zuling quickly calmed her emotions and spoke lightly, "I''ve received much care from you these few years. I have an object to give you, which should be somewhat helpful in strengthening your foundation in the Earth Element."


    "It''s unnecessary. Keep it for yourself. I saved you also because of the great kindness from Cangyun Immortal Monarch; you owe me nothing."


    Chu Zheng shook his head declining. Firstly, he didn''t think there was anything from Shang Zuling that could aid him, and secondly, helping Shang Zuling had been a spontaneous act without expecting anything in return.


    At that time, Shang Zuling was fully capable of protecting herself, and there weren''t many in the Underground Palace area who could pose a threat to her.


    "That was his help, not mine." Shang Zuling interrupted Chu Zheng, flipping her hand and taking out a fist-sized Earth Yellow Spirit Crystal with a faint flame flickering inside:


    "When you helped me heal years ago, and all the cultivation resources these years were from you, I need to repay this favor." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chu Zheng was about to speak, but his gaze swept over the object in Shang Zuling''s hand and he held back his words.


    [Earth Vein Stone Fire (Eighth Order): Heavenly Fire Spark fell into the deep Earth Veins, the Essence Qi was absorbed by the Earth Veins, gestating this Earth Treasure. When integrated into a living being''s body, it significantly enhances affinity with earth attribute primordial energy.]


    This Stone Fire, an extremely rare Earth Element Spiritual Object, Chu Zheng, who had seen countless treasures and various spiritual objects over the years, was encountering Stone Fire for the first time. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Moreover, this Stone Fire, containing both Earth and Fire properties, not only increased affinity with earth attribute primordial energy but also nourished the Heart Flame, making it very suitable for his current condition.


    Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water¡ªthe Five Elements correspond to the five organs in the human body: liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.


    Among the Five Organs, the Earth Element corresponds to the Center Palace, governing the spleen. Situated in the central position among the Five Elements, it supports the upper parts and initiates the lower ones, consolidates the Heart Flame, and strengthens the spleen to generate Metal Element''s moisture for the lungs.


    If he could refine this Stone Fire, Chu Zheng''s progress to the Fourth Tribulations would significantly accelerate.


    "You don''t need to refuse. I cultivate the Vast Earth Nourishing Spirit True Scripture, and I am well aware of the effects of this object. I obtained it in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield; it has nothing to do with the Shang Family or my ancestors."


    Seeing Chu Zheng remaining silent, Shang Zuling directly tossed over the Earth Vein Stone Fire: "You''ll definitely need it now."


    Chu Zheng did not decline excessively, taking the Earth Vein Stone Fire into his palm, and nodded, saying: "Then I shall borrow it, and return it to you in the future."


    He spoke with confidence; even if he could never find another Earth Vein Stone Fire, he could look for another earth attribute Immortal Treasure to return to Shang Zuling.


    Stepping into the Third Tribulation, leveraging the many Divine Skills of Qi Refining, he would not encounter too much danger in the Lower Heavenly Domain, thus he could take bolder actions and no longer be trapped within this Underground Palace.


    ...


    ...


    Nearly five years later, Chu Zheng returned to the Lower Heavenly Domain.


    Above the sky, the suns still gathered in clusters, and one could vaguely see some landscapes of the Middle Layer Heavenly Domain, that was the main battlefield for beings of the Eighth Order.


    Chu Zheng concealed his aura, cautiously exploring his surroundings, seeking a suitable place for undergoing tribulation.


    Crossing the Earth Tribulation, the earth attribute primordial energy was restless, likely to trigger the earth veins to upheaval, causing significant disturbances hence a remote location was needed, while also scouting for information.


    After groping around for several days, Chu Zheng made some discoveries.


    Judging by the reactions of the Myriad Realms, the pace of attack from the Immortal Alliance seemed to have suddenly slowed down, not as aggressively pressing as before, but there were still many True Immortals active outside.


    When encountering people from other realms, these True Immortals did not engage, but retreated upon contact, showing no intention of entanglement, seemingly in search of someone.


    Learning of this situation, Chu Zheng couldn''t help thinking about the responses of those people from the Immortal Alliance before, the drastic change in attitude of the Immortal Alliance if they merely wanted to kill him, seemed overly complicated.


    Could there really be some reasons?


    Chu Zheng examined himself, the only thing that could catch the eye of the Immortal Alliance, he could think of was this Qi-refining Technique, which had attracted the attention of the Immortal Alliance.


    Or perhaps, it was something else¡­


    The Eternal Calamity Treasure Record he was currently cultivating was obtained inside the Cangyun Secret Realm, personally imparted by the Ancestral Dao Statue.


    The crux of it, he had never fully figured out, could it be the Immortal Alliance had gotten some clues about the Ancestral Dao from the Cangyun Realm? To find traces of the Ancestral Dao through him?


    Or perhaps they saw the possibility of the coexistence of Qi-refining Technique and the Immortal Path, trying to use this as a starting point.


    To Chu Zheng, both possibilities seemed very likely.


    Within the Immortal Path, there already exist many cultivation skills that resonate with Qi-refining Techniques, especially at the True Immortal Realm, also employing the Way of Five Elements and Yin Yang.


    If there was to be a distinct peculiarity, it would be the necessity of having the Immortal Bone to enter its ranks.


    This was actually the greatest limiting factor in the development of the Immortal Path, without this restriction, there would definitely be many more cultivators of the Immortal Path, and the Heavenly Fate occupied by the Immortal Path would also be not just the current twenty percent.


    Relying to himself for a while, Chu Zheng felt indecisive for a moment; now the Martial Hall sought to kill him, while the Immortal Alliance sought to protect him, if there came a day of unforeseen mishaps, rendering him no escape, perhaps the Immortal Alliance could become a new route for retreat.


    But if so, what circumstances was Song Lingxue in right now?


    Thinking of this, Chu Zheng furrowed his brows, setting aside distracting thoughts temporarily, he found an uninhabited area and triggered the Earth Tribulation.


    In an instant, the vast land within hundreds of thousands of miles began to tremble, abundant Earth Vein Qi surged out, turning into rows of orange-yellow earth dragons, soaring into the sky, heading straight for Chu Zheng.


    ...


    ...


    Within a verdant ancient forest.


    A woman in her early twenties was seated cross-legged under a tree root, with green hair draped over her shoulders, her appearance exquisitely beautiful, her skin like snow.


    Suddenly, her ears twitched, and she abruptly opened her eyes:


    "Earth-Attributed Spirit Qi is going berserk, is someone crossing the Earth Tribulation?"

 Chapter 325 Causal Line

    The extent of the Earth Tribulation exceeded Chu Zheng''s expectations.


    Within hundreds of thousands of miles, the Earth Vein Qi surged wildly. With the nourishment of a massive amount of earth attribute primordial energy, the spirit plants and ancient trees that originally grew on the land benefited substantially, stretching their branches and leaves against the wind, growing wildly amid the cracking earth.


    Boom¡ª


    A muffled hum echoed between heaven and earth as orange-yellow earth dragons zigzagged across the sky, continuously flowing into Chu Zheng''s body.


    With a large amount of earth attribute primordial energy entering his body, his jet-black, shiny hair tinted with a faint yellowish glow. Mud-like spiritual liquid began to seep from his skin, dripping and flowing.


    Unable to bear the sudden surge of earth attribute primordial energy, it overflowed from his hair and pores all over his body. His skin began to crack visibly, almost turning into a mud statue under the envelopment of the spiritual liquid.


    Beneath the massive amount of earth attribute primordial energy, the Heart Flame burning within Chu Zheng''s heart dulled momentarily, nearly extinguishing, with a large amount of Fire Attribute Essence Qi being drawn away.


    The Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire coiled above his heart seemed agitated; the little Kirin struggled continuously, but still could not stop the leakage of essence qi.


    Once the Immortal Fire extinguished, Chu Zheng''s heart would also stop beating, and next, his physical body''s vitality would cease entirely, completely turning into a mud statue. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Chu Zheng''s expression remained calm as he took out the Earth Vein Stone Fire with a flip of his hand, cutting open his lower abdomen to directly stuff it into his Dantian.


    The stone peel wrapping the flames shattered, revealing the dancing Heavenly Fire within. The Earth Element Immortal Root completely absorbed the fallen stone peel, visibly hastening the condensation speed of the earth attribute primordial energy.


    The Heavenly Fire, accompanying the circulation of immortal power, entered his heart, merging into the Indestructible Sky Kirin Fire, stabilizing the soon-to-extinguish Heart Flame.


    His cultivation began to rise, almost instantaneously stepping into the Late Second Tribulation phase, rapidly approaching the realm of a Mid-stage Three Calamities True Immortal.


    His strong heartbeat returned to normal, an immense amount of earth attribute primordial energy entered Chu Zheng''s spleen, beginning to assist his physical body in undergoing a new round of extreme transformation.


    The spleen, among the five vital organs, is extremely important, mainly responsible for blood creation, absorption, and filtration. Now, Chu Zheng''s spleen underwent a fundamental change, gradually merging with the Earth Element Immortal Root.


    Each thread of Immortal Blood circulating through his limbs and bones, upon entering the spleen, would be purified and refined anew. Although the amount decreased tenfold, it became even more concentrated and pure.


    As the total amount of Immortal Blood decreased, Chu Zheng''s body became progressively more parched and rough, losing its blood-nourished luster, but his eyes revealed an increasingly vigorous vitality.


    This transformation lasted for two entire days and nights, until Chu Zheng''s spleen completely transformed. Despite the rapid influx of earth attribute primordial energy, he still found it somewhat overwhelming.


    He could only pile all the remaining primordial energy into his Qi Refinement''s Cultivation.


    His Early Stage Heavenly Immortal cultivation began to ascend continuously, and the previously depleted Tribulation Qi began to accumulate once again.


    Chu Zheng held nothing back, placing all the Tribulation Qi on his avatar located in the Spirit Moon Great Realm, allowing it to undergo the tribulation, experiencing the profound changes within its body.


    Under the operation of the spleen, the refined Immortal Blood began to replenish his limbs and bones once again. A large amount of tainted blood was expelled from his body, and Chu Zheng''s cultivation soared, stepping into the realm of a Three Calamities True Immortal.


    The mud on his body''s surface receded back into his body, and his parched physique gradually plumped up, regaining its Blood Qi. The anomaly on his hair gradually faded, emitting an ink-like luster.


    A strong spleen wards off all poisons. At Chu Zheng''s level of cultivation, there were already few poisons that could threaten him, and now he was virtually unrestricted.


    Moreover, once the spleen completely transformed, it allowed his physical body to maintain its prime state for a considerable period of time, eliminating parts of his body exhausted by time, eternally youthful.


    Like the previous Wood Tribulation and Fire Tribulation, the Earth Tribulation lasted three days and gradually dissipated.


    With the massive supplement of primordial energy, Chu Zheng''s cultivation steadily climbed a major realm, stepping into the Mid-stage Three Calamities True Immortal, and his Qi Refinement''s cultivation also made considerable progress.


    With the cultivation of a Mid-stage Three Calamities True Immortal and various Divine Skills, if no powerful external forces interfered, he could now traverse the Lower Heavenly Domain unobstructed.


    The moment the tribulation passed, Chu Zheng had a thought and sensed a change with his avatar in the Spirit Moon Great Realm, which had fallen into a bitter battle.


    In the Early Stage of Heavenly Immortal, one must overcome 3,300 major and minor tribulations to enter the Middle Stage. Under the fierce infusion of the Earth Tribulation, the primordial energy that ordinarily required a long time to accumulate had completed a third.


    In other words, Chu Zheng leveraged the Earth Tribulation as a stepping stone, bypassing nearly a thousand accumulated tribulations, thus amassing an astonishing amount of Tribulation Qi, entirely triggering a major tribulation.


    The Tianyi Dynasty and another top-tier dynasty engaged in a full-scale war, whether this was related to him, Chu Zheng couldn''t be certain. Currently, he had no time to attend to his avatars, with a repair mechanism in place, there shouldn''t be too many problems for the time being.


    Now, he wanted to meet Geng Yiyang and incidentally find out about the current movements within the Immortal Alliance.


    He was not very clear about Geng Yiyang''s current location, as the Heavenly Fate in the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield was chaotic, and some divination techniques were completely ineffective.


    However, he still had some methods; being a Qi Cultivator, his Cultivation had already reached the Third Layer of the Eighth Order. By using the Heavenly Divination Technique again, he could trace the causal line of his own fate, thereby sensing some living creatures entangled with him by karma.


    Although he only had a vague general direction and couldn''t pinpoint the exact location, it was still better than searching for a needle in the ocean.


    This was originally meant for transforming and transcending tribulations, but now it had found some use.


    Chu Zheng''s eyelids slightly drooped as he operated the Heavenly Divination Technique, beginning to retrospectively trace his own karma.


    In an instant, a striking red causal line entered his perception, thick as a dragon coiling around a heavenly column, impossible to overlook.


    "Lingxue?!"


    Sensing the end of this causal line, Chu Zheng was momentarily taken aback, somewhat unable to understand why Song Lingxue, with her identity and Cultivation, would appear on the Ten Thousand Realms Battlefield.


    Confused for a brief moment, he then realized that she most likely came seeking him.


    Recalling the previous Great Saint of Martial Path, Chu Zheng calmed his emotions, fell into contemplation; presently, the Martial Hall sought his death, and he had no idea of the situation around Song Lingxue. He could not just carelessly go directly to her; he needed to be cautious.


    Regaining his composure, Chu Zheng continued to sense and soon detected the causal line belonging to Geng Yiyang.


    What surprised him was that Geng Yiyang and Song Lingxue were in the same direction, not far apart.


    Without further hesitation, he used the Shape-Shifting Divine Power to disguise his appearance, tore through the void, and sought out the other end of the causal line.


    After Chu Zheng left, ripples faintly emerged in the void, and a figure stepped out.


    Looking around at the devastated land, Dongsheng Yu''s nostrils flared; her expression gradually changed.


    Behind her, the phantom of an Ancient Wood materialized; its roots spread out, embedding into the earth, starting to communicate with the spirit plants on the ground.


    A few moments later, a clot of tainted blood emerged from the palm of Dongsheng Yu''s hand. She gazed in the direction where Chu Zheng left, her eyes reflecting a complex light.


    She had attacked Chu Zheng before and got his Essence Blood on her, the taste she would not mistake.


    Originally, she just had a casual interest to see if there were any old acquaintances in the Immortal Alliance, and along the way, she continued to track Chu Zheng. Unexpectedly, she was delayed for some time and thus missed him.


    Even more chilling to her was that it had been only five years since Chu Zheng entered the Second Tribulation, but he had already advanced to another tribulation. Even bearing the Yin Yang Immortal Bone, this was incredibly defying of heaven.


    The Immortal Ancestor was truly farsighted; from across the starry sea, he had discerned the unique aspects of Chu Zheng¡ªunfortunately, her own vision was somewhat lacking.


    However, now that she knew the direction, with her Seventh Tribulation Cultivation, catching up was not difficult.


    Dongsheng Yu dissipated the tainted blood in her hands, stood in place, looked at the void, and cracked an awkward smile:


    "Chu... fellow Daoist, it''s been a long time, I have been sent by the orders of Fan Long Immortal King to extend an invitation..."


    Before she finished speaking, she suddenly raised her hand and rubbed her face, her rigid expression becoming somewhat difficult to behold.


    She never thought that her relationship with Chu Zheng would transform so rapidly.


    Now facing Chu Zheng again, she actually had to ponder her wording in advance to avoid displeasing him.


    "Damn Burial Realm, why are such monstrous freaks showing up in these years, isn''t Shang Cangyun enough?!"


    After a while, she couldn''t help but curse in a low voice, tore through the void, and followed the trail.


    No matter what, she had to ensure Chu Zheng''s safe return without direct confrontation, needing careful persuasion, otherwise, even if Fan Long forgave her, Chu Zheng wouldn''t let her off easily in the future.

 Chapter 326 Reunion

    Chu Zheng made his way through vast stretches of wilderness, stumbling upon remnants of battlefields everywhere.


    For the incomplete magic treasures and weapons, he did not miss a single one, collecting them all into the grotto heaven within his body.


    Although most of these items were of an order that he could no longer use, he still did not wish to waste them, since they were all for the taking anyway.


    Among them, there would occasionally be some pleasant surprises, allowing him to come across some fragments of Eighth Order items.


    However, they were all Eighth Order Low Quality; the Immortal Treasures ranked between the First and Third Tribulation, the Five Elements incomplete, their power limited.


    After crossing several areas in succession, Chu Zheng noticed something unusual.


    On the surface, it seemed as if the Immortal Alliance was slowing down its offensive, but the positions of many large camps had started to move forward, subtly encircling many of the Ten Thousand Realms Cultivators'' large camps in the center, all departments secretly preparing their troops, clearly ready to launch a major offensive.


    This was different from the previous small-scale wars; it was an accumulation of forces for a decisive battle that would determine the fate of the cosmos.


    Once the winner in the Lower Heavenly Domain is decided, if the Immortal Alliance prevails, they could use the Lower Heavenly Domain as a base to push the entire battlefield into the Ten Thousand Realms through numerous spatial passages, causing a dramatic shift in the situation at that time.


    It seems that the Ten Thousand Realms have also become aware of this situation, as Chu Zheng saw many traces of spatial passages, and the Ten Thousand Realms side was clearly in a critical rush to call for reinforcements.


    Even within the large camps on the Ten Thousand Realms side, he saw many living creatures whose cultivation did not exceed the Third Order, a level clearly not sufficient for the battlefields of the Ten Thousand Realms, but they had been pulled up regardless.


    Most of Chu Zheng''s attention was on the events unfolding before him, and he did not notice that not far behind him, there was a figure following him at a leisurely pace.


    Dongsheng Yu, who was following from a distance, was filled with doubts at this moment.


    Not long after detecting the trail of Chu Zheng, she tracked down his figure and locked onto him through the aura of his essence blood.


    But she didn''t dare to approach him rashly, as she was somewhat worried that making her presence known directly would provoke Chu Zheng.


    From their previous encounters, she understood that Chu Zheng was not an easy person to deal with, and her unsolicited appearance would most likely result in an immediate fallout.


    She also didn''t dare to harm others and found it difficult to capture Chu Zheng unharmed. If the already sizeable dispute were to escalate further due to her actions, it would not be good.


    Moreover, should she fail and Chu Zheng escape and conceal the aura of his essence blood, it would not be so easy to find him afterward. With the current rapid changes in the Great Universe, this could be her last chance, and failure was not an option.


    Thus, having confirmed Chu Zheng''s location, she secretly sent a message to Fan Long Immortal King and then notified the various camps of the Immortal Alliance to call for the cooperation of True Immortals.


    It would be best to have a group of True Immortals come forward to persuade Chu Zheng, while she would stay back and avoid direct contact with him as much as possible.


    This way, not only could she take credit for finding Chu Zheng, but it would also let Chu Zheng temporarily forget about her, killing two birds with one stone.


    However, after following Chu Zheng for some time, Dongsheng Yu became increasingly puzzled.


    She struggled to understand Chu Zheng''s odd actions of uncovering ancient battlefields sealed by time, extracting a pile of rubbish from them, and then burying all the remains again.


    Then again in the vicinity of the Immortal Alliance and Ten Thousand Realms camps, he wandered back and forth, seemingly indulging in some unknown whimsy, leaving one clueless as to his thoughts.


    In a flash, more than half a month had passed.


    Dongsheng Yu was still following Chu Zheng from a moderate distance, with no progress in the matter at hand.


    The situation in the Upper Heavenly Domain was at a stalemate. Fan Long Immortal King was tied up and could not extricate himself for the moment, and Chu Zheng''s current cultivation was very high, a Three Calamities True Immortal, and he also possessed unknown Divine Skills, with an extremely fast speed that crossed the Void, so the True Immortals of the Immortal Alliance in the Lower Heavenly Domain simply could not keep up with his pace. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    Moreover, with the Ten Thousand Realms Camp sticking out like a sore thumb, these True Immortals found it challenging to make any significant moves, and the situation was at an impasse for the time being.


    However, Dongsheng Yu was not anxious. Judging by the direction of Chu Zheng''s advance, he would sooner or later enter the area under the Immortal Alliance''s jurisdiction. There, people had already prepared a warm welcome, so he just needed to wait quietly.


    ...


    ...


    Countless suns spanned across the Void, and the heavens and earth were bright as day without a shadow in sight.


    It took Chu Zheng about more than a month to finally find the end of the thread of cause and effect.


    As the distance closed, the effects of the Heavenly Divination Technique were already starting to show.


    Eventually, he found a major camp of the Immortal Alliance, and from far outside the camp, he saw the figure of Song Lingxue.


    She was seated by the camp''s gate, with a silver-white Battle Halberd stuck by her side. Her long hair was casually tied up with an iron crown and hung behind her. The Battle Armor she wore had cracks, and her abdomen was bound with bandages that were soaked with bloodstains and Spiritual Light, making her look extremely weary.


    [Song Lingxue (Sixth Order): Bone age of forty-nine, mid-stage Cultivation of Martial God Realm, core True Inheritor of the Martial Hall, master of the Lingxue Realm. Main cultivation in "Martial Arts Scripture," secondary in Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique, with Blood Gang aura protection, her body has acquired the indestructive property, capable of limb regeneration. Her abdomen has been torn by a fierce bird, with the wound containing residual intense poison. (Repairable)]


    Looking at the information transmitted by the Spiritual Eye, Chu Zheng''s gaze slightly dimmed. It had been more than twenty years since they parted in the Cangyun Realm, and the changes that had occurred to Song Lingxue were too significant; for a moment, he nearly failed to recognize her.


    The once picturesque brows and eyes were now tinged with murderous intent, her gaze as cold and sharp as a knife. Her expression was filled with indifference, her cheeks even smeared with bloodstains that had not been wiped away, faintly revealing unhealed wounds.


    A breeze tainted with the smell of blood brushed past the camp, lifting her hair but unable to disperse the biting coldness that enveloped her.


    Chu Zheng himself had cultivated the Slaughter Blood Descending Dragon Technique. Merely from the profound Blood Fiend aura surrounding Song Lingxue, he knew that the number of living creatures that had died by her hand over the years was already an astronomical figure that could not be precisely counted.


    In his memory, Song Lingxue had always been under protection and rarely engaged in combat with others, let alone killing.


    The experiences of these years had never been spoken of in her letters to him, but the Martial Path is a road paved with slaughter, and the killing intent is extremely heavy. On her own, her cultivation reaching this point today must have been through many difficulties.


    A Martial God under fifty years old was, even amongst the relatively short-lived cultivators of the Martial Path, a rarity that was tens of times more uncommon than ordinary cultivators, alarmingly fast.


    The current Song Lingxue, with a Cultivation comparable to that of Shang Zuling, if it came to a fight for life with true prowess, Shang Zuling might even be instantly killed without other protective means.


    Twenty years ago, that was something that even Chu Zheng, including all cultivators of the Cangyun Realm, would not dare to think about. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lost in thought for a moment, from the Void around, more than ten figures emerged, all True Immortals. Among them was Fu Zhixuan, who had been the first to help Chu Zheng by blocking the enemies from the Ten Thousand Realms.


    This direct disciple of a Great Immortal Emperor had left a profound impression on Chu Zheng.


    He originally thought that she would also die at the hands of that Great Saint of Martial Path, but now it seemed that she had managed to escape disaster by luck.


    Fu Zhixuan, looking at the completely unfamiliar middle-aged man in front of her, did not hesitate. She bowed with her hands clasped and got straight to the point:


    "Daoist Chu, our Immortal Alliance has no ill intentions towards you. Since you''ve come, please give us a chance to talk inside the camp."


    Chu Zheng looked around, observing the crowd of True Immortals, who were faintly surrounding him. Then he glanced at Song Lingxue in the distance, who was unaware of his presence, and without much hesitation, dispelled his Shape-Shifting Divine Power to reveal his true form, and walked straight towards the camp.


    These True Immortals could not stop him, but at this moment, he no longer wished to leave.